is said to be justified justified in his Spirit 1 Tim. 13 16 that is by his Resurrection unto life by his sufferings he has delivered himself from that guilt that lay upon him and is become in the eye of the Law righteous CHAP III. The Proposition That it is a safe thing to appear in the Righteousness of Christ Arg I. Because Christs Righteousness is the Righteousness of the Law. THe Subject of the present discourse is That it is a safe thing to appear in the day of Judgement in the Righteousness of Christ it is safe to go before the Judgment Seat of God having no other righteousness to plead for our Justification but Christs Righteousness this Righteousness is sufficient and will prevail for the salvation of all those that have an interest in it we may with quietness depend upon it as that which will serve our turn there is no other Righteousness that can be come at that it is safe appearing in our own personal righteousness is many ways defective and uncapable of being the matter of our Justification that Righteonsness that is performed by the Saints is acceptable unto God but it can't procure the acceptance of their persons the acceptance of it self is procured by Christ Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 but we may justly venture our selves upon the righteousness of Christ other foundations will prove sandy but the Righteousness of Christ is a firm foundation for faith and therefore it was Pauls great care that he might be found not in his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 The Truth of which Proposition I shall demonstrate by the following Arguments Arg. I. The Righteousness of Christ is the Righteousness that the Law required of us it answers the demand that the Law makes of us and therefore it is safe appearing in it There is a necessity of our having the righteousness of the Law God has stated the Law to be a rule of his proceeding towards man wherein he has set down the terms upon which he will bestow life and execute death in that Covenant he gave not onely a Law unto man but likewise to himself from which he will never swerve O it is utterly vain for any man to expect acceptance with God without that righteousness which the Law requires until the Law be answered man can lay no claim to blessedness neither can God in faithfulness bestow blessedness upon man God has bound himself to see the Law fulfilled to a tittle this Law can't be abrogated nor disanulled Saints indeed are not under the condemning power of it because it has been fulfilled for them but yet the Law stands in fotce as a rule according to which God will distribute eternal rewards Math 5.18 One jot or one tittle of the Law shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled man may break the Law but God will fulfil it the Law is never out of date and as it cannot be abrogated so neither can it be moderated God will never take up with less satisfaction then the Law admits of nor with a less perfect Obedience then the Law requires God does under the Gospel accept of imperfect Obedience but not for Justification There can be no varying from the utmost and highest demands of the Law the Law is unflexible and must be exactly attended it abates nothing so that a regular conscience can never give peace until the Law be fully answered the Law gives sin a condemning power 1 Cor 15.56 the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law therefore the Law must be answered And it is sufficient for us if we have the righteousness of the Law there is no danger of our miscarrying if we have that righteousness the sincerity of the angels in heaven is that they have the righteousness of the Law and that is a sufficient sincerity for us if we have the righteousness of the Law if we have the righteousness of the Law then we are not liable to the curse of the Law we are not threatned by the Law Justice is not provoked with us the condemnation of the Law can take no hold upon us the Law has nothing to object against our salvation that soul that has the righteousness of the Law is out of the reach of the threatnings of the law where the demand of the Law is answered the Law finds no fault the Law curses only for want of perfect obedience Gal. 3.10 yea moreover where there is the righteousness of the Law God has bound himself to give eternal life such persons are heirs of life according to the promise of the Law the law declares them heirs of life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live in them Now that the righteousness of Christ is that righteousness which the Law requireth of us is clearly held out in the Word of God Rom. 8.4 where the Apostle sets down the end of Gods sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh which is that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us the meaning of it must needs be that we might be made righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousness this righteousness is said to be fulfilled in us in as much as we have fulfilled it in our surety so Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of giving Moses his Law was to drive us to Christ in whom alone we have the righteousness of the Law this is also clearly held out in all such Scriptures where Christ is said to be our righteousness and that we be made righteous by his Obedience for righteousness consists in answering the demands of the Law it is only that righteousness that the Law demands of us that can denominate us legally righteous if Christs Righteousness were not that