114 SERMONS upon the S,E R M. XV. cies, and Providences, and Helps vouchfafed : And will you after all this think God a Pharaoh, that requireth Brick, and giveth no Straw. Here'ris verified, Prov. 17. 3. The fool;fhnefs of man perverteth his way, ann'his heart fretteth sgainfl the Lórd. We ufually ruine our felves, and than complain that God giveth no more Grace. But do not we juftifie this conceit of wicked men, when we fay, God requireth Duty of the fallen Creatures, who have no power. to perform it ? I anfwer, r. We murk fo maintain God's Goodnefs, as frill to keep up his Sove- reignty, and right of Dominion. Man had power, which was loft by his own de -. fault ; but God doth not lofe his Right, though Man bath loft his Power: Their Impotency doth not diffolve their Obligation. A Drunken Servant is bound to the Duty of a Servant bill : 'Tis againft all reafon, the Matter fhould lofe his right to command, by the Servants default. A prodigal Debtor that bath nothing to pay, yet is .liable to be fued for the debt without injuftice. God contraaed with us in Adam, and his obedience was not only due by Covenant, but by Law, and immtitable, right ; not by pofitive Law only, or Contra&. And therefore he bath a right to demand Obedience, as the fruit of Original Righteoufnefs. 2. 'Tis harfh, men think, to anfwer for Adam's fault, to which they were not con - fcious and confenting : But every man will find an Adam in his own heart ; the Old Man is there wafting away the relicks of natural light and flrength ; and rhall not God challenge the debt of Obedience from a proud, prodigal Debtor ? We are found naked, yet we think our felves cloathed; poor, yet we think our felves rich, and to have need of nothing : Therefore God may admonifh us of our Duty, de- mand his right to convince us of our Impotency, and that we may not pretend we were not called upon for. what we owe him. Man is prodigal ; we fpend what is left, lofe thofe relicks of Confcience and -moral Inclinations which efcaped out of the ruines of the fall. 3. God requireth it, that we may acknowledge the Debt, and confefs our Im- potency, being prarically convinced thereof, and fo humbly implore his Grace. 4. God is frill offering'recóiering Mercy, and never forfaketh any, but thofe that forfake him firft ; r Chron. 18..o. If tho4 forfake him, he will raft thee of far ever. 2 Chron. 5.2. If you forfake him, he will forfake you: Did you improve your felves, and beg Gods Grace, and carry on the Common wbrk as -far as you can, then 'twere another matter. He that ufeth Gods means as well as he can, he lyeth nearer to the bleffing of them, than the wilful defpifer and Negle&er of them. Unfan&ified men may do lets evil, and more good than they do: There- fore if they negle& the means, they are left inexcufable ; not only as originally difabled, but as wilfully gracelefs : So that no fuch prejudice can lye againft God ; he offereth grace, and power; and men will not have it. (3. ) The third Prejudice is, That he is hard to pleafe, and early offended : As if he did watch advantages to ruine and deffroy the Creature. Oh ! No, This cannot be thought of God: He that rewarded the Pi &ure And fhadow of duty, as in Ahab, r Dings 21. 29. the firft offers of it in his Servants, Ifa. 32. 5. that regarded the returning Prodigal, Luke 15. zo. Ifa. 65. 24. whofe Bowels re- lent prefently ; who hath promifed'to reward a Cup of cold Water given for Chrifts fake, Mat. to. 42. and that our (lender Services fhould receive fo great á Reward, that beareth with his peoples weaknefs, that fpareth them as a man fpareth his only Son by their failing, furely he is not harfh and fevere. (4.) Thefe Prejudices are very Natural to us; and therefore fhouldbe regard- ed by all. This appeareth partly by the firft Fall of Man. Prejudice againft God was the fiery dart that wounded our firft Parents to death : The firft Battery that Sathan made, was againft the perfwa(on of Gods goodnefs and kindnefs to man; he endeavoured to make them doubt of it, by carting jealoufies into their minds, as if God were harfh, fevere, and envious in reftraining them from the Tree of Know- ledge, and the fruit that was fo fair to fee to, Gen. 3. If once he could bring them to quefrion Gods goodnefs, he knew other things would fucceed more eafily ; for the ferle of the Creators goodnefs was the ftrongeft bond, by which the, Heart was kept to God. And partly, becaufe frill the Devil feeketh to poffefs us with this conceit, that God is harfh and fevere, and delighteth in our ruine, and call- eth jealoufies into our heads; as if God did infringe our juft Liberties by there - ftraines of his Low: And we have the fame impatiency of refitaints, which they had; and the Flefh being importunate to be pleafed, we are apt to find out ex- cufes :
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