The Gospel New-Creature, Treatise 2 · Part 1

The Gospel New-Creature · Treatise 2 · Part 1

p. 51ROM. 3.19, 20.

Now we know that what things ſoever the Law ſaith, it ſaith to them who are under the Law, that every mouth may be ſtopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the Law ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight, &c.

HAving ſpoken as the Lord hath helped me, as to the weight of the pardon of ſin, and the praevious way to it; I now come to open the compleating this mercy in a poor ſouls cōpleat juſtification, before p. 52God. So it hath pleaſed the Wiſdom of God to order the way of his glorious mercy to poor ſinners that ſhall be ſaved, that he doth not only let forth free grace for the remiſſion of their ſins, & merely pardon them, but hath ſo bleſſedly ordered the matter, to bring them in a ſtate of Righteouſneſs, a compleat & perfect righteouſneſs as Adam in his perfect eſtate was in, not by making the ſinner perfectly holy & righteous in himſelf, in his own nature; but by giving out his eternal Son Jeſus Chriſt, to fulfil all righteouſneſs in their ſtead, by ſatisfying & keeping the perfect Law of righteouſneſs, w^ch is imputed to the Believer, as if he had fulfilled it, & were wholly righteous in his own perſon; In which lies the great myſtery of the Goſpel. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt, ſaith Paul, &c. for therein is the righteouſneſs of God revealed from faith to faith, &c. Rom. 1.16. namely, that righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt whereby God will juſtifie, put in a ſtate of righteouſneſs, made over to them by faith that ſhall be pardoned and ſaved.

To endeavour to evince and diſcover the neceſſity of ſuch a juſtification, and the nature of it, and how a poor ſoul comes to be inveſted in it, to have a right unto it, is my deſign, as the Lord ſhall graciouſly aſſiſt, in this enſuing diſcourſe. Oh that I might do it in the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, plainly, convincingly, ſpiritually, as I ought to ſpeak.

In the proſecuting hereof, I ſhall firſt ſhew that righteouſneſs is not to be attained any other way, not by the exacteſt keeping of the Law, ſo as to commend us to God; not by ſetting our ſelves to keep the Law of God as well as we can, and ſo we hope God will accept of it; which being naturally p. 53rooted in the hearts of all, I find it the hardeſt piece of conviction, and moſt hardly received of any other; ſouls are a thouſand times more eaſily beaten off groſſe ſins, then beaten off the confidence of the good they think they do, and ſo come as ☞ Nothing elſe but ſinners to Jeſus Chriſt; want of this conviction makes all the Hypocrites in the world. This is that part therefore I ſhall firſt begin with, according to the Apoſtles method in this Epiſtle.

The Apoſtle layes down his doctrine, which he was to prove in the 17. verſe of the 1 Chapter, The just ſhall live by faith; to make way for which, he firſt proves in the remaining part of the firſt Chap. that the Gentiles knowledge of God, which they had by the things that are made, The Creation of, and Providence of God over the world, left them in unrighteouſneſſe becauſe they held the truth, of the being of a God, in unrighteouſneſſe, even the wiſeſt and learnedſt of them, ſuch as profeſſed themſelves to be wiſe, verſe 22. and brake forth into Idolatry and all abominations, for which cauſe God gave them up, &c. verſe 26.28. At the 17th. verſe of the 2d. Chap. The Apoſtle undertakes the Jew, ſtrikes off all his priviledges, and at the 9th. verſe of the 3d. Chapter, concludes both Jew and Gentile, in the ſame condition, as to the obteyning of ſuch a righteouſneſſe by the Law, that might commend either to God;— What then? Are we (who are Jews) better then they? (who are Gentiles). No, in no wiſe, for we have proved that Jews and Gentiles are all under ſin, As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one; Which he further proves by ſeverall Scriptures to the words of the text.

p. 54In which the Apoſtle prevents an objection, namely, that ſome might urge, The Scriptures urged may concerne ſome few and groſly wicked perſons, and not all mankind in generall; No ſuch matter; whatever the law ſaith, it ſaith to them that are under the law, which are, all the Sons and daughters of Adam, as in their naturall corrupt eſtate, All under the law, from whence the Apoſtle inſerrs, (1.) That therefore every mouth is ſtopped, (2.) All the world is guilty before God. (3.) That no fleſh, within or without the Church, can be juſtified by the Law. From whence I draw theſe 4 plain obſervations to prove what is my main deſign, viz. That no man can attain to ſuch a meaſure of righteouſneſſe by all that ever he can do, in his beſt keeping the Law, as may commend him to God; which 4 are theſe.

1. Every ſon and daughter of Adam in their naturall eſtate are under the Law.

2. That a tranſgreſſour of the Law, hath nothing to boaſt in, nor to excuſe himſelf from his ſin, or the righteous judgment of God due unto him. [That every mouth may be ſtopped.]

3. Every ſoul in the world is under guilt and condemnation: [that all the world may be guilty before God.]

4. Every ſoul lies under an impoſſibility of reaching to ſuch a Juſtification, by the best keeping of the Law, as for God thereby to accept of him.

I intend briefneſſe in the opening of theſe, and what plaineſſe alſo the Lord ſhall help me with; This is a principle rooted in the hearts of all the Children of men: That ſtill there is a ſufficiency in them p. 55to keep the law of God in ſuch a meaſure as God will accept them for it; This being heightned, by the ignorance of times, and darkneſſe of Goſpell-light, and of the New-Covenant of grace, upon the ſpirits of this Generation, they are moſt hardly beaten off it; ſay poor ſouls, If I keep Gods law as well as I can, and worſhip God, and do not harme my Neighbour, God will accept me, and pardon where I fail; but to be convinced that all that keeping of the law is made void by one ſin, and ſo ſee an abſolute neceſſity of righteouſneſſe, another way and out of themſelves by Ieſus Chriſt, though it be preacht by many good men, yet few, very few, in this Generation live in the practicall ſenſe and ſight of it; yea how many profeſſours (not hereby to reproach any) have confeſſed to the Glory of God, and their own abaſement, that ſince the breaking forth of a fuller light of the nature of the New-Covenant, Goſpel-grace, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, they have bin ſhaken in their bottomes, being legall, and thought if they took up from their ſins, and had a kind of ſorrow for them, and then ſet themſelves to obey the law ſtrictly, be cloſe in the ſabbath, and ſome ſuch duties, that God would accept them, being ſtill ignorant, as leaſt practically, that when they were convinced of ſin, they were to ſee where to have a righteouſneſſe, and how to get into Chriſt, and have life and ſtrength in and from him for their new obedience; which is that I drive at in this, and my afterwards diſcourſe in opening the New-Creature, as in Chriſt.

Having premiſed this I come to ſpeak to the firſt promiſe laid down, namely,

p. 56Obſerv. 1. Every ſon and daughter of Adam in their naturall eſtate are under the Law.

By the Law, I do not mean the Moſaicall or old Teſtament way of worſhip; but by the law, I underſtand that which we ſtyle the morall law, the law of the 10 Commandements, that was written in Adams heart, and afterwards given out by God unto Moſes at Mount Sinai; and promiſed in the New Covenant to be written again in the hearts of all that are really called into the grace of the Covenant, Ezek. 36.27.

To be under the Law, is an expreſſion familiar to you, you know what it is to live under a law: To be under this law of God, then beſpeakes theſe things.

1. To be under it, is to be bound over to the exact fulfilling it: ſee Rom. 10.15. For Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſſe which is of the Law, that the man which doth theſe things ſhall live by them; that is it, to be bound over to the fulfilling and doing of the law, which if done exactly, without the leaſt deviation, there is life promiſed to it: But upon the leaſt tranſgreſſion of it, to be lyable to the penalty which God hath pronounced againſt the tranſgreſſors of it.

2. It followes thence, that to be under the Law, is to be bound over to the whole Law, in its full and perfect latitude, as it reacheth the whole man. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the Law to do them: Mark well the tenour of theſe words. Here is required of Every one an exact doing (not onelyonly purpoſing and thinking to do); and that not onelyonly p. 57of ſome or the moſt of the law, but in all things, and that not onelyonly for a time, but a Continuance of doing ſo: or elſe under the curſe: One ſinfull thought hath a curſe belonging to it, as well as the breach of the whole law, if under the law. Whoſoever committeth ſin, tranſgreſſeth alſo the law, 1 John 3.4.

3. To be under the law, is to be ſubject to, and to be under, all the curſes, threatenings, judgments, wrath, that it threatneth to the tranſgreſſours of it, here and for ever: Whatſoever the law ſaith, in point alſo of judgment and wrath, it ſaith to all that are under it.

4. To be under it, is to be bound to make God ſatisfaction in our own perſons for the breach of it, I mean while under it, every ſoul is ſo obliged to make ſatisfaction, to the juſtice of God: If a poor ſoul be in his naturall eſtate, and ſo under the law; he muſt ſtand or fall to the law, God expects perſonall ſatisfaction from every ſoul that ſinneth againſt it, that will ſtand to his keeping the law, in whole or in part, and God in his juſtice can bate nothing of what he hath ſpoken.

Now, That all men and women are by nature, as of and in the firſt Adam, thus under the law, to wit, to be bound up to it, and to have life onelyonly upon the exact and perfect fulfilling of it, to be bound up to the whole law, ſubject to the curſe of it, upon the tranſgreſſion of one part, bound to make God ſatisfaction, in his own perſon for any breach thereof, I briefly prove.

Saith Paul, Rom. 6.14. Ye are not under the law, but under grace; Implying, till a ſoul is brought p. 58under grace, the Covenant of grace, juſtifying & ſanctifying grace in and by Jeſus Chriſt, he is under the law, whoever he be; ſo Gal. 4.5.— To redeem them that were under the law, &c. implying alſo that all mankind are naturally under it, till under the power and efficacy and priviledge of Chriſts Redemption.

The main reaſons of it are,

All are under this law, becauſe all mankind were bound up under the ſame Covenant with Adam, who was a publick perſon repreſenting all mankind, as a man may bind up himſelf and his poſterity to ſuch and ſuch conditions; and, ſuch a Covenant, decree, or obligation binds his poſterity in Law: ſo was Adam bound up to God; ſee Rom. 5.12. the ſpeciall Scriptures that prove this truth; Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned; ſo verſe 16.17, 18, 19. by one that ſinned, &c. by one mans offence death reigned by one; by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation: By one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinners: Implying clearly, that the guilt of Adam, as repreſenting all his poſterity, was and is imputed to all; and therefore all were, and are bound over to the ſame Law; bottomed upon that word of the Lord to Adam, by which God put the Covenant upon him, Gen. 2.17. For in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely dye. Adam had the law of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, the morall law, written in his heart before, and his nature perfect, which bound him over to obey every command of his God; now God gave out that external law, unto him by way of tryal, p. 59in which the form of the Covenant was implyed; but ſinning againſt that, he tranſgreſſed the morall law, written in his heart alſo, which bound him over to obey God in all things: ſo that the ſin of Adam was (at leaſt virtually) a tranſgreſſion of the morall law, now abiding and obliging mankind; which law we all brake in him, as it was given to all in him, and being written in Adams heart, it was as much as if it had bin actually written in the hearts of all mankind: which doth alſo appear by the remnants of the law, (as that there is a God, and man ſhould be juſt,) yet remaining in the hearts of all: Therefore by nature we are all bound up to, and are under, this law.