which the Law requires of us we could not be accepted as righteous upon that account and the Scripture speaks particularly of Christs sufferings that they were those which the Law required of us Gal. 3.8 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that curse that he redeemed us from is that he endured and that was the curse of the Law and indeed herein lies the excellency of Christs righteousness where by it is a foundation of so much comfort and support unto Saints that it is that righteousness that the law requires of us this is that consideration from which conscience does take satitfaction But there lies one great objection against this that the Apostle Paul seems to make an opposition between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith and between justification by the law and justification by grace and by faith and by the promise so a man is not justified by the law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.6
the Law pronounceth the sinner an heir of death Rom 6.23 and it is a most vain imagination for man to think the Law will take up with obedience instead of the sufferings of death disobedience brings the curse but obedience cannot remove it obedience would have prevented the curse but obedience cannot remove it the Law makes no mention of obedience for satisfaction obedience is a thing of another kind then the satisfaction which the Law demands the active obedience of Christ could not satisfie for our sins and how can men think that that obedience which was due to the Law if we had never sinned can satisfie for our sins that the paying of that natural debt which we were born under will also satisfie this new debt which we have contracted by sin especially when our obedience is so defective that in that we are again deserving damnation 2. The law requires perfect obedience in order unto life gal 3.12 the man that doth these things shall live in them it is perfect obedience for it is such obedience as is not mingled with sin if there be any mixture of sin then the person is exposed to the curse but it is impossible that a person should at the same time be an heir of the curse and the blessing of hell and heaven but there is no man in this life does attain unto perfect obedience those that put their trust in their own righteousness do not perform right obedience their obedience is only the shell and carcase of obedience their best works are not only sinful but properly sins for they are acted by a spirit of lust in all that they do self-love rules every unregenerate man Rom. 8.8 they that are in the flesh cannot please God and the obedience of the people of God is greatly tainted with sin the Saints do many things that are sins and their best duties also are sinfully defective sin cleaves to them besides the positive workings of sin they cannot perform any inward act of grace with their whole soul as long as the soul is imperfectly sanctified 1 King. 8.46 there is no man that sinneth not Question But is not God above the Law may not he dispense with his own Law and save sinners notwithstanding Answer The Law does derive all its authority from God but he is not so above the Law as to disanul it and act contrary to it God may not contradict the law to say that God is above the Law so as to dispence with it is to say that God is above himself the Law is Gods Law and he will own it to set God against the Law is to set God against himself the Law is nothing else but an everlasting rule of Justice that God has made between himself and man and the Lord will never suffer any violence to be done to his Law every jot and tittle of the Law must be fulfilled Mat. 5 18. there is no such Gospel as overthrows the Law Rom. 3.31 do we make void the Law by Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law if the Law might have been dispensed withal there had been no necessity of Christs death it was upon that account that Christ died to answer the demands of the Law and why should God be prodigal of the blood of his Son if man might have been saved by Gods soveraign dispensing with the Law would God have put Christ to such sufferings Christ must suffer that so the Law may be satisfied and Indeed the consciences of men will never have peace till they see the Law answered conscience ecchoes to the Law and if enlightned will condemn where the law condemns as long as the Law curses conscience will curse too there is no quieting of conscience as long as he sees the Law against him the reason is because the Law is the voice of God 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law the Law makes sin to have such power to sting and torment the conscience 4 This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is contrary to Gods providence in providing a perfect righteousness for us in Jesus Christ God has prepared a righteousness to our hand by Christ Jesus Dan. 9.24 he brings in everlasting Righteousness this Righteousness is altogether compleat and there is no defect either in the doing or sufferings of Christ and it was for us Heb. 10.14 by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and it was by wonderful providences this righteousness was provided for us this is the most observable and glorious work that ever God did in the World this lay much upon the heart of God from everlasting 1 Pet. 1.20 he was fore ordained before the foundation of the World and is the most remarkable among all the births of time besides other providences for the accomplishment of this there were those two