Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. 'Tis not from want of strength in himself. The power of God is unquestionably able to strike off the chains of unbelief from all; he could surmount the obstinacy of every child of wrath, and inspire every Son of Adam with Faith as well as Adam himself. He wants not a virtue superior to the greatest resistance of his Creature; a victorious beam of light might be shot into their understandings, and a flood of Grace might overspread their Wills with one word of his mouth without putting forth the utmost of his power. What hinderance could there be in any created spirit, which cannot be easily pierced into, and new moulded by the Father of Spirits? Yet he only breaths this efficacious virtue into some, and leaves others under that insensibility and hardness which they love, and suffers them to continue in their benighting ignorance, and consume themselves in the embraces of their dear, though deceitful, Delilahs.

1. 'Tis not from want of strength in himself. The power of God is unquestionably able to strike off the chains of unbeleief from all; he could surmount the obstinacy of every child of wrath, and inspire every Son of Adam with Faith as well as Adam himself. He wants not a vertue superior to the greatest resistance of his Creature; a victorious beam of light might be shot into their understandings, and a flood of Grace might overspread their Wills with one word of his mouth without putting forth the utmost of his power. What hinderance could there be in any created spirit, which cannot be easily peirced into, and new moulded by the Father of Spirits? Yet he only breaths this efficacious vertue into some, and leaves others under that insensibility and hardness which they love, and suffers them to continue in their benighting ignorance, and consume themselves in the embraces of their dear, though deceitful, Dalilahs.

He could have conquered the resistance of the Jews, as well as chased away the darkness and ignorance of the Gentiles. No doubt, but he could over power the Heart of the most malicious Devil, as well as that of the simplest and weakest man. But the breath of the Almighty Spirit is in his own power, to breath where he lists.