Gospel Holiness, Part 2 · Sermon 1
SERMON I.
Rom. 8. 4. That the righteouſneſſe of the law might be fullfilled in us, who walke not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit.
THE maine drift of the Apoſtle in this Epiſtle is to hold forth juſtification by faith, or by free grace without the works of the law. And in Chap. 7. The Apoſtle doth anſwer an objection. For they might ſay, what then ſhall we doe with the law if it cannot juſtifie us? There the Apoſtle tells us that though the law cannot juſtifie us, yet there are many bleſſed uſes, both for ſinners, and Saints to make of the law, of which I ſhall not now ſpeake.
Now in this 8th Chapter the Apoſtle drawes this concluſion from what he had ſaid before. There is therefore (from what I have ſayd) it is evident that there is no condemnation, there is no damnation, there is no danger of hell to them which are in Christ Jeſus. Now he opens who thoſe are, he ſayth they are thoſe Who walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. And he gives a reaſon of it in Verſ. 2. why there is no damnation to thoſe people. For the law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made us free from the law of ſin and of death. Now he amplifies that in Verſ. 3. For what the law could not doe in that it was weake through the fleſh, God ſending his owne ſon in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh, and for ſin, condemned ſin in the fleſh. As if he ſhould have ſayd: thus it comes about that we are now free from the law, and that there is no damnation to us, becauſe ſayth he, that God hath ſent his ſon in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh, like one of us, and he hath fulfilled the law of God, and condemned ſin; therefore there is no ſin to condemne us, nor no jot of the law that is not fullfilled: therefore we are juſt, and righteous, and cleare. There is no condemnatiom to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus: For God hath ſent his ſon to condemne ſin, &c.
Now in this fourth Verſe it is more particularly expreſſed. That the righteouſnes of the law might be fullfilled in us, who walke not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit.
I ſhall not orderly goe over, to ſhew the Coherence diſtinctly, as I might; but breifly as I can, come to thoſe leſſons that the Lord is to teach us.
That the righteouſneſſe of the law might be fullfilled in us, &c.
There are in the words two things.
Here is a great priviledge as any can be, to have the righteouſneſſe of the law fullfilled in us.
And here are ſecondly the parties that have the benefit of this priviledge Thoſe that walke not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit.
Concerning the priviledge, to underſtand the words a little. That the righteouſneſſe of the law might be fulfilled in us. That the law might be fully ſatisfyed in poynt of righteouſneſſe: that the law might have ſuch a righteouſneſſe, which indeed the law requires, that it might have a full, and compleat righteouſneſſe in us. So that breifly theſe are the leſſons which I ſhall open from hence, which I deſire that our ſouls may feed upon.
Firſt, that
The law requires of every man a righteouſneſſe to fulfill it.
Or that
Every man is bound to get him a righteouſneſse to fulfill the law of God.
Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God. That is one thing.
The ſecond leſſon will be this, that
The law is perfectly fulfilled or ſatiſfied in all true beleivers,
And thirdly, that
All thoſe that are true beleivers (or that have theſe priviledges) they are thoſe that walke not according to the fleſh, but according to the ſpirit. Theſe are the three leſſons I ſhall ſpeake of.
I ſay firſt,
The law requireth a righteouſneſſe from every Doct. The law requires a perfect righteouſneſſe.man, to fulfill it.
Or, Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God.
That is the firſt thing. The grounds of that are theſe, I ſhall but touch them.
Firſt, becauſe that God made man, man was his creature, and the Lord was his ſoveraigne: and Reaſ. 1. From Gods ſoveraignty.when God made all Creatures, you know hee made Lawes for them; hee made a Law for the Sunne, and Moone, and Starres, &c. and every thing goes according to the law that God determined for it. Now when God made man, (who was but his creature though he were a more excellent creature) he made a law for him, this bleſſed law of God which is in his booke here, the Covenant of works as it was ſometimes called: therefore as all other creatures were bound to goe in their courſe, and keep their peculiar laws that God layd on them, ſo man alſo was bound to keepe the law of God that God made for him.
