tu COntríbíttg sr att',Vtleb¢tttptífltt: 305 thou glory, .cs ifthou halo not receiveditdfGod difcern Chap. i 6. one from another by fpecialGifts,the Man hath nothing of his own that makes him excellent.Although inherent Graces command a refpeft from others to the Perfon in whom they fhine,yethe that poffeffes themought rather to confider himfelf in thofe qualities that are natural, and make him like the wont, than in thofe that are di- vine, proceeding from thefoie Favour ofGod, and that exalt him above them. Add further, that God hath ordained in the Gofpel Repentance andFaith, which are humbling Graces, to be the conditions ofour obtainingPardon. By Repen- tance we acknowledg that ifwe are condemned 'tis juft Severity, and if we are faved 'tis rich Mercy. And Faith abfolutely excludes. boafting. For it fuppofes the Rom. 3, za: Creature guilty,and receives Pardon from the SovereignRom '4' Grace of God, upon the account ofour Crucified Re- deemer. The benefit, and the manner ofour receiving it,was typified in the miraculous cureofthe Ifraelites by looking up to the Brafen Serpent. For the ad of.feeing is performed by. receiving:the Images derived from ob jeas: 'tis rather a Pafïion than an Action, that it might appear that the healing Virtue was meerly from the Power of God. and the Honourofit intirely his. In fhort, God had refpec to the lowlinefs of this Grace,in appointing it to be the qualification ofa Juftified. per fon : for the moll firm reliance on God's Mercy, is al- ways joined with the ftrongeft renouncing of our own Merits. Briefly, to excite Humility in us, theGofpel tells us, that the Glorious reward is from rich bounty and liberality : The gift of God is eternal life throughRoca. 6. efur Chrifl our Lord. As the Election of us to Glory, fo theacèaal poffeffion ofit proceeds from. pure Favour. There is no more proportion between all our Services and that High and Eternal felicity ., than between the R r zunraing
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