addreffes do not more effectually pay him homage, than they do fupply our God could give without own wants. asking, if it feemed good: but then perhaps we should be more apt to glory, as though we had not received: whereas to receive when we want, is the fame thing in effect, as to have had it in ftore; but with this advantage, that it makes us retain a greater veneration for the Donor; as a man is in greater probability to live humble and dutiful, when he has his livelihood conferred on him by daily difpenfation, than if he had the whole in intire poffeffion. God could redintegrate Nature, if he thought good; and re-instate her in her original rights and powers: but then perhaps the man, who now in the ftate of corruption attributes his vices to his Conftitution, not to his Will, would, if he had been born with greater strength and sufficiency, have attributed the glory of his Vertue to his own conduct, and not unto unto God; and so had he had in him less of the Sin of the Man, he would have had more of the Sin of Lucifer, that is, pride and affectation. 'Tis a wife Rule in all things of Providence, to conclude, That that is best that now is: and questionless it could not be better with us than it is, notwithstanding all the infirmities of our Nature, if we had but the happiness to make fuch use of them as God intends, that is, to fix our dependance and application more ftrict. ly to himself. I pass in the second place to the No. tion of those that exalt Nature above her due measures, and inveft her with such a self-sufficiency as would make the Grace of God appear fuperfluous. Quid opus eft Votis? faith the Philofopher; What need is there to pray? make thy felf a good man; 'tis idle to petition God for that which thou canft bestow upon thy felf. And many among Chriftians (befide Pelagius) feem to have confulted the Philofopher more than the Scriptures, for their method of inculcating Religion and a good life. They recommend Vertue in pompous harangues, and urge Religion from the rational Topicks of conveniency and inconveniency; they difplay the amiableness and advantages of Good, and the deformity and mifchiefs of Evil. "How ugly is envy? how tormenting is revenge? how brutal is drunkenness ? "how pernicious is luft? On the con " trary, meekness, temperance and be"neficence, how ferene are they in their "ftate, and how commodious in their " effects? And needs a man now (fay they) any infufion here to determine "his choice? or any affifting influence to (( put it in execution? All that he seems to need is only this, that he do not "turn fool, and desert the use of those "faculties and powers which Nature "has given him. After fuch a Moral difcourfe as this, having called upon Reason, Reason, and stirred up advertency to apply it, they presume they have done enough, and leave us to grow good up on our own stock and strength. But alas! these are Icarus his flights, Nature has provided no wings for Man to foar fo high with. Vice will never be chas'd out of the World with Invectives, nor Vertue advanc'd to her Empire by Panegyricks. The most prudent advertency, and the most manly refolution, the most rational love, and the most generous indignation that ever Opini onative Moralift could conceive and fortifie his Breaft withal, will never be able to secure a man against the subtle approaches or the violent affaults of Sin. Tis only the Divine Affiftance that is our caftle and defence, and the vital fpring of all our good habits; and whofoever terminates his hopes, even of fer. ving and pleasing God, upon the confi dence of any other ftrength than what is derived from God, his hopes are impious, and he must miscarry. 'Tis 'Tis true, that Rational Arguments are proper, nay neceffary to excite a man to his duty; which is a Rational fervice, and effected by Rational endeavours, not lazy prefumptions. But then this is the point, A man must likewife know, that when he is about his duty, he is not fufficient for that which he is about: for God has referved a partial agency to himself, and he does as much command our application to him for this affiftance, as he does demand all the rest of our duty. For as God does require us to keep his Commandments, fo in order to the doing of this, he does altogether as much require us to Ask, to Seek, and to Knock; that is, to apply our selves for ability to do what he Commands: and therefore he who fhall undertake to reafon and argue a man into his duty, without infifting on the necessary application to God, does the fame thing in refemblance, as if he fhould cut off the TraC veller's |