Londons Gate to the Lords Table, Pages 102-155

Londons Gate to the Lords Table · Pages 102-155

p. 102Sim.

Truly Sir, I muſt acknowledge that I did never before this time p. 103obſerve theſe differences, betweene this two-fold righteouſneſſe.

Min.

Surely neighbour Simon, if I miſtake not, there are two ſorts of Profeſſors, who for want of the true underſtanding of this difference, doe confound this two-fold righteouſneſſe, making them to be both one.

Sim.

I pray you Sir, let me know who theſe Profeſſors be, and what they doe, that ſo I may know whether I be one of them or no.

Min.

Why one ſort of them, of whom I thinke meet to ſpeake firſt, are ſuch as may be truly called p. 104Antinomiſticall Profeſſors, who confound the righteouſneſſe of Sanctification, with the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, in making them to be both one, for they will have that righteouſneſſe which is inherent in Chriſt to be the righteouſneſſe both of their Juſtification, and of their Sanctification; they will have all righteouſneſſe to be inherent in Chriſt, and no righteouſneſſe to be inherent in themſelves, they will have God to impute all righteouſneſſe unto them, but not infuſe any righteouſneſſe into them, they will apply a perfect p. 105righteouſneſſe unto themſelves by faith; when as they have neither faith nor righteouſneſſe, they will have Chriſt without his Spirit, and ſo indeed have neither Chriſt nor his Spirit; you ſhall heare theſe men and women in their conference with others about theſe points, will be ever uttering theſe or the like ſpeeches; As for me, truly I have nothing in me that is good, but am wholly ſinfull; neither doe I looke for any thing elſe to be in me but ſinne, and yet I doe verily beleeve, that I am perfectly righteous in the ſight of God p. 106through Chriſt, or in Chriſt, being cloathed with a garment of Salvation, and covered with a robe of Righteouſneſſe, ſo that I am all faire and cleane, and there is no ſpot in me.

Theſe men and women, becauſe they are not to looke for any good in themſelves, as a ground or cauſe of their faith, they will not looke for any good in themſelves as an evidence of faith, becauſe they are not to looke for inherent righteouſneſſe before they have by faith apprehended the imputed righteouſneſſe; therefore they p. 107will not looke for any inherent righteouſneſſe at all, becauſe they muſt not looke for inherent righteouſneſſe to move them to beleeve, therefore they will not looke for it to aſſure them that they have beleeved.

Sim.

Surely Sir, theſe men and women are much miſtaken, but what doe you thinke is the reaſon of it?

Min.

Why truly, I have thought upon three Reaſons of it, as firſt, becauſe that they have either by meanes of hearing, reading, or conference, been inſtructed in the law of faith onelyonly, p. 108without inſtruction in the law of workes going before, or the Doctrine of the Law of Chriſts following after, or elſe in the Doctrine of the law of workes, and the law of faith without the Doctrine of the Law of Chriſt. My meaning is, they have been inſtructed, that they of themſelves are altogether unable either to doe, or ſuffer that which the law as it is the covenant of workes requireth, and that they are therefore in a damnable condition, and that yet notwithſtanding, if they truly beleeve, and ſo apprehend the Righteouſneſſe p. 109of Jeſus Chriſt, they ſhall have life and ſalvation, but they have not been inſtructed that if they doe truly beleeve, then they doe hereupon become ſubject and obedient to the minde and will of Chriſt revealed in his Word; they have been inſtructed that he is Jeſus, a Saviour, but they have not been inſtructed that to whomſoever he is Jeſus, a Saviour, he is alſo to them Chriſt, a Lord.

The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe they take faith to be nothing elſe but a meere notion of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſſe, p. 110ſwimming in their braine, or at the beſt but a meere apprehenſion thereof in their minds, which is but a faith of their own forging, & ſo they think they have a ſtrong faith, when as indeed they have not the leaſt meaſure or degree of a true weake faith; they thinke they have Chriſt in their hearts, when as indeed he is but in their heads; they thinke they have him in their wills and affections, when as indeed they have him but onelyonly in their underſtandings.