Another thing is this, that beſides the ſoveraigntie 2. From mans covenant with God.of God, that might impoſe a law upon him; there was ſecondly a compact between God, and man, and ſo there was a kind of bargaine: for God layd that law upon man, and Adam as a publike perſon he undertooke to keepe that law by a contract, or bargaine. If God (as it were) had had no right before to lay it on him, yet now man undertooke it, by way of bargaine to keep the law of God. Adam firſt did it, and might have done it: and afterwards the people of Iſraell profeſſe to doe it. All theſe words we will doe; we will keepe them. That is another reaſon whereby it appeares that every man, and woman in the World is bound to fulfill the law of God.
Thirdly, another thing is this, if you conſider 3. Nothing can exempt man from it.what there is that might free a man from keeping a law that is layd upon him, you ſhall ſee that there are none of thoſe things that can help him in this. As
Firſt of all, our laws many times are repealed; 1. It is not repealed.and that law that a man was bound to keepe a few yeares agoe, he is bound to proteſt againſt now, as the Service-booke, the common prayer, &c. There is that penaltie now for uſing it, as there was for not uſing it a few yeares ſince: now it is not ſo with the law of God. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, but one jot or tittle of the law ſhall not paſſe. That law is an eternall law, there is no repealing of it.
Then Secondly, you know Judges, and Lawgivers 2. The Law-giver cannot be bribed.among men, may be corrupted, and bribed, and may be brought to diſpenſe with their owne laws, nay ſometimes to goe againſt their owne laws: but God is a juſt God. and when his owne ſon, the ſon of his love did take upon him to be borne under the law, and to be a ſuretie for man, he endured the ſmart of the law, and was dealt with, as if he had been another.
Then there is no evaſion, or eſcaping: among 3. There is no eſcaping.men there is. If a man breake the law, and goe into another Countrie, he is cleare, and free: but here is no eſcaping, one cannot goe away. VVhither ſhall I goe from thy preſence, ſayth David, where Pſal. 139.ſhall I hide my ſelfe from thee? A man can goe no where but the law of God will be on him. So that every man, and woman in the World are ſtill bound to fulfill the whole law of God, or to get a righteouſneſſe, a perfect righteouſneſſe to ſatisfie the law of God.
Now there are but three wayes in the World 3. Wayes to fulfill the law.to fulfill the law of God.
Eyther a man muſt doe it in his owne perſon, as 1. In a mans owne perſon.moſt men doe, (beſides Papiſts) more or leſſe; they will goe and doe their beſt, and doe the good, leave the evill, and performe duties; and they think by their doing to keepe the law.
Or elſe ſecondly, by ſuffering, that is, partly in 2. By ſuffering.this World; and afterwards in Hel: for that is the buſineſſe of Hell, for Hell is nothing but the place where people are fulfilling the law of God. What doth Caine, and other wretches doing in hell? They are paying the debt, fulfilling the law of God to eternity by ſuffering, becauſe they did not fullfill it by doing while they were here. That is the reaſon that they are in Hell for ever, becauſe they can never pay the debt, therefore they muſt abide there for ever: for if it could be ſuppoſed that they could give a compleat righteouſneſſe that might ſatisfie the law they ſhould ſtay in Priſon no longer, they ſhould be in Hell no more.
Then thirdly, there is another glorious way, 3. By Jeſus Chriſt.that is, in Jeſus Christ, Jeſus Chriſt he hath kept the law, and perfectly fulfilled it, now a man by beleiving in Jeſus Chriſt, and by being unyted to him, and married to him, that in his owne perſon hath fulfilled the law, being married to him, whatſoever he hath, is yours, and whatſoever he hath done, it is as if it had been done by you, all ſhall be imputed to you, and ſo the law of God may be fullfilled in you perfectly and you ſhall never goe to Hell, and have nothing to doe, or to ſuffer in that kind. This being premiſed breifly: the uſe of this may be twofold.
