Ver. 24, 2 5. xxv'h Chapter of St. MATTHEW. a i 3 work: Phil. 4. 4. He gave. his Son,. Luk..1.74,7ç. That king delivered from our Enemies, we might ferve him without fear, in Holinèfs and Righteoufnefr. We fhould confider, that he is ready ,to beg with failings where there is an upright heart That God accepteth what we en through.. Grace well and: comfortably perform. 'Tis a general Maxim of the Gofpel, though fpokea upon a particular occafión, 2 Cor. 8.12. That if there be a willing mind, it. is accepted according to what a mau bath, not according to that he bath not. That the God whom. they ferve in the Spirit, can put a finger on the fear.,. Te have heard of the Patience of yob, Yam, .S. II. Ay, and we have heard of his Impatience too, his cutting the day of his. Birth, and his bold Expoftulations with God.: But this is.pafs'd over in filence, and his Patience commended. fhould be a difcouragement ,from ferving chearfully -fo good and Gracius a God, who is fo ready to accept and affrft us, I Pet. s. 6. compared with Gen. 18. 12. He -will own a Pearl, on a Qutwhil, the leaft Aft of fincere Obedience though there be many failings. But I mutt re- turn. (3.) The ufual ill thoughts, of God,, are thcfe three. I. That He is'rigorous in his Commands: 2. Niggardly and tenacious in his Gifts and helps of Grace : 3..And as to Acceptance, that he is hard to pleafe, and eafle to of- fend. All thefe may be gathered out of the words of the unfaithful Servant, and all thefe lye deep in the Hearts of men againfl Gods Sovereignty. (I.) Hypocrites accufe God of Tyranny in his Laws, as if he dealt hardly with his Creatures, to leave them with fuch affe &ions in the midft of the Snares and Temptations of the prefent Life, and requiring filch Duty from then. -. Certainly, " all that God -bath required of us, is holy, jufl, and good,. conducing not only to his Glory, but to the Reftitude and Perfe&ion of our Natures; man would not be man, if fuch things were not required of him ; fo that if we were in our right wits, assd were left to our own Option and Choice, we would preferre Subie &ion to fuck Laws, beföre Exemption and freedom. Micah. 6.8. Are Jufticei Temperance, Chaftity, Piety, Patience, Gives and Fetters to Humane Nature .i We cannot be without thefe, and preferve the :Noblenefs of our being, and the good of humane Societies. Tis -true, this lower World furnifhetlí us with ma- ny Temptations to thë contrary, but thefe Temptations work not by conftrain- ing Efficacy, but only by inticing Perfsvafion, and have we not more earneft Perfwafions to love God, and pleafe God ? Are not God, and Chrift, and Heaven, more lovely Objects, than all the Pleafures and Profits and Honours of the World? Thefe things do not force the will, but :draw your confent ; and futely Cod hath propounded more lovely things in his Covenant, to draw this content from them: The great fault is in our Luft, 2 Pet. 1.4. `As the Poyfon is not in the Flower, but in the Spider. (2.) He. accufeth God as backward to. give Grace, and help. our Impotency ; and as if he did require more than he giveth. This is obvious and exprefs in the words of the naughty Servant; Reaping where thou haft not fawn,- and gathering where thou hall not thawed. But this alfo is ate unjuft charge; for God requiretli nó- thing but according to the Talents received. Now he, needeth not take any thing from the Creatures, for he giveth all ; he had one Talent, and God expe&ed the Improvement but of one : Let men try to the utmoft and fee if they have caul to malee this Complaint ; they will find, that the way of the Lord is /lrength to the upright, Prov. io. 29. and that all thefe jealoufies are but a flander againft Gods Government : Why do you complain that he would reap where he bath not fswen? Is it becaufeyou would have God force you to be good whether you would or no, and by am abfolute conitraining Power drive you out of your ffefh- pleafing courfe? Confider how unbefeeming it is the Wifdom of God, that men fhould be holy and good by Neceffity, and not by Choice : Vertue would then be no vertue, not a moral but a natural Property ; as burning is to Fire : And it were no more praife- worthy to mind Heavenly things, than it -is for a Stone to move downward. 'Tis true, God mull make make us willing, but wil- ling we mull be: now there is no fach thing on your parts, when you wilfully refufe the hopes God offereth, Acts 13.46. Since ye put away the. Word of God from you, and judge your lelves unworthy of eternal life ; lo, we turn to the Gentiles. At leaft you do not apply your hearts towork with God; or frame your do- ings to turn to him, as 'tis in the Prophet; you do not improve Means, and Mer- Q. cies,
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