And a third Reaſon is, becauſe they miſtake the meaning of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 1. 30. where he p. 111ſaith, that Chriſt is made unto us of God both righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, for whereas they doe thence conclude, that Chriſts inherent righteouſneſſe is not onelyonly that righteouſneſſe whereby a Beleever is juſtified, but alſo that righteouſneſſe whereby he is ſanctified; and that in a Beleever there is no inherent righteouſneſſe, nor ſanctification, as I have heard ſome have affirmed; the meaning of the Apoſtle is not ſo, but his meaning is; that God hath not onelyonly ordained that Beleevers ſhould be juſtified by having the righteouſneſſe p. 112which is inherent in Chriſt imputed unto them, but that Chriſt alſo ſhould by his Spirit infuſe righteouſneſſe into them, and ſo ſanctifie them; he having not only by the merit of his Death procured the one, but alſo by the vertue of his Death procured the other, and ſo indeed is made unto them both righteouſneſſe and ſanctification; and thus have I ſhewed you the firſt ſort of thoſe Profeſſors, who confound his two-fold righteouſneſſe, and how they doe it.

Sim.

Well Sir, I thanke God I am none of this p. 113ſort, and therefore I pray you ſhew me alſo who are the ſecond ſort, and how they doe it.

Min.

Why, the ſecond ſort are ſuch as are truly called formall, or legall Profeſſors, who confound the righteouſneſſe of juſtification with the righteouſneſſe of ſanctification, making them to be both one; for they will have that righteouſneſſe which is inherent in man himſelfe, or rather thoſe righteous actions which are performed and done by himſelfe, to be not only that righteouſneſſe wherby he is ſanctified, but alſo that righteouſneſſe p. 114whereby he is juſtified; and hence it is that ſuch men doe labour and endeavour to reforme their lives, and their waies, and to performe good duties, both towards God and man, and alſo to the end they may have a ground to build their faith upon, and ſo farre forth as they can ſee a righteous diſpoſition in themſelves, and righteous and religious actions performed by themſelves; why ſo farre forth they will beleeve that they are juſtified in the ſight of God, and no further.

Sim.

And I pray you Sir, ſhew me alſo the p. 115ground and reaſon of this their miſtake.

Min.

Why truly I have alſo thought upon three Reaſons of this, whereof the firſt is, becauſe they either by meanes of hearring, reading, or conference, have been inſtructed in ſuch a manner in the Law of the ten Commandments, as if a man in the time of this life were able to keepe and doe them perfectly, and ſo might be juſtified in the ſight of God by his owne obedience to them, and they have not been condemned and killed by the Law, in having it made knowne unto them in p. 116the purity and perfection of it.

The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe they have had little or no inſtructions in the Doctrine of the Law of faith, or Covenant of promiſe, eſpecially betwixt that covenant and the covenant of workes, or betwixt the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, and the righteouſneſſe of Sanctification; and therefore being not able to diſtinguiſh betwixt them, they doe confound them together.

And a third reaſon is, becauſe man naturally ſees no other way to be juſtified and ſaved, but p. 117onelyonly by his own workes and performances, for as Luther ſaith, It is the generall opinion of the whole world, that righteouſneſſe is gotten by the workes of the Law; and thus have I alſo ſhewed you the ſecond ſort of them that confound this two-fold righteouſneſſe, and how they doe it.

Sim.

But Sir, as I doe conceive, he that doth confound this two-fold righteouſneſſe this latter way, doth not ſo ill, nor is not in ſo bad a condition as he that doth it by the former way.

Min.

Yea indeed for ought I ſee, he doth even p. 118every whit as ill, and is every whit in as bad a condition as the other; for as he that confounds the righteouſneſſe of Sanctification with the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, doth thereby deſtroy them both to himſelfe, and ſo indeed hath neither of them: ſo he that confounds the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification with the righteouſneſſe of Sanctification, doth thereby deſtroy them both to himſelfe, and ſo indeed hath neither of them.

Sim.

Indeed Sir, it is evident to me, that he who hath not the righteouſneſſe of ſanctification, p. 119hath not the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, and ſo indeed hath neither of them: but Sir, me thinkes he who hath the righteouſneſſe of Sanctification, ſhould alſo have the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, and ſo indeed have both of them.

Min.

No, you are deceived, it is not ſo, for as he that thinkes he beleeves, and ſo hath the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed unto him for his Juſtification, deceives himſelfe except the righteouſneſſe of the Spirit of Chriſt be afterwards infuſed into him for his ſanctification; even ſo he that p. 120thinkes he leades a godly and righteous courſe of life, and ſo hath the righteouſneſſe of the Spirit of Chriſt infuſed into him for his ſanctification deceives himſelfe, except the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt hath been before imputed unto him for his juſtification.

Sim.

