The truly blessed man

USE II. This truth may serve to stigmatize the Doctrine of mans merit; Yea, let it serve to root out the very secret opinion of it. There is too natural to us a pride on this account, though we do not openly pro•ess, but reject the Doctrine. How impossible is it that a person should receive a reward of mercy, and yet for his own merits? this is a manifest contradiction. We do not here deny Christ's merits, for indeed all the benefits we receive from God, are bought and paid for by him; Salvation is called the purchased possession, Eph. 1.14. But Christ merited a•• for us, that he might bestow it freely upon us, and we must come so for it, Isa. 55.1. Rev. 2•.17. And how should it be possible ⟨p. 565⟩that they should merit any thing of God by their Obedience, whose very Obedience is a fruit of grace, and all the power and help to do it is a gift; and the Obedience it self a due debt, which God may challenge of us, whether he gives us strength or no. Let us then entertain a due abhorrence of that which is so directly repugnant to the design of Salvation that is laid in the New-Covenant.

USE III. Let it advise us to beware what improvement we make of our Obedience in the exercise of faith in prayer. There is a great deal of danger of misapplication here, and Gods Children are too often guilty of it; for help then observe,

USE III. Let it advise us to beware what improvement we make of our Obedience in the exercise of faith in prayer. There is a great deal of danger of mis•pplication here, and Gods Children are too often guilty of it; for help then observe,