exceeding eminent ones the incaruation of the Son of God whereby God became man a misterious work and of infinite condescention wherein the greatest glory is bestowed upon the humane nature of Christ that any creature is capable of the other is Gods inflicting his wrath on Christ Jesus and executing the curse of the Law upon his dearest Son a thing that would never have entred into the heart of man to conceive of had it not been revealed unto us and when we see Gods making such preparation for the salvation of sinners and in so costly a way providing a righteousness for them may we not conclude that they stood in necessity of this righteousness that they were uncapable of providing one for themselves surely we had ground to conclude that they were in a perishing condition and would be lost for ever if God did not take care for them who would imagine that these sinners could provide a righteousness for themselves and earn their own salvation but these are the workings of the hearts of self-righteous men and herein you cast an imputation upon the wisdom of God in troubling himself to provide a righteousness for you when with some assistance and strengthening from him you could provide one for your selves men herein are reproaching of God as if he had put himself to needless expence they are blemishing this great work of God as if it were in vain God has set open a fountain to wash in for sin and for uncleanness but they hope to wash themselves clean enough by their own tears God has set up a Ladder whose foot stands upon the Earth and whose top reacheth unto to Heaven but they hope to build a Tower whose top shall reach to heaven and climb up that way God has provided himself a Sacrifice but these think they can make attonement themselves what do you but asperse and blemish the infinite wisdom of God as if he took a great deal of care and were at a great deal of cost about that that signified nothing and troubled himself with vast expence to make a way
and Acts 20.28 to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood To compleat the fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of a Mediator there were necessary some special qualifications of the humane nature especially holiness and wisdom his holiness was necessary unto all his Offices he would not have been fit to have executed his Prophetical Office without that he had need be holy and faithful that is to declare the mind of God to man without this he would not have him fit to have executed the Office of a King he that rules the world and judges mens eternal estate had need be holy without this he would not have been fit to have executed the Office of a Priest he that was to work out righteousness for others and satisfie for their sins must be holy and this qualification was perfect and compleat in Jesus Christ Heb 7.26 For such an High-priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Here Christ's holiness is set forth positiorly he was holy and negatively in three branches He was harmless free from actual sin undefiled that is free from original pollution separate from sinners free from that common sin of mankind which they committed in Adam the other qualification of wisdom was especially necessary unto the execution of his Prophetical and Kingly Offices this he needed an extraordinary measure of and God has furnished him suitably Joh. 5.34 God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him by which expression we are not to understand infinite gifts for the humane nature is not capable of an infinite qualification but extraordinary qualifications beyond what God does bestow on other men this was spoken concerning those gifts given him at the time of his Baptism when the Spirit rested on him and questionless are far exceeded by those gifts bestowed on him when he Ascended to the Right-hand of God. A second thing requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ was the consent of the Fathor There was a necessity of his approbation that the Mediator might have authority to discharge his Office there could be no redemption without the consent of him whose prisoners we are and altho the sufferings of Christ were in their own nature a valuable consideration for our redemption yet there could not be satisfaction without the consent of God. God might not be imposed on nor any satisfaction obtruded upon him without his consent the Office of a Mediator as it implies authority over man so it implies subsection and subordination to God and accordingly in this work Christ is Gods servant Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold and the Scripture does give in abundant evidence that the Father did consent to this undertaking of Christs he is called Gods Elect Isa 42.1 mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth he was chosen by God to this work so he is said to be foreordained 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ did not intrude into this Office but was called of God Heb. 5.5 6. when he came into the world be was sent of God John 5.37 he came with a commission and it was under Gods hand and seal John 6.27 God has confirmed Christ in his Office be an Oath Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek The third thing requifite to the Mediatorly Office of Christ was his own consent It was not meet that such an Office should be forced upon him that it should be put upon him to dye for sinners without his own choice and that if we consider the innocency and excellency of his person but he