QUESTION III. 289 in his duty ; but when every one of these millions is his own off- spring, the obligation is enhanced by all the tenderness of a father, and all the solicitude that an innocent and benevolent father must be supposed to htive for the welfare of those who should spring from him. And it is possible also that all this might be set before the first man in a very strong light by God, hisCreator; he might be informed that he should have a large posterity, and that they should all stand and be happy, or fall andbe miserable, together with himself. VII. Man beingfurnished withall these principles and pow- ers to enable him to stand his ground against temptation, with all these strong and teudér obligations to secure his own happi- ness and the happiness of his offspring, was put into a state of trial, that he might acquire the rewards promised to obedience, and do honour to the governing justice and authority of God, while he was procuring happiness to himself and his offspring. VIII. Unhappy man, though placed in these advantageous circumstances, yet gave way to the allurements of sense or appe- tite er passion, by neglecting his watch, he grew unattentive to the command, the promise, and the threatened penalty, he hearkened perhaps to the temptations of some evil spirit, the rashly determined on the side of sense and appetite, he ventured to break his Maker's law, lost his innocence and happiness, his Maker's image and his favour. It is no wonder that he lost his Maker's favour, for that depended upon the condition of obey. ing his Maker's command : When man had failed of his duty in, the day of trial, God, the Governor and the Judge, does not and will not treat him with the favour which he chewed him in the days of his innocence and obedience. And we may reason- ably suppose, that God who made himself and his goodness known to his innocent creature, and conversed with him in a friendly manner, forsookhis disobedient creature and departed from him, and gave him none of those kind visits or comforts which perhaps he might enjoy before, nor had he sufficient en- couragement to expect divine assistances in case of any future dangers or temptations *. Nor is it strange, that man should o Objection. But whatever suppositions may be made by our fancy or reasoning, yet this could not be the real condition of man after hrs sin, to be thus forsaken of God, &e. because God, as a tender Father of our first parents, was careful to guard and cherish their bodiesby clothing them, and be gave them a pro. mise of mercy ano a Saviour immediately; Gen. ei. 15. and the special aids of his grace on many occasions were vouchsafed to men. He revealed a gospel to them, or a way of salvation, and bas been ever since multiplying instances of goodness and grace towards them t This appears throughout the whole bible, so that our only bolding up the hible refutes this opinion. Answer. The great God considered as a righteous Governor of the world, and upon the foot of his broken law, which pronounces tribulation and wrath against every soul that loth amiss, may be well said to forsake his disobedient crea- ture, and that without encouragement toexpect divine assistances, Sec. These
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