1 Argument It is most plain from the contexâ— v. 19. That it is the same law by whicâ— every mouth is stopped and all the World iâ— become guilty before God Now the Gentileâ— could not have their mouth stopped and beâ—come guilty before God by the Ceremoniaâ— law For the Gentiles had no knowledg oâ— the Ceremonial law neither could they there being nothing in the light or law of nature directing them to any such law nor were the Gentiles under any Obligation unto that law otherwise than as any of them were proseylites to the Jewish Church neither could their Consciences either accuse or excuse them in observing or not observing the Ceremonial law they could have no Conscience of Sin in that respect for where no law is there is no Transgression But the Moral law they having the work of it written in their Hearts as Rom. 2.14 15. did bind the Consciences of the very Gentiles and did leave them without excuse before God as hath been already proved Rom. 1.19 20 21. to the end of the Chap. So that it is the Moral law only by which every mouth is stopped and all the World i. e. both Jew and Gentile are become guilty before God And therefore it is not the Ceremonial law only but the Moral law principally of which the Apostle speaks when he saith as in the Text by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight 2 Argu. It is also as plain from the latter part of this Text that it is the same law by which is the knowledg of Sin For so the Apostle brings it in immediately and in one and the same breath For by the law is the knowledg of Sin therefore whilst the Aposte saith by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight and then addeth that by the law is the knowledg of Sin it is plain what law he meaneth Namely the same law by which is the knowledg of Sin Now the knowledg of Sin is not by the Ceremonial law for though in the Ceremonial law there is an acknowledgment of Sin in that all the sacrifices washings and typical services did take it for granted and every Man attending the services of that law did ipso facto acknowledg himself a Sinner or else to what end was his Sacrifice if he had no Sin to be purged Yet the Ceremonial law neither did nor could convince the Conscience and show a Man wherein he had Sinned for this is the peculiar work of the moral law and the light thereof shining in the Conscience and so the Apostle Rom. 7.7 Nay I had not known sin but by the law For I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not Covet Now the law which saith thou shalt not covet is not the Ceremonial law but the moral law as Exod 20.17 And therefore the Text must be interpreted and understood not of the Ceremonial law only but also and more especially of the moral law for as much as by this law is the knowledg of Sin and by this law every mouth is stopped and all the World become guilty before God So that Justification in the sight of God is denied to Man not only by the deeds of the Ceremonial law but also by the deeds of the moral law And a Man can no more be justified now by good works either Internal or External or both done in obedience and conformity to the moral law than the Jews then were by their observances of the Ceremonial And as it became Sin in the Jews to seek justification and righteousness by the works of the Ceremonial law and moral law both and the stumbling stone to their perdition and damnation as Rom. 9.31 32. So it doth as much now become Sin to any Man under Heaven to seek righteousness and justification by the works of the Moral law as they are or can be performed by him and if persisted in will prove the stumbling stone to his perdition Gala. 5.2 3 4 5. Having thus done with the opening of the Doctrine we proceed to the reasons of it namely to shew why by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in God's sight and they are these two First Reason Because by the law is the the knowledg of Sin and this is one reason subjoyned in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For by the law is the knowledg of Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which here is rendered knowledg is a thorough and convincing knowledg which leaves a Man under such a conviction as he must needs acknowledg himself a Sinner and to have Transgressed the law of God For Sin is the transgression of the law and the knowledg of Sin is the knowledg in the Conscience of a Man that he hath transgressed the law and no Man can have this conviction and knowledg but by the law And the Conscience of Sin is nothing else but his knowing by the light of Gods holy law that he hath transgressed and that he is a transgressor of the law as Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the law and again Rom. 7.8 9. For without the law sin was dead that is it stirred not it troubled not my Conscience But when the commandment came Siâ— revived and I died i. e. I was in a whole and safe condition once without the law and nothing troubled my Conscience but all was quiet and secure as if I had no Sin and waâ— in no danger But when the Commandmenâ— came i. e. God brought the law home to my Conscience so that I saw the convincing light and felt the terrifying Power of the holy law of God in my Conscience then Sin revived i. e. lift up it self and made me find and feel my guilt and the condemning power and strength that Sin had over me by the law For the strength of Sin is the law 1 Cor. 15.56 And I