did freely consent to take this task upon him his will as he is God is the same with the Fathers and as man he closed with it he voluntarily undertook this work of redeeming and saving sinners Heb. 10.6 then said I lo I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Gal. 2 20. he loved me and gave himself for me John 10.18 no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self The consent of the Father and the Son is represented to us in Scripture after the manner of a covenant called by Divines the covenant of redemption in which transaction we may take notice of these five Articles 1. The Father promised to fit the son for the work of redemption by preparing an humane nature that so he might be capable of working out our redemption Heb. 1â— 5 a body thou hast prepared me his manifestation in the flesh was preordained 1 Pet. 1.20 2. The Son covenanted to answer the law for us that he would suffer for our sins and work out righteousness for us Mat 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life for a ransome for many John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father 3. The Father covenanted to accept the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ for the Elect that their debt should be remitted unto them and they saved thereby Isa 44.6 it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee to be a light unto the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth Isa 53.10.11 12 when he shall make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. 4. The Father covenanted to invest him with full authority to accomplish the salvation of his redeemed ones and apply to them the benefits of his death and in order to this to advance his humane nature unto highest dignity and glory John 17.2 thou hast given him power over all flesh that he may give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Eph. 1.22 he hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be bead over all things to the Church 5. The Son covenanted fully to accomplish the salvation of all the Elect John 6.39 this is the will of the Father that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day These things were agreed to between the Father and the Son. The fifth Proposition for the clearing this Argument is That Christs work as Mediator was not to restore Man to his former condition but to bring him to Salvation Our primitive estate in Adam was an estate of innocency we were habitually holy without any offence probationers for glory neither in an estate of condemnation nor in an estate of justification and God if he had so pleased might have appointed Christ to have restored us to our primitive condition to have set us free from the guilt and power of sin and so might put us upon it to have wrought for our own blessedness again according to the tenor of the former Covenant but Christ
cause of Salvation 3. Salvation both in the beginnings of it here in holiness and spiritual comfort and in the perfection of it hereafter which is the effect both of Election and Redemption so that that though Salvation be payed for yet Gods sending of his Son to dye for us was a meer fruit of electing grace and never payed for And there are two Reasons of this 1 This was too great a mercy to be payed for our Salvation was an exceeding great mercy but not too great to be purchased but this was a Mediator could not be purchased this mercy was not too great to be given but it was too great to be purchased we might more easily have purchased our Redemption than our Redeemer neither did Christ purchase this mercy for us Christ did not buy his own Office what price could be laid down to satisfie God for such an unspeakable gift 2. This mercy might be bestowed upon us without being purchased God had so bound himself by his Law that man could not be saved without satisfuction that mercy must be purchased but God had not so bound himself by his Law but that it was free for him to send his Son to dye without receiving any satisfaction for this mercy God had tied his own hands so that sinners could not be saved without satisfaction a his faithfulness bound him to stand upon that but God was at liberty to send a Mediator if he pleased his own gracious nature was such that he could do it without any purchase and he had not restrained himself by his word 5. It was great love for God to send his Son to dye for mans salvation when he would have been no looser if man had not been saved if the case had been so circumstanced that God would have suffered much loss if men had failed of salvation there had then been a kind of necessity laid upon God to have sent his Son to dye in order to it but God bestow'd this mercy upon us when it would have been no less unto him if we had perished This may be cleared up by these Considerations 1. This mercy of giving Christ to dye for us was the first thing wherein God laved out himself for our salvation when a person has layed out himself much and been at great expence for the accomplishing of a design t is a disappointment to fail of it and his expence is thereby many times lost but God had not been before this at any expence for mans salvation this was the first thing wherein God layed out himself for our salvation with respect to us who live in these latter dayes the death of Christ was actually before any other endeavours for our salvation and with respect to those Elect that lived before the coming of Christ his death was vertually before any other expence for their salvation Rev 3.8 2. If