Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

2. Think how useless and unprofitable creatures you are in your selves; no ways fit to be active in glorifying of him: The whole world is become unprofitable, Rom. 3. 12. Have neither will nor power of their own to glorify God till he restore it, Philip. 2. 13. What can you do for him, till your enmity be taken away, your rebellion subdued? Nothing but his grace can fit you to do him any the least service.

2. Think how useless and unprofitable creacures you are in your selves; no wayes fit to be active in glorifying of him: The whole world is become unprofitable, Rom. 3. 12. Have neither will nor power of their own to glorifie God till he restore it, Philip. 2. 13. What can you do for him, till your enmity be taken away, your rebellion subdued? Nothing but his grace can fit you to do him any the least service.

3. See that you have nothing by which you can challenge the least favour from him. It is true, the Gospel saith, If you believe, you shall be saved; but it also tells you, this believing is not of your selves, Eph. 2. 9. Till you believe you are under condemnation; the first grace must come from him; and it is at his pleasure whether he will give you to believe or no. He hath indeed freely engaged himself in promise to believers; but he hath not promised to you that he will make you such, and if he do not, you cannot: since then the case is such, that without Faith no Salvation, and you no way deserve that God should give it you, but have many ways provoked him to deny it; what remains but that you cast your selves down at his feet, and ask it, not only as beggars that deserve no alms, but as traitors that have forfeited your lives, and stand to the courtesy of