'GOD'S GOODNESS VINDICATED. 583 with his goodness? Neither of them being capable of a denial, or of a sober doubt. Quest. 10. ' Is not an angel and man endued with reason and free-will, and left to choose or refuse his own rectitude, and felicity, (or misery,)capable of knowing, loving, serving, and enjoying God, ifhe will, and instructed'by a perfect holy law (wit rewards and punishments) to choose aright:I say, is not such a creature as noble and as meet for God to make as a stone, or a toad, or worm, or serpent ?' . If God choose to please his own holy will, by making a world of such intellectual, free agents, whom he will (ordinarily) rule by the way of moral laws and motives, is this any disparage- ment to_his wisdom and goodness ? , It is true, that such a muta- ble free-will is below a confirmed, immutable will. But it is as true, that a toad is below aman ; and that infinite wisdom thought not meet to make all his creatures of one rank or size, nor to make all faces alike, nor all the stones in the street alike, but in wonderful variety. It is not then unbeseemiiig God to make a world of rational free agents, under such a moral government by laws. Quest. 11.. Ifall these free agents have abused their liberty and undone themselves, if he so far show mercy to them all, as that they may be all happy if they will, and none of them shall perish but for willful and final refusing of the saving means and mercy which is offered to them ; and if .they will they may live with God himself, and Christ, and angels in endless 'glory ; and none shall lose this free-given felicity, but for final refusal and contempt, pre- ferring certain vanity and dungbefore it ; and if officers be com- missioned,and means provided, to acquaint all, inseveral measures, with the reasons why they should choose heaven and holiness be- fore the dirty pleasures of sin, and to importune them daily to such a choice ; and if a life of mercies be granted to allure them, and afflictions to drive them, and examples to invite them to choose aright ; I say, after all this, ' have any of these persons cause to complain, that God dealeth not mercifully with them ?' Shall they, that will not accept of life and mercy offered them, accuse him as cruel that importuneth them to accept it ?' Quest. 12. ' Is the goodness of a king to be judged of by the interest of murderers in the gaol ;' when he restrained them by laws ; when he warned them by legal penalties ; when he encour- ageth and protecteth all the good ; when the lives of the innocent need this severity against the wicked; when the commonwealth would take him to be bad that would not restrain thieves and mur- derers by penalties? Yea, though this king could, if he would, llave set constant guard on these' men to have kept these men
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