Firſt, to ſhew you what a vaine, and fooliſh Ʋſe. The vanity of thoſe that goe about to keepe the law.thing it is for a man to goe about to keepe the law of God in his owne ſtrength or in his owne perſon: for you to think to ſave your ſoules, or to fulfill the righteouſneſſe of the law by your owne doings: Beloved it is a great matter to bring poore ſinners to be awakened, to ſee their ſins, or to break off their courſe in ſin. For there are many drunkards, and ſwearers, and jearers of Religion, and prophaners of the Lords day that ſit as ſots all the yeare and are never awakned: but generally when men are awakened Sinners awakened labour to fullfill the law.out of their ſins this is the reſolution of all man kind, of every man, none excepted, unleſſe God have mercy on him; he is ready to ſay, I ſee I am in a damnable way, and this courſe will bring me to hell, by the grace of God I will turne over a new leafe, and now I will heare Sermons, I was wont to jeare at them, and I will get me a practice of piety or ſome other good Book, and I will have prayers in my houſe, and I will be drunke no more, and ſweare no more; I will be a new man, I will avoyd that which is evill, and doe that which is good. And marke it, this is more naturall to man then ſin: it is more naturall to man to be righteous then to be ſinfull: becauſe he was righteous before he was ſinfull. The liquor that is put firſt into a veſſell, the veſſell keeps the taſt of that longer then of any that is put into it afterwards. Now God at firſt made man righteous, and man is more apt to fall to that kind of righteouſneſſe, then to any ſin. And this is the great miſery of people, every one in ſome faſhion or other, this is his buſineſſe he goes about to fulfill the law of God in his owne perſon: and there you ſhall have one praying, and another crying, and another keeping ſo many faſts, and dayes of humiliation upon humiliation: and the end of all is, if men had eyes to ſee it, his endeavour is to fulfill the law of God; he endeavours to ſcrape, and to get up a righteouſneſſe to pay the law of God.
You cannot conceive, and comprehend how ſubject you, and I, are to this miſery; and how this is in your very bones (as it were) and I feare truly it is the greateſt part of your Religion, and the moſt of your profeſsion is nothing but to endeavour to get a righteouſneſſe to fulfill the law of God, though ſome doe it in a cloſer, ſiner way then others.
Now I beſeech you conſider this word, lay No man can fulfill the law by doing.downe this throughly in your hearts, that it is a vaine thing ſo to doe, and who would goe about a vaine thing, a thing that he ſhall never bring to perfection? For it is not every paltrie righteouſneſſe that can fulfill the law of God. It is not ten thouſand faſtings that can fullfill the law of God; it is not praying in your familie three times a day that can fullfill the law. I ſpeake not againſt theſe things in their right way, and courſe: but all will not doe in this reſpect; for if you faile but once, if you miſs but one farthing you are gone, if you have but one bad thought in all your life you are loſt. Therefore I would have you deſpaire of getting by your owne doing, and ſuffering, any righteouſneſſe to fulfill the law of God, never goe about it. No wiſe man will goe, and buyld a Caſtle in the ayre. It is reaſon, and argument enough in any naturall buſneſſe to make a man deſiſt to tell him it is a vayne thing, it is a worke that will never come to perfection, therefore deſiſt, and give over, and thinke of ſome other courſe. VVhy ſhould we not prevaile in ſpirituall things, as well as in naturall? Let every man lay downe this for a certaine truth, for a certaine concluſion in his ſoul, that I were as good be a ſinner, as a righteous man in my owne perſon in reſpect of fulfilling the law, I am ſure I ſhall never doe it; but as a ſnowball, the more it is roled the bigger it growes: ſo the more you goe on, and indeavour to get a righteouſneſſe to fulfill the law, the further off you will be: for as I ſaid if you faile but once you are guiltie of all. And as you cannot reach it by doeing, Nor by ſuffering.ſo not by ſuffering: for what men have miſt in doing they ſhall be ſuffering to all eternity in hell: but the law is ſo holy, and God is ſo glorious whoſe law you have broken that when you have ſuffered millions, yet the debt will be ſtill unpaid. Therefore who would be ſo mad (as Paul calls the Gallathians mad Gallathians; VVho hath bewitched you?) It is a kind of madneſſe for any man to attempt in his owne perſon, by doing, or ſuffering to fulfill the righteouſneſſe of the law, or to juſtifie, and ſave his ſoul.
You will ſay, we grant it is true, and therefore Many ſeek to be juſtified by works beſides Papiſts.the Papiſts are much to blame, that labour to be juſtified by their works. They are ſo, and ſo are many others much to blame beſides them; and bleſſed is that man, or woman among you, whoſoever it be, that doth not in ſome meaſure in his owne perſon endeavour to make up his owne righteouſneſſe. It is a thing that ſticks nearer to you then you are aware of: though it may be at ſometimes you ſee Chriſt, and juſtification by him clearly, yet at other times you know how many pangs, and how may ſecret glances we have at our juſtication by our owne works: take notice of the vanity of this. That is one word.
