6. I shall add, where men are under one common profession, but differ in lesser things. As there were difierent parties at Corinth, but one common Christ : 1 Cor. i. 2, * All that call on the Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours;' with 12lh and 13th verses. ' Is Christ divided ? ' It is the nature of man to confine all religion to their own party, and enclose the common salvation. As here in England, our divisions have tempted us to unchurch, unminister, unchristianise one
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another ; we make no scruple to cast one another out of God's favour ; hut God's approbation doth not go by our vote and suffrage. Lingua petiliani non est ventilahrum Ghristi. It is veell that every angry clu-istian's tongue is not the fan wherewith Christ will purge his flour. God considereth men in his judgment, not of this or that party, but as righteous or wicked.
II. In what sense is this denied of God ? for it seemeth God doth respect persons, giving more grace to one than another, though bolh be equal in themselves. I answer —
1. The text speaketh of what is done by God in his government. Kespect of persons is not faulty, except it be in judgment; for so it is forbidden to man, that neither the poor nor the rich should be favoured in the judgment of their cause: Lev. xix. 15, 'Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty ; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.' And so it is applied to God : 1 Peter i. 17, ' Who without respect of persons judgeth every one according to his works.' Therefore God may be considered two ways — either as a righteous governor of the world, or as a free lord. And the decision in short is this, that God, that is arbitrary in his gifts, is not arbitrary in his judgments. Therefore we must not exclude the free distribution of his graces ; for God, as a free lord, may give his benefits as he seeth meet ; for that is not a matter of right and wrong, but of mere favour. Thus God of his free mercy called the gentiles, who were further off from him than the Jews ; and may give the gospel and the grace of the gospel to one, and not to another, when both are equally unworthy of it. As to his gifts, he may do with his own as it pleasetli him, Mat. xx. 15. We can plead no right, either by merit or promise. On the other side, if you consider God as a governor, who governeth mankind by a law which hath punishments and rewards, punishments threatened and rewards promised, he judgeth according to that law, and as obliged by promise. Compare Eom. ix. 16, and 1 Cor. ix. 24. In the one place, ' It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.' But in the other, ' So run that ye may obtain.' How shall we reconcile these places? The first place belongeth to God's dispensation as a free lord, the second as a right- eous governor. All acts of government are dispensed according to law and rule, but his gifts according to his own pleasure. If you ask why he doth not give effectual grace to all, and hinder sin in all ; he is not a debtor, but a free lord ; though we are all children of wrath, though God seeth no more in one than another, yet it pleases him to show more mercy to one than to another. He speaketh not here of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God, who taketh into favour one that is of him- self as unworthy as another, but his love towards the work of grace, in whomsoever it is found. He speaks of his consequent rewarding grace, in dispensing of which he looketh not to outward prerogatives or observances.
2. In his gifts of grace, he doth not respect persons or nations, or outward prerogatives, but the council of his owii will. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, passing by others which are nobler, richer, wiser. He is not moved by any by-respects to anything in the creatures so to do : * Even so, Father, for so it pleaseth thee,' Mat. xi. 27.
III. What is the meaning of this qualification, ' That feareth God
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and worketh righteousness,' and the respect which each hath to the other ?
The answer must be given according to the several acceptations of the words fear and righteousness, which may be taken strictly or largely.
1. Strictly. So the fear of God implieth his worship : Deut. vi. 24, ' The Lord commanded us to fear the Lord our God for our good always ; ' or all that duty of man which is immediately given to God. And righteousness is also taken for the whole duty of the second table, as often -in scripture. Now thus it maketh a good sense ; for all religion consists in these two — the faithful discharging our duty to God and man. There are two tables, and we are to take care of both, that we do not give offence to God or men, by neglecting our duty to either : Acts xxiv. 16, 'Herein do I exercise myself, to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man.' So Eom. xii. 17, * Providing things honest in the sight of all men ; ' neither offending against the rules of justice or mercy, but abounding in the exercise of both.