2. It doth appear that all do ſin and tranſgreſſe this law of God, therefore they are under the penalty and condemnation of it: this argument the Apoſtle brings to prove the ſame thing, verſe 9. of this 3d. of the Rom.— For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under ſin: and verſe 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one; Threfore ſeeing all do ſin, they are bound to anſwer the law, (as you uſe to phraſe it,) and are ſubject to whatſoever the law pronounceth againſt the tranſgreſſours of it.

3. All the partiall keping of the law, will not deliver a ſoul from that penalty that belongs to the breach of the whole: keep me all or none, as to your deliverance from the curſe, ſaith the law. But this I am further to prove, when I ſpeak to the next verſe, The impoſſibility of a ſinners being accepted by his beſt keeping of the law.

p. 60Uſe 1. Are all men and women in the world, young and old, naturally under the law, bound over to the moſt exact and rigorous fulfilling of it, under a curſe, and are indeed under all the curſes and threanings it pronounceth, and bound to make God ſatisfaction in your own perſons, while you are under it; oh let every poor ſinner be convinced of it, what a ſtate is this for any poor ſoul to reſt it ſelf ſatisfied in? who is the man or woman that is not a tranſgreſſour of it? and therefore, ſee to it, and that before the execution of judgment come upon thee without remedy. Sinner, If thou waſt condemned by the law, and under a ſentence of death, how wouldſt thou beg for a reprieve? and beg all thy friends to interpoſe for thee; what an amazing word would it be to thee? Thou art condemned to dye. Ah ſinner, tis the caſe of thy precious ſoul, Thou art condemn'd to eternall death, by the law of God, the ſentence is pronounced from the righteous Judge of Heaven; Away ſinner, with all ſpeed to a Mercy ſeat, Acknowledge thy condemnation juſt by the law, Go to the great and potent Advocate of heaven, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, put thy caſe into his hand, tell him thou haſt none elſe to make to, and that thou haſt heard, he hath helped many a condemned ſinner, in the ſame caſe as thou art, and that thou haſt heard he hath layd down a price for ſuch as thou art to redeem them from the curſe of the Law: follow him, and if he ſpeak but a word to the juſt and great God for thee, the ſentence of the Law is remitted, a pardon of grace comes forth, and at laſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall be ſent from the father, and the Son to witneſſe it, and ſeal it in thy own conſcience; and that bleſſed word ſhall be thine, Therefore there is now, No condemnation, p. 61&c. who ſhall condemn me, ſince Jeſus Chriſt hath cleared me? and hath made the Court of Heaven for me? Go and ponder in thy ſoul every day; and ſay, Is't nothing to be under a Curſe? condemned by a Law to be damned for ever? ſhall I let my poor ſoul lye in ſuch a caſe one hour longer, ſpecially when a way I hear is opened to me to get from under it? Say what ſatifaction can I wretched creature, make to the righteous God? None, but by ſuffering what infinite juſtice will lay upon me, which is no leſſe then infinite puniſhment. Oh get in upon thy conſcience, what it is to be condemned by the great God, to lye under guilt, to have no plea or excuſe by the law left thee; which I will labour to prove to thy conſcience, and then further urge thee, which is the import of the next point.

Obſerv. 2. A tranſgreſſour of the law, as he hath nothing to boaſt in, ſo he hath nothing to excuſe himſelf for his ſin, or from the righteous judgment of God due unto him; which is drawn from theſe words.— That every mouth may be ſtopped, &c.

This the Apoſtle intimates, Rom. 2.1. Therefore thou art inexcuſable, ô man, &c. ſpeaking to the Jew, who went about to free himſelf. And the judgment of God is according to truth againſt them which do ſuch things, verſe 2.

Reaſon 1. A poor ſinner hath nothing to excuſe himſelf for ſinning againſt the law of God, becauſe the law is good and righteous, Rom. 7.12. Therefore the law is holy, and the Commandement holy, juſt, and good, ſaith Paul, when he was under ſuch a conviction of ſinning againſt it as we are preſſing; So, 1 Tim. 1.8. But we know that the Law is good, &c. Tis a p. 62law that containes glory to the Creatour, and all good and bleſſedneſſe, (as in its ſelf,) to the creature, A law that's full of all wiſdome, and bleſſedneſſe, takes care for the good, bleſſing, peace, order of the whole Creation, that man might not ſin againſt his maker, nor, in the leaſt, harme (nor think to do ſo) his fellow creature, ſo that its proper end is goodneſſe, preſervation to all; Now what excuſe for a creature, moſt concern'd in the good of it, for ſinning againſt ſuch a law? what hath a creature to ſay for himſelf? how inexcuſable is he before God, Angels, and men?

2. God writ this holy and bleſſed law in the heart of Adam, as he was a publique perſon, whereby he, and in him all mankind, had power to keep it, therefore the ſinner hath no excuſe before God; He gave man a power, though he did not lay a neceſſity upon his will, but left him to the liberty of it, but man corrupted himſelf, Gen. 6.12. whereby he diſabled himſelf from keeping the law: Now if a man diſable himſelf, it can be no rationall excuſe for neglecting the duty, ſo that his mouth is ſtopped as to any plea or excuſe before the Lord.

3. Though man had blurred and defaced the fair and originall Copy of this holy and good law written in his heart, yet God gave it forth again by Moſes in Legible Characters, one end wherefore was to leave all mankind without excuſe; thereof this ſtrikes off all plea for the ſinner, ſpecially to ſuch to whom it is revealed.

4. There is a remnant of this law yet in the heart of Adam, which though not ſufficient to enable him to an exact performance of it, yet enough to p. 63leave him without excuſe; ſo Paul, Rom. 2.15. to prove this point we are now upon, ſpeaking of the Gentiles. — Which ſhew the workes of the Law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witneſſe, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another. There is enough of the law remaining in every mans heart to accuſe him, when he doth evil; and excuſe him ſo far as he doth right, though man by habituall ſinning, doth much ſtifle it; ſo that this alſo helps to aggravate his ſin, and to leave him without all plea or excuſe.

5. There is that to be known of God, in the creatures, that may and doth leave a ſinner without all excuſe for ſinning againſt him; this the Apoſtle argues as to this very purpoſe; Rom. 1.20. For the inviſible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternall power and god-head, ſo that they are without excuſe, &c. The creatures could not ſay, we will make our ſelves thus and thus, and ſubſiſt in ſuch an order and harmony; therefore there was one firſt Infinite being who made all things, and by the ſame power doth uphold them, to which firſt Being, all the creatures muſt owe their homage and conformity; Now though ſuch a glimmering of light can never ſuffice to lead a ſoul to the true worſhipping of God, as the Apoſtle there argues; yet it leaves the creature without excuſe, which is that I am proving from it.

6. All the Children of men do ſin preſumtuouſly, willfully, and obſtinately againſt the Law of God: mans ſin being not ſo much from his weakneſſe to obey the law, (though weak he is) but from the rebellion p. 64of his will againſt God and his law; As it is in the caſe of diſobeying the call of the Goſpel alſo; Now whatſoever a man doth preſumptuouſly & willfully, it leaves him without all excuſe; And this is it that is charged upon the Children of men, by the holy Ghoſt in the word, that their ſin was obſtinate rebellion againſt the great God;

From all theſe the truth of the aſſertion doth appear that every tranſgreſſour of the law is without all excuſe before God.

7. As the creature hath no excuſe for his ſin, ſo it followes he hath no pretence againſt the righteous judgment of God; we are ſure the judgment of God is according to truth, Rom. 2.2. and Chap. 3.4. That thou mayſt be juſtified in thy ſayings, and clear when thou art judged; that is, what ever any ſinner may diſpute to the contrary, God is righteous when he judgeth; If the Law be juſt and holy and good, once written in his heart, and had a power to have kept it, that God hath given out this law again to him, the remnants of it in his heart, ſo much to be known of God in the creatures, and that he ſins preſumptuouſly and wilfully againſt God, and ſo bleſſed a law, made for his own good, certainly muſt every ſinner conclude, The Lord is righteous when he judgeth, and every mouth muſt be ſtopped.

Uſe 1. If it be ſo that no ſinner in the world hath any juſtifiable excuſe for his ſin, then let this truth come in into your conſciences, and ſtrike off all vain pretences, and wretched excuſes when you have ſinned againſt the Lord; which uſually are ſuch as theſe; when ſinners break forth into this or that rebellious p. 65way, they cry, Oh tis my nature, my naturall diſpoſition; and then they think, that excuſeth or allayeth the matter, whereas it aggravates, for we ourſelves corrupted our natures. Saith another, I have bin ſo accuſtomed to ſuch a way, to drink to exceſſe, ſometimes to ſwear, to uſe the Lords name vainly, and as a by-word; whereas the cuſtome of ſinning is the greateſt and moſt grievious aggravation of it. Saith another, 'tis my company that drawes me or the example of others, or 'tis my temptation, when they are under the Spirit that worketh in the Children of diſobedience; Or, that they do keep the law as well as they can, and think this will excuſe: whereas nothing, no plea that ever a ſinfull deceitfull heart put up, or that the Devil ſuggeſts, can before God excuſe any ſinner in the world, rich or poor, knowing or ignorant, from the exact and perfect keeping of the law, (if they are yet under the law) but upon one tranſgreſſion of it, the law doth moſt juſtly condemn and curſe them;

Nothing is more naturall to fallen man, under ſin, then when having ſinned to deviſe an excuſe, and thinks and ſurmiſeth, that becauſe ſuch an excuſe will be taken by his own blinded conſcience, therefore God will alſo accept of it, & ſo, flatters himſelf in his own eyes, till his iniquity be found to be hatefull, Pſal. 36.2. Thus Adam as aſſoon as he had ſin'd, he thought how to excuſe the matter, puts it off to the woman, and the woman to the devil, which trade ſinners have well learnt, and have driven it on ever ſince to their own damnation; Obſerve this, If every ſinner, yet under the law, and the power of ſinne, had not ſome vain pretence and excuſe to enſilence p. 66conſcience, and fooliſhly thinks to inſinuate unto God, he, or ſhe, muſt needs fall down before the Lord, ſee all their pretences and coverts to be damnable flatteryes, and ſoul-cheatings, and ſo Judge themſelves, and pronounce God moſt righteous, if he damn them for ever;

Oh therefore, ſinners, Away with all your pretences, no more excuſing, but judging, and go to the great God, and fall down at his feet, crying out, oh I am a tranſgreſſour, the law condemns me, no excuſe will be taken, my mouth is now ſtopped; what ever God do with me, he is moſt holy and righteous. If I were going to Hell I muſt juſtifie God; and cannot ſay unto him, why doeſt thou thus? Thus tis with a poor ſoul, when the Lord by his word and ſpirit opens ſin, reveales the law, layes it in upon the conſcience, diſcovers the holineſſe and exactneſſe of his juſtice, that the law ſhewes no mercy, but cryes out for fulfilling, or pronounceth abſolute condemnation, then I ſay, a ſinner cryes out, Oh I am caſt by the Law, I am gone by the Law, All my pleas are found too light, All my endeavour to keep it, is worth nothing, if guilty in the leaſt, while I am under the law. I muſt find out a righteouſneſſe elſe where, another way, or condemnation, juſt condemnation is my portion for ever; Here's the firſt ſtroke of a convinced ſinner, when God is outing him from himſelf, and all his coverts or excuſes, and brings him naked to put on the righteouſneſſe of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, freely held out in the goſpel; which is the work in hand.

p. 672. If no excuſe can be heard or taken, for the tranſgreſſion of the law, for but one breach of it, but every mouth is ſtopped; how much leſſe will any excuſe be taken, for withſtanding the goſpell of grace by Jeſus Chriſt, ſaith our bleſſed Lord. If I had not come and ſpoken unto them, they had not had ſin, (that is, not ſo great ſinne and condemnation) but now they have no cloak, (nor excuſe) for their ſinne; If a righteous law, leave all the world without excuſe, much more a goſpel that offers free grace, and pardon, and righteouſneſſe, by Jeſus Chriſt to any ſinner, condemn'd by the law, that will come in, as ſo condemn'd, and accept of the free gift of righteouſneſſe by him.

