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ftrict Rules of his Gofpel; nor grant us any more Mercy, than what he hath there promised. We presently lay hold of all fuch Paffages, as declare the infinity of his Mercy, little confidering that it is joyned with no less infinite Juftice. We remember what paffionate Concern he often expreffeth for the good of Mankind, forgetting his unchangeable Hatred of Sin. Whereas if we fairly confidered thofe very Places, where God expreffeth the greatest Tenderness, and whence Men chiefly raife their Hopes; we fhall find, that even in them he giveth manifeft Indications of the impoffibility of receiving his Mercy without their own precedent Repentance. He reprefenteth himfelf as ftretching forth his Hands to them all Day long; but adds, that if they will not hear, he giveth them up to their own hearts Lufts. He defcribeth his Concern for them by the fimilitude of a Houfholder cultivating his Vine, Dreffing, Digging about it and watering it; but fubjoyas his command cutting it down, if it ftill remains unfruitful, He breaks out into paffionate Exclamations in forrow for their obdurate Impenitence. As in Ezek. xxxiii. 11. As I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live, Turn ye, Turn ye from your evil way, for why will ye die Q ye houfe of Ifa rael? And Pfal. lxxxi. 14. O that my people would have hearkned unto me, for if Ifrael had

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walked in my ways; I should foon have put down their enemies, &c. and Matt. xxiii. 37. O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killeft the Prophets, &c. How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? In all the Scripture there are not more vehement Proteftations of kindness to Mankind; and yet all these carry along with them a certain Denuncation of Deftruction without Repentance,

In the first place it is plainly infinuated, that if Ifrael will not turn from their evil way, there is no Remedy but they muft die. The fecond Paffage carrieth this Sense in other Words. O that my People would put themselves into a capacity of receiving my Favour, which while they continue Dilobedient to me, I cannot beftow upon them! Which because they would not do, it is adjoyned in the 13th Verfe; But my peopel would not hearken unto me, and Ifrael would have none of me. Therefore I gave them up unto their own hearts lufts, and let them follow their own imaginations, or in other Words, I would have none of them. And in the laft place, where to the paffionate Commiferation of Jerufalem, it is added that our Lord even wept over it; yet it immediately follows, that because they would not obey his command of Repentance, and put themfelves under his Protection, Behold your house is left unto you defolate.

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However then we dare not affirm that God could not have pardoned. Man without the Expiation of the Crofs, or that he cannot communicate the Benefits of the Crofs to an unrepenting Sinner, because we prefume not to measure the Power of God; yet this we may affirm, and this is most evident, that Man continuing in a state of Un repentance cannot receive the Mercy, and the Pardon of God. For the diftribution of Mercy or Pardon fuppofeth a Reconciliation between God and Man; and therefore St. Paul faith of his Exhortations to Repentance, We pray you in Chrifts ftead, be Je reconciled to God. While Man continueth in Sin, he is in a state of Enmity with God; in as much as every Sin is a violation of the Divine Authority, and a Rebellion against him in its own Nature; and every wilful Sin is an abfolute difclaiming of his Government, and renouncing Subjection to him, Refolvedly to deferr Repentance is fuch a wilful Sin; and therefore cuts off all Communication of Favour between God and Man: It being abfurd to fay, That he is reconciled to God, who continueth in Rebellion to him, and fears not to Affront him with his Sins; who defieth his Threats of Punishment againft impenitent Sinners, or at least flights his Commands of univerfal Repentance, Thefe things are fo inconfiftent, that the leaft Attention will mani, feft the impoffibility of a Pardon without Repentance.

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This alfo follows from all those earnest Exclamations of God before recited; which are fo many Affirmations, that while Men continue in Difobedience to him, he cannot bestow any Act of Favour on them: Cannot, I fay; not by reafon of any defect of his Power, but by reason of the incapacity of Man to receive, in that state of Unrepentance, any fuch Favour; and in compliance to his most just Determinations of the contrary. Upon which account he plainly makes it impoffible for himself to Pardon Unrepenting Sinners, Jeremy v. 9. Their tranfgreffions are many; and their backflidings are increased: How shall I pardon thee for this?

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We have hitherto confidered God only as the Author of that revealed Religion which we profefs. It may not be amils to confider him alfo as the common Governour of the World, and the Judge of all Mankind. To the Execution of thefe Offices nothing is more neceffary, than an impartial Execution of Juftice; which cannot confiit, if Rewards and Punishments be diftributed without any refpect to the Merits or Demerits of Men; if the Rewards propofed to the diligent Obfervers of the Divine Commands, be given in common to the Neglecters of them. In vain then would good Men employ fo much Industry, Zeal and Caution; in vain fhould they forego the Pleafures of Life, deny the Defires of the fenfual Appetite, and labour

in the more arduous Duties of Christianity if by all this they gained no more, than what negligent Sinners might fecure to themselves, and yet retain the use of all those Pleasures which a depraved Will could defire.

Nor could we account for the Juftice of God, if he should require fuch difficult Duties of his most faithful Servants; and yet allow the fame Rewards to his Enemies, to impenitent Sinners, which he hath propofed to them. Our Lord told the Pharisees indeed, thofe great Pretenders to Holiness, That the Sinners and Publicans go into heaven before them; and in another Place faith, That the Kingdom of heaven (uffers violence, and the violent take it by force. But then thofe Sinners did repent, which the Pharisees retufed to do; and the Violence offered to Heaven, is there no other than Prayers and Tears. Without those the fupream Judge would continue inexorable to them; who hath promi fed indeed to lay open Heaven to penitent Sinners, but upon no other Condition will admit them into it. Otherwife what Airaham faid to God, Gen. xviii. 25. When he imagined that God would involve the juft Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah in the univerfal Destruction, which he was about to bring upon thofe Cities. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to play the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous fould be as the wicked. That be far from the

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