which his Christ has wrought for us: And that Fuftification of a Sinner, which comes by the Faith of Jefus; The Faith in his Blood. (Which is the Notion by which I shall abide.) For fo indeed, the Apostle himself expounds it; that Phil. 3.9. The Righteousness which is through the Faith of Chrift; the Righteousness, which is of God by Faith.

Now of this Righteoufnefs the Jews did not think: And fuch a Righteoufnefs how many Learned knowing men even among Chriftians, eem ftill at a Lofs to Comprehend? | And going about to Establish their own Righteousness; } They would fet up in its ftead, fomewhat which they take to be, not only as Good; but more Real, and much Better: Somewhat which they work out of the Strength of Nature; By Exercifing themselves in Vertuous ways: Somewhat that is Inherent in themselves; which they attain to, by obferving the Law: And therefore he calls it the Righteoufness of the Law; and their Own As not made over to them by Impu tation from Chrift: In whom Believers are faid to be the Righteousness of God. 2 Cor. V. laft Ver.

And let not any imagine, That by their Own Righteousness here, is meant only such a Righteousness, as confifts in works of the Ceremonial Law; Or Hypocritical works; and fuch as are done before Faith and Grace. For 'tis the Righteoufnefs of fuch a Law, the Apoftle fpeaks of, By which is the Knowledge of Sin; and that fays, Thou shalt not Cover. Rom. 7. 7. A Law

A Law that Justifies the Doers of it. Rom. 2. 23. A Law, which if a man do the things enjoined in it, he fhall Live by 'em. Rom. 10. 5. A Law which is Eftablifh'd by Faith; and not to be Abolifh'd. Rom. 3. laft Ver. And none of all this can be affirm'd of the Ceremonial Law. Yea it is a Law of Righteousness. Rom. 9.31. ALaw, that is Holy, fuft, and Good. Chap. 7. 12. A Law, that condemns all Counterfeit Performances; (Drawing nigh to God with the Mouth, and Honouring him with the Lips: when the Heart is removed far from him. Ifa. 29. 13.) A Law, that was the whole Rule of Obedience to the Church of old: and that takes hold of the very Heart; Requiring to Love the Lord our God with all the Heart and Soul and mind and might; and ones Neighbour as ones Self. And what can any Believers under the Gospel do more? How then can I subscribe to the Affertion of a Modern Writer, That the Law of Mofes tended to makė men no more than Outwardly Righteous: And that the Obligation of it extended no further, than to the Outer man? And who will think so bafely of God's Pure and Righteous Law, That a man might Fulfil it, and yet be a Hypocrite? When the very Beft Works that ever we can do, are all required by this Law. And yet they are Excluded from the Honour of Effecting our Ju ftification before God, Because still they are Im perfect: And therefore Short of what the Law requires, And if all our own Works are excluded: Sure it must be understood of our

Good

Good Works. For what pretence can be for the Bad? And who would expect to be Juftified, for doing Wickedly? Yea where S. Paul excludes Works from Juftifying the Sinner, How can we fuppofe him to mean Works of the Mofaick Law, as fuch; When the Famous Example, which he produces, to ftrengthen his Doctrine, [Abram, I was Dead above 300 years before that Law was given? And when the Gentiles, whofe Apostle he was, and to whom he writes of this matter, were never Under it, but Without it. How much befide the purpose then had it been, to Diffuade them from a Conceit of Juftification by that Law, which they could never pretend to?

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Nay, in the matter of Juftification, he Dif claims his own Works, done after his Converf on; as well as thofe done before it. I Cor. 4. 4. Gal. 2. 16. and Phil. 3.9. And the Evangelical Obedience, Is it not ftill Our Righteoufnefs? Because we are Bound to do it: And it is wrought In us; and By us: Though done in Faith, and not without the Influx of God's Grace; Yet it is Our Work; as far as any thing of the Creatures can be called their Own: For in God we Live and Move; And he Works all our Works in us; Even thofe of Nature, as well as of Grace. And upon the very fame account, as fome would make the Works of Believers Meritorious; Our Apoftle fhuts them all out. Eph. 2. 10. Even because we are God's Handywork, Created to 'em. And even the Fuft fhall

Live, not by their Works, but by their Faith. Gal. 3. 11. Nor for any fuppofed Worthiness that is in them: But by their Believing in Him, who indeed is Worthy. Still he would have all that Renounced, which fuggefts matter of Boafting: As do the works of a Believer; and that more than of another; because his works are Better. And though they be done by God's Gift and Help; yet if we were Juftified by em, we might Glory in 'em. So did the Pharifee; Luke 18.11. Though he Magnified himself; and look'd with a Supercilious Difdain upon others ; and ftands upon Record for a Proud Boafter: yet he fo far Own'd the Lord, and afcrib'd all to him; as to cry, God I thank thee, that I am not fo and fo.

And indeed fuch as plead for Works done by the Grace of God, to Justify them, may as well plead, That all manner of Works, without di ftinction, (counted Good,) fhould Justify them. Because they use fo to confound Nature and Grace; That, according to them, even a man's Rational Faculty; and his Natural Ability to work at all, is as much of Grace, as any pecu liar Qualifications wrought by the Holy Spirit. And fo we must leave them, if they will,) to quarrel the Apostle, for making any difference at all, between our Own Righteoufnefs, and the Righteousness of God.

However, When 'tis the Mercy of God, and the Merit of Chrift that Juftifies the Undeferving Methinks it is no fair. Thanking the Lord,

Lord, for Enabling them to do any Good Works; to go and fet those Works in the place of his Grace; and give them the Honour due to that. And I must confefs, It would be as Difingenuous and wicked, to Arrogate this Glory of Juftification to our Faith; which others confer upon their Works. For though Faith Dignifies us, in Receiving that Righteousness of our Saviour, by which we are Justified; and by which the Imperfection of our Works is Covered, and our own Righteousness made significant, to ftand us in any ftead: Yet all this while, It is not Faith, as our Work; No, but only as the Veffel, which God gives us, to Receive the Treasure. And in it felf, what is it, but like an Earthen Pot, fill'd with Gold and Jewels? And then if Faith it felf, by which we are faid to be Juftified; (As it apprehends the Righteouf ness of Christ which does it;) Yet has fo poor a Share in the matter: (though it be all that can be done on our parts;) O what part or Honour will here be left for Works; which the Apostle utterly Excludes: As having nothing to do in the business of Juftification: But only come after, as the Fruits and Confequents of that Faith, which does the work?

All this I do here fo much Inculcate: Because I know what pains the Self-Jufticiaries are at ftill, to bring in fomewhat of their Own, to do the business: And how much they are aggriev'd, to be Stript of all their Own Plumes; thar Chrift may be All in All. If they cannot get it

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