But that I may yet a little further labour to bring in the ſenſe of guilt upon the ſoul, I ſhall prove every ſoul, guilty before God of the tranſgreſſion of the law, and ſhew what the ſenſe of guilt is, which few there are that have, in a ſaving way.

Obſerv. 3. Every ſoul in the world is guilty before God of the tranſgreſſion of the Law. — And all the world may become guilty before God.

This hath been proved where we have ſhew'd that All have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God.

This guilt is threefold, which is ſet home upon every ſinners heart, when convinc'd of ſin by the ſpirit.

1. The guilt of Adams ſin which ſtands charg'd upon every ſinner in the world, while under the law, Rom. 5.18.

2. The guilt of the corruption of our natures, ſinne in the fountain as I have ſhewed, which is likewiſe p. 68upon every Son or Daughter of Adam, they are all corrupt, Pſal. 14.1. wherein lies the exceeding ſinfulfulneſſe of ſin.

3. The guilt of actuall rebellion againſt God, ſinne brought forth, and acted in the outward man againſt God.

Now under this threefold guilt is every ſinner in the world, while under the law, the effect of which, if not reconciled, is puniſhment ſutable to the guilt; which is,— Thou ſhall ſurely dye, And, The wages of ſinne is death, eternall death, Rom. 6. laſt.

Uſe 1. This may therefore inform and convince that every ſin brings guilt upon the ſoul, and ſo deſerves death and everlaſting wrath from God; you that make light of ſin, to lye, to profane the name of the Lord, be in worldly diſcourſes on the Lords day, in any way of ſin whatſoever, weigh this in thy conſcience, There's not the leaſt ſin but makes thee guilty before the tribunall of God; God, the law, Angels, Conſcience, are all witneſſes againſt thee; where's the ſoul that will think to avoid this charge? ſhall I prove every ſoul of you guilty, and that before God? If this were proved by the power of the word in the conſcience, I know what, (and I ſhall ſhew it you), will be the effect of it; lay your conſciences to the Word, and if thou art found guilty before the Lord this day, go home with the ſenſe of it upon thy ſoul, and do as a guilty ſinner ſhould do.

1. Conſider firſt, as to what concerns God, immediately; The Law requires; Thou ſhouldſt have no other Gods but him, Exod. 20. Which Jeſus p. 69Chriſt interprets, is, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy ſoul; now, Hath God had thy whole heart and ſoul, dareſt thou ſay ſo? Hath not the world had more of thy heart then God? Doſt not thou love the world, and the things of it? Do not thy affections, thoughts, deſires of thy heart even day and night go after it? yea, you cannot but grant, that 'tis ſo? Then God and Angels are witneſſe, that thou art guilty of the damnable ſin of Idolatry. And ſuch a one, ſhall not, as ſuch, enter into the kingdome of God, Eph. 5.5. Know by that Scripture, A covetous heart may ſend thee to Hell, as well as any ſin in the world; — No Covetous man, who is an Idolater, ſhall enter into the kingdome of God: read over the place every day, and tremble at it; Here's guilt already enough to damn thee.

2. Thou haſt worſhipped God ſuperſtitiouſly and idolatrouſly, after the traditions and commandments of men: you that are elderly people are all guilty here, in a grievous manner in the time of your ignorance, when ſuperſtitious Ceremonies were practiſed, and the Common-prayer-Book worſhip was upheld, when you polluted the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, coming to Sacraments with ſins upon your ſouls, from which ſins you are not converted and changed to this day, which the Apoſtle calls eating and drinking damnation, or judgment; under which guilt you ſtill lye, and would heap up more of this guilt, were not ſome more tender of your ſouls then your ſelves? Here's guilt to purpoſe, who is free from it? and how many unhumbled under it to this day? Art thou not now ready to cry p. 70out, Oh hold, hold, you need go no further, my conſcience is ſmitten, oh, guilt, great guilt lyes upon me? Oh that 'twere the cry of many ſouls before the Lord, how might it end in mercy that ſhall be for ever!

3. But yet further to purſue thy conſcience, (for that's the nature of guilt) doth not the Lord require in his law, that thou ſhouldſt not take his Name in vain, Exod. 20.7. Now ſinner, ſtave off this guilt, if thou canſt; How oft haſt thou abuſed and profaned this great and dreadfull Name, the Lord thy God; by ſwearing, or, in thy by-words, crying, oh Lord, oh God, for Gods ſake, for Chriſts ſake, upon every fooliſh vain occaſion, with no more reverence of his Name, then the moſt Common name in the world; And ſome of you have as many dayes as you have lived ſince your childhood bin frequently guilty of this great evil; which thou haſt made a ſmall matter of, which if ever God pardon it, it will appear to be odious guilt, from the height of thy heart-Atheiſm. How oft haſt thou heard the word, and thy heart bin after the world, and thine eyes gazing up and down, that tis eaſie to diſcern thou regardeſt not what is ſpoken from God to thee; and the ſame in prayer, how oft haſt thou babled ore the Lords prayer like a charme, with no reverence of Gods Majeſty upon thy ſoul; in thy bed, it may be, in a drowſie manner, or if otherwiſe not underſtanding the words thou ſpeakeſt, much leſſe thy heart affected with them, or it may be ſaying over the Creed, and the Commandements, or ſome Servicebook prayers, as abundance do, grievouſly profaning Gods Name, and offering lip labour, which p. 71his ſoul abhorreth; yea know what hath bin often proved, that thy prayers, and all thy worſhip, and good deeds, (as thou calleſt them) are an abomination to the Lord, while thou art in thy ſin, an unconverted and unholy perſon; yea the way of thy worſhip, in which thou placeſt thy greateſt confidence, hath bin the higheſt aggravation of thy ſin, in offering up to God that which his ſoul hateth; Eſay 1.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. —When you make many prayers (ſaith the Lord) I will not hear you, &c.

And as to the ſanctifying the Sabbath, which thou ſhouldeſt make a holy reſt unto God, thou haſt made it a meer fleſhly reſt, conſuming the day upon thy luſts, in vanity, idleneſſe, carnall and worldly diſcourſes in families, in the ſtreets, to the high diſhonour of the Name of God, and hardening of thy heart againſt the truths of God, rendring thereby the preaching of the Goſpel, wholly unprofitable to thy ſoul; A carriage farr unlike a man that hath the grace of God upon him, and a moſt invincible argument to thy conſcience, that thou makeſt not God, his word, ordinances, ſabbaths, a holy delight, and knoweſt not the excellency and ſweetneſſe of Communion with him; Say, ſinner, and lay thy conſcience to this conviction, is hearing and that with love, praying, praiſing, meditating, conferring of holy things, the very heaven of thy ſoul, and ſo longeſt for ſuch exerciſes, as the joy and ſtrength of thy heart? Nothing leſſe! Thy own conſcience being Judge; but hear drowſily and negligently, it may be deſpiſingly; revile the preacher, ſpeak evil of the word, out of thy groſſe ignorance, and hatred to be reformed, ſpeak vainly, carnally, worldly, with ſuch p. 72as are like thy ſelf. Here's guilt enough to ſend thee to a thouſand Hells, if God ſmite not thy heart for it, and thou turn not unto him for pardon and a better heart to be given to thee.

Adde to all this, an unthankfull and unholy uſe of Gods good Creatures; it may be thou haſt bin betrayed by the devil, & thy own ready heart to ſome ſecret ſins, which thou thinkeſt enough if thou canſt hide from man, not conſidering the judgment of God that hangs over thee. But if not ſo, yet a heart full of uncleanneſſe, envy, wrath, malice; which our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in his opening the law in its ſpirituality, Mat. 5.21.22, 27, 28. convinceth to be murder and adultery, which, it may be, thou haſt never conſidered of, ſo thou haſt not bin an actuall adulterer, or murderer; In a word, There's not a vain thought in thy heart, the firſt riſing of it, but brings thee under the guilt of condemnation of the law, and as thou art under the law, as if a tranſgreſſour in thought, word, and deed, of the whole Law; This may ſeem ſtrange to thee, but ſee it proved. James 2.10. For whoſoever ſhall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point is guilty of all.

But it hath bin proved that thou art guilty, of the breach of every Commandement of God, from thy youth up;

But ſee further, ſinner, (that ſome word of God or other may hit thee) this law could not condemn thee, wouldſt thou have bin convinced of guilt, and made in to grace by Jeſus Chriſt, but thou art under the guilt of Goſpel Contempt; Come ſinner, ſaith Jeſus Chriſt, and ſee what I can and will do for thee, Ile ſave thee from this condemning Law, Ile take p. 73away the curſe, Ile remove all thy guilt, blot out all the charge, that is againſt thee, Ile put a righteouſneſſe upon thee, Ile beſtow my ſpirit upon thee, Ile give thee a heart to love God and his law, and in the inward man to delight to walk in it, and then take thee to Heaven, and fill thee with glory for ever. All this Heaven of mercy and free grace, thou haſt ſleighted, and ſinned againſt, and brought thy ſelf under greater condemnation, than by the law; And yet, by the way, Jeſus Chriſt will do as much for thee ſtill as I have ſpoken of and more: though thou haſt thus ſinned againſt law and goſpel, if thou wilt come a poor undone guilty ſoul unto him, which is that I aime at in thus preſſing upon thee; And were the ſenſe of guilt indeed upon thy ſoul, thou wouldſt ſeriouſly hearken to me.

