the evil that he has done, but also concerning the good which he has omitted. He must inquire, how far he has fallen short of that poverty of fpirit, and purity of heart, which he ought to have come up to: and how far he has been wanting in those duties which a thorough zeal would have pushed him on to. And when he has done this, let him be proud if he can.

2. Man is the creature of God, depends upon him, and has received all from him. And therefore let him do the utmoft he can, he does no more than his duty and, ftrictly speaking, cannot merit of him. He that will pretend to merit, must be his own mafter; he must have a right over his own actions; he must be free to dispose of his affections and fervices as he pleases. For, if he be antecedently bound, if he hath no liberty, no freedom, no right to difpofe of himself, or any thing he is poffeffed of, 'tis plain fuch an one cannot merit. And this is the direct cafe between God and man. God is the great Lord, the great Proprietor of heaven and earth. He that gives alms, does but restore a part of what God lent him: he that takes patiently the lofs of goods, or health, or friends, does but give back what he had no right to retain : he was but tenant at will, and had no right to any thing longer than God thought fit

to

14

to continue it. And in all other inftances of duty the case will ftill be plainer. If he adore and worship God, there is infinite reason that he should; for he depends upon him for his being and prefervation. If he love God never fo much, God has deferved much more than he can pay him: not only the enjoyments of life, but even life it felf, being derived from him. From this argument it will follow, that it is impoffible for a creature to merit of its Creator: angels themselves never could. For might it not be faid with as much truth concerning them, as concerning man, Who made thee to differ? Or what haft thou which thou didst not receive? And if thou haft received it, why doft thou boast as if thou hadst not received it? 1 Cor. iv. 7. And the fame may be concluded concerning Adam in Paradife. For I demand, had he kept the covenant of God, had he done this by divine grace, or by his own ftrength? If by the grace of God, as divines generally hold, then may we apply the expreffion of St. Auftin to Adam, as well as to any one now under the difpenfation of the gospel: that when God rewards the works of man, he does only crown in him his own gifts. But fuppofe he had done this by his own natural ftrength: were not the endowments of nature, as much the gifts of God, as

Ff3

the

the endowments of grace? The one were natural, the other fupernatural gifts: both gifts ftill, tho' of a different kind. If it be here objected, if this be fo, how comes St. Paul to affirm, To him that worketh is the reward due, not of grace but of debt? Rom. iv. 4. I anfwer, firft, God feems, when he enters into covenant with man, to fufpend, or lay afide the natural right which he has over him as his creature; and to tranfact with him, as free, and mafter of himself but this is all infinite condefcenfion. Secondly, It feems unfuitable to the infinite goodness of God, to bereave man of the life and happiness he has once conferred upon him, unless he forfeits it by fome demerit: The gifts and calling of God are without repentance; nor can I think how death, which has fo much evil in it, could have entered the world, if fin had not entered it firft. In this fenfe, unfinning obedience gives a kind of right to the continuance of thofe good things, which are at first the mere effects of divine grace and bounty. Laftly, A covenant of works being once established, 'tis plain, that as fin forfeits life, fo obedience must give a right to it and as the penitent could not be reftored, but by an act of grace, fo he that commits no fin, would need no pardon. But then life it self, and an ability to work righ

teousness,

teousness, must be owing to grace antecedent to the covenant: and fo fuch an one would have whereof to boaft comparatively, with refpect to others who fell; but not before God. The fum of all is, man has nothing to render to God, but what he has received from him; and therefore can offer him nothing but his own: which is no very good foundation for merit. But fuppofe him abfolute mafter of himself; fuppofe him holding all things independent of God. Can the fervice of a few days merit immortality and glory, angelical perfection, and a crown? He must be made up of vanity and prefumption, that dares affirm this.

3. God ftands in no need of our fervice; and 'tis our own, not his intereft we promote by it. The foundation of merit amongft men is impotence and want: the prince wants the service and tribute of the fubject; the fubject the protection of the prince: the rich needs the miniftry and the labour of the poor; the poor fupport and maintenance from the rich. And it is thus in imaginary, as well as real wants. The luxury and pleasure of one, must be provided for and fupported by the care and vigilance of others and the pomp and the pride of one part of the world cannot fubFf 4

fift,

fift, but on the fervitude of the other. In these cases therefore, mutual wants create mutual rights, and mutual merit. But this is not the cafe between God and man. God is not fubject to any wants or neceffities nor is his glory or happiness capable of diminution or increase. He is a Monarch, that needs no tribute to fupport his grandeur, nor any ftrength or power besides his own, to guard his throne. If we revolt, or rebel, we cannot injure him: if we be loyal and obedient, we cannot profit him. He has all Fulness, all Perfection in himself : he is an almighty and all-fufficient God. But on the quite contrary, tho' God have no wants, we have many: and tho' his Majefty and felicity be fubject to no viciffitude, we are fubject to many. Our fervice to God therefore is our own intereft; and our obedience is defigned to procure our own advantage: we need, we daily need his fupport and protection; we depend intirely on his favour and patronage : In him we live, and move, and have our being and from him, as from an inexhaustible fountain, we derive all the ftreams of good, by which we are refreshed and improved. To know, and love him, is our wifdom; to depend upon him, our happinefs and fecurity; to ferve and worship him, our perfection and liberty; to enjoy

him