Vol VII

vering it felf, in his patience and longfuffering to Sinners, and in his merciful care and provifion for their recove-, ry out of that miferable ftate. And this may suffice for answer to the firft Objection, if God be fo good, whence then comes evil?

The Second Objection against the Goodness of God, is from the Doctrine of abfolute reprobation; by which I mean the decreeing the greatest part of Mankind to eternal misery and torment, without any confideration or refpect to their fin and fault. This seems not only notorioufly to contradict the Notion of infinite Goodness, but to be utterly inconfiftent with the leaft meafure and degree of Goodnefs. Indeed, if by reprobation were only meant, that God in his own infinite Knows ledge forefees the fins and wickedness of Men, and hath from all eternity determined in himself, what in his Word he hath fo plainly declared, that he will punish impenitent Sinners with everlasting deftruction; or if by reprobation be meant, that God hath not elected all Mankind, that is, abfolutely decreed to bring them infallibly to Salvation; neither of

these

these Notions of reprobation, is any
ways inconfiftent with the goodness
of God; for he may foresee the wick-
edness of Men, and determine to pu-
nifh it, without any impeachment of
his goodness: He may be very good
to all, and yet not equally and in the
fame degree; if God pleafe to bring a
ny infallibly to Salvation, this is tran-
fcendent goodnefs; but if he put all
others into a capacity of it, and use all
neceffary and fitting means to make them
happy, and after all this,
any fall
fhort of happiness, through their own
wilful fault and obftinacy, thefe Men
are evil and cruel to themselves, but
God hath been very good and merciful
to them.

Vol. VII.

But if by reprobation be meant, either. that God hath decreed, without re fpect to the fins of Men,their abfolute ruin and mifery; or that he hath de creed that they shall inevitably fin and perish; it cannot be denied, but that fuch a reprobation as this doth clearly overthrow all poffible Notion of goodnefs. I have told you, that the true and only Notion of goodness in God, is this, that it is a propenfion and difpofition of the Diving Nature, to communicate. F 3

Being

Being and Happiness to his Creatures: But Vol. VII. furely nothing can be more plainly contrary to a to a difpofition to make them happy, than an abfolute decree, and a peremptory refolution to make them miferable. God is infinitely better than the best of Men, and yet none can poffibly think that Man a good Man, who fhould abfolutely refolve to difinherit. and destroy his Children, without the forefight and confideration of any fault to be committed by them. We may talk of the Goodness of God: But it is not an easie matter, to devife to fay any thing worse than this of the Devil.

But it is faid, reprobation is an act of foveraignty in God, and therefore not to be measured by the common rules of goodness. But it is contrary to goodness, and plainly inconfiftent with it; and we must not attribute fuch a foveraignty to God, as contradicts his goodness; for if the foveraignty of God may break in at pleasure upon his other Attributes, then it fignifies nothing to fay that God is good, and wise, and juft, if his fovereignty may at any time act contrary to thefe Perfections.

Now if the Doctrine of abfolute reprobation, and the goodness of God can

not

not poffibly ftand together, the Que-
ftion is, Which of them ought to give Vol, Vil,
way to the other? What St. Paul de-
termines in another cafe, concerning
the truth and fidelity of God, will e-
qually hold concerning his goodness;
Let God be good, and every Man a lyar.
The Doctrine of abfolute reprobation is no
part of the Doctrine of the Holy Scrip-
tures,that ever I could find; and there's
the Rule of our Faith. If fome great
Divines have held this Doctrine, not
in oppofition to the goodness of God,
but hoping they might be reconciled
together, let them do it if they can;
but if they cannot, rather let the
Schools of the greatest Divines be
call'd in question, than the goodness of
God, which next to his Being, is the
greatest and cleareft truth in the world.

Thirdly, It is farther objected, that the eternal punishment of Men for temporal Faults feems hard to be reconciled with that excefs of Goodness, which we suppose to be in God.

This Objection I have fully anfwer'd,in a Difcourfe upon S.Matth.25. 46. and therefore fhall proceed to the

Fourth and laft Objection, against the goodness of God, from fundry In ftances of God's feverity to Mankind, F 4

in those great Calamities which by Vol. VII. the Providence of God have in feveral Ages either befaln Mankind in general, or particular Nations.

And here I fhall confine my felf to Scripture Inftances, as being moft known, and moft certain and remarkable, or at leaft equally remarkable with any that are to be met with in any other Hiftory; fuch are the early and univerfal degeneracy of all Mankind, by the fin and tranfgreffion of our firft Parents; the deftruction of the World by a general deluge; the fud den and terrible deftruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, by Fire and Brimftone from Heaven; the cruel extirpation of the Canaanites by the express command of God; and laftly, the great Calamities which befel the Jewish Nation, efpecially the final ruin and difperfion of them at the deftruction of Jerusalem. Thefe and the like inftances of God's feverity, feem to call in question his goodness.

Against thefe fevere and dreadful Instances of God's feverity, it might be a fufficient vindication of his goodnefs, to fay in general, that they were

all