Therefore yet futher bear with me, Take home this guilt to thy conſcience, And ſay, Oh guilty, guilty, of all that hath bin this day charged from the righteous God upon me; Oh may the Lord find thee out this day, and lay-in the freſh ſenſe of the guilt of ſins, even of ſuch thou haſt long ſince committed; Do not juſtifie nor excuſe thy ſelf any longer; for that's the naturall way of thy heart, as thou haſt bin ſhewed. Never did guilty priſoner at the barre find more ſhifts, more ſubtle pleas, then the proud and ſhameleſſe heart of a ſinner will do, till God himſelf pronounce guilt in the conſcience, and then the guilt of one ſin laid-in, brings in the guilt of all other, and they ſometimes come in like waves and billowes upon thy ſoul; oh let the ſenſe of thy lying, ſwearing, profaning the Sabbath, ſlighting the word, refuſing Jeſus Chriſt out of thy ſecret p. 74hatred of holineſſe, reproaching the people of God, becauſe in their practiſe they condemne thee, or thy being guilty of the blood of the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 11.27. (a crying ſin indeed,) Oh let this, any, all, ſeize upon thee, and fly not from it, but go and lye low before the great God in it, judging, charging, condemning thy ſelf, and ſay; God and his word hath found me out this day, and I go home with an arrow of God in my conſcience, I am the man or woman, that am found the guiltyeſt ſoul in the Congregation; how to be delivered and ſaved from it, that's my buſineſſe now. Bleſſed be the advice and counſell now, (which formerly I deſpiſed) of any good man that ſpeakes in the name of the Lord unto me, and will ſhew me, There is yet hope for ſo wretched a Creature as I am;

Particularly, theſe are the effects of the ſenſe of the guilt of ſin, wrought by the holy Ghoſt upon the conſcience of a poor ſoul, in order to his ſalvation.

1. Fear of wrath to come, more or leſſe, poſſeſſeth the heart; Can a man be guilty and not fear, if truly ſenſible of it? This was upon Adam, after he had ſinned, and heard Gods voice, which ſtruck him with ſenſe of guilt, Gen. 3.10. I heard thy voice and was afraid; ſo when guilt came upon Belſhazzar, his thoughts troubled him, Dan. 5.6. Felix trembled, Acts 24.25. The Jaylour came trembling, Acts 16.29. The fear of wrath, the fear of a miſ-carrying ſoul, the fear of eternity, ſeizeth upon the ſpirit of a poor creature; and then tis an infinite weighty matter with a poor ſoul to be ſaved.

2. Shame is another effect of guilt brought in upon the conſcience: ſo Adam likewiſe was aſhamed p. 75and hid himſelf, becauſe he was naked, Gen. 3. What fruit had you in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed; Rom. 6.21. So Ezek. 16. laſt. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou haſt done, ſayth the Lord; See alſo, Ezek. 43.10, 11. Oh how is a ſenſibly guilty ſoul aſhamed before God, Angels, & men, of ſuch wayes and carriages, in which he impudently before delighted himſelf? and lyes down in his ſhame and confuſion of face, even covering his face before God, and aſhamed to look up unto him.

3. The ſoul walkes up and down with a burthened ſpirit, thoſe creature-comforts, delights, contentments which before would ſtill the ſpirit, now will not; ſenſe of guilt eates out the heart of them, the ſoul muſt now have ſomething elſe than wind and vanity, (for ſo are Creatures become to ſuch a poor ſoul): It may be the deceitfull heart carryes a poor creature to this thing and that, but finds no ſatisfaction there, the burthen ſtills remaines, the arrow that God hath ſhot ſticks faſt, till Jeſus Chriſt pluck it forth, and heales all with his blood and ſpirit.

4. Guilty ſouls, make out for deliverance, ſue to heaven, are enquiring how the law may be ſatisfied, how guilt may be removed, how atonement may be had, how bondage taken off; in a word how he may come to ſee the face of a bleſſed God, reconciled in Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo love him and bleſſe him to eternity.

p. 76Why now, careleſſe ſinner, Is't not better be thus then be hardening for Hell? and have the guilt of ſinne as nothing to thee, till the books ſhall be opened, all thy ſins written in Letters of blood againſt thee, Conſcience accuſed, charged, and witneſſing againſt thee, and ſo away ſcreeking to Hell without all remedy, and canſt not be heard a word for thy ſelf, nor any one, Saint, or Angel for thee; Now thou mayeſt be heard, if thou wilt ſpeedily acknowledge thy guilt, not cover thy tranſgreſſion, nor hide thy iniquity in thy boſome, Job 31.33. but come with fear, and ſhame, burthen'd with thy guilt, to him whoſe armes are yet open to receive thee, and is ready to take away thy iniquity off thee, and take off thy burthens, put his hand under thy ſoul: and if thou wouldſt know who it is, tis that bleſſed Jeſus who loves to ſave ſuch a ſinner as he loves his life; therefore away to him.

But the heart of a guilty ſinner will now urge, Well if it be ſo, that ſome guilt is upon me, yet I have done many things well, or as well as I could, will not that take off my guilt, and will not God impute the good to me, and paſſe by the evil? Or will not God accept of the will for the deed? Or if I ſet my ſelf for the time to come, to keep the law as well as I can, will not that make God amends? Alas poor ſoul, theſe refuges will undo thee, if thou get not out of them, No, No; Thy good ſhall not be imputed, nor thy will accepted, nor thy obedience for time to come ſatisfie; I mean, ſtill as thou art under the law. As well as thou canst, will not he heard here; If thou indeed gets juſtified in Chriſt, and rooted in him, and ſo from a new principle of life in p. 77thy ſoul, thou bring forth new and holy obedience, then thy will is accepted, and thy new obedience, but not upon this account, as to juſtifie thee before God; or as to expiate and take off guilt from the ſoul.

This therefore is the next thing I am to prove to thy Conſcience, if God will, Namely,

Obſerv. 4. No man or woman under heaven, can ever arrive at ſuch a keeping of the law, as to be accepted with God, for and by ſuch a keeping of it.

I would preſſe this as plainly as I may, for till this conviction be thoroughly and practically received into the conſcience, a ſoul cannot make a ſaving cloze with Jeſus Chriſt;

What I mean by theſe deeds of the Law, is, I preſume, underſtood; I mean, The profeſſed owning the true God, and frequenting his ordained worſhip, and ordinances, obſerving the Sabbath, making good prayers, doing ſome good, as to helping thy neighbour and giving of Almes, making conſcience of wronging or defrauding any man, and refrayning many groſſe ſins; I mention theſe things, becauſe moſt men that go thus farre, as your more civill ſort of people, think that is it impoſſible, but God muſt accept them in and for all this; that 'tis for great ſinners to be damned, they thank God they are not ſo; By the way, ſoul, I ſhall not doubt to prove, that there's more hope of the vileſt drunkard in the Country, then of ſuch a one; and that this thy good keeping of the law, and that as well as thou canſt, will ſtand thee in no ſteed, at all; and God looks upon thee no more for it, then if thou wert the greateſt ſinner in the world; How ſayſt thou, ſoul, to this?

p. 781. From clear Scriptures I ſhall demonſtrate it, and Scripturall reaſons, and examples of ſuch kind of perſons rejected of God, and ſo labour to drive this nail home upon thy conſcience.

What need we go further then the words of my Text; By the deeds of the law, ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight? The Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſuch who profeſſed to own and make Conſcience of keeping the law, as well as they could, ſuch as were within (as you call it) the pale of the Church, and frequented the worſhip of God, and were ſober people: ſee Act. 13.39.— From which (meaning their ſins) they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes; They could not! an utter impoſſibility of it, though they kept the law of God, as well as they were able, and hoped for pardon thereby, yet ſayth Paul (which exceedingly troubled them) they could not be juſtified thereby; Rom. 9.31. But Iſrael which followed after the law of righteouſneſſe, hath not attained to the law of righteouſneſſe; Though they followed after it, and laboured to keep the Law of God to their utmoſt, yet they faild of their purpoſe, Gal. 3.10, 11. &c. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curſe; that is, ſuch as inſiſt upon works of the law, they are ſo far from being the more accepted for all the good they did, & all the evil they refrained, that they were under the curſe, as well as any ſinners in the world beſides.

Briefly, Paul, who well knew the experience of this, it having bin his own caſe, as I ſhall ſhew, ſpends two Epiſtles, of the Romans and Galathians to convince chiefly what I am now upon; therefore peruſe them over and over.

Now the Reaſons of it are theſe, namely, why p. 79any ſinner's keeping of the Law to his beſt power, cannot juſtifie him, or make him the better, or at all accepted with God for it.

This doctrine goes to the quick, and I know naturally you do not love it, and 'tis irkſome, and diſquieting; the Lord make it diſquieting and unſettling to purpoſe.

Reaſon 1. The beſt keeping of the law cannot make a ſoul more accepted with God, (while under the law, & not in Chriſt) becauſe of the holineſs of Gods Juſtice, which being violated by ſin, (it being alſo proved that All do ſin) cannot again be made up by any act of the Creature, the ſeverity of his juſtice cannot admit of it, therefore if the Law be tranſgreſſed, the ſinner muſt dye, as he is under the law, and ſtands to the law, or God is not righteous, which to aſſert were exercrable blaſphemy. And if your thoughts ſhould prevent me, with a generall notion of mercy, know, and conſider it well, that the law ſhewes no mercy, but calls for juſtice, and juſtice it ſhall have upon every trangreſſour whoſoever, if he ſtand to his endeavour to keep the Law; The ſoul that ſinneth, it ſhall dye. From whence, by the law, I ſay, by the law, there's no appeal: what you may do when you renounce the Law, for righteouſneſſe, and fly wholly to a mercy-ſeat is another caſe. This the firſt reaſon.

2. The beſt keeping of the law will not be accepted, becauſe of the exactneſſe of the Law, it requires full, entire, perfect fulfilling and obedience, or all ſtands for nothing; If this were throughly weighed and layd to heart, we ſhould come to an iſſue in the point. Mark that word, Gal. 3.12. Curſed is every p. 80one, that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them; I think I opened this place lately, but mark it well; The law requires of every one, and therefore of thee, who ever thou art, a continuance, (without intermiſſion) of doing (not only purpoſing and endeavouring) All things, not keeping nine, and breaking one Commandement; not keeping it outwardly, and breaking it in thy thoughts of ſin, but in All things, or Curſed, without remedy, by the law; The law can give you no remedy, ſee Rom. 10.5. For Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſſe of the law; The man that doth theſe things ſhall live by them; If he doth all the things of the law, not purpoſeth them onelyonly, but doth them, he ſhall live by them, but not otherwiſe, but ſhall dye, and that for ever, by the law; now mark you, The ſame law can't at once juſtifie and condemn, bleſſe and curſe, quit and judge, ſave and condemn, if it therefore condemn in the leaſt, it cannot quit by all that ever a ſoul hath done, or may do, towards fulfilling it. I inſtanced before; If a man that lives under the law of England, all the laws of it, and he be found a tranſgreſſour of one law, that is to be puniſhed with death; it will not be a good plea for him, that he never brake any other law that deſerves death: no, ſaith the Judge, you muſt dye for this; ſo as I have ſhew'd, the law pronounceth death to the breach of any one Commandement, any part of one, as well as to the breach of the whole. Therefore he that pleads, as the Phariſee did, (and was never the more accepted,) that he is no murderer, no blaſphemer, no thief, no adulterer; tis all one, if thou haſt ever had an unholy thought in thy heart, (as thou haſt had thouſands), as thou art under the law, thou art condemned; p. 81If this indeed had bin the tenour of the law, as it was a Covenant, between God and the firſt Adam, that if thou and thy poſterity ſhall endeavour to keep the law as well as you can, though you fail in ſome part, yet you ſhall be accepted; then this had bin a good plea before God, that you have ſo endeavour'd to keep it; but tis not ſo, the Covenant doth not run ſo, but as hath bin ſhewd it runs thus. Here's a holy and righteous law, ſaith God, the matter of the Covenant between us, If you break it in any one leaſt part of it, and but once, you are condemn'd, and all your other righteouſneſſe ſhall not be imputed to you. This ſaith bin proved from ſeverall Scriptures; and I think tis the hardeſt thing in the world to be ſpiritually and practically convinced of it; ſuch is the exactneſſe of the Law, that it admits of no bartering, of no termes whatſoever; it ſtill cryes, fullfill me to the utmoſt, or dye.