God had not sent his Son to dye yet he needed not to have lost the glory of his laying out of his wisdom power and goodness in mans Creation what he had expended that way would not have been lost but he would have recovered his glory in mans ruine Prov. 16.4 3 God could have found other wayes to have glorified his grace though God was under no necessity of having any declarative glory neither does he glorifie himself ad ultimum virium to the utmost of his power yet it does please him to glorifie his Attributes and he might have honoured his mercy in the salvation of fallen Angels they were capable of Salvation and it would have been a wonderful exalting of Gods grace to have saved them 2. The next thing to be observed is the force of the Apostles consequence he argues from Gods love in sending Christ to dye for us the certain salvation of those that are reconciled by his death and there is no scruple to be made of their salvation though they have many enemies that seek their ruine though they have much sin remaining in them and have been many ways failing of walking up to that exactness which God requires all those that Christ died for and are first or last instructed in his death shall be saved by him 1. If God had so great love as to send his Son to bear such great sufferings to purchase our salvation then he will not fail to do what ever else is necessary for our salvation he will not stick to do what is else to be done for the compleating of our salvation he that has done the greater will do the less if love overcame the difficulty that was in the way of our redemption it will also overcome whatever difficulty is in the way of the application of redemption it is unreasonable to think that God should have love enough to send his Son to do that which can't be done without pain and sorrow and death and not have love enough to do that which he can do with the speaking of a word the great difficulty in the way of our salvation was the purchasing of it there was wrath to be born a curse to be endured but love broke through that difficulty the rest that remains is easie to God the mortification of sin the quickening of grace the repelling of temptation and giving the actual possession of glory may be effected by God without any difficulty and therefore he won't stick at that Rom. 9.32 If God spared not his emn Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things it is true that God does but by little and little carry on in us the work of sanctification but the reason of that is not that it is any wayes difficult unto him but because that suits the design that is upon his heart neither is it from any unwillingness to help us but because his design is to carry on the work of sanctification so that we shall have continually need of justification we find it difficult to do our part in orâ—er to our salvation but it is not difficult to God to do his part God carries on the work without difficulty yet so that we shall find difficulty as a Parent with ease helps the child to go yet so that the Child finds difficulty to go it is no burden to God to uphold Grace he that upholds the frame of nature with the word of his power can easily uphold grace what ever stands as an impediment in the way of our salvation may be removed by God without any trouble God puts forth thousands of acts of omnipotency to effect things that are less upon his heart than the salvation of those that he has redeemed and it is no pain nor weariness unto God to be daily carrying on the work of our salvation the opposition that is made to it is nothing to omnipotency Isai 40.28 The Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary 2. If God had such love to us as to send his Son to dye for
if they be not sanctified but there be many in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness no man can justly charge them with living in any known sin with any unmortifyed corruption or acting from a corrupt principle in religion but this cannot be said concerning others that do not make this profession moral men among the Heathens Turks or Jews there are few or none of them but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit that was familiarly acquainted with them that they were under the rule and power of some lust 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ there are many men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life they do not only walk inoffensively in their conversation but there is a great deal of the breathings of a spirit of holiness in them their carriage savours of the fear of God love to God submission to the will of God care of the advancement of the glory of God there carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them 3. Many of those who has formerly lived a corrupt life when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ do give great evidences of an holy life many that live among the people of God do live very corruptly but when once such men come to embrace the Gospel in appearance many of them do become very exemplary in holiness cast off all their former ways of sin and live an humble spiritual obedient life as far as man can judge But there are two wayes whereby the truth of this is evident above exception One is by the testimony of Gods Word the Scripture does commonly give the title of Saints unto believers hence that title of Saints in Christ Jesus is given to the Church at Philippi 1 Phil. 1. so they are called holy brethren that are partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 and Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus are used as terms equivalent Eph. 1.1 all those that are implanted into Christ do crucifie their corruptions Gal 5.24 hence good works are a demonstration of the truth of Faith James 2.18 Another way whereby it is made evident is by the experience of many saints hereby it is made evident to them though not unto the world every believer has experience of a great change in himself though they have many fears whether it be indeed a life of holiness that they live it is exercising unto them whether they go beyond hypocrites and are acted by any higher principles than self-love and confcience yet there be several that at times do evidently see a spirit of holiness working in themselves so that their consciences do bear witness that they are the children of God besides what they do perceive of a daily bent of heart to keep Gods commands there are at times more visible and sensible actings of grace there are times when the strings are wound up to the height when grace breaks forth as the light and the heart is satisfied in that that he has a spirit of holiness John 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him And this fanctification which the people of God have they have in a way of believing some take sanctification so largely as to comprehend the work of regeneration and count regeneration also an effect of closing with Christ but I will not now discuss that controversy though there is no doubt but regeneration is the fruit of Christs purchase but I take sanctification for that work of Gods spirit whereby he does more and more purge away the remainders of sin and carry on the work of holiness in the hearts of his people and this is the fruit of faith in Christ Acts 26.18 they are sanctified by faith that is in me Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and this sanctification comes from Christs purchase he has by his death redemed us from the power of sin Tit. 2 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purisie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so John 17.1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 9 14. 2 The people of God have inward spiritual comfort in a way of believing in the righteousness of Christ it is very true that many men that do not profess the true religion and many others that tho they do profess the true religion yet do not in sincerity embrace it have much inward comfort under an expectation of blessedness hereafter but the people of God that do believe in Jesus Christ have inward comfort in that way peculiar to themselves Which we may consider under these two heads of peace of conscience and communion with God. 1. The people of God in a way of believing have peace of conscience and this is not a particular priviledge of some believers but a blessing that all do in some degree partake of those men that before their coming to Christ were under the terrors of an evil conscience conscience was terrifying of them and binding them over to eternal judgement do upon their closing with Christ enjoy a tranquility of mind and inward peace Indeed this peace may be interrupted and disturbed because of darkness and temptations and because conscience is but in part satisfyed but they are never brought back to take up such conclusions against themselves as before their closing with Christ but commonly they do enjoy some comfortable serenity of heart have the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 this comes to pass by these two things 1. When a soul comes to Christ the soul is satisfied that there is peace with God to be obtained in a way of coming to Christ that there is safety in coming to Christ the inward call of the Gospel satisfies the soul that there is salvation in Christ for all that come to him conscience is thereby well satisfied in the sufficiency of Christ the freeness and the fulness of the grace of God 1 Pet. 2.7 to him that believes Christ is precious the objections of the heart are removed by the convincing work of the Spirit 2. The first act of closing with Christ is not so sensibly done but that he does take some notice of it some after acts of faith may be more plain and in continuance of time the soul may lose the exact knowledge of the time of his first closing with Christ and the circumstances of it but this first closing with Christ is not so secret a thing but that it falls under the observation of conscience Jer. 3.22 This is clear For 1. The act it self is very observable when the soul comes at first to close with Christ there is a weighty change
imagined before that his duties would make amends for his sins that God would be at peace with him because of his affections but God shews him that the Law stands for perfect righteousness the Law must be fully satisfied that the Law pronounces a curse for every sin that it can neither be abrogated nor moderated but must be fulfilled that the law curses every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them gal 3.13 and herâ—by the sinner sees the insufficiency of all his duties and is brought to despair in himself 3. By leaving a hope in the heart that God may yet help him this conduces much to make the sinner yield there is a secret hope that God leaves in the heart that God will have mercy upon him God leaves an apprehension in men of the possibility of their salvation if they don't yield there is certain death but there is some hopes that God may spare them they have some hopes arising from