Secondly, me thinks this ſhould move you above Ʋſe. 2. It ſhould move us to come to Chriſt,all things in the World if it were conſidered, and O that the Lord would be pleaſed yet to open your eyes while it is called to day: I ſay this ſhould be one of the greateſt motives in the World to come to Jeſus Chriſt, to get into Chriſt; to receive Jeſus Chriſt and in him (as I ſhall ſhew after) you ſhall have a righteouſneſſe that hath fulfilled the law. Let every man ſay, I ſee here is a law that God hath layd upon me, I am ſubject to it, and this law muſt be fulfilled, there is no helpe for it, every man is bound to it, he muſt have a righteouſneſſe to ſatisfie the law, Heaven, and Earth ſhal paſſe away rather then that ſhal not be. Now there are but three ways to fulfil it: either in mine owne perſon here: or to ſuffer for ever in hell: or elſe to beleive in, and receive another that may doe it for me. Now we neyther by our doing, or ſuffering can get ſuch a righteouſneſse, that is cleare: therefore there is but one way, that is, in Jeſus Chriſt, there is a perfect righteouſneſſe in him, he hath fulfilled the law; get into him, and be one with him, and then we ſhall be able to ſay perfectly with Paul, That the righteouſneſſe of the law might be fulfilled in us that beleive, and are in Jeſus Chriſt. There is but that one way; now when there is Where there is but one way there needs no deliberation.but one way, me thinks there needs no deliberation, or conſultation. In Worldly things when there are diverſe wayes, and courſes that a man may take, he will conſult with his friends, which to take, this, or that, or the other; but when there is but one way there needs no conſultation. So if there were two, or three, or many wayes to Heaven, we might conſult which way to take: if there were as many wayes, as you imagine, and make in your owne heads. if Antinomianiſme were the onelyonly way, or Presbyterians, or Independents were the onelyonly way, men might demurr: but in Gods language there is but one way, and that is the way, the truth, and the life: Jeſus Chriſt is the way, goe out of that, and you wander for ever; he is the only ſacrifice, miſs that, and there is no more ſacrifice for ſin. There is but this one thing neceſsarie; there is no other way in the World but Jeſus Chriſt, there is no other name under Heaven by which you can be ſaved.
Therefore we ſhould doe in our condition juſt as a man that were fallen into a great pit, that were full of ſtones, and ſnakes, and ſerpents, and ſire, and all that we can imagine to be terrible, and miſerable, and there comes a man, and caſts a rope into this great, deep pit; you need not perſwade the man to lay hold of it, he would preſently catch at it as ſoone as it comes. Why ſo? Becauſe he knowes he is in a miſerable caſe, and there is no other way to help him but that. VVe are fallen into ſuch a pit, where there are ſnakes, and ſcorpions, and ſerpents, & fire, the ſting of ſin, the curſe of the law, the wrath of God, we are in the pawes of the Devill, we are in a manner in hell already: and God hath ſent his ſon Chriſt, and hath put righteouſneſſe in him, and he hath let down this rope that poor ſinking miſerable creatures might lay hold on it. Therefore what ſhall I ſay to you but this. I beſeech you ſtand not trifling, and dallying, and wh…n…ing, and goe to this Preacher, and ſay, what ſhall I doe Si…? and to that Chriſtian, what courſe ſhall I take? as though there were many wayes, and you had choyce of things. What ſhouldeſt thou doe, but ſtudie Jeſus Chriſt throughly, and roundly, make a worke of it, or elſe thou wilt be damned. There is no other way left, there is no other meanes to be had: God will not abate one farthing token, the law muſt be ſatisfied: as the people of Iſraell in Aegypt when they made brick, they muſt bring in ſuch a number; ſo the law muſt be perfectly ſatisfied, and thou art not able to doe it by doing here, or by ſuffering in hell: therefore what ſhall I doe? Receive Jeſus Chriſt, ſtudie Jeſus Chriſt, and reſigne thy ſelfe wholly up to Jeſus Chriſt; and ſtand not trifling, and dallying, till thou goe to the Devill in hell, as many doe▪ if there were twenty wayes to Heaven, God might ſay, I wonder not that yonder people ſtand muſing, and conſulting a twelve-month together: but when there is but one way, and yet people ſtand mopeing, it is that that angers God.
