and univerfal Conditions of Fear and Righte ousness. Convinced of this Truth, Peter opened his Mouth and faid: Of a Truth I per ceive, that God is no respecter of Perfons: But in every Nation, he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness, is accepted by him, In which Words we may obferve

I. The Univerfality and Impartiality of the Divine Justice and Favour.

II. The Conditions of it, which are Fear of God and working of Righteousness.

The First is founded in the "excellency of the Divine Nature, which enjoying all Perfections in the moft Tranfcendent Manner, cannot be fuppofed to want that, which above all is neceffary to a Supreme Judge and Governour of the World, Impartial Juftice in the dispensing of Rewards and Punishments. All Men were equally created by God, and if we refpect that alone, all have an equal Right to his Favour. He accepteth not the Perfons of Princes, faith Job, xxxiv, 19. nor regardeth the rich more than the poor: for they are all the work of his Hands: Or as it is in the Book of Wisdom, vi. 7. He made the fmall and the great, and doth equally take care of all. So that in the Right of Creation only, antecedently to all Merits or Demerits of Men, no refpect is had to, the Perfons of Men. Otherwise we could not but conceive Injustice to be in God; nor were it poffi X 3.

ble

ble to reconcile fuch a partial Conduct with his Infinite Excellency. And therefore in 2 Chron. xix. 7. the Reafon why God is no Refpecter of Perfons, is faid to be; because there is no Iniquity with the Lord.

All reasonable Preference of one Perfon to another must neceffarily be founded upon fome juft Caufe; otherwife it would be trifling and fond, nay even unjuft and foolish. We find indeed in our felves, our Affection oft-times excited without fufficient Reasons. We are paffionately carried to Objects not worthy our Love or Defire. We value the Objects of our Love beyond their true Merits; and weigh not fo much the Reason of the Thing, as the Dictates of a blind Defire. Yet after all, we never fix our Affections without fome apparent fhew of Rea fon: Reasons indeed oft-times falfe and frivolous, yet fpecious and pleafing: Which the Imperfection of our Nature permits to become effectual with us, and fally reprefenteth to us, as perfwafive Arguments.

But far be it from us to imagine any fuch Imperfections to be in God. In him is no variableness or fhadow of charge. He fully knoweth the Merits of all Caufes, and can never be deceived by falfe Lights or Prejudices; he cannot be fwayed by Paffions and Affections, or be betrayed into erroneous Judgments by falfe Reprefentations. He ever proceedeth upon fixed and immoveable Principles, drawn from the nature of Things

and

and reafon of Caufes, Principles which equally ferve for all Actions and Caufes and are never violated for the fake of external Circumstances. Such as are, to be Defcended of this or that Family, to be Born in this or that part of the World; ot to practice this or that Ceremony (I mean not as a Religious Action, but as a Custom of the Country.) All these outward Circumstances ought not to be respected by an Earthly Judge, and therefore cannot have any place with God, who has fixed moft jult and impartial Laws of Government, which univerfally affect all the Members of Mankind, It may not be amifs to view these Principles; and from them to form right Notions of the Divine Juftice, They may be briefly comprehended in these three,

1. God cannot create Man on purpose to make him miferable; or after a promulgation of an Eternal Covenant, deny the Benefits of it to any performing the Conditions of it, It may perhaps feem offenfive to fay, that God cannot do this: But as the Apoftle faith, he cannot lie; fo we may truly fay, He cannot be unjuft, But what greater Injustice than to neceffitate a Man to be miferable? What more notorious respecting of Perfons, than to confer Salvation upon one, and deny it to another, uling equal diligence to attain it; nay not only to deny this to him, but to punish him everlastingly without refpect to his Deme X 4 rits,

rits, and only in virtue of an Arbitrary De cree of Reprobation? Surely those who would perfwade Men that God acteth in this manner, contribute no less effectually, although not intentionally, to the extirpation of Religion and difhonour of God, than either Atheists, or the moft grofs Idolaters.

For to what purpose was Religion inftituted, Rewards and Punishments propofed, Laws prescribed, and Rules fixed; if after all Judgment is given at the laft Day, not according to the obfervation of them, but the unaccountable Decrees of Election and Reprobation? It is vain to pretend that God may justly do all this in right of Creation: For this cannot ftill be denied to bę refpect of Perfons; and no refpect of Perfons can be juft in God, Befides Eternal Damnation is a State, whofe Miseries far furmount the necellary Benefits flowing from Existence; and as fuch, cannot be by God neceffarily imposed on any; for then the Existence which he gave them, would not compenfate the Mifery, which he caft upon them; which would be a manifeft detect of Justice. If any believe it a more preferrable State to be infinitely miferable than not to be, I would not be fo uncharitable as to with they might be convinced by their own Experience; but furely all will conclude them grofly miftaken, unless the neceffary Benefit of Existence be also infinite; which none will fay.

2. That

2. That which is the true and ultimate Happiness of Man, I mean Eternal Salvation, God will not, and in Juftice cannot, confer upon one merely for the fake of another, nor deny to one only for default of another. None is capable either of Reward or Punishment, but for the good or bad ufe of his own free-will; and if after his utmost diligence used, Man could mifs his intended Happiness through default of another; or gain it without imploying that careful diligence; there could be no obligation, at leaft no encouragement to pursue the means. Reafon directeth Men to use any means, only upon assurance or belief of their fubfurviency to the acquifition of the end propofed; and if there be no necessary connexion between the means and the end, it would be unreafonable for Mankind to employ the one or hope the other. Not to fay, that it would be an inexcufable Partiality to beftow Happiness upon one Man without any concurrence of his own, and deny even the poffibility of obtaining it to another, although acting in the fame Circumftances.

3. Temporal Benefits and worldly Feli city God may bestow or deny to any one for the fake of another, without any Diminution of his Juftice and Impartiality; which requi reth no more, than that if he punitheth Man for neglecting to obtain his Supream

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