(So) SECT. V I: S, 6 Will adde thefe two things concerning the Matter of Merit, I having faid all this about the Name. i. All the duties and gra- ces of a Believer are fo far from meriting of God properly , and according to Commutative) uftice, as we did God any good by it which thould oblige him to a Retribution,that they do oblige us much more to God thenwe were before. For that which is a duty inone refpeft and a grace inanother, is indeed a choice part ofour mercy ; and the more we do for God, the more we receive ; not only by wayof Reward, but in the very Duty : nay Doing it felf is but in fome refpeft a receiving fromGod, and in fome refp cl, a means to further Receiving. Whenever the foul is moved to Love, Humility, Thankfulnefs, Defire, &c. it receives thisgrace, and a precious mercy it is and in the exercife it receiveth more : ToLove God is fome degree of enjoyinghim : Even to give all we have for him at his Call,is a receiving from him. Honeit hear- ers do underftand this myfterie; thoughHypocrites and Pharifees do not. 2. Though I fay that no Angel is capable of fuch proper me: riting of God, yet I do not intend, that finful man can merit as far as Angels or eArdam in innocency might have been faid to do : No nor that our working now, is in the main parts. of that na.. ture as Adams then was. His was, the perfeEt obedience of a per- fai Creature , from the power of nature and that Grace Which mu without proper Merit, for the continuance of that perfetlion, and the attainment of more. Ours is the imperfect Obedience of a !inner freely pardonedupon his believing and repenting, which obe- dience mainly confifieth in the viccepting ofmercy and ufing it for Recovery, and it is performed and accepted by Goifielgrace, Which is againft or contrary to merit, and not only without it. I will explain all by this familiar comparifon. AFather hath one fon at full age, who having the full ufe of Reafon and ftrength, is able and fit to do him anfwerable fervice.He will give the inheritance to this fon, becaufe he is a fon, out of meer Paternal Love, and not of merit of the fon : yet becaufe he is anhoneft vertuous man , he loveth not his fon as a fon fo dearly, but that he would reject him if he Were
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