146 Obj fCliom .an}wered. . State ff. · O_bj efl. ( l.) 1('LV~ he under an utter i11abiiity to do any good, ho<t~ caJJ GfJdrequi ::e UJ to do it .? . .dtif. God making matz ujJrtgbt, Ecclel ·. vu. 29. gave htm a power to do every thing he flwuld require of him: this power man loft: by his own fault.• We we.re bound to ferve God, and tp .do wh.atfoever he commanded us, as being his .creature!>; and alfo, we were under the fupperadd.ed tye of a coven:mr. for that effect. Now, we having, by our own fault, difabled Ollifelves; fhall God Jofe his right of re<J_uiring our taQ{, b~caufe we have thrown away the llrength he gave us, ,_\,he,re– withal to perform it ? Has the cre~itor no right to require payment of his money, becaufe tbe debit or has fq uandered it away, and is not able to pay him ? Tru~y, H God can require no more of .us than we are able to .do' ; 'we need no Jnore to fave us from ~N·ath, b.ut to make ourfelves un?.bie for every duty, and t'o incapaciate otirfelves for [erving of God any manner of way, as profane n>en frequently do : ar.d fo the deep.~r one is immerfed in fin, he will be the more fecure from wrath ~ for where God can r-equire no . duty of us, we do not fin in omitting it ; and where there is no ·fin, tbere can be no wrath : (As to what may be urged by the un.humbled fo.ul, againlt .the putting of our fl:ock in A(lam's hand ; the tighteoufnefs oLthat difpenfc.tion was cleared before.) But moreover, the unrenewed man ts daily throwing away the very remains of natural abilities ; tha~ light and fhen.gth wh.ich are to be found amongfl the ruins of mankind. Nay, further, he will not believe his ~own utter inability to help himfelf; fo that out of his own mouth he will be condemned. Even thofe who make their natural impotency to good, a cover to their ·oC?th, do, with oth.er.s, dela.y the work of turning to God from time to ti-me; .under conviCtions, make large promifes of reformation, which afterwards they never regard ; and delay their repentance to a death !bed, as if they could help themfelves in a mon~ent; which fpeaks them t~ be far from a due fenfe of t.bc-ir natu;·a1 inability, whatn'er they pretend. Kow, if God can require of men the duty they are .not ah1e to do; l1e can in juflice punifn them for their not doing it, notwithftaodi ng of their inability. lf he have p6'"'er ,t? e_x,ac): the debt ~f obedi.eoce; be r:as alfo pc~er .to caft the m1on·eat d{;btor tn .to pnfon, for hiS not pa) tQg It.. · · Further,
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