A27004:1014
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural evidence the being of God ... : the second part, of Christianity, proving by evidence supernatural and natural, the certain truth of the Christian belief ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; also an appendix defending the soul's immortality against the Somatists or Epicureans and other pseudo-philosophers.
London: printed by R. White for Fran. Titon, 1667
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Obj. But God knoweth when he giveth it them, that they will so abuse it.
Answ. Gods fore-knowledge or Omniscience is his perfection, and will you argue from thence against his Mercy? His foreknowledge of mens sin and misery causeth them not: What if he foreknew them not? Were it any praise to him to be ignorant? And yet the Mercy would be but the same? If you will not be reconciled to Gods ways, till he cease to be Omniscient, or till he prevent all the sin and misery which he foreknoweth, you will perish in your enmity, and he will easily justify his mercy against such accusations.
Answ. Gods fore-knowledge or Omniscience is his perfection, and will you argue from thence against his Mercy? His foreknowledge of mens sin and misery causeth them not: What if he foreknew them not? Were it any praise to him to be ignorant? And yet the Mercy would be but the same? If you will not be reconciled to Gods wayes, till he cease to be Omniscient, or till he prevent all the sin and misery which he foreknoweth, you will perish in your enmity, and he will easily justifie his mercy against such accusations.
Obj. But God could give men so much more grace as to prevent mens sin and misery if he would.