298 Mat. 6. Luke i8.11, ponder Mpon tut Ret, 3.16)17, 18. 11E4 64.8, A Box of precious Ointment : Or, righteoufnefs of Chrift, the fatisfaaion of Chrift, the me_ rits of Chrifi for juilification and falvation. The hypocriti- cal Scribes and Pharifees prayed and fafted,ancl kept the Sab- bath, and nave 8ic. and in this legal righteoufrefs they reftedrand truflecr. Upon the performance of thefe and fuch like duties they laid the weight of their fouls, and the itrefs of their falvation, and fo perifhed for ever. An Hy- pocrite refts upon what he cloth, and never looksiTo high as the righteoufnefs of Chrift ; he looks upon his duties as fo much good moneys laid out for heaven ; he weaves a web of righteoufnefs to cloath himfelf withal , he never looks out for amore glorious righteoufnefs to be juitified by than his own, and fo puts a flight upon the righteoufnefs of Chrift, Rom, 10. 3. For they Icing ignorant of God's righteoufnefs, and giing about to efiablith their olvii righteoufnefs, have not far/fitted the nefelves unto the righteoufnefs of God. The firft ftep to fal- vation is to renounce our own righteoufnefs, the next ftep is to embrace the righteoufnefs of Chrift which is freely offer- ed to finners in the Gofpel ; but thefe things the Hypocrite minds not, regards not ; The righteoufnefs of an Hypocrite is not only imperfe6t, but impure, a rag, a filthy rag ; and therefore he that ref's upon fuch a righteurfnefs, =it needs mifcarry to all eternity. 0 Sirs 4 who will fay that that man needs a Saviour, that can flue to heaven upon the wings of his own duties and fervices? If a man's duties can pacific an infinite wrath, and fatisfie an infinite juflice, then farewel IChrift, and welcom duties. He that will reit upon his own righteoufnefs for life and juffification I mull needs fit down on this fide falvation ; he that refts upon his duties, and that reds upon a gift of knowledge, a gift of utterance, a gift of memory, or a gift of prayer, though he may come near to heaven, and bid fair for heaven, yet he will never be able to get into heaven. Now, how fad is it for a man to lofe him- felf and his foul in a wildernefs of duties, when he is upon the borders, yea the very brink of the holy Land he that refis upon any thing in hit,or done by him as a means to pro- cure the favour of God, or the falvation of his foul, will pui fuch a cheat upon himfelf as will undo him for ever fu. Non- bmon
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