be Established on fo fure a Foundation; where you shall never be put to Confufion. But be kept through Faith to Salvation: And enjoy the Bleffed End of your Faith, in all the Endless Joys of Everlasting Life.

The Third Obfervation.

What a Hindrance is Pride to their Happinefs; who stand upon their Own Terms; and will not Submit to the Righteousness of God? They will not have it in His Way: And they shall not have it in their Own.

[Have not Submitted themselves.] No here it fuck with the Jews. They could not bring themselves to it. It feem'd too great a Condefcention and Abafement; For them, who Gloried fo much in their Law, as Written with the Finger of God; To go. and feek their Juftification any where elfe. And as much goes it ftill against the Grain, with fuch as Dote upon the great Diana, their Reason; And think there can be nothing Superior to that Law; which thế fame God has Infcrib'd on the Tables of their Hearts. To be Convinc'd, That this will not do But they muft Stoop to a New Remedy, to Help them out: Here Pride of their own Natural Stock, makes 'em fo Stiff and Stand it out, even to the Deatlt, againft any thing that fhall come to Humble and

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pull them down, from the high Opinion that they have of Themselves. This they make the Hideous Outery against; as a De fign to Un-man them, and to Rob them, even of Themselves. If the Gofpel comes to caft down (Aoyous,) their Reasonings, or Imaginations; and every High thing, that Exalts it felf against the Knowledge of God; and to bring into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. X. 5. They are refolved to keep their Manly Perfection; and Thank ye heartily, They will not fo tamely Part with their Natural Accomplishments: which are not only their Treasure, but their Glory. If S. Paul and the reft of the Apo files, (Poor deluded Creatures!) would be fuch Fools for Chrift; 1 Cor. 4. 10. Yet they have no mind to take that courfe, to learn Wisdom, which he prefcribes ; Chap. 3. 18. If any man among you feems to be Wife in this World, Let him become a Fool, that he may be Wife. The Wisdom of this World (though it be no better than Foolishness with God, ver. 19.) It makes Head against God's way of Saving Sinners; and counts it but a Silly Contrivance; Even the Foolishneß of God. Chap. 1. 25. And the World, with all its Wisdom, knows not God, ver. 21. i. e. Not in the right Saving manner. Though they know enough from his Creation Leave them without Excufe. Rom. 1. 20. Yet they become Vain in their Imaginations; and

their foolish Heart is Darkned. ver. 21. And they will not Vouchfafe to Learn the Knowledge of God, from his Word; Not to know God in Chrift, Reconciling the World to himSelf; and not Imputing their Trefpaffes unto em. 2 Cor. V. 19. Nor to Know Chrift Jefus, made of God unto us, Wifdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption: I Cor. 1. 30. Though this be the moft Material and beft of all Knowledge, that ever they can attain to; which the great and Learned Apostle was fo taken with; that he Determined to Know nothing elfe among that people; but Fefus Chrift, and him Cru cified. 1 Cor. 2. 2. And counted all things but Lofs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrift Jefus his Lord. Phil. 3. 8. And a branch of this Knowledge there he makes to be, the Knowing of fuch a Righteoufneß,, as comes by the Faith of Chrift. Yet neither this Knowledge, nor this Righteousneß will down with them: Because their School of Nature does not teach it! They ftand up. therefore to Oppofe it: And inftead of Submitting to it, They perk above it; and by all means would Batter it down; as not fit to fubfift, or be mentioned in the World: Unless with the utmoft Scorn and Defiance.

And here fome of our Refiners, that may think themselves much difparaged, to be Coupled with Quakers, yet fhew that they are not at fuch a mighty Distance, but they

can lovingly thake hands together. For what the one call Reason, the other call The Light within Whereby they mean in effect, the fame thing; which both of 'em fet up above the Chrift without: Not only to ye with him, but to Over-top, and fo Exclude him. And fo Lean to their own Understandings; and fo Abide by their own Imaginations; as to Controul his holy Word, instead of being Controuled by it.

Now Pride keeps men off from Submitting to the Righteousness of God, 1. Because they will not be fo Beholden to another. 2. Because they have too High a Conceit of their Own Righteoufnefs. And 3. Because they have not Thoughts Low enough of their Sinful Wretchedness.

I. They are not for Submitting to the Righteousnß of God, out of Pride; which will not fuffer 'em to be fo Beholden to Another. To go out of Themfelves; and Fetch home Righteoufnefs from one, whom (it may be,) they look upon but as their Fellow-Creature; This is fuch a Poor, Precarious fort of Living; as they count exceedingly Below 'em. To be made the Righteousness of God in Chrift; 2. Cor. V. laft Ver. And to be Perfect, only through the Comelineẞ that he puts upon us; To be Deckt with Borrowed Plumes; and not Accepted, but in the Beloved; Eph. 1. 6,

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To be fuftified by Faith in him. Acts 13. 39. And Believing, to have Life through his Name! Job. 20. laft Ver. All this looks pitiful Sneaking, for men of Parts, and men of Worth So to Degrade themselves; and become such Underlings, to they know not whom. If now and then any of 'em, Bow the Head in a customary Formality, to the Name of Jefus: Yet they are not for fo Bowing their Souls, to the Righteousness of Jesus; and to be found in him, having the Righteousness, which is through the Faith of Christ. i. e. the Righteousness of God. Phil. 3. 9. But as Herod, and his men of War, fet our Saviour at naught, and mocked him; when Arrayed in Another's Coat: Luke 23. 11. So thefe Myrmidons make but a feft of one Cloathed in that White Rayment, which the Lord Counfels us to get of him. Like as a Proud Gentleman, though Decayed, Infifts still upon his Quality; And this and the t'other he Scorns; and would keep up his Port, and be as Great as ever: When yet (Poor man,) he has nothing to Support and Maintain the Dignity. And fo but makes himself the more Contemptible; In Refufing the Helps which he might have; and Aiming at the High things, which he can make nothing of. Juft fuch Wife Gentlemen in Religion are they, that value themselves upon the Pedigree and Endowments of their Rational Nature, however Sunk and Vitiated ;) And F 3

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