§. XII.
Quest. 1.The stating of the Question. First then, by this Day and Time of Visitation, which we say God gives unto all, during which they may be saved, we do not understand the whole Time of every Man’s Life; though to some it may be extended even to the very Hour of Death, as we see in the Example of the Thief converted upon the Cross: But such a Season at least as sufficiently exonerateth God of every Man’s Condemnation, which to some may be sooner, and to others later, according as the Lord in his Wisdom sees meet. That many may out-live the Day of God’s Visitation.So that many Men may out-live this Day, after which there may be no Possibility of Salvation to them, and God justly suffers them to be hardened, as a just Punishment of their Unbelief, and even raises them up as Instruments of Wrath, and makes them a Scourge one against another. Whence to Men in this Condition may be fitly applied those Scriptures which are abused to prove that God incites Men necessarily to sin: This is notably expressed by the Apostle, Rom. i. from Ver. 17. to the End, but especially Ver. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge, God gave them up to a Reprobate Mind, to do those Things which are not convenient. That many may out-live this Day of God’s gracious Visitation unto them, is shewn by the Example of Esau, Heb. xii. 16, 17. who sold his Birthright So he had it once, and was capable to have kept it; but afterwards when he would have inherited the Blessing, he was rejected. This appears also by Christ’s weeping over Jerusalem, Luke xix. 42. saying, If thou hadst known in this thy Day the Things that belong unto thy Peace; but now they are hid from thine Eyes. Which plainly imports a Time when they might have known them, which now was removed from them, though they were yet alive; but of this more shall be said hereafter.