Sir, I grant it, that a man may thinke he doth beleeve when he doth not, and therein deceive himſelfe, becauſe that he cannot ſee his faith; but me thinkes a man ſhould not thinke he lives a godly and righteous courſe of life when he doth not, becauſe p. 121that is to be ſeene.

Min.

O but let me tell you, as there is a forme of faith without the power of faith, which cauſed the Apoſtle to pray for the Theſſalonians, that God 2 Theſſ. 1. 11.2 Thess 1:11would grant unto them the worke of faith with power; even ſo is there a forme of godlineſſe without the power of godlineſſe, as you may ſee, 2 Tim. 3. 5. And as this forme of faith is nothing elſe but a faith of a mans owne hammering, or of his owne acquiring, and ſo is but an acquired faith, and not an infuſed faith; even ſo this forme of godlineſſe is nothing elſe p. 122but a godlineſſe of a mans owne hammering, or of his owne acquiring gotten by the improvement of his Naturall and Morall abilities, and ſo indeed is but a godlineſſe acquired, and not a godlineſſe infuſed.

Sim.

Then Sir, it ſeems that a man cannot by having the one, be aſſured that he hath alſo the other.

Min.

No indeed, if he have them not both he hath neither of them, for as there is no imputed righteouſneſſe going before, where infuſed righteouſneſſe followeth not after, ſo is there no infuſed p. 123righteouſneſſe following after, where imputed righteouſneſſe hath not gone before; ſo that if either of them be wanting, and beare not witneſſe to the other, and that in its due place, according to Gods owne order, and as his owne diſtinct actions, they are neither of them true.

Sim.

Then Sir, I pray you tell me how a man may know that he hath them both, and that they doe beare witneſſe either to other, and that in their due place according to Gods owne order, and as his owne diſtinct actions.

Min.

Why, if a man p. 124have truly ſeene and conſidered, that in regard the Lord did in Adam Create all men righteous, and able to yeeld perfect obedience to his Law, they having all of them in him tranſgreſſed his Law; it is a righteous thing with God to require a full ſatisfaction to be made to his Juſtice, by a perfect obedience to his Law both actively and paſſively, before he doe forgive any mans iniquity, or cover any mans ſinne, and ſo pronounce him juſt. And that in regard of the infinite exactneſſe, the glorious purity, and abſolute perfection p. 125of the Law of God, he ſee an utter impoſſibility in himſelfe, to yeeld a perfect active obedience unto it, and that in regard of that infinite Majeſty that is offended, there is an infinite ſuffering required, which muſt either be an eternall puniſhment, or that which is equivolent to eternall: And that man being a finit Creature can doe it no way but by an eternall puniſhment, and that therefore he ſees no way for himſelfe but Hell and Damnation; and if then it hath been revealed unto him, that Jeſus Chriſt the Sonne of God, and of p. 126the Virgin Mary, was both God and Man in one Perſon, and that therefore his Divine nature did ſo ſanctifie his humane nature, and did adde ſuch dignity, worth, and excellency to it, that he was thereby made a perſon of infinite value, and ſo by his holy and righteous courſe of life in the dayes of his fleſh, he fulfilled the Law perfectly, and by his Death and Blood-ſhed made an infinite ſatisfaction to divine Juſtice, and all this as a Surety, and in the place and ſtead of all thoſe that truly beleeve on his name; and if he have thereupon truly beleeved, p. 127that all this was as truly done and ſuffered for him, as if he himſelfe had done and ſuffered it in his owne Perſon, and that he is thereby juſtified in the ſight of God, then may he be ſure that the righteouſneſſe that is inherent in Chriſt hath been imputed unto him, and apprehended by faith, and ſo hath gone before as an Antecedent. And if he have thereupon ſeene, conſidered, and felt the great and free love andRom. 5. 5.Rom 5:5 favour of God in Chriſt, ſhed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghoſt then given unto him, ſo as that his heart hath been p. 128thereby moved, yea and conſtrained to love God1 John 4. 19.1 John 4:19 becauſe he hath loved him firſt; and out of love to deſire and endeavour to keepe his Commandments, ſo that whereas before this time he either lived a prophane and ſinfull courſe of life, or a meere civill honeſt courſe of life, aiming onelyonly or chiefly at his owne credit and profit in this world, or a religious honeſt courſe of life onelyonly, or chiefly for his owne eternall welfare in the life to come.

