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the very best of mortal Saints do fee the continual Need they have, to fly unto Christ's Merit and Satisfaction, to help them out. But they that fet up the Righteoufnefs of Works, in Oppofition to the Righteoufnefs of Faith, are fo Puff'd and Swollen with the proud Conceit of their Own Righteousness; that they look upon it as full enough, and acquiefce in it, without feeking any further. And what need they any Foreign Righteousness, derived from the Saviour; when in every Nation, he that Feareth God, and worketh Righteousness, is Accepted with him? Acts 10. 35. To which I fhall here return Beza's Remark upon that place: That among the Hebrews, The Fear of God imported the Whole of his Worship: And because without Faith it is impoffible to please God; It appears therefore, that Cornelius, (to whom this refers,) though a Roman born, and now a Profelyte of the Gate; yet before his Baptifm, or his particular Knowledge of Jefus to be the true Meffias; he was one of thofe Faithful, who Believed in Chrift to come. I only add, That none being Accepted, but in the Beloved; We must therefore conclude, That he was Called, and endued with the Spirit and Faith of Chrift. And fo God Approv'd of him, for that, which by his own Grace, he had wrought in him. Yea, whosoever truly Fear him, They do look upon him as Pro

pitious,

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pitious, and Believe that there is Forgiveness with him. Pfal. 130. 4. And therefore we may fuppofe, That he Reveals his Son in 'em, and gives 'em that Faith, without which none can be Pleafing in his Sight. Feb. 11.

6.

But they that prefume they can do well enough, without the Meffiah's Help, now that he is Come; If they were not too ligh to regard our Apofile, I fhould mind them of his wholfome Admonition; Rom. 12. 3. I fay through the Grace given to me, unto every man that is among you, Not to Think more highly of himself, than he ought to think: But to think Soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of Faith. But ftill he talks fo much of Grace and Faith; inftead of Works and Self-Righteoufnefs; that he is not like to be heard by them, who are all for their Own things; And therefore fo much admire them, as better than any, because they are their Own. Though herein they ftand fo much in their own Light; as to Withstand their Juftification in God's fight. For the Righteoufnefs that indeed Juftifies us, muft be Compleat; and must Exclude Boafting: And Theirs has neither of thefe Qualifications; therefore cannot avail to their Juftification. No, this is to be had another way; The way which they Scorn to take; Acts 13. 39. For by the Son of God, all that Believe are Juftified from all things,

things, from which they could not be Juftified by the Law of Mofes.

And there is a greater Obstacle still in their way And that is

III. The want of Low Thoughts and Humble fenfe of their own Unrighteousness, and Sinful Wretchedness.

They never yet well Knew Themselves: Or else they would have better Learned Chrift. They overlook, or elfe Palliate, the Grand Apoftacy: And therefore they have fuch Slight thoughts of their Recovery. As much as they do own of the Natural Corruption; They rather make it the Excufe of their Sins; than any matter of their Humiliation. Pelagians, and Socinians, that make fo Light of the Fall of Man, and the Diftemper of our Nature, do make as Light of the Help and Remedy: And fancy that any Quacking Receipts, and Home-span Righte oufnefs will do, for fuch an Inconfiderable Ailment. And as for the Righteoufnefs of Chrift Imputed, (that Skadow of a Dream,) They'll fooner Deride it, than ever Defire

it.

One of 'em, that pretends, in a late Book, to Correct all fuch extravagant Errors, with a High Hand; well begins his Account of Christianity, with an Enquiry after Adam's Fall. But I cannot think that he has given the World any good Satisfaction, as to our

fad

fad Loffes in Adam: When he makes no more of all, but that we became Mortal, and muft Dye; and ceafe to be: And appeals to the common Senfe of men, that by Death, is meant no more than the Extinction. of Life; and not a Living in Mifery.

Now if he perceive no worie Hurt by the Fall: Yet he fhould not be Angry with thofe that do groan under more Grievous Effects: And feel the old Aches and Mifchiefs, the Wounds and Bruifes and putrifying Sores all over, to this very day: The Darkness to Truth: The Dulness to Good: The Proneness to Evil: The Liftlefness to Healing and even Refiftance of a Cure: All which they cannor take to be any. Part of his Work, who made all things very Good: And therefore muft lay the Blame Lower, than at his Door: And yet Higher than the Alual Tranfgreffions of the Particular per. fons fo ill Affected. For that they appear to be thus Vitiated; even before Habits, by their Actions, can be contracted: Yea to be Shapen in Iniquity, and Conceived in Sin: Pfal. 51. 5. And to bring fuch a Corrupt Nature with 'em into the World as makes them the Children of Wrath. Eph. 2. 2. Ard fure God would not be fo Offended at 'em; If they were but even as he Made 'em; and there were no more to be Objected against 'em; but that now they were become Subject to the Calamity of Mortality.

Alas,

Alas, We are told quite another thing, from more Authentick Writings; Rom. 5. 19. That by one man's Difobedience, many were made (not only Sufferers, but) Sinners. And

ver. 18. That by the Offence of one man, Judgmeut came upon all men to Condemnation. And who that has well ftudied the Holy Scriptures, can take this Condemnation to be no more than a Temporal Death? However the Right Reverend Expounder's New and Soft Senfe of God's Wrath and Damnation may as much Oblige the Socinian Tribe, as his Oppofition in other matters has Diftrefs'd 'em: Yet here I must beg leave to Diffent from him and them. Though we know what's commonly meant by Death, in Man's Law: He must be a great Stranger to the Law of God; that thinks no more to be meant by it there: Where wicked men are threatned, That if they live after the Flesh, they fhall Dye. Rom. 8. 13. And ask'd, Why they will Dye, for want of Turning? Ezek. 33. 11. Why, Let 'em Live after the Flesh or not; Or though they do Turn to the Lord; They fhall be fure however to Dye the natural Death of the Body. Sin, whether Finished or Unfinifhed, brings forth this Death. There must be a further Death meant therefore; Jam. 1. 15. Even that Curfed State; Gal. 3. 10. and that Hell, which is made the Portion of the Wicked. Pfal. 9. 17. Which must

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