change in our hearts. Secondly, Because we do deny that the Covenant of Works will fave any. Thirdly, Becaufe for our parts, we judge our felves far from legal principles; for we are got up into as perfect a Gofpel order, as to matter of practice and difcipline in Church Affairs, as any this day in England, as we judge.

Anfw. First, That man's belief that is grounded upon any thing done in him, or by him only, that man's belief is not grounded upon the death, burial, refurrection, afcenfion, and interceffion of Jefus Chrift; for that man that hath indeed good ground of his eternal falvation, his faith is fettled upon that object which God is well pleas'd, or fatisfy'd withal, which is that man which was born of Mary, even her first-born Son; that is, he doth apply by faith to his foul, the virtues of his death, blood, righteousness, &c. and doth look for fatisfaction of foul' no where else, than from that, neither doth the foul seek to give God any fatisfaction, as to juftification any other ways; but doth willingly and chearfully accept of, and embrace the virtues of Chrift's death, together with the reft of his things, done by himfelf on the Crofs as a Sacrifice, and fince also as a Prieft, Advocate, Mediator, &c. And doth fo really and effectually receive the glories of the fame, That thereby, mark that, thereby he is changed into the fame image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Thus in general, but yet more particular.

First, To think that your condition is good, because there is fome change in you from a loose prophane life, to a more clofe, honeft, and civil life and converfation; I fay, to think this reftimony fufficient for to ground the ftress "of thy

falvation upon, is very dangerous. First, Becaufe fuch a Soul doth not only lay the ftrefs of its falvation bendes the Man Chrift Jefus that died upon the Crófs: But, Secondly, because that his confidence is not grounded upon the Saviour of finners; but upon his turning from grofs fins, to a more refined life (and it may be to the performance of fome good duties) which is no Saviour I fay, this is very dangerous; therefore read it, and the Lord help you to understand it; for unless you lay the whole ftrefs of the falvation of your fouls upon the merits of another Man (namely Jefus ;) and that by what he did do, and is adoing without you; for certain, as fure as God is in Heaven, your Souls will perifh And this must not be notionally neither, as with an affenting of the understanding only: but it must be by the wonderful, invifible, invincible power of the Almighty God, working in your Souls by his Spirit, fuch a real, faving, holy faith, that can, through the operation of the fame Spirit by which it is wrought, lay hold on, and apply the moft heavenly, moft excellent, moft meritorious benefits of the Man Chrift Jefus, not only to your heads and fancies, but to your very Souls and Confciencies, fo effectually, that you may be able by the fame faith to challenge the power, madnefs, malice, rage, and destroying nature, either of Sin, the Law, Death, the Devil, together with Hell, and all other Evils, throwing your Souls upon the Death, Burial, Refurrection, and Interceffion of that Man Jefus without, Rom. 8. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

But, Secondly, Do you think that there was no change in the five foolish Virgins, fpoken of in

Mat.

Mat. 25. 1, 2, 3, yes, there was fuch a change in them very people, that. the five wife ones could give them admittance of walking with them, in the moft pure ways and inftitutions of the Gofpel of Chrift; and yet but Foolish; nay, they walked with them, or fhall walk with them, until the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall break down from Heaven; and yet but Foolish Virgins, and yet but under the Law; and fo under the Curfe, as I faid before.

Object. But (fay you) we have difówned the Covenant of Works, and turned from that alfo. Anfw. This is fooner faid than done: Alas,alas! poor fouls think because they can fay Grace, grace, it is freely by grace; therefore they are under the Covenant of Grace. A very wide mistake; you must understand thus much, that though you be fuch as can speak of the Grace of the Gofpel, yet if you your felves be not brought under the very Covenant of Grace, you are yet otwithstanding your talk and profeffion, very far wide of a fenfe, and of a fhare in the Covenant of the Grace of God, held forth in the Gofpel.

The Jews were of a clearer understanding many of them, than to conclude that the Law, and only the Law, was the way to Salvation; for they, even they, that received not the Chrift of God, did expect a Saviour fhould come, John 7.27, 41, 42, 43. But they were men that had not the Gofpel Spirit, which alone is able to lead them to the very life, marrow, or fubftance of the Gospel in right terms; and fo being muddy in their understandings, being between the thoughts of a Saviour, and the thoughts of the Works of the Law, thinking E

that

that they must be accomplished for the obtaining of a Saviour, and his mercy towards them; I fay, between thefe, they fell fhort of a Saviour. As many poor Souls in thefe days, they think they must be faved alone by the Saviour: Yet they think there is fomething to be done on their parts, for the obtaining of the good will of the Saviour, as their humiliation for fin, their turning from the fame, their promises and Vows, and refolutions to become a new man, joyn in Church-fellowship, and what not; and thus they bringing this along with them, as a means to help them, they fall fhort of eternal falvation, if they convert not, fee that Scripture Rom. 9. 30, 31, 32. The Apoftle faith there, that they that fought not did obtain, when they that did feek fell fhort. What fall we fay then, faith he, that the Gentiles which fought not after righte oufnefs, have attained to righteousness (yea) even the righteousness of faith; and what elfe? Why, But Ifrael which followed after the Law of righte oufness, have not attained to the Law of righteouf nefs; how came that to pafs? because (faith he) they fought it not by faith, but as it were, mark, he doth fay not altogether: no,but as it were,that is, because as they fought, they did a little by the by lean upon the Works of the Law. And let me tell you, that this is such a hard thing to beat men off of, that though Paul himself did take the work in hand, he did find enough to do, touching it: How is he fain to labour in the ten first Chapters of his Epiftle to the Romans, for the establishing of thofe that did even profcfs largely in the Doctrine of Grace? And allo in that Epiftle to the Galatians, and yet loft pany, do what he could. Now the reafon why

the

the Doctrine of Grace doth fo hardly down (even with profeffors) in truth, effectually; it is because there is a principle naturally in man, that doth argue againft the fame, and that thus: Why? faith the foul, I am a finner, and God is righteous, holy, and just; his only Law therefore having been broken by me, I muft by all means, if ever I look to be faved, in the first place, be forry for my fins. Secondly, Turn from the fame. Thirdly, Follow after good Duties, and Practile the good things of the "Law, and ordinances of the Gofpel, and fo hope that God for Chrifts fake may forgive all my fins; which is not the way to God, as a Father in Chrift, but the way, the very way to come to God by the Covenant of Works or the Law, which things I fhall more fully clear, when I fpeak to the fecond Doctrine.

Again therefore, thofe that this day profefs the Gospel, for the generality of them, they are fach that notwithstanding their profeffion, they are very ignorant of that glorious influence, and luftre of the fame; I fay, they are ignorant of the vertue and efficacy of the glorious things of Chrift held forth by and in the Gospel, 2 Cor. 4. 3. which doth argue their not being under the Covenant of Grace, but rather under the Law or old Covenant. As for inftance, If you do come among fome profeffors of the Gofpel, in general, you hall have them pretty bufie, and ripe; elfe ale to hold you in a very large difcourfe in feveal points of the fame glorious Gofpel; but if you come to the fame people, and ask them concerning heart-work, or what work the Gotpel hath wrought on them, and what appearance they have had of the sweet influencer

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