in t/;e Conflitution of t/;e Perjon of C!Jri.ft. 2 5 I Return was impoilible unto man, fo was this Satisfaffio;t for the injury done by fin much more. For ..fl1ppofe a meer creature, fuch as man is, fuch as all men are, in what con– dition you pleafe, and under all advantagious circumfiances, yet whatever he can do towards God, is antecedently ancl ab– folute!y due from him in that infiant wherein he cloth it, and that in the manner wherein it is done. They mu!l all L1y · when they have done all that they ·can do, we are unprofitable ftr·vants, we ha·ve done what was our duty. 'Vherefore it is impoffible that by any thing a man can do well, he fhould make iatisfafrion for any thing he hath done ill. For what he fo cloth, is due in and for it felt: And to fuppofe that Sati.ifaElion will be made for a former fault, by that whofe omiffion would have been another, had the former never been committed, is madnefs. An otd~ debt cannot be dif– charged with ready mony for new commodities; nor can pail: injuries be compenfated by prefent Duties, wliich we are a_new obliged unto; Wherefore Mankind being indifpen· fibly and eternally obliged unto the prefent performance of all Duties of Obedience unto God, according to ~he utmofl: of their capacity and ability, fo as that the non-performance of them in their feafon, both as unto their matter and man. ner would.be their fin, it is utterly impoffible that by any thing, or all that they can do, they fhould make the leafl Satisfaction unto God for any thing they have done againft him; much lefs for the horrible Apoftafy whereof we treat. And to attempt the fame end b~ any way which God hath not appointed, which he bath not made their Duty, is a new provocati9n of rhe higheft nature. See Micah 6. 6, 7, 8. It is therefore evident on all thefe confiderations, that all Mankindas unto any endeavours of their own, any thing that can b~ fancied as poffible for them to defign or do, mu lt be left irreparable in aconditjon of eternal mifery. And un- - Kk 2 Iefs
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