3. The third Reaſon, which ſtrikes off all hope of acceptance with God, by keeping the Law as well as you can, is taken from the ſinfulneſſe of thoſe very duties and workes which you place ſuch acceptance in; There is an infinite ſinfulneſſe in every ſuch duty, though the matter of the duty be good, yet the manner of performing it by any naturall man is wholly ſinfull, yea there's a mixture of ſin in the moſt holy performances of any regenerate ſoul in the world, which he is ſenſible of; but I am dealing with the naturall man, as to his opinion of his good keeping the law, I ſay there's nothing but ſin in their performances, the principle they proceed from is wholly ſinfull, viz. a corrupted, polluted heart and nature; Can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit? Mat. 7.18. Can a corrupt fountain ſend forth ſweet waters? p. 82Jam. 3.11. No more can a corrupt defiled heart bring forth any duty or work, but what is loathſome to God, full of all impurity; This a naturall man is not able to ſee, nor conſider of, till convinc'd by the holy Ghoſt, and therefore 'tis, that he reſts onelyonly in performing the matter and bulk of duties to God and his neighbour; but with what heart, and the unholineſſe of it, he weights not. Upon this account it is, that the Scriptures ſpeak at ſuch a rate of naturall men, that they are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. that his ſoul hates them, he cannot away with them, they are iniquity, they are a trouble to him, Iſay 1. And that he caſts them back, as dung upon their faces, Mal. 2.3. Therefore if there be more then ſin enough, in that beſt keeping of the Law, towards God or man to damn a ſoul for ever; Certainly a ſoul ſhall be never the better, nor at all accepted for ſuch a keeping of it. That which in it ſelf hath ſin, nothing but ſin in the manner of it, cannot be a means to quit a ſoul from other ſin, by which he hath brought guilt upon himſelf; Let this be well conſidered, and (Nothing but a Chriſt) would be your cry to purpoſe indeed.

4. The fourth reaſon or convincement of this truth, that the beſt endeavour to keep the law, will not give you more acceptance with God, nor take away any guilt from off the ſoul, is, becauſe, ſuch duties, and keeping the Law, are but of the outward man, which is farre from reaching the Compaſſe of the law: the law is spirituall, Rom. 7.14. that is, it reacheth to the inward parts, to the motions of the heart, as hath bin before hinted, and not onelyonly to the outward man; therefore our bleſſed Lord, ſeeing p. 83the Jews inſiſting ſo much that they were outwardly blameleſſe, ſpends a large diſcourſe, Mat. 5.6, & 7. to beat them off their confidence, in being outwardly righteous, and proves a man a murderer by the Law, for one wrathfull thought in his heart, Mat. 5.21, 22. Upon this conviction you have him, as oft as he ſpake to the Jews, (that we may ſee the weight of this doctrine): ſee Luke 16.19, 15. And the Phariſees alſo, who were covetous, heard all theſe things, and they derided him, And he ſaid unto them, ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knoweth your hearts, for that which is highly eſteemed amongſt men is abomination in the ſight of God; Jeſus Chriſt was convincing the wickedneſſe of a covetous heart, the Jews, who were carnall and formall, made a ſleight matter of this, ſeeing they were outwardly blameleſſe, and wronged no body; Aye but, ſaith Chriſt, God knoweth your hearts, and his eye is moſt upon them, and though you are outwardly righteous before men, and this is a matter highly eſteemed of among men: that you are righteous and blameleſſe, yet tis an abomination to God; ſee how ſevere the Lord is in preſſing of this, (it being the great let of his Miniſtery, and of the Jews ſtumbling at the Goſpel, as it is with us) Mat. 23. his laſt Sermon I conceive he preacht to them, verſe 25. Woe unto you ſcribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites, for ye make clean the out ſide of the cup and platter, but with they are full of extortion and exceſſe; ſo, with the ſame woe pronounced, verſe 27. Ye are like unto whited ſepulchers, which indeed appear beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanneſſe; verſe 28. Even ſo alſo ye outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocriſie and iniquity. p. 84Mark the Lords words, within ye are thus, and thus, As if the Lord ſhould ſay, God regards not what you are outwardly, and your obſerving the law with the outward man; ſeeing you have abundance of all iniquity within, which every unregenerate ſoul in the world hath; ſo you may ſee that an outward keeping of the law, ſtandes for nothing in the account of God, whatever it do with men and your ſelves; which you hear Jeſus Chriſt gives forth, as the mark of an Hypocrite; Now you have heard, the law requires inward as well as outward perfection, perfect holineſſe within, as well as righteouſneſſe in the outward man; I verily believe, want of this conviction upon the ſoul, ſends more ſoules to Hell, then any other thing in the world beſides; how confident are poor Creatures if they are a little conſciencious in dealing, and ſober, and blameleſſe to men? this you may be, and be no better then devils (as in your ſelves) in Gods account, and thy beſt Character, from Jeſus Chriſt, Mat. 23.26. is a Blind Phariſee. Every place, I fear, abounds with them: therefore this inveterate curſed plea of being outwardly blameleſſe in keeping the Law, will not in the leaſt tender you more accepted with God, but tis at the beſt but painted Hypocriſie: And yet, wretched ſouls that you are, none ſo well perſwaded of themſelves as theſe. This the fourth reaſon.

5. All the beſt keeping of the Law, doth not, cannot, make ſatisfaction to God for one ſin of thy ſoul, therefore tis worth nothing; Gods Juſtice is wronged, and if the ſinner be remitted, God muſt be ſatisfied by the ſinner himſelf, or by another. Now all the obedience of a ſinner cannot make ſatisfaction p. 85to God in the leaſt, If he had the whole world to offer up to God, it could not ſatisfie him for the the wrong of one ſin; ſee that known place, Micah 6.6, 7. Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and bow my ſelf before the high God? ſhall I come before him with burnt offerings, with Calves of a year old? will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rams, or with ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyle? ſhall I give my firſt borne for my tranſgreſſion, the fruit of my body for the ſin of my ſoul? Implying that there is nothing that a poor ſinner of himſelf can offer up to God, to make atonement or ſatisfaction to God for the leaſt ſin of his ſoul; ſhould he offer up thouſands of prayers, rivers of tears, whole ages ſpent in ſervices to God, take up to a ſevere new obedience, if you ſhould ſo take up to a new courſe as never to ſinne more all your dayes, it would not make God ſatisfaction or atonement for one evil thought of thy ſoul; Now obſerve this, (for if thou art not rightly convinced of this thing, thou art loſt for ever) Tis naturally upon every man and womans heart, that hath ſinned to imagine that when they have ſinned, they can put off God, as to his diſpleaſure, with ſomething or other, they will reckon what good they have done, gone to Church, (as you ſtyle it) given Almes, bin juſt to men, or ſome ſuch thing; and the poor blind Creature imagines and pleaſeth himſelf in it that this good thus done will well enough pacifie God for his ſins, or at leaſt he will go over ſome prayers & be ſtrickt for a little while, and then they doubt not but God (becauſe alſo he preſently ſmites not with judgment) is well enough apayed, and he need no more trouble himſelf. Is not this the very p. 86way of your hearts, hath not the word found you out?)

Object. But you will ſay; why, cannot theſe duties and this obedience ſatisfie and pacifie God well enough for ſin?

Anſw. 1. Becauſe there is ſinne mixt in them, they come from a profane heart, as is ſhew'd in the laſt reaſon, (though thou ignorantly, becauſe thou knoweſt not thy heart, call'ſt it a good heart): now that which is in it ſelf ſinfull, cannot ſure ſatisfie for ſinne.

2. Becauſe of the infiniteneſs of Gods juſtice, as well as purity of it; A finite creature cannot offer up a proportionable atonement to an infinite God. Suppoſe a poor man were under the guilt of treaſon & condemn'd to dye, and he ſhould go & offer up a little coorſe broken bread to the Prince, would any one think that this would ſatisfie the Prince for his treaſon? So, poor deceived creature, thou art guilty of treaſon and rebellion againſt the great and moſt high God, and thou comeſt and offereſt up to him, thy poor polluted broken obedience, and duties, and thinkeſt he will be ſatified with this; whereas God may in the ſame moment juſtly ſend thee to Hell for the iniquity of them; A poor ſinfull ſoul thinkes that becauſe ſuch doings and ſervices do ſatisfie himſelf, his own conſcience, therefore he thinks they will ſatisfie God alſo; becauſe they quiet him upon any trouble for guilt, he thinks they will alſo quiet God, and take off his anger and juſtice from puniſhing him: poor creature, this thy way is thy folly, and the ready way to come under the ſevere juſtice of the Almighty, who will not thus be dealt with, nor be p. 87thus bribed with thy curſed ſacrifices; This is a further convincement of the point; All the creature can do, cannot pacifie God for one ſin, and therefore all his beſt keeping of the law cannot juſtifie a poor ſinner before God, nor give him acceptance in the leaſt with him; till he ſees pacification another way, and takes up obedience from another principle and to another end, as we are to ſhew.

6. All a mans endeavour in ſetting himſelf to keep the law to the utmoſt, cannot give him acceptance with God, becauſe it cannot give life to the ſoul; Gal. 3.21. For if there had bin a law, which would have given life, verily righteouſneſſe had come by the law; Man hath procured death and weaknes upon his ſoul, and the law cannot give life, nor ſtrength to obey it. All that righteouſneſs which leavs the ſoul dead, comes to nothing: while a ſoul is under the law, and upon the fulfilling of it, (as he hopes in a good meaſure,) ſtill the ſoul is as dead as ſin left it, and void of the life of God: true, A poor ſoul thinkes himſelf alive by his legall performances, as Paul thought, Rom. 7.9. but he is dead in ſin, and under the ſentence of death by the Law, and all the performances towards the keeping of it, can never give a drop of life to ſuch a poor ſoul: they are dead works, and there's no life in them or from them: therefore they ſtand no ſoul in ſtead; while under the law, as under it he is, while he goes upon this account.

