will not find it enough, to make them a Title to the Kingdom of Heaven: into which fhall in no wife enter any thing that Defiles. Rev. 21. laft Ver. And is their Righteoufnefs without Defilement? Let them think as well as they will of themselves: I cannot think it's better with them, than with those People of God, that complain'd, Isa. 64. 6. We are all as an Unclean thing; And all our Righteoufneffes are as filthy Rags. And then where will they be, if they have no Better, than a Filthy Righteoufnefs; and never a Holy Saviour, with his White Rayment, to Cover the Shame of their Nakedness? Rev. 3. 18. He Counfels to Buy it of Him. But whether they will be Contented fo to do, I cannot tell. Their old Principle, (it's doubt,) will lead them another way to work: Neither to Buy, nor Borrow; Nor any way to fetch it from Chrift Jefus: Who alone can prefent 'em, without Spot and Blemish, Eph. f. 27. But only to Cloathe themfelves with fomewhat that is Home-Spun; A Righteousness made of their Own Works. i. e. (as the Apoftle expreffes it,) They'll go about to Establifh their own Righteousness.

And then, when the Lord fhall come, and find them no better Clad: However they may Pride it in fuch Apparel; I would not be found in their Coat, for all the World. O at what a fearful Lofs will they be, when

all that shall utterly Fail 'em; wherein alone they did put their Trust? O in what a Cafe will they be, to Appear before the Holy Judge, in none but Filthy Rags? In what Preparation, to enter the Place of Everlasting Purities when they were never Wash'd and Cleans'd in the Blood of the Lamb of God; Nor would ever be Perfuaded and Prevail'd with, to take that Courfe: But Trufted only to the poor matters, that they did for themselves: And looked no further than the Tatter'd Blemish'd Righteoufnefs of their Own?

O may they confider this, who have hitherto been fetting up their Rest, in Works of Righteousness, which they have done. (Tho' the Lord knows, what pitiful wretched Stuff that is :) And be well advis'd, to look out yet further before it be too Late; that they may be better Furnished! Or elfe, what wrong will the Lord do them, to take them, even as he finds them; and let them eat of the Fruit of their Own way, and be filled with their own Devices? Prov. 1. 31. If he Leave them under the First Covenant of Works; where themselves defired to be: They have but their own Choice. And in the Dreadful Day of Judgment, If he lay all their Sins upon their own Score; And afford them not a Drop of that Blood of Chrift, which they difdained to apply, for

the:

the taking off any: How can they complain of hard dealing? Though they bear their Sin, and Shame, and Smart for ever? For they have fix'd upon the Firft Covenant;. where there is no Mediator: and None they would have. No, they car'd not for him: But reckon'd to do well enough; though they never had him.

And when we are Accepted, only in the Beloved: And in him, they thought, there was no Need for them to be found: O what Acceptance can they expect at laft? And what Advocate to plead their Caufe? when their Covenant requires Perfect Righ teousness; And they have no fuch thing in 'em: And yet for want of it, The Condemnation will be Juft upon 'em. For God deals with 'em, but upon their own Terms. And when he Imputes their Sins, and Rejects their Services, and Reprobates their Perfons: And there's no Surety to take up the matter; No Chrift to Screen them from the Wrath to come: Why, all this they have pull'd upon their own Heads: And 'tis no more than they had reafon to Look for; That the infinite Seorn which they did caft upon the Redeemer of God's providing, fhould Recoil, and for ever Lye upon themselves: And that they who would Establish their own Righteoufnefs, and Abide by it; fhould take what came of it: and be never the Better

for

for the Saviour; whom they would never Betake themselves to, nor Repofe all their Trust in him.

O take heed, Sirs, every one who reads or hears this, That you fin not against your own Souls, in finning fo against all the rich Grace of the Gofpel: That you Refuse not the best Offer, that ever can be made, of Righteousness and Salvation, by the Grace and Faith of our Lord Jefus Chrift. For how fhall you Efcape, if you neglect fo great Salvation? Heb. 2. 3. There is the laft Refuge; And there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin. If you fail here, you Lofe all; and are gone for ever, paft all hope of Help.

Yet, Lord, what a Leaven is there in Corrupt Nature; That will be Heaving and Rifing against this Method, of paffing by your Own Righteoufnefs; To lay all your Expectation and Salvation, upon the Righteousness of another? But never do you fear to take the way of God's Opening to you; The way that he Commands to be taken by you. O. be more Afraid of Lofing your Share in the Everlafting Benefit: And fupprefs and beat down every Crofs Imagination, that exalts it felf above this Wifdom of God; that has fo Provided in Chrift Jefus, for the falvation of the Poor Sinful World.

If where Sin has reigned unto Death, God will have Grace Reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life, by Jefus Christ our Lord.

Rom.

Rom. 5. laft Ver. O let it fo reign and do you Rejoice in it: and greatly bless him for it: And withstand not the Comfort, the Heavenly Hope, the Everlafting Confolation, which this brings to every Believing Soul. O do not, what in you lies, Fruftrate the Death of Chrift and your own best Evidence for Eternal Life, both together. For if Righteoufnefs come by the Law, then Chrift is Dead in vain. Gal. 2. laft Ver. And if the Satisfaction made by his Death, do not Establish a Righteousness, on which to ground your fure Hopes of Bleffednefs: I know not how any Righteoufnefs of your Own will ever be able to bear that Superstructure.

O'tis not in your felves, Sirs, But in the Lord, that you have Righteousness; And in him fhall all the Seed of Ifrael be Justified, and fball Glory. Ifa. 45. 24, 25. And 'tis not by any Obedience of your Sinful Selves; but by the Obedience of God's Holy One,. that you are to be made Righteous; (thus Righteous in his fight.) Rom. 5. 19. Never dare then to ftand a Trial in the Court of the Law: For there you'll be fure to be Caft and Loft. But repair and fly to the Chancery of the Gofpel: And take Sanctuary under the Covert of the Lord your Righteousness and your Redeemer. O catch hold of the Horns of that Altar: And let nothing pluck you thence: But there fet up your Reft: And the Life which you now Live, let