I a Naturally we cry up Self in tutificatisn. C HA P. 2. then,, that they may cover the fhame of their nakednefs withall ? And at what colt, paines & charges are they , in Peeking to eftablifh their own Righteoufnefs ? And all to fortifie themfelves in their own delufions, & to keep out the pure Doftrine of the Gofpel. And how ready are fore to ta- ke hold of the fmallefttwig, that they may hang upon it, & finde re- liefe , if it can yeeld but the leant ground of hope, in their imaginations, ere they betake themfelves to Chrift according to the Gofpel? How ma- ny Fetches, Turnings & Windings bath a Soul , purfued with wrath & the apprehenfion of death , ere it be willing to clofe, heartily with Chrift, offered in the Gofpel ? Yea , if fuck as have had Tome wakenings, come fo far , as to change fomething of their former outward finful courfes, & be not fo loofe & prophane, as formerly , how ready are they to fit down , even upon that bit of negative righteoufnefs ? Much more , if they be brought the length , to go about force religious duties , how will they then fit down & fing , as if all were well ? All which do plainly evince, that there is a ftrong Inclination in us by nature, to follow the way of works that we may have force Mare of the honour of our own juilifi. cation. V I, This fad truth is hence apparent likewife , That when any Opinion is broached, that but feemeth to give more to works, than ought tobe given , though poflìbly upon the matter, there be but little laid , that may make any real Difference , how ready are many to clofe therewith , to entertaine that Do'ttine, to cry it up & commend it & to improve the Advantages, real or fuppofed , there had , to the furder Confirmation of that Anti - evangelik errour, which their Soul's fully comply with : when, upon the other hand, there is fuch a naufeating in many too too mani- feft, at the Simplicity of the Gofpel, & ofthe Doftrine of juftification by faith alone in Chrift. If it be enquired , whence Both this proceed ? or what can be the true caufes hereof ? 1 anfwe). Many things have a powerful Influence into this , as. I. The Natural Enmity unto all the wages of God , that each bath, as a piece of his heirfhip from Adam: What ever God wileth, we will not, yea we will nil! ; though our nilling of it be againft ourfelves, & we have no reafon for ir. There is a Spirit of Contradiftion & Enmity to God in us all by nature, that we neither can, nor will comply with God's wayes, & with what tendeth to fet forth His Glory.. It is marked of the jewes, that they ftumbled at that (tumbling Lione, jefus Chrift, who was the end of the Law for righteoufnefs, to all fuch as beleeve Rnin. io: 4. & 9: 32. They had fuch a prejudice at Chrift, &at the way of-Salvation through Him that they brake their necks_ upon Him, who onely was the rock of Salvation. II. The innate darknefs of Mens mi.ndes, touching themfelves, & all the things of God, efpecially the Myfteries of Salvation , is another cau- fe of this Oppoiîtion to the Gofpel -way of juftification. They neither know their own hearts, nor their own wayes & doings; nor are they ac- quainted
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