Therefore remember that in Zephan. 2. 1. Gather your ſelves together before the decree bring forth: before the day paſſe as the chaffe, &c. Seeke yee the Lord, &c. Gather your ſelves together. He doth not meane in companies, as you uſe to meet in the Guyld-hall: but the meaning is, when he ſayth gather your ſelves together, that man is a worried creature, a ſhattered thing, as Solomon ſayth. The eyes of a wiſeman are in his head, but the eyes of a foole are over the World. There are abundance of men that have their underſtandings goe in the World this way, and that way; but gather your ſelves together. How? To get into Chriſt: you heare that there is no righteouſneſſe but his will ſerve the turne, gather your ſelves to ſtudie Chriſt, to obey Chriſt, to receive Chriſt, to love Chriſt, and to reſigne your ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt, in whome there is a perfect righteouſneſſe. That is one leſſon you ſhould deſire the Lord to teach you hence.
The next leſſon is this, that
The righteouſneſſe of the law is fulfilled in all Doct. 2. The righteouſneſſe of the Law fulfilled in all true beleeverstrue beleivers.
Sayth the Apoſtle. That the law might be fullfilled in us. In us; we are not to underſtand it perſonally, as though any Saint, though it were Abraham himſelf, were able in his owne perſon to fulfill the law; but the meaning of it is, in reſpect of the unyon that we have with Jeſus Chriſt, who is our Husband, and our head. The law is perfectly fulfilled by him, therefore it is perfectly fulfilled by me, becauſe I am unyted to him. The law is not perfectly fulfilled by me, becauſe I doe more good, or doe leſſe evill then another, but only the law is fulfilled, and hath reaſon to be ſatisfied, becauſe I am married to one that hath done it, and that perfectly.
Now you ſhall ſee diverſe Scriptures that hold it forth bleſſedly. As thoſe phraſes that you have in Gall. 2. the latter end, where it is ſayd we are dead to the law. I through the law am dead to the law I am crucified with Chriſt, I am dead to the law. What is the meaning of that? That is, I am dead to the We are dead to the law as a Covenant of works.law, as it is a Covenant of works, the law hath no more to doe with me then the Lawes of men have to doe with a man that is in debt when he is dead, when he is dead he is free from it. So the law is paid by Jeſus Chriſt, it is fully ſatisfyed, I owe not one farthing, or farthing worth to the law: I am dead to the law. And ſo in Rom. 7. You… know, how by the compariſon of a man, and his wife, we are ſaid to be dead to the law of God. The meaning is not as though the ſubſtance and matter of the law were not eternall, and a rule for all Saints, doubtleſſe it is in the New Teſtament as well as in the Old: but the law as it is a contract, a bond, a bargaine, as it is a Covenant of works betweene God, and us, it is perfectly fullfilled by Chriſt, and we are dead to it, we are free from it, or delivered from it. And that is the reaſon that in Heb. 12. It is ſayd, in Mount Sion we are come to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect. That is, not of juſt men perſonally, juſt in their dealings, though that follow in a ſort: but the meaning is, that every Saint that is in Jeſus Chriſt is perfectly a juſt man, or a juſt woman, by reaſon of their morrtage with Jeſus Chriſt, who hath obtained a perfect righteouſneſſe, or juſtice for them. So in Rom. 3. You have there alſo a bleſſed place, where the Apoſtle ſayth we are ſaved, not only by the merciemercy of God, but by his righteouſneſſe. Therfore it is three times repeated, we are ſaved by the righteouſneſſe of God: and againe by the righteouſneſſe, and againe in Verſ. 2 c. the third time; to declare I ſay at this time, his righteouſneſse. What is the righteouſneſſe of God? That is, ſayth he, that he is juſt, and a juſtifier of them that beleive in Jeſus Chriſt. It is juſt, and righteous with God to ſave people that beleive in Jeſus Chriſt. VVhy ſo? Becauſe Jeſus Chriſt hath fulfilled to a tittle all the law of God for them.