died i. e. As to all my hopes and confidence of being justified by the law and the works thereof so that I became as a dead Man without any life or hope of being justified by it And the Argument lieth plain that law by which every Man is convinced that he is a Sinner and condemned as a guilty Person before God by that law and the deeds of it can no Man be justified in the sight of God for condemnation and justification are as directly contrary and inconsistent each with other as life and death are therefore by the deeds of the law can no flesh be justified because by the law all flesh is Condemned and found guilty before God upon this account the Ministration of the law is called the Ministration of death and of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.7 and 9. v. And therefore cannot be the Ministration of life and justification Now if there were any Man found since the fall of Adam that were not a Sinner and guilty by the law and unto whom by the law there could be no
part they come into this actual union with Christ anâ— the Father in Christ and are now made perfect in this union in respect of their Justification by Faith and stand compleatly and perfectly justified and righteous before God even the Father in this Righteousness of Christ and so shall be made perfect also in that which doth follow and depend upon their Justification which is Adoption and Glory For whom he justified them he also glorified is before Rom. 8 30. And the glory which thou gavest me have I given them that they may be one even as we are one John 17.22 So that upon the whole argument it doth plainly and fully appear that this righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is an everlasting righteousness remaining unalterably one and the same in all Ages and Generations in all Nations and Kindreds of the Earth and to all persons that have been already are now or â—hall be hereafter justified before God 〈◊〉 Infer 3. And then again thirdly we â—nfer the greatness excellency and glory of 〈◊〉 Righteousness above all other Righâ—eousnesses that might have been or may be mentioned or pretended unto amongst Men â—or Angels for as the Apostle saith of Christ Heb. 1.4 That he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they i. e. the Angels and argueth from thence the greatness and excellency of his Person and Office So we may say concerning this Righteousness that it hath a more excellent name than any other Righteousness of Men or Angels for it is called the Righteousness of God which none other is And therefore it is a better greater and more excellent and glorious Righteousness than any other that might have been or may be pretended unto by Men or Angels for it hath a more excellent name 1. Now let us consider man in the first place and what righteousness he might have pretended or may pretend unto And certainly Adam in the state of innocency was an excellent and glorious Creature the highest and top of Gods Creation in this lower World He was made after the image of him that created him in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness and God had 〈◊〉 him under an excellent Law Spiritual Holy Just and Good and this Law was written in his Heart he had an original righteousness and integrity of nature conformeâ— and agreeable to this Law and an abiliâ—â— thereby to have kept and fulfilled all thâ— Righteousness thereof now if this excellenâ— person had kept and not transgressed this excellent Law He and all mankind in him had been Righteous and lived thereby a Rom. 10.5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law The 〈◊〉 which doth these things shall live by them But yet this Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is a greater better more excellent and glorious Righteousness than that of Adam could have been if he had not sinned but fulfilled the righteousness of the Law For that could have been but a man's Righteousness it could have risen no higher it could have been called by no greater name than the RIGHTEOUSNESS of MAN But now here is a Righteousness brought in by Christ the second Adam and to us by Faith in him which is the righteousness of God The person working out this righteousness for us being God in the humane nature hath added an infinite dignity and glory to it by the dignity and glory of his person as hath been shewed So that as Christ is a more excellent person than the first Adam His obedience and righteousness in fulfilling the Law must needs be a more excellent righteousness than that of Adam or all other men could have been if Adam and they in him had kept the Law For that had been but the Righteousness of Man but this is the righteousness of God Oh the admirable work and contrivance of the free Grace Wisdom and Power of God in and through his Son Jesus Christ towards his Elect that having lost righteousness in the first Adam and all hope and possibility of it by works they have gained a greater better and more excellent righteousness by Faith in Christ they lost that which would have been at best but a mans righteousness but they have gained by that loss and obtained by Faith that which is the righteousness of God So that the poorest believer have a better righteousness by Faith in Christ than Adam had or could have had in innocency or that themselves could have had if they had never sinned And hereby indeed it is manifest that the Seed of the Woman hath bruised the