If this grace of God, or this free love and favour of Tit. 2. 11, 12.Titus 2:11Titus 2:12God in Chriſt hath ſo appeared unto him, as that it p. 129hath taught him to deny ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, not for faith and juſtification, but from faith and juſtification; then may he be aſſured that inherent righteouſneſſe, wrought by the Spirit of Chriſt, hath followed as a conſequent, and ſo conſequently that he hath both the righteouſneſſe of juſtification, and the righteouſneſſe of ſanctification, bearing witneſſe either to other in their due place, according to Gods owne order, and as his owne diſtinct actions.

p. 130And now neighbour Simon I beſeech you try your ſelfe by theſe things, and know that if it hath been in any meaſure thus with you, then you may be aſſured that you have truly beleeved on the name of Jeſus Chriſt, and are juſtified freely by his grace, and ſanctified by his Spirit, and ſo are no formall or legall Profeſſor; but if it hath been in no meaſure thus with you, but that you have laboured and endeavoured to live a godly and righteous courſe of life, that ſo you might have a ground to build your faith upon, that is, upon your p. 131owne righteouſneſſe and performances, if you have been ignorant of Gods righteouſneſſe, as the ApoſtleRom. 10. 3.Rom 10:3 ſaith, the Jewes were, and have gone about to ſtabliſh your owne righteouſneſſe, as they did, then you may be aſſured that you have not truly beleeved on the name of Jeſus Chriſt, neither are you juſtified nor ſanctified, but are in plaine tearmes a meere legall Profeſſor.

Sim.

Sir, I muſt confeſſe that I have not heretofore been acquainted with theſe things, and therefore I cannot truly ſay that I have done thus, p. 132or that it hath been ſo with me, but yet I cannot be perſwaded that I have gone about to ſtabliſh mine owne righteouſneſſe, for I know right well, that when we have done all that we can we are but unprofitable ſervants, and that a man is to be juſtified by the mercies of God, and the merits of Chriſt, and not by his owne workes and merits, as the Papiſts hold.

Min.

I but neighbour Simon, I muſt tell you, that it is one thing to ſay thus in words, and to hold thus in judgement, and another thing to doe it in effect and practice; I p. 133meane in heart and conſcience, it is not enough for a man to thinke, and be of opinion that he cannot be juſtified by his owne righteouſneſſe and performances, for that is onelyonly a worke of the judgement rightly informed, and not a worke of the heart rightly reformed; wherefore I doe admoniſh you to take heed, that whilſt you are a Proteſtant in opinion and profeſſion, you be not a Papiſt in effect and practice, I meane in the inward diſpoſition of your heart, as I feare me too many, both men and women in this City are; p. 134for if I be not miſtaken, their very ſpeeches and behaviour doe teſtifie, that becauſe they know and doe more then they do conceive others know and doe, or becauſe they are members of ſuch a mans Congregation, and ſo in a Church way as they call it, therefore they truſt in themſelves that they are righteous, as our Saviour ſaid the Phariſees did, Luke 18. 9. and yet if a man ſhould ſay unto them as our Saviour did to the Phariſees, Luke 16. 15. Ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves, they would utterly deny it as you doe; but to tell you p. 135plainly neighbour Simon, your ſpeeches and behaviour, when you were with me the other day made me to feare that you were but a kind of a Phariſaicall Profeſſor, furely in your crowing over, and undervaluing your honeſt neighbour Zacheus; in compariſon of your ſelfe you did too nearely reſemble the proud Phariſee, crowing over, and undervaluing the humble Publican, Luke 18. and in judging of him to be unfit, and unworthy to come to the Lords Table; you did too nearely reſemble Simon the Phariſee, mentioned Luke the 7. who p. 136when he ſaw that ſinfull, yet penitent and beleeving woman, waſhing our Saviours feet with her teares, and wiping them with the haires of her head, he ſpake within himſelfe ſaying, This man if he were a Prophet, would have knowne who, and what manner of woman this is that hath touched him, for ſhe is a ſinner, and therefore I pray you conſider of it.

Sim.

But Sir, this is ſomewhat ſtrange, that a man ſhould put confidence in his owne righteouſneſſe, and thinke he is thereby juſtified and yet not know it, I would p. 137you could give me ſome ſignes of a mans doing ſo, that ſo I may know whether I doe ſo or no.

Min.

