War, set our Saviour at naught, and mocked him; when Arrayed in Another's Coat: Luke 23. 11. So these Myrmidons make but a Jeft of one Cloathed in that White Rayment, which the Lord Counsels us to get of him. Like as a Proud Gentleman, though Decayed, Insists still upon his Quality; And this and the t'other he Scorns; and would keep up his Port, and be as Great as ever: When yet (Poor man,) he has nothing to Support and Maintain the Dignity. And fo, but makes himself the more Contemptible; In Refusing the Helps which he might have; and Aiming at the High things, which he can make nothing of. Just such Wife Gentlemen in Religion are they, that value themselves upon the Pedigree and Endowments of their Rational Nature, (however Sunk and Vitiated;) And will be so much Men, that they cannot find in their hearts to be Christians. Because they will be Independent upon Jesus Christ: And so set up for Themfelves; that they need not Truckle to him. No, They would not have you think, that it is yet so Low with 'em; To come Labouring and Heavy Laden to him; and to cast their Burden upon him. He came to Seek and to Save the Loft. True, But they are none of those. He shall stay for their Submission ; Till they think it time to Acknowledge that. And they shall stay for his Salvation; till they do come down, so to See, and Own it.

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For fuch Rich ones, so Full of Themselves, he fends Empty away; And Scorns the proud Beggars; as much as they Scorn the only Saviour. He chuses the Poor of this World, Rich in Faith. Jam. 2.5. Which to them is fuch a kind of Fanciful Wealth, as only serves them, to make themselves Merry with. The Poor in Spirit he pronounces Bleffed; and fure of his Kingdom. Mat. 5. 3. But these Over-weening Admirers of themselves, are too High-spirited, to take the Kingdom of Heaven, as his Sole Purchase, and God's Free Gift. They will not be so Bafe, to Wear it, till they have Won it. They are so High and Lofty, as to Soar up, and Fly upon it, by the Strength of their own Noble Faculties. And then what need to Kiss the Son; and all this Cringing to Jesus Christ? Faith is the Abafing, and Self-Emptying Grace: that fends us away, out of our felves, to the Lord our Righteousness. Jer. 23.6. Therefore he that will not give his Glory to Another, will yet Trust it to Faith; rather than to any thing else, that is in us. For 'tis a Recciving from without; Receiving Christ Jesus the Lord; And Receiving the Atonement, and Abundance of Grace, and of the Gift of Righteousness, by him, and from him. 'Tis the poor empty Pitcher, that we carry, to be Replenish'd out of his Infinite Fulness : Our Looking to Jesus; As the Ifraelites to the Brazen

Brazen Serpent; Our Coming to Christ, who Calls us to him; and Flying for Refuge, to the Hope fet before us. Heb. 6. 18. Being made Righteous by the Obedience of Another, Rom. 5.19. Another Fulfilling the Law for us, and in us. And this our Faith is Imputed to us, for Righteousness; as Abraham's was. Rom. 4. 24. But the Imputation of Chrift's Righteoufness to us for our Juftification;

'Tis (Fœda, Execranda, Pernitiofa, Deteftanda;) A Filthy, Cursed, Baneful, Abominable Doctrine, Saith Socinus. The man was fo full of Bitterness and Vengeance, againft the only Way of his Salvation; He pours out, as if he knew not what to say Bad enough of it.

And hence we may Learn, At what Fountain the wild Sett among us have been dabbling; When W. P. and G. W. (in the Serious Apology, p. 148.) Pronounce in the name of the Lord, Justification by the Righteousness which Chrift fulfilled in his own Person for us, wholly without us, to be the Doctrine of Dévils, and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption, which does now Deluge the whole World. Such Blasphemy cannot be less Harsh and Hideous in all Believers Ears; than this kind of Juftification was in theirs. But when are these Exalters of themselves like to come down out of their Altitudes, to fetch in Righteousness from Another, Though it be from the Son of God himself? However the Scriptures

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ptures tell us of the Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Eph. 3. 8. All the Infcrutability to them is, That they know not what to make of such Treasures. And though the fame Scriptures draw us to the great Author and Finisher of our Faith; and throw us upon him, as our Life, and our All; In whom dwells all Fulness, Col. 2. 10. Yet to come unto Chrift, as poor Bankrupts, that have not a Mite of our own; In us no Good thing, to Recommend us unto God; But Expecting all from Him; (as is the guise of Faith and Humility;) To confefs we are Unclean, and Weak, and Loft, and Dead; And that Chrift is our Righteousness, our Strength, our Saviour, and our Redeemer; yea that we are Worse than Nothing, without him; and that we have all things given us only With him; and In him: (And if it is not our Free-Will, but his Free Grace, that makes us to Differ: How ill then will it beseem us, to Arrogate the Glory of our Lord to Our felves? But) O when will they so Magnify Chrift, and as Rev. 5. 12. Think the Lamb Worthy to Receive all Glory; and in all things to have the Pre-eminence; who are readier to Side with the Malevolent Factions of proud Rebels; that would spoil him of his Deity, his Dominion, his Satisfaction, and his Righteousness; as the Meritorious Caufe of our Justification? Of whose Righteousness (in

this Cafe,) and of that Only, all his humble Retainers do make mention; and take all their Happiness, as Purchased by him; and not at all Deferved by them. But this the Enemies of Grace, and the Undervaluers of Chrift Jefus will never endure: Because it spoils all the Glorying and Triumph in any thing of their Own; whereof they are still fo Fond, and have it in Admiration above all. And thus

II. Pride hinders mens Submitting to the Righteousness of God; By the High Conceit they have of their Own Righteousness: As that which they think may pass very well, and ferve the turn, without Looking any further. Christ's Righteousness, which is compleatly Perfect, they put away from'em: But their Own, they would have Imputed to 'em, as Perfect; which is so extremely Short of Perfection: and feem confident also in the opinion, That God, (whose Judgment is according to Truth,) will yet make the fame Erroneous Computation as they do. No doubt, but Paul himself, before his Converfion, supposed such a Sufficiency in his own Righteousness: Though when grown a Better man, he was less Affuming: And instead of Depending upon any Righteousness of his Own, for Juftification; Disclaim'd it all. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Phil. 3. 9. And here he blames

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