Serra. CLXXIV. and the Merit of C'hri/l, coa/lelt, n 2. Nor can we our felves do any Thing whereby we can merit thefe Bielfn,gs at God's Hands. Confidering that we teceived our Being, and all that we are and have from God, and upon account of their Benefits are obliged to love him and ferve him to the utmost"; what a fencelefs Piece of Arrogance is it to fay, that a Creature can merit any thing at God's Hand ? Whatever we give God is of his own, and when we have done all we can, we have done no more than our Duty. And can any Man challenge any Reward for doing what he ought to do ? Can any Man make fatisfia&ion for a Fault that he bath committed, by doing his duty, that is, by not committing another ? It is a Pure Rule, Debitam debita vonfolvitar. We are indebted to God by the Breach of his Law : but we can't quit this Debt, and fatisfie for this Breach, by not breaking it again, becaufe we owe to God all pofliblc Obedience. Betides that all our Obedience is impeder% and is fo far from Meriting, that it hands in need of Pardon ; and can a Man demerit, and merit by the fame Action ? Can he who deferves to be punifhed for an A&ion, becaufe he did it no better, deferve to be rewarded for the fame Adam; becaufe he did it fo well ? And to fay thatChrift bath merited that our imperfe&Obedience fhould merit,ei +her figniles only this, that Chrift bath merited that our imperfe& Obedience fhould be accepted by God, notwithftanding its Imperfeítion 5 (and this is truc, but no- thing to the purpofe of merit 5) or elfe it ftgnifies, that Chrift háth merited that that which is no wife meritorious, fhould be fo 5 that is, that the Nature of things should be alter'd ; which is not only {elk, but fenfelefs. Secondly, To perfwade us to live as we believe. If we ptofefs to believe the Gofpel to be true, then let our Hearts and Lives be fineable to thofe Truths which we believe. If we believe yefie to be the Chrill, the Son of God, we believe the Do&rine which he deliver'd to the World to be fromGod, and confequently to be -true 5 we believe the Precepts of it are Holy, and Juft, and Good, and that they -are neceflary ro be obferved by us, as being in order to our Peace and Happinefs 3 we believe that thePromifes ofthe Gofpel are allyea, andamen, and hhall every tittle of them be made good ; we believe that the threatnings of the Gofpel {hall all pun- dually be fulfilled. Now how ought Men to live that believe all this ? Having a Law given us which bath the fan&ion of fuch Promifes and Threatnings, ought we not to conform our Lives to it 5 and charge our felves with Obedience to all thofe Precepts of Piety towards God, and Purity and Temperance in thegovernment of our fives, and Juftice and Righteoufnefs in our dealing with others, which are cot-Hawed in th.s new Law of the Gofpel ? If the Gofpel have promifed Eternal Life and H.ippinets to thole who do confciencioufly abstain from Sin, and follow Holi- nefs; having thole promife,, ought we not to cleanfe cttrfelves from all flihinefs both of flefh and fpiritß ycrfeiling holiuefs in the fear of God ? If the Gofpel hath threat - ned, that at the end of the World, Chrift will come inflawing fire, &c. if We be., lieve thefe things (hall be, what manner of Perfans cnght we to be in all holy Con- verfation and Gadlinrfs ? 1 have formerly lhewed at large, how unbecoming it is for any :Man, that pro- feífeth himfeif a Chriftian, to live unfuitably ro his Profeflion 5 that it is the greateft Difparagement to the Gofpel, and the higheft refle&ion upon it that can be 5 and that it is infinitely dangerous to us 5 and rho' thefe be very proper Confiderations, yet becaufe I have formerly urged them, I fhall not now enforce my Exhortation with. thefe Arguments 5 but {half mentionTwoother Confederations, add fò conclude. Forfi, If our Lives benot anfwerable toour Belief, our Faith will be ineffe&ual to all intents and Parpofes. Secondly, A Life unfuitable to our Belief, is the high way to Infidelity' and Atheifm. 1ìrß, If our Lives be not anfwerable to our Belief, our Faith will be ineffefual to all real intents and Purpofes. t. it will be ineffe&ual ro give us the Reputation of Chriftians among wife and difcerning Perfons. We profels to believe the Gofpel : but if we live contrary to ir, our Profeflion is proteflatoo contra fathom, and therefore not Credible5 becaufe our Alions contradict it. The confiant Tenor of a Man's AFkions is a more credible Rrra and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=