A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

2. It is most for the Comfort of the Creature; Grace is the original Cause of all the Good we expect and receive from God, that we may seek the Favour of God with Hope, and retain it with Certainty.

(1.) That we may seek the Favour of God with Hope. If we had to do with Justice, there could be no Hope, for Justice giveth only what is due, and doth not consider what we need, but what we deserve. Now mark, the Apostle, in the behalf of God, makes the Challenge, Rom. 11.35. Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? Come, let me see the Man that durst plead Desert with God, and claim any thing of him by way of Merit; Who will enter that Plea? Lord! give me what thou owest, I desire no more than is due to me: Let me not have Mercy till I deserve it. Merit-mongers are best confuted by Experience. Let them use the same Plea in their Prayers, which they do in their Disputes, and plead the Merit of their Works, and say, Lord, give me not eternal Life, and Grace, and Favour, till I deserve it at thy Hand. Let them thus dispute with God, or with their own Consciences, in the Agonies of Death, and under Horrors of the Lord's Wrath. Surely those that cry up the Merit of Works, are Men of little spiritual Experience, and seldom look into their own Consciences. Dare they thus plead with God? Lord, never look upon me in Mercy, if I do not deserve it. You shall see, the best Plea that the eminentest of God's Children could make, is mere Grace. The Church speaks thus, Hos. 14.2. Receive us graciously, so will we render the Calves of our Lips: It is the Form that is prescribed to returning Israel. If you would establish Hope with God, this must be your only Plea and Claim; Grace, Lord! Mercy, Lord! And David saith, Psal. 13.5. I have trusted in thy Mercy: There's the ground of my Confidence. And Chrysostom hath a ⟨p. 6⟩