33O RUIN AND RECOVERY, &C. the honours ofhis own 'government, might he not resolve to spare and save a considerable number of them ? And in pursuit of this resolution, might he not set things necessary to their salva- tion in such a light before their eyes, as they should see their danger and their only hope, and be powerfully persuaded to repent of sin, and trust in the divine methodsof mercy ? Might he not thus engage and incline them to lead new lives, that their souls might be fit for happiness after death, in another state ? Would not such a conduct be a manifestation of great grace and favour in God to men, even though he did not extend this favour to all the race of mankind ? What injury cloth he do to the rest on whom he doth not bestow this favour ? May he not, as a wise and righteous Governor, see fit to let many rebellious sub- jects go on in their own impenitence and folly, till they receive the just demerit, as well as necessary consequence of their own rebellions ? What possible reason of cavil can be raisedagainst a sovereign Creator, Lord and Benefacter, if he should act thus with his sinful creatures, since his goodness to some loth not in the least hinder others from obtaining the salvation whiçli isgffer- edto all ? IX. As for the rest of degenerate mankind, does not their actual continuance in their rebellion and sinfulness shew us, that though the way of salvation provided has a sufficiency in it to save them all, yet their salvation is not secured ? But they are continued under many mercies, and the common operations of reason and conscience, with various degrees of advantage for vir- tue and piety, with hopeful encouragements to excite them to repent of sin and return to Gad, and very probable hopes of acceptance, if they sincerely repent of past, sins, and practise the duties of love which they owe to God and man, and betake themselves to the free mercy of God, so far as it is revealed, and so far as reason and consciencecanguide, and enable them in this imperfect state. And can our reason say, that the great God is bound to go farther than this toward the recovery of sinful man ? X. These are some of the reasoningsof the light of nature on this divine subject. It must be granted indeed, that if we bad no assistances from revelation, thewisest and most thoughtful of men, by the mere light of nature, would hardly draw out their inferences to this degree of evidence and jgst hope : For if they could, why had not Socrates and Plato, these excellent philosophers, said the same things long ago ? Arewe se much better furnished with genius and the powers of reasoning thaq they were ? Why should we be so vain and conceited of our- selves? It is certainly divine revelation and the advantage which we have from the word of God among us, that enables us to carry our reasonings to such a length. Yet when we have many noble hints and lifts given us by the bible, to spread these
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