226 Ofimputed Rght.Of Faith, ufif.and Mans duty: P. When Chrift faith, [Great is your Reward in Heaven : and ',out- fit/her fhall rewardyou openly,] Matth. 5. 12. & 6. 4, 6. and Dolt /hall not lofe your rewardij and Heb. ii. 26. [he had an eye to the recent- penceof reward ; ] andHeb. i i . 6. [God is s Rewarder of them that dili- gently Peek him, &c. ] is the meaning, [Great isChrifts Reward in Hea- ven,and God will reward Chrift openly, and u a Rewarder of chrifi only asdiligently feeking hintr &c. ] Lib. 7'óu would make me ridiculous. /mean that it is for chrifls Me- rits or Righteoufnefs which he didhimfelf, andnotforany thing in us or done by in, that we are rewarded. P. Say you fo Doth diligent feeking him, Heb. i r. 6. and praying andgiving alms in ferret, Matth. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4. and fufering for Chrift, Matth. 5. II, i 2. andfeeding, viRing, &c. ChriJ in hismembers, Matth. 25. &c. mean only that which chrifi did, and not we ? Is it Chrifis pray- ers, and acmes, and charity and fufferings that the text meaneth:' Look over many fuch texts and judge. Lib. still you would make my wards contemptible. It is our duties that are rewarded,but it is not for themfelves or any worth that is in them, butfor the merits of chrifi only. P. If God have no relped to any thing in our duties in his reward, tell me, i. Why are they faid fo oft to Pleafe him and we are command ed to do thofe things that Pleafe him? and i Joh. he heareth m becaufre we do thofe things that Pleafe him. 2. Andwhy thendoch he not aswell, for Chriftsmerits or Righteoufnefs, reward our finning, our folly and va- nity, our idlenefs, our dreams, or all our natural indifferent adtions, as our Love, and holinefsr 3. And why do you and all men regard or reward a loving thankfulobedient child, more thanone that willfcorn you and 1pit in your face And why do all Princes and Rulers make any difference be- tween the righteousand the wicked, arogue and an honeft man r Andwhy do Churchesfo ftridtly try theGodlinefs of their members t Why do you make anydifference inyour Communion r What meaneth Church difci- pline r And why are you your felves fo defirous to be efteetned Godly perlons, and differenced from others, if God himfelf do make no diffe- rence r Andhow is the righteous more excellent than his neighbour ! and called Gods jewels and the apple of his eye, his peculiar people, a holyNa tion, and his treafure r And why is it made the mark of a faithful man, Pfal. r5. 4. that a vile perfon is contemned in his eyes, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord, if there be nothing in holinefs and obedience any morethan in fin, for God to reward r Lib. rota delight to make me feemfoolifh, by your cavilling ! Toomight eaflyunderflandthat Ididnot mean thatgoodworks are no more Rewarda- ble than idlenefs or Evil: But that they are not rewardedfor their proper werehinefs, as being faulty and fo unjufliiable with God; but it is for the meritsof theRighteoufnefsof Chrift, imputed to believers. P. When you underftand what you Mould lay, you will fpeak intelli- gibly : But benot angry that your confuhion is laid open to you. About Merit and imputation wemuff fpeak diftindlly afterwards. That noworks of ours are Rewardable till their faultinefs cs pardoned, nor Rewardable according to the Law ofInnocency, nor upon any terms but thofe of the Covenant of Grace, which freely giveth falvation to penitent believing ac- cepters, whichfreegift, and acceptanceof ourduties, is purchafed by the meritorious righteoufnefs of Chrift all this we hold as fall as you do. We dream not of any accefs to God but by a Mediator, nor of any ac- ceptance of our felves or our duties, works or righreoufnefs, but on the account.
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