7. The main reaſon of all, which is now but to be touched, is this: If a ſoul endeavouring to keep the law of God as well as he can, may be accepted of God thereby, what need Jeſus Chriſt to have p. 88dyed: tis Pauls great argument, Rom. 8.3, 4. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh, God ſending his own ſon, in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh, condemned ſin in the fleſh, that the righteouſ- of the law might be fulfilled in us, &c. Mark ye, what the law could not do, that it could not give us a righteouſneſſe whereby God might accept us, therefore God ſent his ſon in the fleſh, and condemned ſinne upon him, which otherwiſe had bin condemned upon the ſinner himſelf: Another place to this purpoſe is, Gal. 2. laſt, I do not fruſtrate the grace of God; for if righteouſneſſe come by the law, then Chriſt is dead in vain. If there were a poſſibility of a Creatures attaining to ſuch a degree of keeping the law as well as he can, that might render him accepted with God, and procure pardon wherein he failed, then the dying of Jeſus Chriſt was in vain, to no purpoſe at all. Take heed you that are outwardly righteous, that you do not fruſtrate the grace of God, and the death of Jeſus Chriſt for ever to your own ſouls, by thinking you indeavour to keep Gods law, as well as you can, and make ſome conſcience of it, and there fix your hope wholly, or in part, and ſo be undone for ever. Another place in the ſame Epiſtle, Gal. 4.4, 5. ſpeakes out the ſame truth. But when the fulneſſe of time was come, God ſent forth his ſon made of a woman, made under the law; To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. What need Jeſus Chriſt to have dyed, to redeem the elect from under the law, if they had bin able to reach forth to ſuch a keeping of it, that God might be well pleaſed with, and with them in it?

p. 89Now Jeſus Chriſts being made under the law, implyes theſe things, which I now but hint forth.

1. His being under the puniſhment of the law, which was due to ſuch as were under it; what ever the law pronounced to the tranſgreſſours of it, Jeſus Chriſt in effect did undergo it; See Gal. 3. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us; If good prayers, making a conſcience in dealing, outward ſobriety, harming no body, giving of Almes to poor people, could have taken away the curſe; did the wiſe and bleſſed God do well in giving out his Son to be made a curſe? were prayers, righteouſneſſe, good deeds, made a Curſe? They will be indeed, in another ſenſe, if thou thinkeſt to be accepted by them.

2. Jeſus Chriſt being made under the Law, was to ſatisfie Gods offending juſtice for the breach of the Law, for ſuch as ſhall be ſaved; to make atonement for God, Rom. 5.11. If now all that thou haſt done, or ſhalt ever do, could make the leaſt ſatisfaction or atonement to God, in thy good keeping the Commandements as well as thou canſt, (as hath been ſhew'd) God might have kept his Son in Heaven, and not ſent him to make atonement for any ſinners.

3. To reconcile ſinners unto God; Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, &c. If reconciliation to God can be had no other way, but by the death of Jeſus Chriſt, will thy good endeavours for the time to come to keep the Law of God, as well as thou canſt, and take up from a looſe courſe, will thoſe, I ſay, reconcile p. 90thee to God? See, poor creature, how little need thou thinkeſt thou haſt of Jeſus Chriſt, and what a mere notion a Saviour is to thee, when it comes to the tryal!

4. Jeſus Chriſt dyed to purchaſe righteouſneſſe, for all that ſhall be ſaved; Now if thou couldſt come up to ſuch a degree of being righteous, by thy fair and good carriage, as thou thinkeſt, to God and man, this purchaſe of Jeſus Chriſt was to little purpoſe, Rom. 10.4. Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſſe, to every one that believeth.

Now ſee, miſtaken ſoul, how thy hope to pleaſe God well enough, and make him amends for thy ſin, by thy good endeavours to ſerve him in his law as well as thou mayſt, makes void the whole deſigne of God, in the glorious gift of his eternall Son, (as much as in thee lyeth); and robs him of the glory of his grace; and makes thy ſalvation (if it might be had in ſuch a way) not of grace, but of debt, Rom. 4.4. Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of debt but of grace; And thus thou, in effect, becomeſt thy own Saviour.

Yet bear with me a little further, (becauſe a ſinner can never be too thoroughly convinced of this matter) let me ſhew you ſome examples in the Scriptures, of ſuch that thought as you do, and as all men naturally do, that they by their honeſt and conſcionable endeavour to worſhip God, and harm no body, they ſhould be ſaved; and yet were found light in the balance.

The firſt is that Phariſee, Luke 18.11. He thanks God, he was not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Aduterers, &c. Here was hope for his acceptance p. 91with God, He was not ſo bad as others, as many riotous profane perſons were, not unjuſt in his dealings, no Adulterer, And ſhould any one queſtion his Salvation, and going to Heaven? Enough for great ſinners to miſſe of Heaven, and not ſuch as he was, reputed a good and honeſt man in his Country and amongſt his neighbours, well thought of by moſt. And yet for all this confidence and ſecurity, a great ſinner was accepted before him, and he not juſtified in the ſight of God, though he was in his own ſight, and the ſight of others. See another; Mat. 19.20. (which place hath bin at large opened to you), There came a young man, a man of parts, a Ruler, with the ſame confidence to reaſon with Jeſus Chriſt about his condition, The man conceived he wanted nothing that a man ſhould have or do for Heaven; All theſe things, ſaith he, I have kept from my youth up, meaning ſpecially the ſecond Table of the Law, which Chriſt gave out, not as thereby to put him upon the law, but to find him out, and diſcover him under the law. When Ieſus Chriſt ſearcheth the mans heart, and finds him under the power of the love of the world, as a reigning ſoul-damning ſin, (for all his outward blameleſneſſe), and ſo to diſcover his heart to himſelf, puts him upon tryall of ſelf-denyall; Away the man packs as mute as a fiſh, and would hear no more, (as worldlings now) of ſuch doctrine; unleſſe he could be a diſciple and part with nothing, loſe or venture nothing, he would reſt as he was, and hope his being an honeſt ſober man, and well thought of, would bring him to Heaven; and ſo, for ought appears, cheated his ſoul to Hell.

p. 92The caſe of Paul hath bin often ſhew'd you; he was, as many of you think your ſelves, blameleſſe, Phil. 3.6. lived in no known ſin, outwardly againſt the law, frequented the publick worſhip, made conſcience of his dealings, was zealous of the traditions and cuſtomes of his Fathers in the matters of God, and yet do you not hear him crying out of it all as loſſe, verſe 7. & 8. He thought it was his gain before, that it would have gained him Heaven, but now tis all loſſe, his keeping the Church, his outward blameleſſeneſſe, ſtands him not in the leaſt ſtead, but cryes out; tis All, All, loſſe for Jeſus Chriſt; the ſame Paul that before boaſted, and thought very well of himſelf, and was in much peace, and perſecuted all beyond his formall profeſſion, now cryes out, Away with this fig-leave righteouſneſſe of mine own, 'tis as dung, I tread it under my feet for Ieſus Chriſt; he that thought himſelf ſo blameleſſe before, now cryes out, I am the Cheif of ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. And I am carnall, ſold under ſinne, Wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? A marvellous Change indeed, and ſuch that is made upon every ſoul, that is really brought off from the righteouſneſs of the law to that which is of Ieſus Chriſt.

Now to bring what hath bin ſpoken to this point, to a more particular Application.

Uſe 1. If it be ſo, that the beſt endeavour of any mortall creature, to keep the law of God as well as they can, will not give them acceptance with God; Then you that have ſo imagin'd, and thereby ſpoken peace to your ſelves, namely, that you hope if you keep the Church (as you uſe to ſpeak) and harme no p. 93body, and do any body any good you can, live not in groſſe ſins, be well thought of by your neighbours, you ſhall do well enough for Heaven, and you muſt hope well. Ah poor creature, thou erreſt, not knowing the way of the Lord, nor of thy own heart; how art thou befooling thy ſelf and deceiving thy own ſoul. No ſinner in ſo ready a way to Hell as thou, if thou continue thus, and let not go thy hold, and get a new bottome for thy naked ſoul, which I am to ſhew thee.

Conſider, man or woman, young or old, whoever thou art, thou haſt bin proved guilty of the breach of the whole law of God, thou haſt bin ſhewed of the exactneſſe of the juſtice of God, and the ſpirituality of the law, how it reacheth the inmoſt motions of thy heart, thou haſt been ſhewed the tenour of it, as it was given forth as a Covenant; that the law will not admit of the leaſt breach, though but in thought, but it condemns as if the whole law were tranſgreſſed, even every ſoul that is under it; here is the rigour of it; And thou haſt bin ſhewd that the law admits not of endeavours, nor of the will for the deed, (if thou wert once in Chriſt indeed, it would be ſo, but not as now thou art) thou haſt bin ſhew'd that there's ſin enough in every one of thy beſt performances to damn thee for ever; that, thy righteouſneſſe reacheth but the outward man; within (didſt thou ſee it) thou art full of iniquity, that what ever thou haſt done, cannot make God the leaſt ſatisfaction (as thou flattereſt thy ſelf) for the leaſt ſin; All thy obedience and duties cannot give life to thy ſoul, but ſtill leave thee as a dead tree, dead in thy ſin, that by this vain confidence thou doeſt utterly make p. 94void the death of Jeſus Chriſt, as to any vertue or effect to thy own ſoul; ſoul, here is thy very caſe plainly ſet forth; A thouſand thouſand ſins to damn thee, and that righteouſneſſe, obedience, good, thou hopeſt thou haſt done towards God and man, not in the leaſt able to reſcue thee, cover thee, deliver thee from the guilt of one of the leaſt of theſe ſins; nor ſave thee from wrath to come, but leave thy ſoul as ſinfull, guilty, naked, wretched, condemned, as if thou hadſt bin nothing elſe but ſinning all thy dayes; Oh wretched condition, that the devill and thy own heart have flattered thee in!

Oh let this ſerve to convince, unbottome, legall profeſſours, who have ſpoken peace to themſelves in being as good as they can, and obeying the law as well as they can, & ſo hope God pardons where they fail; Oh, you are ignorant of the righteouſneſſe of God, Rom. 10.3. Either what righteouſneſſe God requires in the law, as to be juſtified by it; or what is the righteouſneſſe of the Goſpel, which is of Jeſus Chriſt by faith.

Oh you, who like that young man, have bin righteous from your youth up, brought up religiouſly, look to this, whether you make not this your confidence, but (though under ſome kind of ſorrowings for ſin, and walking exactly) yet never emptyed of your ſelves, and renouncing your ſelves, and all that was of you, and come poor and nothing to Jeſus Chriſt, to be found in Him; who have not trembled as much at being found in your own righteouſneſſe, which is of the Law, as at living in the greateſt ſinne whatſoever:

You who have taken up from groſſer ſins of your p. 95life, your youth, and now think you are ſafe, and bottome your hope upon your new outward obedience, but have not the experience of your cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt for righteouſneſſe, in which alone you could ſtand before God, nor rooted into Jeſus Chriſt in the carrying on of your new obedience, (which I am alſo further to open): Alas poor ſoul, thou art yet to ſeek for a bottome, for thy peace and for heaven, as much as the greateſt ſinner in the world, and if you go no further, you will certainly periſh for ever.

I beſeech you, ſouls, Admit of this conviction into your conſciences; Saith the firſt Covenant of the law, A whole law kept, or nothing; Saith the Goſpel-Covenant, which you are now to look after, A whole Chriſt cloſed with, or nothing;

Mind it moſt ſeriouſly, you that ſtand upon your termes, and will not endure any thing that may ſhake you and diſturb your peace; There's more danger of your righteouſneſs, then your ſin; your ſin, it maybe you would ſin leave, becauſe it may damn you, if continued in, but your righteouſneſſe, your confidence in it, you would not leave, becauſe you hope that ſhall ſave you, and pacifie God for you; and this will be your ruine, if you ſtick here.

