by it; without hanging upon the Satisfaction and Righteousness of Chrift Jefus. Like the many Thousands of Jews; Acts 21. 20. that Believed, and were all Zealous of the Law. But be they never fo many, and never fo Zealous, The Apostle did not matter their Numbers, nor their Zeal; which he fays, was not according to Knowledge. Rom. 10. 2. But he roundly concludes, Rom. 3. 28. That a man is fuftified by Faith; without the deeds of the Law. Thofe Deeds (according to him,) have no Efficiency in the Juftification of a Sinner, before the God of Heaven. And fo faith our Church, (Serm. of Salvat.) [ No man can by his Own Acts works and deeds (Seem they never fo Good,) be Justified, and made Righteous before God. But every man, of neceffity, is Conftrained, to Seek Another Righteousness or fuftification; Fuftification; to be receiv'd at God's own Hands.] And what is that but the Righteoufnefs of Chrift Imputed? For 'tis in Him, that God Reconciles the World unto himself; not Imputing their Trefpaffes to them. 2 Cor. V. 19. But Saving them from the Malediction of the Law; for the Satisfaction made by his Son that Satisfaction made by his Death; which therefore in this business, is chiefly refpected by our Faith. And though we Believe in our Commanding Lord, to Follow him Yet 'tis in our Dying Saviour that we Believe, to be Juftified by him. And Faith makes us Righteous before God; by

thus

thus bringing us into the poffeffion of Christ's Righteoufnefs. Which becomes Ours, by an act of Divine Grace. And fo according to that of S. Bernard, Man's Righteousness is God's Indulgence: Not a thing which he works by any Doings of his Own; but which he receives by Favour from Above.

Yet this Doctrine will not be endured by them, that are ftill for Patching up a Righteousness of their Own; to do the work, for their Juftification: And will not be beaten out of it, but That fuch Tasks as they perform; and fuch Hardneß as they Impofe upon themselves, and fuch a Life as they lead, must needs accomplish the bufinefs to bring 'em off as Clever as can be. Let Christ ftand by the while; and do but make them a Lane: And you fhall fee them Ren fo excellently; That you cannot but own, They deserve the Prize. So do they Swell with the Conceit of their Own Services if they should not only make Amends for all their Sins; but Oblige God to Save their Souls. Such a high Rate do they put upon their Doings; that they Trust to them more than they do to their Saviour. And he fhall only have the Name; But the Works they look upon, as their Real Saviours. Inftead of throwing down all at his Feet; and Looking for Juftification and Acceptance only upon his Account: He is Laft thought of, and Leaft of all Regarded, in all the Reckoning:

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; as

And

And if poffible, They will Shift, and do the bu finefs without him.

This is the Pelagianifm, born and bred in the Corrupt Nature of every Lapfed Sinner. And where they deferve to be Damned; yet they are Challenging to be Saved: And think themfelves and their Doings fo Confiderable; That they wonder God takes no more Notice of 'em. Ifa. 58. 3. Wherefore have we Fasted, (fay they, and thou feest not? Wherefore have we Afflicted our Soul, and thou takeft no knowledge? They think themselves Forgotten; or not Attended according to their high Merits: and begin to be Angry and Quarrel; if Heaven be not paid them down, as the due Defert of their Works: and not as the Purchase of the Blood of Christ.

And herein fome that are called Proteftants, feem yet to be more Antichriftian than Papifts: i. e. Greater Oppofers of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift; and more haughty Defpifers of his Merits and Satisfaction, in the bufinefs of their own Juftification and Salvation: Taking their Own Works to be Sa tisfactory enough; without any Satisfaction of his at all. And one would think then, their Works fhould be fome very Wonderful Works; That they fo Stick to 'em, and Lean upon 'em, and Rate themselves by 'em. When, alas, there's nothing to be difcerned in 'em, above those of their ordinary Neighbours.

Yea

.

Yea fome that make fuch a Noife and Cracking of their Probity and Works, come exceedingly Short of others, whom they fo Superciliously Difdain, and cry out of; for plucking up all Good Works by the Roots. And after all the Do that they make, to Establish their Own Righteousness; The Attempt is moft Silly, and Wicked, and Dangerous.

I. It is a moft Silly Attempt. Not only to Set up that, which really they have not: All their Righteoufnefs, when it comes under a strict Examination, being even Nothing; or not worth the fpeaking of: Not only Defective, but Polluted: And, it may be,) hardly fo much, as the Righteouinefs of the Scribes and Pharifees. A Pitiful business, for men to trouble the World fo much, ia Difputing and Contending for! But it is to aim at Unfeasible things: Wherein they are perpetually Baffled; and can make nothing of it. So faith the Apostle, of those here under Cenfure: Rom. 9. 31. Ifrael which followed after the Law of Righteousness, has not Attained to the Law of Righteousneß. They were hard in the Purfuit, (Anav, ) Tugging at it, all their days: And yet it would never do. And he tells where they mifs'd it; and how they Mifcarried; next ver. Wherefore? How came it to país, that they were fo wretchedly Disappointed? Why, because they Sought

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fought it not by Faith; but by the Works of the Law. They were refolved to Hew it out of their Own Doings: Though that would not do. And they would not be perfuaded to Look unto Jefus by Faith, to help them

out.

And yet ftill, How thick do vain men follow 'em here? And will never take Warning: but Build their Castles in the Air; and bestow all their Labour in vain: To feek the Living among the Dead; and rich Oar, among heaps of Duft, and Dirt, and Rottenneß. For before they are made Alive to God through Jefus Christ our Lord; Alas, all their very Best Works, what are they better than Dead Works; and fuch as S. Paul calls Lofs and Dung? And yet this is the worthy Stuff, about which they keep fuch a Pother; In which they fo much Confide and Glory; And upon which, they fo Erect their Plumes, and Advance themselves; and call the Righteousness of our Lord Imputed, (in great Scorn, A Putative Righteousness; yea, Cant, and Mummery: And the Faith in our Lord's Satisfaction, nothing but a Sandy-Foundation. And nothing is more ftudiously Loaded with all their Difgrace; than that only Refuge, which all men in their Wits, will at laft, be glad to Fly to: Priding and Juftifying themfelves in the Filthy Rags; which are Abomination in the fight of God. Luke 16. 15. And making but a Mock of the On

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