as

fee fuch Signs of it; that in the Judgment of Charity, (tho' not of Infallibility,) I may conclude upon it; and fo pronounce, the Lord did in the Case of Abraham, Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God: Though before, the thing was not Latent to me; yet now thou haft given a Proof and Manifeftation of it; That thou haft not only a Form of Godliness, but the Power. And thus thy Faith is made Perfect: i. e. Shewed to be fo; As Good Fruits do not Make, but they Manifeft, the Tree to be Good. And thus is the Word used, 2 Cor. 12. 9. My firength is made Perfect in Weakness. For how can our Weakness add to God's Almightiness; But only Illuftrate, and Glcrify it the more?

I do infift the longer here upon this; Because many seem so Averse to take any Notice of it: Bnt ftill run on to Difprove the Word of God, in Proving, that we are Juftified before him by our Works. Forto fet them up as the great Plea, on which we mean to hang all, when called to our laft Accounts; is not only to Confute both these Apostles; but to Confront the whole Doctrine of the Gospel: and very Abhorrent from the Senfe of all true Believers in the World; even the very Best of 'em; Such as Job; Who, tho' he maintain'd his Integrity, against those that Calumniated and abus'd him; yet before the Lord, he cried. How should man be Just with God? If he will contend with him, he

can

cannot answer him one of a Thousand. Chap. 9. 2,3. And Verfes 30, 31, 32. If I wash my felf with Snow-water, and make my hands never fo Clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch; and my own Cloaths fhall Abbor me. For he is not a Man, as I am; that I should Anfwer him, and we should come together in Judgment. Chap. 40.4, 5. Behold, I am Vile: What shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my Mouth. Once have I spoken: But I will not Answer: Yea twice, but I will proceed no further. And Chap. 42. 5, 6. I have heard of thee, by the bearing of the Ear: but now mine Eye fees thee: Wherefore I Abhor my felf; and Repent in Duft and Afbes. So David, Pfal. 143. II. Enter not into Judgment with thy fervant, O Lord; For in thy fight fball no man living be Juftified. And Pfal. 130. 3. If thou Lord fhouldeft mark Iniquities, O Lord, who fhall Stand? And Daniel, Ch. 9. 7, 18. O Lord, Righteoufnefs belongs to thee: But to us Confufion of faces. We prefent not our Supplications to thee, for our Righteousnesses; but for thy great Mercies. And our Apostle, (if fome do not think, he loft his Good Senfe, with his Good Confcience, upon his Converfien;) 1 Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my felf:. Yet am I not hereby Juftified. And Phil. 3. 9. I would be found in Chrift, Not having my Own Righteousness. And even where he feems to be in a Boafting humour, 1 Cor. 15. 10. I labour'd

Ꭰ

I labour'd more abundantly than they all: He presently Corrects himself: Yet not I; but the Grace of God which was with me. And his Fighting a good Fight, Finishing his Course, and Keeping the Faith. 2 Tim. 4. 7. What is it, but still a Magnifying of the fame Grace, discover'd upon him? and working fuch fweet and happy Effects in him? to Prepare him, as an Heir, for the Heavenly Inheritance. (And fo, indeed, as Good works and holy Qualifications are fome Rays of the Divine Countenance, fhining on our Souls Yea as they are fome of the Features of God's own Holiness, rendring us Amiable to him; we may take Pleasure and Encouragement in 'em.) And though hereupon, the Apoftle was confident of the Crown of Righteousness laid up for him: Yet he expected not that Crown to be Paid; but Given, to him: From God, indeed, as a Righteous Judge ; Not laying him down Wages deserved for his Services; but difcharging a Due to his own gracious Promifes: And difpenfing out the Largefs flowing from his infinite Bounty; yea Crowning his own Work, and his own Righteoufnefs. And fo that Right to the Tree of Life; Rev. 22. 14. is not of Debt, but of Promife; and the Effect of Chrift's Merit; With whom we are Co-heirs ; only as we are the Children of God, by Faith in Chrift Fefus.

And

And when any Holy men in Scripture, plead their Righteousness with God; As Pfal. 7.8. Judge me, O Lord, according to my Righteoufnefs. And Ifa. 38. 3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart; and have done that which is Good in thy fight: We are not to understand it of the Juftifica tion of their Perfons in general; but of fome Caufe, or Actions, or Conduct, in particular. And that but in Comparison of their Wicked Enemies; Between whom and themfelves, they Appeal unto God, as the Judge: Tho they cannot bear, to have any thing that they do Tried in the Strictness of his Judgment. So the Zealous Fact of Phineas was counted to him for Righteousness. Pfal. 106. 31. And Rabab was Justified; when She had Received, and Concealed the Meffengers of God. Jam. 2. 25. Not that the Deed (though never fo brave,) could of it felf, Juftify fuch an Ill Woman: But it fhew'd, that God had wrought a work of Faith and Grace in her; or elfe She could never have done it: For fhe Ventur'd her Life in it: and fo preferr'd the Glory of God, and the Love of the Brethren, before her own Life and Safety. So Nehemiah prayed, to be Remembred of God; for fome good Service that he had done: Though at the fame time, (as to his Perfon and his whole Life,) D 2

- he

he prayed, Spare me according to the greatness of thy Mercy. Chap. 13. 22. So all the Servants of God, that know themselves, instead of Pleading Merits, and Claiming Rewards; Acknowledge Guilt, and beg for Mercy.

But we may ftand Amazed at it; and (with our Apostle, Gal. 3. 1.) ask, Who has Bewitch'd 'em? That any fhould fall from the Grace of the Gospel, fo as to Vilify Chrift Jefus, and Magnify their own Works. This only would I learn of you, (fays he, ver. 2.) Received ye the Spirit, by the Works of the Law; or by the Hearing of Faith? Are you more Beholden to your Own Works, or to the Faith of Chrift? That ftill you defire to be under the Law. Chap. 4. 21. A ftrange Defire! That Men fhould Long to put their Necks again under the Intolerable Yoke; and feem to be Proud of the old Chains! Like thofe Ifraelites, who in the fame manner exprefs'd their Thankfulness, for the Deliverance out of Egyptian Bondage; By Murmuring, that they were not there, at the Gar lick and Onions again. Strange! That they fhould feek Righteousness and Life, from that Law, which difcovers their Nakedness, and ftrikes them Dead! That they fhould think to Force a way for themselves into Heaven, upon impoffible Terms! And to be Juftified by fuch Works; as God's Word tells us, No man living fhall ever be Juftified by! That they should ftill Defpife that gracious Cove

nant