But firſt to ſtrike off ſome Objections, that the heart of ſuch a legall profeſſour doth put forth.

Object. 1. But you will object, Why do I ſpeak thus? would I beat people off a good converſation? Is not a blamebleſſe converſation, and honeſt walking a good ſigne, and ground for ones hope for heaven?

p. 96Anſw. I anſwer, Not ſuch a converſation as you mean; The formall Jews, which Chriſt preacht to, were outwardly righteous, and yet 'twas not a ſafe ground of hope unto them, as you have bin ſhew'd; A good converſation that witneſſeth a hope for heaven, muſt be, firſt of a ſoul that doth utterly renounce it, as to commend him to God, that when he lookes up to God for his acceptance, his juſtification, he lookes upon himſelf, as nothing elſe but a ſinner in that reſpect, which, poor ſoul, thou doeſt not, (2.) A good converſation, that witneſſeth a hope of Heaven, is alſo a holy converſation, 1 Pet. 1.15. To be inwardly holy, as well as outwardly righteous. Now thy care lyeth moſtly about thy outward blameleſneſs, and not thy inward holineſſe therefore thy converſation, which thou calleſt good, is not a ground of hope to thee, (3.) Or if thou doeſt pretend to a little outward holineſſe, and thinkeſt thou haſt a good heart, yet thou doeſt not walk in Chriſt, becauſe thou haſt not, as a poor ſelf-emptyed ſinner, received him, Col. 2.6. Now thou muſt firſt be rooted in Chriſt, verſe 7. before thou canſt walk in Chriſt, that is, fetch all thy life and power for any ſpirituall duty, or thy walking before God, from Ieſus Chriſt, by vertue of union with him, John 15.5. the experience of which, thou art ignorant of; (4.) Tis to walke in the ſpirit, Gal. 5.16. And thou haſt not the ſpirit of God dwelling in thee, quickening, renewing, mortifying, &c. which every gracious pardoned ſoul hath. In a word, A good converſation is a Gospel-converſation, grounded upon Goſpel-principles, and for Goſpel-ends; now thou goeſt no further, but lookeſt upon the law, as to be obeyed p. 97as well as thou canſt, and in thy own endeavours, and thy own ſtrength, from ſome conviction of the law, thou ſetſt about it, and ſo hopeſt, God and Chriſt will ſave thee; Is it not ſo with thee?

Object 2. But would you then have me do nothing, leave off to do well? If you ſay my good keeping of the law as well as I can, doth neither juſtifie me before God, nor is ſo much as an evidence of Gods accepting me, to what purpoſe then is it, how ought I then to do it; or may I not leave it off?

Anſw. I anſwer, Truly, ſoul, I muſt needs deal plainly with thee, Tis to no purpoſe as yet, if this be thy condition, that thou haſt done any thing, as to the ſaving of thy own ſoul; And yet thou muſt not leave off, as if thou mighteſt live as thou liſt; No, Thou muſt begin a new, (as thou wilt be further more at large directed); firſt, ſee all thy former doings, either towards God or man, to be loſſe becauſe thou haſt done them by meer naturall or legall principles, and wrong ends, and ſo it ſtands for nothing. And then fall down before Ieſus Chriſt, Oh tis thy righteouſneſſe now Lord, I come for; tis thy ſpirit, I muſt have to quicken and ſtrengthen me in the way of my obedience; And ſo pray and hear, upon other grounds, to be taught of God, to receive the Spirit, to have Communion with God, but not thereby in the leaſt to be accepted. But this I ſhall open further, when I ſhew why and how a ſoul muſt obey God: though he be not thereby juſtifyed. So this Objection is removed.

Object. 3. But, you will ſay, I hope I do not rest upon my own doings, no more then others, I think no body doth ſo: will you ſhew me whether the heart is apt to do ſo?

p. 98Anſw. I will, and ſhall diſcover to you that the heart of man is moſt naturally apt to reſt upon an outward keeping of the law, and to build a hope and confidence for heaven upon it; this I muſt a little inſiſt on as much conducing to help on the conviction, I am preſſing; if the Lord by his power ſtrike in with it.

If it were not naturall, (nothing more) for a ſoul to bottome upon its keeping the Law, though fallen and unable to do it, the Apoſtle would never have ſpent time in the Conviction of it, which he ſo induſtriouſly doth in this and the former Chap. It hath bin the great evil upon the hearts of the Sons of men, in all ages of the Church: One of the firſt Sons of Adam was under it, Cain, when he reſted upon the bare ſacrifice; Tis that the Prophets of God are reproving, convincing the Church of the Jews of, more then of any one thing whatſoever; See Iſay 1. thoroughout; Eſay 66. Jer. 7. Ezek. 33.31. The Prophecy of Hoſea, in the main bent of it, is to convince the formality of the Jews, and their falſe confidence in reſting in their heartleſſe doings and performances.

In this caſe Ieſus Chriſt findes the Jewiſh Church in, at his firſt coming in reſting in ſome heartleſs performances in Gods worſhip, and outward righteouſneſs towards men, which he ſharply rebuketh, and convineth them of the vanity of it, Mat. 5.6, 7, 9, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23, 25. Chapters of Mathew, with which you may compare the other Evangeliſts, and ſee how much ado the Lord Jeſus had to beat them off from this confidence, and how few of them were beaten off it: and Paul witneſſeth that upon this very p. 99ground, they were rejected of Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 9.32. Not upon the account of groſſe outward ſin, but for their being conceited of their good condition for heaven, becauſe of their frequenting publique worſhip, and being blameleſſe in the ſight of men; yea, from this naturall principle (joyned with the deluſion of the tempter) did the Church of God degenerate into the Synagogue of Satan, as Antichriſt roſe in the world, firſt truſting in the performance of their worſhip and workes, which brought in pennances and ſuch kind of Sacriledge againſt Ieſus Chriſt, and all other tromperies, to build fallen man upon his own bottome, and to deviſe a way of ſatisfaction to God wherein they failed; to which the hearts of men are moſt naturally carryed, which made that doctrine ſo eaſily and generally overrunne the world. Againſt which accurſed doctrine, that famous witneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt, Luther began his main battery; And though the doctrine of juſtification by Ieſus Chriſt be known to the proteſtant world; yet practically to be brought over to it, by an union with Ieſus Chriſt, is but, (we may fear) thinly known or underſtood, yea not onelyonly by the common ſpirits of England, that reſt in a notion of being Proteſtants, but even amongſt many who have profeſt ſomething beyond it, as I before have hinted; yea the Lord Ieſus Chriſt profeſſeth to expect to find multitudes of profeſſours at his coming under this ſoul-damning ſnare, of being found in themſelves, and in their own righteouſneſſe, and not in Ieſus Chriſt, Mat. 7. & Mat. 25. &c. By all which it may amply appear how eaſie, how naturall a thing it is for the hearts of the Children of men, to bottome p. 100their confidence in what they do towards God and man, in their obedience of the law, as to place their acceptance in it.

Adde to this the reaſons of it, why the hearts of all the ſons and daughters of Adam, are naturally apt to reſt upon the law, and their own doings, and to hope for peace by it.

1. Every naturall man, hath ſomething of the remaines of the law, which God at firſt wrote in the heart of our common Father Adam, Rom. 2.14, 15. which being a little drawn forth by the Letter of the Law, it makes a poor creature ſet himſelf to endeavour to keep the law, and hopes to attain to ſuch a degree as to be accepted with God for it; Now there is no ſuch thing as any remote profeſſion in the heart to come to Chriſt, or to have righteouſnes in another; therefore, a ſoul ſets himſelf to the law, and endeavours, more or leſſe, the keeping of it, naturally.

2. Man would faign make up the breach he hath made with God, upon his own account; As a man had naturally rather do a thing himſelf, then be beholding to another; therefore upon conviction of guilt he ſets himſelf to make up the breach, to ſatisfie God by ſome atonement or other, that his own heart can contrive; his ſorrowing and repenting he hopes may pacifie God, or ſome new ſacrifice of more performances, or being better for the time to come: thus the heart workes ſecretly, and upon his own account; God letting forth ſome mercy (as he thinks) where he failes, he hopes to make up any breach that ſin hath made between God and his ſoul; and thus he is ſtill upon the Old Covenant, under the law.

3. A ſinner is more apt to keep to the law, then p. 101go to Chriſt, from a ſecret pride of heart; he would not be found at a totall loſſe with God, to be wholly undone, and unable to do any thing towards his own peace, and ſalvation; A ſoul naturally had rather part withall ſin, and have his nature made perfectly holy, then be quite undone in himſelf, and come to have all his righteouſneſſe in another, in Jeſus Chriſt. And here it is, that moſt ſouls ſtick in the coming off their own bottoms, to be juſtified in Ieſus Chriſt. In a word, man had rather do any thing then come a poor deſtitute ſinner to Jeſus Chriſt for all.

4. Becauſe tis not ſutable to the light of naturall reaſon, that a ſoul ſhould ſatisfie God, or become righteous any other way, then by his own endeavour; To be righteous in another, is of divine Revelation, which till a ſoul hath, he cannot let go the principle of ſelf-juſtification.

The next thing to be conſidered will be this, If all men are under the law, and the curſe of it, under the guilt of the whole law, without all excuſe before God, under an impoſſibility of attaining righteouſneſſe or acceptance with God, by the beſt keeping of the law, and yet a natural and ſtrong aptitude to reſt upon the law, and that a ſoul may reforme and take up, be ſtrict in obedience, and yet ſtill be under the law; how then may a ſoul know whether in the way of his obedience, he be yet under the law, and not under grace? Some Diſcoveries I ſhall lay down at preſent, reſerving a fuller diſcuſſion of this.

And by the way, know and conſider, that though thou art under the profeſſion of the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, and pretendeſt ſalvation by him, yet practically and really thou mayeſt be ſtill under the law.

p. 1021. If thou haſt never bin convinc'd of this cloſe evil in thy heart, of reſting on thy praying, and repenting, and endeavouring to keep the law as well as thou canſt, I ſay, if the ſpirit of the Lord hath not convinced thee of it, and of the great danger of it, and ſo humbled thee, and brought thee off it, thou art certainly under the law as yet.

2. If thou doeſt not watch againſt this evil, and doeſt not find a great difficulty, not to reſt upon a performance of any duty to God, thou doeſt then certainly rest upon it.

3. If thou art well ſatisfied, that thou art kept from outward groſſe ſins; and the ſin of thy nature is not thy greateſt burthen, mourning under the weight of it, then thou muſt know that thou art yet under the law.

4. If thou thinkeſt God will accept of the will for the deed, if thou doeſt as well as thou canſt in every duty, ſo as to accept thee thereby, as if it had bin done perfectly; this alſo beſpeakes thee under the Law.

5. If thou canſt not experience, how the Lord by the light and working of his word and ſpirit hath brought thee off thy legall foundation thou waſt building upon, and ſhew'd thee, that ſuch things as thou didſt account gain, became but loſſe unto thee, for Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3.7.