Why truly I can give you no more evidenter a ſigne of it then that which I have already given you, and that is in plaine termes a proud ſpirit, for thoſe men and women, that doe truly beleeve, that they are juſtified Rom. 3. 24Rom 3:24freely by Gods grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, they are the humbleſt people, and the moſt free from ſpirituall pride of any people in the world; and therefore the Apoſtle having fully proved free juſtification p. 138in reſpect of a mans ſelfe, Rom. 3. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. he breakes out in the next verſe into this patheticall expreſſion, ſaying, Where is boaſting then? it is excluded; by what law? of workes; nay, but by the law of faith. I tell you neighbour Simon, if a true Beleevers heart doe begin to ſwell, becauſe of his excelling others in gifts and parts, he doth ere long give it a vent, by ſaying to it in the words of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another, and what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive; now if thou didſt receive it, p. 139why doſt thou glory as if thou hadſt not received it? But yet to the intent you may be the more fully convinced, that you have put confidence in your owne righteouſneſſe, I pray you anſwer me this queſtion; Did you ever finde it a hard matter to deny your owne righteouſneſſe, to become truly poore in ſpirit, to be broken off from confidence in your owne performances, and to paſſe through them all to Jeſus Chriſt? I beſeech you anſwer me truly from your heart.

Sim.

Why truly Sir, I muſt confeſſe I never p. 140thought my ſelfe guilty of any ſuch thing.

Min.

Why then beleeve it you are guilty of it, for it is naturall for every man and woman, when they leave off plodding towards Hell in the dirty path of ſinne, yet to goe on thitherward in the cleaner path of duty reſted in; when Satan cannot keepe a man from Chriſt by ſinne, then he labours to keep him from him by ſelfe; if he cannot keep a man with his ſinnes from fleſh-pots in Aegypt, then he labours to keep him from Canaan, by loſing himſelfe, and his ſoule in the wilderneſse p. 141of his owne performances reſted in, aſsure your ſelfe that there is in all men naturally this frame of ſpirit, never to come to Chriſt whilſt they have any hopes that their owne performances will heale them, & therefore here they reſt untill they ſee it, bewaile it, and pray againſt it; and therefore if you never did ſo, it is cleare that you doe put confidence in your owne performances. Againe, I pray you anſwer me another queſtion truly; and that is, Did you ever ſee ſo many imperfections, and ſo much rottenneſse and corruption, p. 142as touching the manner and end of performing duties that you have even loathed your ſelfe, and have been wearied and tired in your owne endeavours by reaſon of the ſame.

Sim.

No truly Sir, I cannot ſay I have, for I have alwaies had great delight in the performance of religious exerciſes.

Sim.

Then I doe aſsure you this is another ſigne that you have reſted and put confidence in your owne performances, for till a man ſee, and take notice of his wandring and worldly thoughts, and of p. 143his drowſineſse and heavineſse, if not ſleepineſse in Prayer, and hearing the Word, and ſuch like exerciſes; and till he ſee, and take notice of his ſelfe ends in doing good actions he will reſt, and put confidence in them, and be thereby kept from Chriſt; and beleeve it neighbour Simon, before that a man doe take up his reſt in Chriſt, the Lord doth diſcover unto him ſo much imperfections in his owne performances, that he cryes out within himſelfe, I ſee now what a vile undone wretch I am, I can doe nothing well; all that I am is vile, p. 144and all that I doe is vile; I ſee now that I am indeed poore, and blinde, and naked; and hereupon he is quite tired out, and ſits down wearie, not ſeeing any hopes of healing the breach betweene God and himſelfe, and this ſaith a godly Writer I take to be the meaning of Mat. 11. 28. Yea that labour, Mr. Shepheards ſound Beleever. p. 134.you that are weary in your owne way, in ſeeking reſt to your ſoules by your owne hard labour, or workes, as the word ſignifies, and are tired out therein, and ſo are now laden indeed with ſinne, and the heavie preſſure of that finding no eaſe by all p. 145that you doe, Come to me, ſaith Chriſt, & you ſhall then finde reſt unto your ſoules.

Againe, I pray you let me aske you one queſtion more, and that is this; Have you not prized the bare performances of duties wonderfully; that is, Have you not thought when you have prayed ſo many times in a day, and heard ſo many Sermons in a weeke, and turned to all the places of Scripture that the Miniſter hath coted, and folded downe the leafe in your Bible, or elſe writ their Sermons after them, and made ſome repetition thereof to others, and the like; I p. 146ſay, have you not in ſo doing reſted ſatisfied, without looking for a returne of your Prayers, or what good you have gained to your owne ſoule by your hearing, and ſo whether you have met with God in Chriſt, in all theſe waies and meanes, I pray you anſwer me truly from your heart.