head or head-plat of the Old Serpent the Deviâ— in bringing in a better Righteousness 2. And let us also consider the gloriouâ— Angels of Heaven the Elect Angels anâ— what righteousness they are justified anâ— stand before the holy God in And so far aâ— we can look into this matter in the lighâ— of the holy Scriptures it doth not appeaâ—â—hat they are justified by Faith in Christ aâ— we are for they never sinned as we all did 〈◊〉 Adam and needed no Redeemer to reâ—eem them by his blood as we did And â—hrist took not upon him the nature of Angels â—â—at the Seed of Abraham as Heb. 2.16 â—nd therefore as Christ took not their nature 〈◊〉 stood not in their stead to fulfil the righâ—â—ousness of that law for them under which 〈◊〉 were put But they have fulfilled and â—ne the Will of God their Creator as Psal. â—3 20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that 〈◊〉 in strength that do his commandments â—â—â—kning to the voice of his word And again â—â— 21 Ye Ministers that do his pleasure 〈◊〉 that for ought that doth appear these hoâ—â— Angels stand before God and are justiâ—â—â—d by their own personal and perfect obeâ—â—â—nce to the Law of their Creator and in 〈◊〉 own Righteousness indeed they needed a Saviour to prevent their falling and to confirm them in that state of innocency and glory wherein they were at first created and made and in this respect they have their confirmation in and by Christ and from their election in Christ the common head of all Gods Elect both amongst Angels and Men Eph. 1.10 and in this respect they are our brethren and fellow Servants as Rev. 22.9 Brethren they are though indeed our elder Brethren in Christ their head and ours and had their election and confirmation in Christ apparently manifested before us for their Election and Confirmation in Christ appeared upon the fall of the Angelâ— that sinned and before the Fall of Adam whereas our Election and Redemption in and by Christ was not manifest nor did at all appear till after the Fall of the first Adam and then it began to break forth and appear in the first Promise Gen. 3.15 So that they are our elder Brethren yet our Brethren in Christ but so that Christ hath the pre-eminence and is
Psam 130.3 And therefore it is added in his sight to shew that whatsoever Man may be in his own sight or in the sight of other Men like himself yet in Gods sight no flesh shall or can be justified by the works of the law And as in Condemnation there are two things First a fixing of the Guilt and therefore we say when a person is found guilty he is condemned so Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God 2ly A binding or Obligation unto the punishment which is Death and therefore we say of a Criminal when he is brought in guilty that he is a dead Man because the obligation unto punishment is now fixed upon him and he must inevitably suffer death which is the punishment due to his offence So on the other hand there are two things implyed in Justification first a just discharge and acquitment from the guilt of Sin he that is justified is not guilty in Gods sight his Sin is not imputed to him and Ps. 32 1 2. where David describeth the blessedness of a justified person saying Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 3ly There is also a dissolving and making void and null the Obligation unto punishment so that a justified person is no more in danger of that death which is the wages of Sin nor of the curse of the law and the infinite and eternal wrath of God which is the punishment due to Sin to every Sin the least Sin as well as the greatest therefore as Condemnation is called Death because of the Obligation unto punishment so justification is called Life because of the dissolving and making void that Obligation So John 5.24 where the believer is said to be passed from death to life i. e. from a state of Condemnation which is Death to a state of Justification which is Life and Rom. 5.18 It is called justification of Life And upon that account 't is Written the just shall live by Faith i. e. be justified by Faith for justification is his life 3ly But there is yet somewhat more implyed in this word Justified and that is a positive righteousness answering to the perfection of the holy law of God in the utmost extent and demand of it for though non imputation and pardon of Sin makes a Man no more a Sinner nor guilty before God yet to make him a righteous person in Gods sight there must of necessity be a positive righteousness for as it cannot consist with the perfect justice of God to justifie a Man without righteousness so it cannot consist with his veracity and justice to justifie any Man without a perfect righteousness such as is commensurate and adequate to the perfection of his law for otherwise the law should be made void even by faith itself contrary to Rom. 3.31 And to speak with holy reverence as it is impossible for God to lie so it is as impossible for him to be unjust which he should be should he justifie any Man by an imperfect righteousness it is therefore a foolish vain and wicked imagination in any person to think or affirm that a Man may be justified in Gods sight without a perfect righteousness and this I may be bold to say from the clear light of Gods holy word that he which hath not a better righteousness than his own neither is nor ever shall be justified in the sight of God and whoever he be who affims the contrary