the power of God he can make dry bones to live and from the mercy of God whose thoughts are not as mens thoughts nor his ways as mens ways but high above them as the heavens are above the earth that also begets some hope that there is a way of salvation by Christ that others have found help when they have been in such a case that there are promises of taking away the heart of stone Ezek 11.19 this hope helps the soul much in submitting to God. 4. By discovering his own Soveraignty men are greatly offended at Gods proceedings and unsatisfied about his decrees and providences and this hinders them from submitting unto him but God by his spirit lets in some discovery of his own soveraignty and thereby convinces him that God does him no wrong that God may bestow his grace where he pleases that he has dominion over his creatures this makes the soul confess with Job Job 42.2 I know thou canst do every thing the soul standing convinced of these things can do no other but yield up himself into the hands of God. Before I leave this way of trial I shall answer two scruples that may arise in the hearts of some of the People of God about their Humiliation 1. Doubt I sear whether I had a thorow work of Humiliation I never saw so much of the wickedness of my own heart as some others do speak of Answer 1. There is no necessity of seeing all those sinful inclinations that are in the heart particularly there is a great variety as to the particular discoveries that God makes to divers men and one great occasion of it is the different temptations that they are under some see more of a worldly spirit some more of a froward some more of an aspiring spirit a man may have discoveries of his own heart after he hath been a Saint many years that he never had before if a man see the fountain it is sufficient though he do not see all those various channels wherein it may run 2. There is no necessity of seing particularly their inability to every duty they must feel themselves spiritually dead they feel themselves unable to do any thing that is good but some men can speak abundance more particularly to their inability to this and that duty than others can there are some duties that did not come into their thoughts at that time it is necessary they should lose their sense of their ability to any thing should not be conceited of any power or sufficiency it is not enough for men to see that they can do nothing of themselves men may say that when they only find need of assistance and not of the infusing of a principle of grace into them but it is sufficient if they feel themselves spiritually dead but there is no necessity that at that time they must particularly take notice of their inability to love Gods People to be thankful c. though often they do their thoughts are wont to be fixed at that time on such particulars as they were wont before to pride themselves most in and such as they have special occasion at that time to think of from what the hear or read 3. There is a necessity of seeing so much of his own heart as to make him despair of mending it to see it wholly under the power of sin a man may see abundance of corruption and wickedness in his own heart and yet be a stranger to it though he sees a great deal yet if he imagines that he can cure it if he have hopes of getting victory over it he will not be humbled Isai 57.12 thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet sayest thou not there is no hope thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grîeved before he be humbled he must see himself altogether under the power of sin Rom. 7 9. 4. There is a necessity of seeing so much as to set him down that God may righteously cast him off a man may see much and yet not yield it that it is fair for God to reject him one foundation of quarelling is an opinion of what he is and has been doing this breeds a great deal of wrangling in the heart Isai 58 3 he is excusing of himself because he would be better and has taken pains in Gods service so that there is a necessity that he should see so much of his own wicked heart as may quite silence him that he may see himself inexcusable that he may not have a word to say but may be satisfied in Gods proceeding if he should cast him off Luk. 18.13 Doubt 2 I fear whither I have had a through work of Humiliation because I never found so much opposition to the yielding of my self into Gods hands as some others speak of others have more dreadful risings of heart and more horrible sturdiness of spirit and bore more dreadful terrors before they could be brought to yield were much longer opposing and resisting than it was with me somewhat this way I found but not so much as others and therefore I fear whither the work were true Answer 1. Men have had a great deal more of opposition to this work of Humiliation than they take notice off or understand all those methods and wayes that men take to establish a righteousness of their own are from a spirit of opposition to this work of Humiliation all mens endeavours to get any thing to commend them to God are the workings of this spirit mens flying to refuges of lies and hiding themselves in the strong-holds of their own righteousness are because they are not willing to submit to God all mens strivings to obtain the savour of God by their prayers affections reformations are upon this account that they are not willing to yield themselves to be lost why do men strive to earn their own salvation but because they are unwilling to submit to the meer mercy of