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these miracles would have wrought in Tyre and Sidon;" these subterfuges I have confuted in the note upon these words. Matt. xi, 24. To which I add these words of Mr. Thorndyke;" ‘I find no good reason to infer positively, as our Lord doth, that Cho'razin and Bethsaida shall be tormented more than Tyre and Si'don, because, probably, Tyre and Sidon would have repented. • The same I say to others who would have our Lord say only this, that had these miracles been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, but not from the heart, because mira'cles are not able to convert any one to God from the heart; for ' in conscience is there any reason that Chorazin and Bethsaida 'should fare worse than Tyre and Sidon, because they would 'have repented as hypocrites, continuing no less sinners than if 'they had not repented? To say as others do," that had God ' ordained those miracles to be done at Tyre and Sidon, he would ' have determined their wills by his immediate act to be convert'ed," is to say that "our Lord, by a mental reservation, says that 'whereof he expresseth not the reason, and so cozens them who 'satisfy themselves with the reason which he doth express'."

When (Secondly,) they do in favour of these false interpretations add, that "it would be an act of cruelty in God to have denied them those means which he foresaw would have produced in them repentance to salvation," I reply three things,

1. That they here say more than can be necessarily inferred from Christ's words, who saith indeed that 'T'yre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes, that is, with repentance at present true and sincere, and in which they persevering might have remained to those days. But so did Nineveh repent, at the preaching of Jonas, in sackcloth and ashes; and the text saith, 'God saw their works that they returned from their evil ways,' but then they afterwards relapsed into them to their utter ruin. Philip converted the people of Samaria by miracles, but they were soon perverted again by the sorceries of Simon Magus; the stony ground "believed for a season, but in time of persecution fell and so did away; of the Jews who had once truly owned the faith of Christ, so that it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it,

many

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to depart from the holy commandment;'" and who can tell whether God might not foresee that the repentance of Tyre and Sidon, though for a season true, would not have ended in a like apostasy? "that God is cruel to

2. I add that it is most absurd to say wards any person or nation, provided he apply not to them all the means his wisdom can discern to be effectual to bring them to repentance and salvation," this being to condemn our gracious God of cruelty in the whole course of his providence. For, doubtless, his infinite wisdom could have found out means, throughout all ages, to have converted more than actually were converted, yea to have turned the hearts of all mankind unto him. Even this of miracles might have been as effectual to any other people as it would have been to Tyre and Sidon, to the conversion of infidels in any age, as in the first ages of christianity. The appearance of Christ to them in the like miraculous manner as he did to Saul, might have been as effectual to convert any other Jew; and God in his infinite wisdom might have foreseen they would be so; must he be therefore cruel because in all ages, from the first degeneracy of mankind to this day, he did not always use these means for their conversion, and if he doth not still continue them whilst the world lasts? Who then can free his providential dispensations from this blasphemous charge? Surely, if means sufficient for the performance of that duty which God requires from any person or nation, and for neglect of which he will condemn them at the last, be all that can be requisite to exempt God from this charge of cruelty, even those of Tyre and Sidon had, or might have had, them; God sending his messages to them by his prophets, and they living in the land of Canaan, being not unacquainted with the miracles God wrought for his own people, Christ also being sometimes in their coast, and they being as able as others were to come from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon 'to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases." And if other Gentiles had not such means, why was 'God's wrath revealed from heaven against that ungodliness and unrighteousness' which they had not sufficient means to avoid? And why doth God complain of the impenitent, the disobedient, and unbelievers, because they obeyed not his precepts, and hearkened not to his calls and invi

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tations, and were not induced by his promises and threats, his patience and long-suffering, and all the other methods of his providence, to faith, repentance, and obedience? Why doth he marvel at, complain of, and upbraid them for, that which they had no sufficient means to alter or amend?

3. If means unfrustrably effectual be necessary on this account, who lay this odious charge upon God so evidently as they do who tell us he hath left the greatest part of all mankind under an absolute decree, not to afford them those means which he sees absolutely necessary for the performance of that duty without which they cannot be happy, or for avoiding that sin by which they shall inevitably be miserable to all eternity?

CHAP. III,

FOR a close I shall briefly add some testimonies of the Primitive Fathers concerning God's general goodness to the world throughout all ages, and more especially towards the Heathens.

I. FIRST CENTURY. Clemens Romanus, in his epistle to the Corinthians, speaks to them thus, "let us diligently inspect all ages, and we shall find that in all ages God gave place for repentance to all that would turn to him. This Noah preached to the old world, and Jonas to the Ninevites; and they repenting of their sins, ἐξιλάσαντο τὸν θεὸν ἱκετεύσαντες, καὶ ἔλαβον Σωτηρίαν καὶTeρ åλλóтρin tõ les ovтes, appeased God by prayers, and obtained salvation, though they were aliens from God';" that is, not in covenant with him, as the Jews were.

SECOND CENTURY. Justin Martyr highly approves of that saying of Plato, "that they who seek to appease God by vows and sacrifices, ought, τὸ παύεσθαι καὶ μεταγινώσκειν ἐφ ̓ οἷς ἥμαρτον, “to repent of, and forsake their sins;' which, if they conceive God inflexible, they will never do, ἐδὲν ὄφελος ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας ἕξειν οιόMEVOL, as expecting to receive no benefit from their repentance":"" he adds that "wicked demons did persecute, rès σTudás, olov

μενοι,

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a Cohort. ad Gr. p. 23, B.

