252 DIRECTIONS. FOR GETTING AND KEEPING by wicked, willful, contemptuous sinners. But then consider two things : (1.) That he destroyeth not humble souls that lie at his feet, and are willing to have mercy on his easy terms, but only the stubborn despisers of his mercy. He damneth none but those that will not be saved'in his way; that is, that will not accept of Christ and salvation freely given them. (I speak of those that hear the gospel ; for, others, their case is more unknown to us.) And is it any diminution to his infinite mercy, that he will not save those that will not be entreated to accept of salvation? (2.) And consider how long he useth to wait on sinners, and even be- seech them to be reconciled to him, before he destroyeth them ; and that he heapeth up, multitudes of mercies on them, even in their rebellion, to draw them to repentance, and so to life. And is it unmercifulness yet if such men perish? Object. 'Bet if God were so infinite inmercy, as you say, why dòth he not make all these menwilling, that so they maybesaved ?' Answ. God, havingcreated the world and all things in it, at first, did make them in a certain nature and order, and so established them as by a fitted law ; and he thereupon is their governor, to . govern every thing according to its, nature. Now; man's nature was tobe principled with an inclination to his own happiness, and to be led to it by objects in a moral way, and in the choice of means to be a free agent, and a guider of himselfunder God. As governor of the rational creature, God loth continue that same, course of ruling them by laws, and drawing them by ends and objects as their natures do require. And in this way he is not wanting to them; his laws are now laws of grace, and universal in the tenor of the free gift and promise, for hebath there given life in Christ to all that will have it ; and the objects propounded are sufficient in their kind to work even the most wonderful effects on men's souls, for they are God .himself, and Christ and glory. Besides, God giveth men natural faculties, that they may have the use of reason; and there is nothing more unreasonable than to re- fuse this offered mercy. He giveth inducing arguments in the written word, and sermons, and addeth suchmercies and afflictions, that one should thinlaishould bow the hardest. heart. Besides, the strivings and motions of his Spirit within are more than, we'can give an account of. Now,, is not this as much as belongs to God as governor of the creature according to its nature ? And for the giving of a, new nature, and creating new hearts in :men, after all their rebellious rejecting of grace, this is acertain miracle of mercy, and belongs to God in another relation, (even is the free chooser of his elect,), and not directly as the governor of the universe. This is from his special providencet and the former from his gen- eral. Now, special- providences are not to be as common as the
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