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for Natural and Acquired Abilities: And yet could he fee nothing of this Righteousness; Till Humiliation had pull'd down his Heart; and Converfion had Opened his Eyes. And he tells us, that the Natural Man, (Let him be never fo Profound for his Politicks, or mighty in his Philofophy,) Receives not the things of the Spirit of God. For they are Foolishness to him: Neither can be know 'em; because they are fpiritually difcerned. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Cannot? And wherefore? (I beseech ye,) What is too Hard for them to Know, who think they fee and Comprehend all? Why, here he has Pos'd 'em, who was the most Experienced perfon on both fides; and knew what could be done by the Strength of Nature: And what men can never have a fight of, without a Spiritual Eye, and God's Grace, and Light from Above: To give 'em, (as he expreffes it, like himself; Eph. 1. 17, 18, 19.) The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift: The eyes of their Understandings being Enlightned; that they may know what is the Hope of his Calling, and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints; and what the exceeding greatness of his Power to themward that Believe. This is a Knowledge fo Sublime; That none of the great Mafters of Reafon, with all their Sharpness, can attain to: And therefore are fo apt to speak Evil, of what they Underftand not. Because they were never yet

thrown

thrown down, like Paul; and never Taught of God; and have not heard and Learn'd of the Father, to come unto Chrift. John 6. 45. And fo as yet, they fee no Need of Submitting themselves to the Righteousness of God: Nor will they do it; till brought better to Understand their own Vileness and Accurfednefs; Till they have got that Eye-Salve, to clear their Sight: Rev. 3. 18. And (after all their Boafted Virtues) come to Learn of Chrift that Meeknefs and Lowliness of heart which would fet 'em upon Deploring the Depravation and Pollution of their Nature; The Deceitfulness and Wickedness of their Hearts; and thofe deadly Wounds, and Damnable Maladies of their Souls; that require no less a Remedy, than the Blood of Jefus, and the great Salvation wrought by the Son of God. In the sense of which, O how well for 'em, If they would turn the proud Boasting of their Good Deeds, into humble Bewailing of all their Sins; and be taught of God himself, Ezek. 20. 43. To Remember their ways and their doings, and Loath themfelves in their own fight. Yea, Chap. 16. last ver. So Remember, and be Confounded; as never to Open their Mouths any more; to speak one word in any Self-Vindication.

Thus I have fhew'd, How, for Pride it is, That men ftand off from Submitting themLelves to the Righteousness of God.

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And now I would Admonish all whom I can prevail with,

I. Not to have thefe men fo in Admiration; as to Efpoufe their Opinion, for the way of Righteousness.

II. Not to count a Righteoufnefs of your Own Needlefs, to be Poffefs'd of; Because you have Need of another to Truft in.

Yet after you have done your best, III. Submit to the Righteoufnefs of God; as ever you would have Peace with God.

I. Admire not the Exalters of their Own Righteousness; as likelieft to lead you into the Way of Righteoufnefs. As if true Goodnes lay all on their fide; and you must needs be with them, to find it. For there peradventure, you may fooner find Snakes in the Grafs: Yea and Infidels in the Dark; Transforming themselves into Angels of Light. But there you may be miferably difappointed of that Real Righteoufnefs, whereof they would be thought the Sole Poffeffors. For 'tis not mens mach Talking of it, that prefently Entitles them to it. But it may be proper to Enquire, How they came by it; before we think our felves oblig'd, to acknowledge them Endu'd with it. For how can the Corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit? And Trees of Righteoufnefs do not ufe to grow in Nature's Garden. No, They must be Tranfplanted, and

altered

altered by Grace; before they can bear any thing pleafing to God. O what then shall we think of their Righteousness and Goodness, that make even as light as nothing of that Transplantation, and Čhange, made by Converfion? And carry, as if they had been such as they ought to be, even all along from the Beginning And ftand Careffing themselves, and Applauding the Good that they ftill have done? So that to talk to them of Converfion, is an impertinent Lofs of your Labour. For they seem to underftand no Converfion at all, but of Heathens, Infidels; or fome very Notorious Sinners. Whenas in truth, Converfion is not only Changing Names and Profeffions, but Hearts and Converfations. 'Tis to be Regenerate and made New-Creatures; To pafs from Death to Life: And not only be Civilized, as to the external Carriage; but Renewed in the very Spirit of our Mind; and Saved from our Worldly Loves, and Carnal Minds; as well as from crying Sins, and Scandalous ways. And fuch a Change, O how many that Name the Name of Chrift, yet ftand in as much Need of, as any that lye without the Borders of Christendom?

But when I hear men, that are for short Cuts to Heaven, and for Widening the Way, which our Saviour calls Narrow, Crying, It is but fo and fo: And feem as Confident, as if all were their own already: Though ftill their Praying is at as Low an Ebb, as their Believing:

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Believing: And World and Flefb feem to have them as much under, as any other men: And to the Means of Grace, that should help us God and Heaven-ward, (as Scriptures and Sermons, and Sacraments, and Sabbaths, and the daily Exercises of Piety and Devotion;) They feem very Cold and Indifferent; and are readier to Difpute them away; than to fhew any Zeal for 'em : I am ready to think with my felt, If the Religion of thefe men would ferve the turn; As Low as it is with me, I durft venture, with eafe, to fetch out fuch a Copy. And yet though I wrote Fairer, and reach'd Further, than fo: I should be afraid to Truft my Everlasting Salvation upon it. Nay I fhould fufpect all my Faith in Chrift, by which I hope to be Juftified, and Saved; If it did not excite and enable me to do Better, than fome, that think they have done enough, and are Good enough; when yet they lie far Short of those Believers in Jesus, against whom they have fo many Articles; for their Loofe Opinions, deftructive of all good Converfation.

Alas, Who use to throw the Righteoufnefs further from 'em, with their Hands; than fome that ftifflieft Plead for it, with their Tongues! Shewing much more concerned for Others Holiness, than for their own. And we should be very forrily Taught; If we had no better Patterns, to Learn it from.

When

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