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Σωκράτην, καὶ τὰς ὁμοίως, ' the good, as Socrates, and those that were like him," Heraclitus and Musonius, xai Távтas Tas nav ὅπως δήποτε κατα λόγον βιῶν σπεδάζοντας, και κακίαν φεύγειν, and all who any way endeavoured to live according to reason, and eschew wickedness.' That whatsoever the philosophers or lawgivers found out or spake well, they found out, dia 2óve μépos ös és Xgisos, by participation of the Logos, which is Christ.' that God made all mankind with understanding and liberty of will, ἁιρεῖσθαι τ' ἀληθῆ καὶ ευπράττειν, “to chuse the truth and do good;" so that they who neglect to do so are, ἀναπολόγητοι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, 'inexcusable before God.' And that, oi μerà λoys Cidoavtes Xploτιανοί εισι οἷον Σωκράτης και Ηράκλειτος, they who live according to reason are christians, as was Socrates and Heraclitus';" on which place see the note of Langius.

66

d

Athenagoras saith "that God made them, is Tv dei diaμovùv, 'to live for ever,' who bearing the image of God in themselves, did participate of a mind and rational judgment; that knowing their Maker and his power and wisdom, νόμῳ τὲ συνεπόμενοι καὶ δικὴ τέτοις δὲ συνδιαιωνίζωσιν ἀπονως οἷς τὴν προλαβᾶσαν ἐχράτυνον Zany, that walking according to the law (of nature) and justice, they might live for ever in those things by which they had strengthened the life they formerly received'." And again, “ỷ μèv tõs γενέσεως αιτία πιςεται τὴν εἰς ἀεὶ διαμονήν, the cause of man's production, confirms his perpetual duration,' God having made him with an immortal soul, and given him, vev tè nai vóμov éμQutov, ‘a mind and natural law' to direct all his actions, and made him the spectator of his magnificence and wisdom in all things; nai πᾶσι τοῖς πρὸς διαμονὴν ἐκόσμησεν, “and adorned him with all things necessary for that duration,' according to his will and purpose, and the nature which he hath received."

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THIRD CENTURY. Clemens of Alexandria handles this subject fully, proving this from the title of God that he is the Lord and Saviour of all; "for," saith he, "the Lord both of the Greeks and the Barbarians persuadeth all that are willing, but compels none, aut Σwτnpiav λaßeiv, 'to receive salvation from him,' because he may chuse it; for he that is Lord of all takes care of all as far as it belongs to him so to do, Σωτὴς γὰρ ἐςι ἐχὶ τῶν μὲν,

Apol. 1, p. 45, D. 46, C. c Page 48, C. f De Resur. p. 53, B.

d Apol. 2, p. 71, C.
g P. 54, C.

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c P. 83, C.

Tav de, for he is the Saviour not of some only, and not of others; but as every one is fitted for it, τὴν ἑαυτῶ διένειμεν ενεργεσιν καὶ Ἕλλησι, καὶ Βαρβάροις, “he distributes his goodness both to the Greeks and the Barbarians'." He adds, "that the law from the beginning was this, that whoever would, might chuse virtue; and therefore the precepts in the law, καὶ πρὸ τῶ νόμε τὸν μὲν ἐλόμενον ζωὴν αΐδιον, καὶ μακάριον γέρας λαμβάνειν ἔταξαν, ‘and before the law, appointed every one that would to receive eternal life, and the blessed reward;” πᾶσι γάρ πάντα ἶσα κεῖται παρὰ τῷ θεῖ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀμεμφής, ' for all things are alike afforded by God, and he is blameless ;"" but let him chuse them that can, xai å Candeis ioxue, and he who is willing can do it'."

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To that inquiry of Celsus, "Why God doth not free all men from their vices?" Origen answers, " that God doth not always send correctors of them, οἱ γὰρ ἐπὶ τὰ βέλτισα προκαλέμενοι λόγοι θες αυτές δεδωκότος ἐςιν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ; ' for the reasons which provoke men to chuse the best things, are by God put into the hearts of men'." To his enquiry "Why God after so many ages attempted to justify men?" Origen answers, "that, x èsiv öt in ἐςιν ἐκ ἐβελήθη δικαιῶσαι τὸν ἀνθρώπων βίον ὁ Θεὸς, “ there was no time when God was not willing to render the lives of men righteous;' for he was always regardful of this by giving them occasions of virtue, and the amendment of their lives." To that imputation of Celsus, "that Christians held that God neglecting all other men, took care only of them," (which, in the language of our adversaries, is true of the elect only among christians,) Origen answers, "that this doctrine was falsely imputed to Christians, they knowing from the scriptures that God loveth all men, and hateth nothing that he hath made; that the earth is full of his mercy, and that it reacheth to all flesh."

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FOURTH CENTURY. Nazianzen saith, "that there being many things for which God is to be celebrated or admired, yet is there, ἐδὲν ὅτως ὡς τὸ πάντων ευεργετεῖν ἰδιώτατον, “ nothing so proper to him as to do good to all." And Chrysostom speaks thus, " before the coming of Christ, ἐνῆν καὶ μὴ ὁμολογήσαντας τὸν Χρισὸν τότε σωθῆναι, “ they that believed not in Christ might be saved, τότε μεν γὰρ εἰς Σωτηρίαν ἤρκει τὸ τὸν θεὸν ἐιδέναι μονον;

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