it be, by the Faith of the Son of God; that Loved you, and Gave himself for you. Gal. 2. 20. And let not the Works done by you, But Chrift in you, be your Hope of Glory. Col. 1. 27. Nor let any thing of your Own, or any thing else in the World, be fo much your Rejoicing, as that, Ifa. 61. 10. I will greatly Rejoice in the Lord: My Soul shall be Joyful in my God. For he hath Cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation; He hath cover'd me with the Robe of Righteousness. There's the Decus & Tutamen, indeed: And that's a Cloathing Compleat; which will both Adorn you, and Secure you. It will make you Easy and Comfortable now; and moft Glorious and Blessed for ever. And then instead of Establishing your own Righteousness; you'll be Established on so sure a Foundation; where you shall never be put to Confufion, But be kept through Faith to Salvation: And enjoy the Blessed End of your Faith, in all the Endless Joys of Everlafting Life.

The Third Obfcrvation.

What a Hindrance is Pride to their Happiness; who fland upon their Own Terms; and will not Submit to the Righteousness of God? They will not have it in His Way: And they shall not have it in their Own.

[Have not Submitted themselves.] No, here it stuck with the Jews. They could

not

not bring themselves to it. It seem'd too great a Condescention and Abasement; For them, who Gloried so much in their Law, as written with the Finger of God; To go and seek their Justification any where else. And as much goes it still against the Grain, with such as Dote upon the great Diana,

= their Reason, And think there can be nothing Superior to that Law; which the fame God has Inscrib'd on the Tables of their Hearts. To be convinc'd, That this will not do: But they must Stoop to a New Remedy, to Help them out: Here Pride of their own Natural Stock, makes 'em so Stiff; and Stand it out, even to the Death, againft any thing that shall come to Humble and pull them down, from the high Opinion that they have of themselves. This they make the Hideous Outcry against; as a Defign to Un-man them, and to Rob them, even of Themselves. If the Gospel comes to cast down (Λομσμός) their Reasonings, or Imaginations; and every High thing, that Exalts it felf against the Knowledge of God; and to bring into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10. 5. They are refolved to keep their Manly Perfection; and Thank ye heartily, They will not so tamely part with their Natural Accomplishments: which are nor only their Treasure, but their Glory. If St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles, (Poor deluded

Crea

Creatures!) would be such Fools for Chrift; 1 Cor. 4. 10. Yet they have no mind to take that course, to learn Wisdom, which he prescribes; Chap. 3.18. If any man among you seems to be wife in this World, Let bim become a Fool, that he may be wife. The Wildom of this World, (though it be no better than Foolishness with God, ver. 19.) It makes Head against God's way of Saving Sinners; and counts it but a Silly Contrivance; Even the Foolishness of God. Chap. 1. 25. And the World, with all its Wisdom, knows not God. ver. 21. i. e. Not in the right Saving manner. Though they know enough from his Creation, to Leave them wirhout Excuse. Rom. 1. 20. Yet they become vain in their Imaginations; and their foolish Heart is Darkened. ver. 21. And they will not Vouchsafe to Learn the Knowledge of God, from his Word; Not to know God in Chrift, Reconciling the World to himself; and not Imputing their Trespasses unto 'em. Cor. 5. 19. Nor to Know Christ Jesus, made of God unto us, Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption. Cor. 1.30. Though this be the most Material and Best of all Knowledge, that ever they can attain to; which the great and Learned Apostle was so taken with; that he Determined to Know nothing else among that people; but Jesus Christ, and him Crucified. 1 Cor. 2. 2. And counted all things but Loss,

2

I

:

Loss, for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus bis Lord. Phil 3. 8. And a branch of this Knowledge there he makes to be, - the Knowing of fuch a Righteousness, as comes by the Faith of Chrift. Yet neither this *Knowledge, nor this Righteousness will down : with them: Because their School of Nature does not teach it: They stand up therefore to Oppose it: And instead of Submitting to it, They perk above it; and by all means would Batter it down; as not fit to fubfift, or be mentioned in the World: Unless with the utmost Scorn and Defiance.

For

And here fome of our Refiners, that may think themselves much difparaged, to be Coupled with Quakers, yet shew that they are not at such a mighty Distance, but they can lovingly shake hands together. what the one call Reason, the other call The Light within: Whereby they mean in effect, the fame thing; which both of 'em set up above the Christ without: Not only to Vye with him, but to Over-top, and fo Exclude him. And fo Lean to their own Understandings; and so Abide by their own Imaginations; as to Controul his holy Word, instead of being Controuled by it.

Now Pride keeps men off from Submitting to the Righteousness of God, 1. Because they will not be fo Beholden to another. 2. Because they have too High a Conceit of

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their Own Righteousness. And 3. Because they have not Thoughts Low enough of their Sinful Wretchedness.

I. They are not for Submitting to the Righteousness of God, out of Pride; which will not fuffer 'em to be so Beholden to Another. To go out of Themselves; and Fetch home Righteousness from one, whom (it may be,) they look upon but as their Fellow Creature; This is such a Poor, Precarious fort of Living; as they count exceedingly Below 'em. To be made the Righteousness of God in Christ; 2 Cor. 5. laft ver. And to be Perfect, only through the Comeliness that he puts upon us; To be Deckt with Borrowed Plumes; and not Accepted, but in the Beloved, Eph. 1. 6. To be Justified by Faith in him. Acts 13.39. And Believing, to have Life through his Name! Joh. 20. last Ver. All this looks pitiful Sneaking, for men of Parts, and men of Worth; So to Degrade themselves; and become such Underlings, to they know not whom. If now and then any of 'em, Bow the Head, in a Customary Formality, to the Name of Jesus: Yet they are not for fo Bowing their Souls, to the Righteousness of Jesus; and to be found in him, having the Righteousness, which is through the Faith of Chrift. i. e. the Righteousness of God.

Phil. 3. 9. But as Herod, and his men of
War,