I ſhall give you but one word of Uſe, and leave Ʋſe. 1. Upon what our Juſtification is built.the reaſons, and the further inlarging of it till the afternoone. And the word that I deſire to make knowne to you from the Lord is this, to inſtruct and helpe you a little to underſtand where your righteouſneſſe doth lie, or upon what your Juſtification is buylt. For this is the miſery, the generall miſery of moſt Chriſtians that they miſlay their juſtification: they doe lay it partly upon faith, and partly upon their ſanctification, and holyneſſe. And that is the reaſon that when a poore ſoul, it may be, is tempted to ſome ſin, and hath ſome ſtrong luſt he looſeth his faith, and his aſſurance, and his peace of conſcience: becauſe he grounds his Saint-ſhip, and his juſtification upon his holineſse. Now Beloved this is it that I would deſire the Lord to bring you, and me to, to know that I am a juſt man only by the righteouſneſſe that is in Chriſt that the law is perfectly fulfilled for me by Jeſus Chriſt, and not partly by him, and partly by me, but only and perfectly by him, and I am called juſt, but only as, or becauſe I am unyted to him that hath gotten a perfect righteouſneſſe for me.
Then let me buyld my Juſtification upon that only; and not upon what I am, not upon my temper, or upon my graces, or my gifts, or the like. Take heed of that, but let it be buylt wholly upon Jeſus Chriſt, his death, and reſurrection. He was delivered for our offences, and rayſed againe for our Juſtification. Let us buyld upon that, that we may come to this temper, once to have our juſtification We are not more or leſſe juſtified by the good, or evill we doe.in a ſtock clearely in Jeſus Chriſts hands, that when we doe good we may not imagine that we are a jot the more juſtified, or when we fall, or faile in good we may not conceive that we are a jot more juſtified, then before, that though one day we have our hearts inlarged to doe good, and to do more good in one day then it may be we did in a monethmonth before, yet this goes not to the ſtock of my juſtification; I am not one jot the more juſtified: and ſometimes God leaves the fleſh, and the remnants of ſin that foile us, I will mourne for it, and be humbled for it, as a tranſgreſsion againſt my father, but I am not a jot more unjuſtified then I was before in the ſight of God: in regard of the Covenant of works that Chriſt hath fulfilled. So thus I would have you doe as your Merchants, and Trades-men in your Cittie, you have a certaine ſtock, that you lock, it may be, in an iron cheſt, and that ſtock is the quick as you call it, and you have beſides ſo many pounds, or ſo many hundreds that you turne, and wind about, through all the year, as you have occaſion; but from the ſtock, the quick, you will not lay any thing out of that, you will not touch that, but lay out in expences, and wind, and turne the reſt. Juſt ſo I would have it with you, that ſeeing juſtification is only buylded on Chriſt, and I have the word of faith to certifie me of it, and the ſpirit of faith to ſhew it me within; I would not have my good or evill to be an ingredient into that, but leave that as a ſtock clearly in the hands of Jeſus Chriſt. Or as we ſee a maid or woman that ſpins, ſhee holds one hand ſteddie, and turnes about the wheele with the other: ſo our juſtification we ſhould hold it ſteddie for it is not buylt at all upon any thing that is in us, but let us turne, and wind the reſt, that is, ſanctification, we muſt ſtrive againſt ſin, and mourne for it, but leave juſtification wholly to Chriſt, for it is not buylt on me, but is only by the death, and reſurrection of Chriſt. Therfore as Chriſt ſayth. Luke 17. When we have done all the good we can, ſay we are unprofitable ſervants. I have not gotten one farthing to day, nor in all my life to helpe to fulfill the law of God, or to helpe to my juſtification, that is only in the hands of Chriſt, that is my quick, my caſh, my ſtock, and when thou faileſt, and ſeeſt luſts, and pride, and wantonneſſe ariſe in thee, ſay this hath no influence to hinder my juſtification, it is no ingredient into that, that is buylt upon another thing, it is wholly in Chriſt, and his righteouſneſſe: he hath fulfilled the law, and I am juſt by marriage, and by unyon with him. Therefore I will goe and take my ſins, and mourne for them, and deſire God to cleanſe me from them: but I muſt hold the quick ſtill, hold juſtification untouched, and unſhaken, and unmovable in the hands of Jeſus Chriſt. I ſhall leave the inlargment of this, and other things till the afternoone.