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3. Submit to the Righteousness of God; as ever you would enjoy Peace with God.

This Advice now is to fuch as Labour in the Works of Righteousness; and give themfelves daily to the practice of holy Duties and are Followers of God as dear Children, in the ways of a serious Religion: Both diligently Keeping their Hearts, and confcientioufly ordering their Converfation. The Relief and Comfort here to be adminiftred, fuch as thefe do need; and to fuch it does belong. And wo to us, if we Preach not the Gospel, this truly Gospel-Meffage, and Glad tidings, to them. That Chrift the Lord will efpoufe their Caufe, and give them Reft; and take their Faults upon Himfelf; and make them the Righteoufnefs of God in him. This is the very Marrow of the Gofpel: Which makes all the Redeemed of the Lord heartily to Bless God, for the Redemption of the World, by his Son Jefus Chrift; and Praife and Magnify him for ever.

And notwithstanding this Faith in Chrift, and his Righteoufnefs Imputed, has been fiercely Affaulted by all the Forces, that Satan and his Inftruments, (The Sons of Pride,) could mufter up against it: And never (it may be) with more Bitterness, than of Late: Yet, if we are Wife for our Souls; We'll fooner part with our Lives, and all that's deareft to us in the World; than ever let it go. When as all the World cannot fave them,

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them, that Receive not the only Saviour of the World, offered to 'em. And how is he Received, but by Faith? John 1. 12. To as many as Receiv'd him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God; even to them that Believe on his Name. We are made the Righteousness of God in him; even as he was made Sin for us. 2 Cor. 5. last ver. And how was that,but by Imputation? What the Law could not do, in that it was Weak through the Flesh, (or Unable to Justify us, thro' the Obstacle on our fide;) 'Tis fulfilled in us, by the Righteousness of Chrift Imputed to us. Whereof we are to give Testimony, by our walking, not after the Flefb, but after the Spirit: Rom. 8. 3, 4. Tho' 'tis not in our Services, but in our Saviour, that we are Compleat; And we fhall be fentenced by the Sincerity of our Hearts; and not by the Perfection of our Works When Found in Him; who will Anfwer for the Imperfection of all His.

But after all the Bragging of Works; Alas, what are all the Best works good for, Before Juftification? If our Church fhall be heard. Art. 13. [Works done before the Grace of Chrift, and the Infpiration of his Spirit, are not accep table and pleasant to God: For as much as they Spring not from Faith in Chrift, but have even the Nature of Sin.] O how can Dead men, do the works of the Living? And who expects to gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thiftles?

Thiftles? 'Tis after Faith, that men are in more Care, and in better Capacity, to Live Godly. Chrift's Faithful people are made a Willing people, by his Law Written in their Hearts. And to Mollify the Heart of Stone; To make the Slave of Satan a Member of Chrift; To turn Dunghills into Beds of Spices; Heaps of Rubbish, into Temples of the Holy Ghoft; Wolves into Sheep; And Persecutors into Preachers of the Faith: All this is the mighty Work of God, in the Renovation of a Sinner. And to the Faithful it is Given of him, to Believe in the Name of his Son. Phil. 1. 29. But before men can Go, They must have Life and Legs. And till Quicken'd together with Chrift, and Created in him to Good Works: 'Tis but Blowing at a Dead Coal: And a vain struggle, To think of doing All Our felves; When, alas! without him, we can do Nothing. Even the Godlieft men are fo Humbled and Broken, in the fenfe of their Defects; That upon this account, they are the greatest Burden to themfelves; yea fo Loath themselves for their fins, That they are for getting as far as they can, out of themselves; and for fetting up under the shadow of the Lord their Righteousness. Where they fhall be no more Bold, than Welcome. For he that Redeem'd 'em, will kindly Receive 'em. He bids 'em, Come to him: And Promises, that fo Coming, he will

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not caft them from him. Mat. 11. 28. and John 6. 37. And this now is the Way of Peace; The only way of true Peace. Rom. 5.1. Being Juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Here is the Childrens Meat, belonging to all the Houshold of Faith. And fuch must not be hinder'd of their Portion in due season : Because the Dogs will be fnatching at it. The Flower is not therefore to be Grubb'd and fupprefs'd, for fhewing its Head; Becaufe fome Spiders may fuck Poifon out of it. And muft we Bury fome of the Word of God in filence; Becaufe ill men may Wrest it to their Ruin? Muft their Lies make men hold their peace? As Zopbar ask'd, Job 11. 3. Muft we not Declare the whole Counsel of God; If any part of it be in danger to be Mifunderflood? No; The Sun, that Tans, and Blackens, and Hardens fome things; Is needful to Illuminate, Warm, Mollify, Beautify, Sweeten, Meliorate, and Perfect others. And fuch various Effects has the Opening of the Sun of Righteoufnefs: According to the different condition of the Recipients. But what fome make Mischievous to themfelves, Yet it cannot without Wrong and Damage, be with held from others: Let those make never fo bad Use of it; Thefe can never do well without it.

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The Free Grace of God in Chrift Jefus is the only Ark, for a Toffed Soul to Reft in. But to feek Reft in our own Performances; Is like a man's ftruggling in Waves, to keep on the Water-Top; which by Art or Might, for a little while, peradventure, he may do: But needs must he fink, when he has spent all his ftrength and cannot lye long on the Surface; without a fupport, or fome Veel, to carry him away to the defired Haven. To Rely on him, that has Satisfied the Law, which Condemns us; And bore the Curfe, which elfe muft have fallen upon us: This may, indeed, Relieve and Eafe us. But no

Reft for Sinners any where out of Christ to be found; either in themselves, or in all the World. Only his Merits and Satisfaction, which Content the Justice of Heaven for our Sins, can Pacify Confcience, and fettle our difquieted Souls. And the Soul that Embarks not in this Bottom, will ftill be Fluctuating, and find nothing but fad Fruftration. Till we come to Take up here, O where fhall we find any Place, to lay our Heads, or fix our Feet? To Rifle our own Garden, for the Fruit, that grows no where, but in Paradife: To think of Living out of Chrift, on the Stock of our own Sufficiency: To bring that to the Lord, which we should fetch from him; To Bear the Burden, which we should caft upon him; And go forth in our own firength; when we fhould Lean on the Lord our

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