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NUMB. IX. Pfal. cxlv. 9.

The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.

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HE doctrines of election and reprobation, and of particular redemption, are reprefented as contrary to the general mercy and goodness of God expreffed in this paffage: With a view to thefe doctrines 'tis afk'd by one writer, Why is it faid, that bis tender mercies are over all his works, if they are so restrained from his most noble creatures? and it is obferved by another, "That it should not be said, His tender mercies are over all his works; but his cruelties are over all his works". To which I reply,

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I. That the faid doctrines do not reftrain the tender mercies of God in a providential way, of which this text only fpeaks, as will be fhewn hereafter, from any of his creatures; no, not even from the non-elect, or those who have no fhare in the fpecial grace and favour of God, and who are not eventually faved; though these should not be reckon'd God's most noble creatures; for fure

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b Whitby, p. 159.

Curcellaci Relig. Chrift. Inftit. 1. 6. c.6. §. 8. p. 370. • Whitby, p. 1592 177.

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ly they are not more noble than the electr God, or those who are faved with an everlafting falvation, or more noble than the ngels, who ftand and never left their firit eftate in which they were created. Admitting also that thefe doctrines carried in them ideas of cruelty, and want of compaffion in God to thofe who are rejected by him, and excluded from redemption by Chrift; yet it thould not be concluded from hence, that the cruelties of God are over all his works; face, according to the known tenor of thefe doctrines, tome of God's creatures are chofea by him to eternal life, redeemed by the Blood of Christ, and shall be certainly and

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ed by God upon any of his creatures; but of his providential goodness, which extends to them all, even to the brutal world, to all irrational as well as rational creatures, as appears from ver. 15, 16. compared with Pfal. cxlvii. 8, 9. who have no concern in election and redemption; fo that if these words should be fo understood, as to relate to the bleffings of fpiritual and eternal falvation, they would prove too much, more than our opponents defire; namely, that thefe bleffings are provided for, and extend unto irrational creatures, yea, even to all the works of God, of every kind and fort. Therefore,

IV. The faid doctrines are not at all repugnant to thefe univerfal expreffions of God's goodnefs and mercy, fince the nonelect, or fuch who have no faving benefit by the death of Chrift, have a fhare in the providential goodness and tender mercies of God; who makes his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth rain on the juft and on the unjust, and is kind to the unthankful and to the evil: Nay, oftentimes the worft of men have the greateft fhare of the good things of this world; their eyes ftand out with fatness, and they have more than heart could wifh; their temporal mercies are oftentimes larger than those that the dear

children of God enicy, and therefore are not what they have in common with the rutes that perish; God takes more cut a them than of oxen, or the fowls of the nr. ma providential way; tho' they unge mRE TILOJEN of his goodness, and forbearance, and imgJuffering; not knowing that the gminy God leadeth them to repentance; but after their hardness and impenitent beart, treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judg ment of God.

• Vid. Whitby, p. 159.

NUMB. X. Prov. i. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,

29, 30.

How long ye fimple ones will ye love fimplicity? and the fcorners delight in their fcorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye have refufed, I have ftretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have Jet at nought all my counfel, and would none of my reproof: I alfo will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel, they defpifed all proof.

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HESE are the words of Chrift, who, under the name of wisdom, is reprefented, crying without, and uttering his voice in the city, in the streets, in the chief place of concourfe, in the opening of the gates; which is to be understood of the public preaching of the word, either by Christ himfelf or by his minifters. What is advanced from thefe paffages in favour of any part of the Arminian scheme, will be confider'd in the following order:

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