An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

and of his unsearchable and rich mercy, that he doth offer to forgive him; I dare pronounce that man to have the Spirit of Christ; for no man by nature can willingly and uprightly own damnation, and charge himself with it, as his due portion: Thus he: But, saith the Author, I find God is very hard put to it, to humble the Soul thus: For he is forced to stir up original corruption, which is a very unfit office for an holy Being. To which, I answer; God is too high to be put ⟨p. 499⟩into an office, and too wise to do that which is unfit; yet in Scripture we find him withdrawing from, and hardening of men: The Church cries out, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy way! and hardened our hearts from thy fear? Isai. 63.17. Nevertheless God doth what he doth in a just decorum, in a way congruous to himself; so that his Holiness, or any other Attribute suffers not thereby; and withal in a way profitable to men: When God left good Hezekiah to fall, I doubt not but it was so far profitable to him, as it did humble him for the pride of his heart: when he withdraws and leaves the humbled sinner to the stirrings of inward corruption, it hath a very merciful issue; if it carry him out of himself to Christ: The very withdrawings of the Spirit, are by it self made use of, to make the sinner hasten out of himself to Christ.

and of his unsearchable and rich mercy, that he doth offer to forgive him; I dare pronounce that man to have the Spirit of Christ; for no man by nature can willingly and uprightly own damnation, and charge himself with it, as his due portion: Thus he: But, saith the Author, I find God is very hard put to it, to humble the Soul thus: For he is forced to stir up original corruption, which is a very unfit office for an holy Being. To which, I answer; God is too high to be put ⟨p. 499⟩into an office, and too wise to do that which is unfit; yet in Scripture we find him withdrawing from, and hardening of men: The Church cries out, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy way! and hardened our hearts from thy fear? Isai. 63.17. Nevertheless God doth what he doth in a just decorum, in a way congruous to himself; so that his Holiness, or any other Attribute suffers not thereby; and withall in a way profitable to men: When God left good Hezekiah to fall, I doubt not but it was so far profitable to him, as it did humble him for the pride of his heart: when he withdraws and leaves the humbled sinner to the stirrings of inward corruption, it hath a very merciful issue; if it carry him out of himself to Christ: The very withdrawings of the Spirit, are by it self made use of, to make the sinner hasten out of himself to Christ.