let him answer it for sure I am the judgment of God is according to truth as it iâ— written Rom. 2.2 and again Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every Man a liar thaâ— thou mightest be justified in thy sayings anâ— mightest overcome when thou art judged 3. What is here meant and what are we to understand by the deeds or works of the law Ans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the needs of the law of or by or upon the account of the deed of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works operations or deedâ— do imply all sorts of works deeds or operatiâ—ons Internal and External 1 There are internal deeds and operatiâ—ons deeds of the mind and of the spirit withâ—in works of the inward Man wherein thâ— inward faculties of the Soul the Mind thâ— Conscience the Understanding the will and affections are operative and working in thâ— sight of God before whom our spirits arâ— naked and bare Heb. 4.13 And there arâ— internal vertues and habits and these are opâ—â—rative within and the holy law of God is Spiâ—ritual and reacheth the inward Man yea thâ— very thoughts and imaginations of the Hearâ— and than inward disposition enclination and habits Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust if the law had not said thou shalt not covet 2. There are external deeds the outward actions and deeds and operations of the light and Conversation which should all be regulated and are judged by the law which is the rule of righteousness to the inward and to the outward Man to the inward frame of Heart with all the Imaginations Thoughts Principles Habits Affections Intentions and Designs thereof and to the outward Man in all a Mans external Actions words and deeds together with the nature and tendency of them whether they be good or evil true or false sincere or feigned so Acts 5.3 4 9. and Acts 8.20 21. 2 Chron. 25.2 Ezek. 33.31 32. So that by the deeds of the law we are to understand all the inward qualifications and inherent virtues and goodness of a Mans Heart together with all the external actions of his life done in the utmost conformity and Obedience to the law that Man can reach unto by these deeds of the law whether internal or external there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Quest. But the greater question is what law is here meant whether the Ceremonial law only or the Moral law also Those that are unsound in the Doctrin of Justification do contend that by the law here is only meant the Ceremonial law And that the Apostle Paul here and in other places contending with the Jews in this point of Justification speaketh only of the Ceremonial law and so far they yield that by the works of the Ceremonial law indeed no flesh shall be justified but the works of the Moral law are not here excluded from the matter of Mans justification insinuating thereby that a Man may be justified in Gods sight by good works done in confirmity and obedience to the Moral law Ans. In answer whereunto we do affirm and shall plainly prove that not the Ceremoâ—nial law only but the Moral law also yeâ— mainly and principally is meant by the Apostle And that law unto the works or deed whereof justification in the sight of God iâ— denied to every Man is the Moral law and not the Ceremonial law only though it iâ— true also of the Ceremonial law And this wâ— prove by two Argumenrs
attempt and therefore beware and take heed of it it is disobedience in the highest degree 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. Verses This is Spiritual wickedness and therefore greater Spiritual wickedness is that which hath in it spirits of wickedness and therefore more strong and vigorous We see by experience a little quantity of Spirits extracted by Art hath much more vigour and strength in it than a far larger quantity in the common bulk Where the spirits are not united but dissipated in the common matter vis unita fortior Here are the spirits of many sins united in one in this going about to establish a mans own righteousness in opposition to the righteousness of God For 1 st Here is the Sin of ignorance not 〈◊〉 invincible ignorance for that cannot be iâ—â—puted as Sin to any but of willful or willinâ— ignorance as the Apostle Peter reproves thâ— scoffers of the last times 2 Pet. 3.5 〈◊〉 this they are willingly ignorant of c. Theâ— might have known if they would but theâ— were not willing to know they were willing to be ignorant that so they might scoff thâ— more freely at the promise of his coming And so here men are willingly ignorant oâ— Gods righteousness that they might establish their own So Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going abouâ— to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God And v. 2. For I bear them record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge This ignorance and want of knowledge 〈◊〉 them is no extenuation or excuse of their sin but an aggravation of it as that whereby they i. e. the Jews are left without excuse because they might and ought to have known better seeing the whole dispensation aeconomy of the Ceremonial Law was in the proper scope and tendency of it to lead them out of themselves unto Christ to seek righteousness by Faith in him and upon this account they are as much without â—xcuse as the Gentiles were Rom. 1.19 20. Who when they knew God or might have â—nown him yet did not glorifie him as God 2 ly Here is the Sin of