Use 1. For reproof of Popish merit, if eternal life be the free gift of God, then the life of grace is not given us of merit, ex congru•, not this life of glory ex condigno; if it be gift, then sure we pay no answerable price for it; there is no purchase on our part, but a gift on Gods part. I would know whither this natural life was given us of merit; who d•re say, •e hath merited to be a man, rather then a Beast, of a Serpent, or a Toad, and how then can we say our eternal life is of merit? Doth not every Christian freely confess at his first conversion, that if God should utterly cast him off, and never show him mercy, just and righteous should his proceedings be? And how dare any appear that dare claim grace and glory of merit? In the continuance of his faithful obedience, who dare claim the least mercy ex condigno, how much less eternal life? Whereas è contra, Gods servants do not think God beholding to them for their service, but they never think themselves more engaged and beholding to God, then when he enables them to most service, they say with David, Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly, 1 Chron. 29.14. they know every jo• of mercy is free grace, every sin pardoned is free grace. No Malefactor on earth, but if the King send him a pardon, he acknowledgeth it to be of the Kings free grace and Royal compassion▪ but yet the Synagogue of Rome will not acknowledge Gods pardon to be of free grace; but Gods people acknowledge they are […] but as dead dogs before God; and were at not for the free grace of God, they had never seen life.
Ʋse 1. For reproof of Popish merit, if eternall life be the free gift of God, then the life of grace is not given us of merit, ex congru•, not this life of glory ex condigno; if it be gift, then sure we pay no answerable price for it; there is no purchase on our part, but a gift on Gods part. I would know whither this naturall life was given us of merit; who d•re say, •e hath merited to be a man, rather then a Beast, of a Serpent, or a Toad, and how then can we say our eternall life is of merit? Doth not every Christian freely confesse at his first conversion, that if God should utterly cast him off, and never shew him mercy, just and righteous should his proceedings be? And how dare any appear that dare claime grace and glory of merit? In the continuance of his faithfull obedience, who dare claim the least mercy ex condigno, how much lesse eternall life? Whereas è contra, Gods servants doe not think God beholding to them for their service, but they never think themselves more engaged and beholding to God, then when he inables them to most service, they say with David, Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly, 1 Chron. 29.14. they know every jo• of mercy is free grace, every sin pardoned is free grace. No Malefactor on earth, but if the King send him a pardon, he acknowledgeth it to be of the Kings free grace and Royall compassion▪ but yet the Synagogue of Rome will not acknowledge Gods pardon to be of free grace; but Gods people acknowledge they are 〈…〉 but as dead dogs before God; and were at not for the free grace of God, they had never seen life.