Sim.

Beleeve me Sir, I muſt confeſſe I have done ſo.

Min.

Then I beſeech you take this as another evident ſigne of your reſting, and putting confidence in your owne performances, for if a man doe not put confidence p. 147therein, then he makes uſe of ſuch performances, but onelyonly as a Bridge or Ferry-boat to carry or waft him over to God in Chriſt, and reſteth not contented till hee bee brought thither; other ſignes I might lay downe touching this matter, but I hope theſe will be ſufficient for you to try your ſelfe by, if the Lord be pleaſed to make them effectuall to you.

Sim.

Well Sir, and ſuppoſe that I ſhould thereby finde that I have been guilty of reſting and relying upon mine owne duties and performances, and ſhould come before p. 148you and the Elders, and acknowledge the ſame, would you thereupon conclude me to be but a formall legall Profeſſor without true faith in Chriſt, and therefore not fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Min.

Neighbour Simon, to the intent you may more clearely ſee and perceive what we doe when we meet together, and alſo declare it unto others if you ſee occaſion, I pray you underſtand and take notice, that if we upon examination finde a man to be wholly ignorant, and wholly ſinfull, p. 149as you know I found our neighbour Alexander to be, then we doe abſolutely conclude that he hath no true faith in Chriſt, and therefore we ſhut the Gate againſt him, and keepe him from the Sacrament under the notion of an ignorant & prophane man, and ſuffer him not to come there whilſt he remaines in that condition.

Yea, and though we know a man that he lives honeſtly and peaceably amongſt his neighbours, and deales uprightly and juſtly with all men, giving every man his due, and for ought we know or can heare is free from all p. 150groſſe and ſcandalous ſins, yet if upon examination we finde him to be groſly ignorant, then doe we likewiſe conclude, that he hath no true faith in Chriſt, and ſo ſhut the Gate againſt him alſo, and keepe him from the Sacrament under the notion or a meere civill honeſt man, and ſuffer him not to come there whilſt he remaines in that condition.

But if upon examination we finde a man to have a competent meaſure of knowledge, eſpecially if it be experimentall of himſelfe, and neither know, nor can upon enquiry heare any thing to p. 115the contrary, but that he leads both a civill and religious honeſt courſe of life, though he be accuſed to be but a formall legall Profeſſor; yea, and though we upon examination doe finde him not to be ſo cleare and diſtinct in his knowledge touching the difference betwixt the Law and the Goſpell, or Covenant of workes and Covenant of Grace, as we could wiſh he were; yea, and though for want of ſo cleare a light betwixt Juſtification and Sanctification, as ſome have, he ſeemes to confound the righteouſneſſe of juſtification with the p. 152righteouſneſſe of ſanctification, yet if he be an humble man, & ſhew it by confeſſing his ignorance, and his willingneſſe to be better inſtructed herein; then we judge in charity that he hath true faith in Chriſt, and ſo open the gate of the Sacrament and let him in; but if upon examination we finde a man ignorant in theſe points, and yet becauſe of his great meaſure of knowledge in others, though not ſo neceſſary points to be knowne, he be puffed up, and by reaſon of his righteous courſe of life be kept back from ſeeing his need of Chriſt, p. 153as it ſeemes to me you are, then are we jealous over 2 Cor. ii. 22 Cor 2:2him with godly jealouſie, as the Apoſtle was over the Corinthians, but yet we dare not abſolutely conclude that he hath no true faith in Chriſt, and therefore we pray him, as I doe now pray you before you come to the Sacrament, to command with your owne heart upon your bed, as David exhorts, Pſal. 4. 4. and to examine himſelfe, as you know the Apoſtle exhorts, 1 Cor. 11. 28. and if he come unto us againe and acknowledge, that upon ſerious examination of himſelfe he hath found, that p. 154that with zealous Paul before his converſion, he hath counted his owne righteouſneſſe and performancers to be gaine, that is to ſay, that he hath hitherto reſted and put confidence in them, and expected to be juſtified in the ſight of God by them, but now with him he counted them loſſe for Chriſt, and deſired to be found in him, not having his owne righteouſneſſe which is of the Law, but Phil. 3. 9.Phil 3:9that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God through faith, then doe wee willingly open the doore and let him in; p. 155otherwiſe we ſend not for him againe, and even ſo are we like to deale by you.