Enmity and Rebellion of the Will against God They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God ' â—is a Meiosis wherein more is implyed than exprest They submitted not but rebelled and set themselves against the Righteousness of God from the enmity of their Carnal mind And Christ saith unto this Generation of Men John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life 3. Here is the Sin of Pride Going about to establish their own they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God Going about to establish their own Righteousness here is the Pride of mans Heart he will exalt himself he will have somewhat of his own he will exalt his own Righteousness against the Righteousness of God and such is the Pride of man by nature that if he cannot have Righteousness and Life in himself he will not be beholden to another for it and if left to himself will rather perish eternally than go out of himself to seek Righteousness and Life in Christ. 4 ly Here also is the Sin of obstinacy anâ— willful reâ—using and rejecting the Righteousness of God in Christ though infinitely beâ—ter than their own and persisting thereiâ— in opposition to all the clear Light of God Word and those convictions of the Spirit fastned thereby upon their minds As the holy man Stephen tells them plainly Act 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised iâ— Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost As your Fathers did so do ye So that all these things with some others which might be mentioned do make it plainly appear to be a very sinful and wicked attempt in man to go about to establish his own Righteousness But 3. It is also a very dangerous attempt none can engage in this attempt but with the utmost peril and loss of his Soul if persisted in a mans own righteousness is a stumbling stone at which they stumble and so fall and perish eternally So fall upon that stone which breaks them to pieces and provoke till it falls upon them and grinds them to powder Namely Christ the Foundation stone in Sion So Rom. 9.32 For theâ— stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I lay in in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence But who are they that stumbled But those that sought not Righteousness by Faith in Christ but as it were by the works of the Law And wherefore did they stumble at Christ and his Righteousness But because they went about to establish their own Their zeal their madness for a Righteousness of their own made them blind and not able to see the Righteousness of God made them enemies unto and haters of Christ and his Righteousness and in all the world none such enemies to Christ and the Righteousness of God as these none such inveterate Persecutors of Christ and his Holy Apostles and that spake against the things Preached by them as these men did contradicting and blaspheming Act. 13.45 1 Thes. 2.15 16. Their Zeal for their own Righteousness and made them exceedingly mad raging and foaming out their own shame against the truth of the Gospel viz. The Doctrine of Free Grace and Justification by Faith in Christ alone without the Deeds or Works of the Law Use. 3. This Doctrine speaketh by way of Exhortation and that first to Sinners and secondly to Saints first to them that are out of Christ and secondly to them that are in Christ. 1. To Sinners and such as are out Christ if there be no hope for you no poâ—sibility for you to obtain Righteousness anâ— Justification by the works of the Law in thâ— sight of God then be Exhorted to escapâ— for your Lives and fly for refuge unto Jesuâ— Christ the hope the only hope the 〈◊〉 hope set before you in the Gospel Yoâ— have no hope by the Law but there 〈◊〉 hope for you in Jesus Christ Grace for thâ— greatest Sinners in the World There iâ— hope in Christ for the Jew and for the Gentile There is no man upon Earth so holy that can be justified by the deeds of the Law And there is no man upon Earth so sinful and wicked but he may obtain Righteousness and be justified by Faith in Jesus Christ Rom. 9.30 What shall we say then that thâ— Gentiles who followed not after the Law of Righteousness have attained unto righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Oh therefore make haste and fly for refuge unto Jesus Christ. The true Heirs of Promise Heb. 6.17 are described by this Character ver 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hopâ— set before us And all that are or shall be Heirs of Promise must and shall fly for refuge to lay hold upon this hope which is Jesus Christ who is entered within the vail who when
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved What is nearer than that which is in thy heart and in thy mouth Well so near is Christ unto every Man unto whom the Gospel is Preached Christ that came down from Heaven into the Humane Nature the Word that was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and did in the flesh of Humane Nature bear our sins and die for us is risen again from the dead received up into Glory I say this blessed Jesus is brought near to us in the Gospel that if we believe in him we shall be saved in him i. e. even Jesus who hath delivered us from the Wrath to come 1 Thes. 1.10 And as Christ who is our Refuge is near so the Way is prepared the Vallies are exâ—lted and the Hills are laid low the Stumbling blocks are gathered up long ago Isa. 40.3 4 5. compared with Luke 3.4 5 6. So that