6. If thou art not troubled about the Hypocriſie of thy heart, and not abaſed for it, even in thy beſt performances; then thou art yet upon the bottome of the law, and reſteſt in it.

7. If thou art not moſtly troubled about believing, and doeſt not find it the moſt difficult work of p. 103thy ſoul, If no complaint to God of an unbelieving heart, then thou art indeed a Hypocrite, and under the law.

8. If thou art not humbled to God for the ſinfull mixtures of thy dutyes, the deadneſſe, diſtraction, of them, and ſo ſeeſt thy acceptance cannot be in them, but in Jeſus Chriſt, then thou reſteſt in them.

9. If thou doſt not give up thy ſelf to the leadings of the Spirit, and doeſt not find, that, in the main of thy courſe, thou art led by the Spirit, then thou art under the law, Gal. 3.18. But if ye are led by the ſpirit, ye are not under the law.

10. If thou art not troubled about thy inward growth in mortification of all ſin, and more holy Communion with God, then thou art alſo under the law; One under the law, that is ſomewhat ſtrict and conſciencious, may grow in the bulke of outward dutyes, but not in inward holineſſe.

11. If thy care be not to live in the ſenſe of thy juſtification by grace through Jeſus Chriſt, and to preſerve the light and peace of a juſtified ſtate, which thou haſt bin called to by grace; then thou liveſt in ſelf-juſtification.

12. If thy great care be not, if thou findeſt it not thy greatest difficulty, to be kept a poor empty creature in thy ſelf, and live in the fulneſſe of Chriſt, If ſelf-fulneſſe, ſelf-exaltation, be not the great evils thou watcheſt againſt, (at leaſt in ſome meaſure, thou art ſenſible of the roots of them), then thou art yet under all I have bin proving, the law, guilt, and a curſe; and all thy duties and doings, as I have ſhew'd, abhorred of God.

p. 104Examine thy heart by theſe particulars over and over, and if by theſe thou canſt not make out that thou haſt bin, through rich grace, brought off from thy own foundation upon the law, and ſo come, with much difficulty, to the Goſpel-grace and righteouſneſſe by Jeſus Chriſt, and that if thou hadſt bin let alone in peace in thy former ſtate, thou hadſt bin certainly damned; ſure thou art then as yet void of any intereſt in the Goſpel ſaving righteouſneſſe; thy pretended faith, and hope, and duties, and workes, and conſcience, all's in vain.

Now the ſoul that hath the bleſſed experience of all theſe, and can ſay, I have through infinite mercy bin brought off my own foundation, & I have found the difficulty of it, I find my heart apt to ſettle upon my own performances, and tis that I would watch againſt; And I can experience the ſin of my Nature the greateſt burthen, and cry out of it daily before the Lord; The Hypocriſie of my heart is an abhorring to men, I do find believing the hardeſt work of my ſoul, I do mourn under the ſinfull mixture of my duties, I do give up my ſelf to the ſpirits leadings, I am troubled about my inward growth, and humbled for the ſhortneſſe of it, I would learn more and more to live out of my ſelf for my juſtification, and be kept a poor empty nothing for ever before the Lord; If this, I ſay, be thy experienc, then thou ſhalt have peace and joy in the holy Ghoſt; Thou mayſt rejoyce in a juſtified eſtate, Chriſt, his righteouſneſſe, grace, ſpirit, heaven are thine.

Having now laid open the ſinner, as under the law, excuſeleſs, guilty and under condemnation, under an impoſſibility of obtaining righteouſneſſe and p. 105acceptance with God, by the beſt endeavours to keep the Law, I would now ſet upon the opening the Goſpel-righteouſneſſe, by Jeſus Chriſt, through which onelyonly a poor condemned ſinner can find acceptance; but that I conceive it firſt needfull to ſpeak a word to thoſe words in the cloſe of the 22. verſe, (viz.) for there is no difference; which may further help on the conviction we have been upon.

The Iew might object to the Apoſtle thus; you by your doctrine ſeem to conclude all under the Law equally, and under guilt; you make no difference between us Iews who have the Law, and endeavour to keep it, and the open profane Gentiles and ſinners; In this, you do us wrong; No, ſayth the Apoſtle, There's no difference, you who in part keep the Law, are under the ſame condemnation as others; That which I ſhall lay down, will be this.

Obſerv. There is no difference between the moſt profane perſon, and the righteous and ſober, as to juſtification or condemnation by the law.

I mean this; The juſt ſober man, as to his keeping of the Law outwardly or in part, is in as damnable eſtate as the profaneſt wretch in the world; This will hardly go down, but tis moſt clear from the Apoſtle's words, readd unto you, and hath been in part proved, by ſhewing all the Sons and Daughters of Adam, Jews and Gentiles, ſober and ungodly, all; under the Law.

But a little further to proſecute this doctrine; for, were a man or woman, who hath lived honeſtly and ſoberly in the eye of the world, (but yet out of Chriſt) convinced that he or ſhe were in as bad and p. 106damnable a condition as any great ſinner in the world, it might be a ſtartling to them, and a means, through the Spirit's working, to bring them off their vain confidence, and to lead them to Chriſt.

Now that I may clear this, let us firſt conſider, what it was that might difference the ſober Jew, from the profane Idolatrous Gentile; it being the ſame, which ſuch, as conceive themſelves ſober harmeleſſe people in this day, do put confidence in.

1. The Jew was Circumciſed, which was the firſt Ordinance of the old Teſtament-Church, as Baptiſm is of the New, and to be adminiſtred to the ſeed of the Church: and it doth appear this was much inſiſted on by the Jew, by what the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Rom. 2. verſe 18.19. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that Circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God.

2. They had the Scriptures of God, Rom. 3.2. Unto them were committed the Oracles of God; which indeed the Apoſtle calls an advantage, (in the ſame place), as it might be a meanes to lead them to the knowledge of God, and to the promiſe of Ieſus Chriſt, but no advantage at all, (as to the mere having them read and opened, and in a generall faith, believing them) as the more to juſtifie them in the ſight of God.

3. The Iews were under the publique ſervice of God, ſuch as was ordained by God himſelf, Rom. 9.4, 5.

4. They were for the moſt part righteous to men and ſober, and blameleſſe in the outward man; Ye p. 107indeed are they which are righteous before men; as the Lord often ſpeaks of them; Now 'tis moſt clear, that theſe things did not difference the Iew, as to acceptation with God and Ieſus Chriſt, from the moſt profane ſinner; for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt rejected theſe and call'd to himſelf Publicans and Harlots, and tells the Iews that ſuch ſhould enter into the Kingdome of God before them, Math. 21.31. As might be further inſtanced in the caſe of the Phariſee and Publican, Luke 18.9.

Now the Reaſons of this point have bin before hinted, namely, that a mere ſober man under Chriſtian priviledges, is no more accepted with Chriſt, nor in any nearer capacity to come to Chriſt, then the greateſt ſinner; becauſe one ſin puts a man under the condemnation of the law, as well as a million of ſins againſt it; one felony condemns a man as well as a thouſand, and the malefactor muſt dye, by the law, for it. All the good a man doth, will not be imputed to him, if he be found a tranſgreſſour in one part of the Law, Ezek. 18.24. All men come ſhort of the glory of God, in the fulfilling of the Law, and he that falls ſhort but in one mile is in as bad a caſe as he that falls ſhort twenty miles; Jeſus Chriſt accepts of no man for his righteouſneſſe but as a ſinner, nothing elſe but a ſinner; ſo that ſtill the caſe of a juſt man, in reference to the Law, is as dangerous as the greateſt ſinner's in the world.

Uſe. A little further to preſſe this; you who are baptiſed, have a generall belief of the Scriptures, are under part of the publique ſervice of God, are juſt and harmleſſe as to men; but yet are under the power of unbelief and ſee it not, are not born again of p. 108the Spirit, are not in Chriſt Jeſus: you who reſt ſatisfied in ſuch a condition, and think your hope for Heaven well-grounded, and will not be beaten off it, I muſt tell you, and 'tis proved unto your Conſciences from the Word of the Lord, that there's no difference between you, and the vileſt ſinners in the Countrey, as to your acceptance with God: Though it be thus with you, yet, as you have been ſhewed, you may be under the Law, condemned for one tranſgreſſion: and what can you be more then be condemned? Neither doth all this, as in it ſelf, any more prepare you for Jeſus Chriſt: And therefore let all the Convictions, Arguments, Demonſtrations we have produced from the clear Light of the Word of the Lord at laſt prevail with you, that you who thus ſatisfie your ſelves, becauſe you are baptized, believe the Scriptures, frequent the ſervice of God, are juſt and ſober, therefore it is well with you, and you will trouble your ſelves no further in the matter of your ſalvation, that the eſtate of your ſoules is as unſafe and deſperate, how ſecure ſoever, as the profoundeſt Drunkard in the Countrey.

Therefore, let this Conviction have force upon your Conſcience, that you muſt come anew to Jeſus Chriſt as a mere ſinner, having nothing to commend you to him.

Say, from the Light of the Word, Though I have thus ſatisfied my ſelf, pleas'd my ſelf, in theſe Duties and outward Priviledges; yet there's no difference between me and the vileſt ſinner, in order to my acceptance with Jeſus Chriſt. Nay, if this Conviction take upon thee, thou wilt ſay to the glory of God, and thy own confuſion; If there be any difference, p. 109'tis, that thou art the greateſt ſinner, having mocked the Lord, reſted in out-ſide ſervice, dealt hypocritically with the jealous God, offered him abominable ſacrifice, and therefore fit to be abhorred of the Lord for ever: Oh! that this might be the poſture of thy Soul! and ſo thou mayeſt come and lye proſtrate at the feet of Jeſus Chriſt, crying, Oh! no more, no more, a righteous perſon! but a ſinner, a guilty ſinner, a condemned ſinner, a poor, blind, naked ſinner; nothing elſe but a ſinner! Away with all my former confidences; tear them from my heart Lord. Now Lord Jeſus I caſt my ſelf upon thee; Oh! let me creep unto thy bleſſed feet! Oh! I come to thee: not becauſe I am righteous, (for I would abhor my ſelf for ever in the thought of it) but as a poor periſhing ſinner, the worſt of ſinners, an hypocritical ſinner: Oh! that I could take hold of thy righteouſneſs, to cover my naked Soul: I expect it onelyonly upon the account of thy Free-Grace; Oh Lord I come unto thee, do not, do not, reject me.

And thus have I been endeavouring to lay the ſinner before Jeſus Chriſt in ſuch a poſture; having proved him, under the Law, excuſeleſs in his tranſgreſſing of it, guilty before God, under an impoſſibility of reaching to an acceptance with God, by the beſt keeping of the Law; laboured to beat him off ſuch props and confidences, that the Heart naturally cleaves to, and ſtript him of all, naked as Adam, when he had ſinned before the Lord, as nothing elſe but a ſinner, which is that I have driven at. I now come to ſpeak of the way of a poor Souls juſtification, and acceptance with God, by Jeſus Chriſt, as the Lord ſhall aſſiſt, to the capacity of the weakeſt.