234 Of imputed7ight.OfFaith,Jußif.and Mans duty: Lib. All this leadeth us to our own works, and fets up the Law, and taketh downChrift and his righteoufnefs, and is meer Popery, for humane Merits. P. If this be Gods Word, and Chrifts own Law. and Dodtrine, then you inferrthat Chrift takethdown himfelf, and his own righteoufnefs,and fets up man and humane merits. But give me leave to tell you, that if you deny [ the Reward of Evangelical duty, and the Rewardablerefs or worthinefs ( or Merit) of faith duty, as it is but our Merit or worthinefs ofthe free Gift ofdrift andLife, given by Paternal Love and Nice, to believing Penitent accepters, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace,] I. You do contradidt fo much of themolt exprefs Texts of Scri- pture, as alloweth us to.fufpedt that really you believe not the Scripture tobe true, or that it is not it, but your own contradidting fancy, that is the meafure of your belief; and you may on fuch terms hold the vileft ab- furdities, evenwhat you lift, as in defpight ofScripture, while you pretend that it is for you. 2. You will deny the honour of Gods Image on man, and the work of the HolyGhoft, and thedefign of Chrift, who came to deftroy the works of the Devil, and fave hispeople from their fins, and purifie to himfelf a peculiar people zealous of goodworks. 3. You will difgrace the Church of God, which Chrift wafheth and fandtifieth, and render it too like to theunfandtified world. 4. You will leave man no ground for true aflurance of Juftification or Salvation, while the difference between the worthy and unworthy is taken away. 5. Youwill harden thewicked in their falfe prefumptuous hopes, and teach them tofay, We are but unworthy, and foare all. 6. You will deftroy thecomfort of well doing, by denying the reward, And making it feem to be in vain. 7. Hereby you will take down all holy diligence in our Chriftian race and warfare, while you deny the prize, and recompence of reward, Heb. A i. 26, We run for an incorruptible Crown, I cor. 9.25. Phil. 3.14. 8. You will ftrengthen all Temptations, while you take down that which fhould be fet againft them. See Luke 12.4. Heb. 4.1. & I2.28, 29. Matth. 6. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, &c. 5 . 1 0, I I , I a. 9. You will difgrace the Word andMiniftry and all Means, if after all we are never the more accepted. Io. In aword, you deny GodsGovernment, in denying his Governing juftice and Judgements, andthat is to deny God to be our God: Yea, you deny all Religion, all the KingdomofChrift, all Law, all Judgement, all Retribution, Heaven and Hell, all the truedifference between Good and Evil, Holinefs and Sin, all PraifeandDifpraife, while you deny theReward andRewardablenefs of holy obedience by the Paternal Government of the LawofGrace : and that glory, honourand peace is to every one that Both, good, both Jew andGentile, Rom. 2. 7, Io. Lib. Too would perfwade us that holinefs is good for nothing, if it be not Rewardable ; as ifyou knew ofno other ufe of it ; fo ignorant are natu- ral menofthe things ofGodwhich arefpiritually difierned: I will tell you that whichyour carnal mind cannot underhand; I. Holinefs, Paith, Love, Obedience, &C. areGods free Gifts, excellent in themfelveswithout aRe- ward: a. They are Fruits of the spirit, andmarks and figns ofour future felicity, though they deferve it not. 3.1 told youthat they are Rewards to drift, and Gifts to us. P. I. That
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