Sinner here is now no Valley whose depth should affright thee no Mountaiâ— whose height should discourage thee no Stumbling-block left to hinder thee in this flying for Refuge unto Christ therefore Sinner take courage and fly to Christ and lay hold upon the Hope set before us and as God hath levelled all that was betwixt Jew and Gentile and prepared his way that every guilty Sinner both of the Jew and of the Gentile might have free access unto and acceptance with his Son Jesus Christ lay no Stumbling-blocks and put no difficulties in your own way when God puts none but fly for Refuge unto him and be safe be happy for ever But take along with thee these three Directions Direct 1. First of all Be speedy in your flight make no delay tarry not delays are dangerous and opportunities blessed opportunities are many times thereby lost To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as Heb. 3.15 And again To day while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 And again Now is the accepted time this is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 And again saith the Voice of God by his own Son to Jerusalem Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Luk. 19.41 42. Commonly men fly in haste and take hold of the present opportunity to avoid the danger feared so must thou do Sinner if thou art upon thy flight to Christ for Refuge take hold of the present opportunity which if lost may perhaps never be recalled or recovered you know what folly it was in him who said call Time again no Time past cannot be recalled The motion of Time is not retrograde like the Wheels in Ezekiels Vision which Went straight forward and turned not as they went So doth Time Vestigia nulla retrorsum Well Sinner thou hast a Day now a Blessed Time now a Day of Grace a Time when Light shineth into thy Heart Convictions are upon thy Conscience thou hast a sense of Sin and feeling of thy Guilt tremblest under awakened Apprehensions of the Wrath of God justly due to thy Sin seest thy Refuge to be only in Christ hast some kindlings of Divine Love and Affection some warm Desires unto and Breathings after Christ and Grace Oh Sinner make use of this Blessed Time and lay hold of this Pretious Season and now or never take thy flight and speed thee away to Jesus Christ who calleth thee And let thy Heart answer Behold I come unto thee for thou art the Lord my God Lose this Season and lose all lose this Season and lose thy Soul lose this Season and thou art Lost for eveâ— for ought thou knowest Thou canst not assure thy self nor can any Man under the Heavens assure thee of another Day of a Morrow No no To Day if you will hear his voice there is no Morrow mentioned in all the word of God in this case there is no mâ—rrow in the Promise therefore thou canst not expect it no Morrow in the command therefore thou canst not work in it Thou mayest repenâ—â— and believe the Gospel whilst it is called to Day but if thou staiest till to Morrow it may be it will be too late there is but a Day of Grace and there is no Morrow to succeed Jerusalem had her Day and Esau had his Day but no Morrow no afterward No no then it was too late read Luke 19.4 Heb. 12.17 Direct 2. Be steady in thy flight and persist in thy course hold on thy way till thou arrivest at and beest got into the City of Refuge The guilty Man-slayer was not safe till he got to the City of Refuge he was as lyable to fall and perish by the hand of the Pursuer and Avenger of Blood at the Borders of the City of his Refuge as he was when further off 'T is not his being not far off that would do Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God saith Christ to the Lawyer that answered well but he was not in the Kingdom of God for all that And whether he ever went on and got in afterward we do not find You know who said unto Paul Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian but we find not that he ever became an altogether Christian. 'T is not thy making some progress toward Christ that will secure thee but they getting into Christ and they being in Christ 1 John 5.20 Rom. 8.1 They that were near the Ark perished in the Waters of the Flood as well as they that were further off none were saved but they that entred in Multitudes there are that seem not far off from Christ yea many that seem near unto him but none can be saved but such as are in him Direct 3. Those that fled to the City of Refuge were to abide therein and not to venture out of it at least till the death of the High Priest for if the Avenger of Blood found him afterward wandring abroad he might fall upon him and slay him Numb 35.25 26 27. Even so Sinner thou must not only refuge thy self in Christ for a time and then wander away after thy own lusts worldly interests or thine own righteousness afterward but thou must abide in Christ all the days of thy life and never draw back through an evil heart of unbelief as Heb. 3.12 And thou must persevere in thy Faith and in thy course of Holiness and hold fast the rejoycing of thy hope unto the end or else thou must lose all at last Heb. 10.38 39. 'T is a dangerous thing when thou hast put thy hand to the Plough to look back and remember Lot's Wife who escaped out of Sodom and yet afterward looking back was turned into a Pillar of Salt 'T is ill for them that begin in the Spirit and do afterward end in the Flesh 'T is dangerous turning back from Christ and tacking about again to