2 No ground of boafling in Gofpel - jrffi,>catron C H A P. 4- no man bath a Righteoufnefs of his own , & in himfelf, that will abide the trial of God's judgment; for if He fhould enter into judgment , wits any that lived' , they thould not be able to f and before His judgment feat, & be juftified; but all, who aie iuftified, are in themfclves ungodly, & void of all Righteoufnefs, that can ground a fentence of abfolution from the Condemnation of the Law: So it is the Righteoufnefs of Chria as Mediator & Cautioner , which is to them the only ground of their abfo- lution & juflification; & this Surety-Righteoufnefs of Chrift is imputed to them by God, & they are clothed therewith; & being confidered as clo- thed there with , are pronounced Righteous by the Lord , the righteous judge, & dealt with as fuch. So that all the Righteoufnefs, which is the ground of their abfolution from the Condemnation of the Law , is with- out them, in another, who was appointed their Cautioner : & therefore all appearance of any ground of boafling in themfelves, is quite taken a- way by the Law of faith Re :. 3: 27. & the reward is now wholly of grace, & not of debt Rpm. 4: 4. V I I . Though faith , &, faith only be required of us, in order to our ha- ving Intereft iniChrift &His Righteoufnefs , & to juftification therethrough; Yet this leaveth no ground of boalting unto man, or of glorying in him- felf; for it is in it felt a plaine folemne Declaration of the Beleevers Sen- fe Convic' ion, & Acknowledgment of his own Beggarlinefs. Poverty & Nakednefs , & of his being a dyvoure & non- foivendo, having no Righ. teoufnefs of his own , & renounceing all that is in him , in order to his own juflification ; & , as it were, a fwearing ofhimfelt bare ; & a laying hold upon a Righteoufnefs without him , even the Righteonfnes of Chrift, who is the End of the Lam far righteoufnefr to every one that beleevethlpotn. Io; 3, 4. & refling upon it ; & a producing of it, as the ground ofhis Abfolu- tion , in face of court, to his own fharne , & to the glory of his Cautio- ner. So far is it from being the mans Righteoufnefs, that it is a plaine & open declaration , that he hath no Righteoufnefs, but mull go to Chrift for a Righteoufnefs. And fo far is the beleever from reflecting on it, as his Righteoufnefs, & from darring to prefect it to God, as his Righte- oufnefs, & plead for abfolution upon the ground thereof, as if it were perfeét, & a full Righteoufnefs, according to the Gofpel; that he only thereby faith, in the Lord have IRighteoufnefs; &he looks upon it, as moft weak & imperfect; &, being encouraged by the free promife of God, he faith hold on Chrift , with the trembling & weak hand of faith, which he hath ; & oftentimes, fo far is he from having any confidence in his faith, that with much doubting &hefitation, he, as almoft defpairing of being the better thereby, feeing no other outgate, or remedie, ven- tured], with a peradventure, he may be faved fo , & äthat how ever he can but perifh. How far, fuch a foul, that is tieing to Chrift for refuge is from conceiveing any ground of boatting in himfelf, is fufficiently plaine, & the fenfe & experience ofall, fo exercifed, can declare. VIII. Even this Ael of the foul, looking out, going to , gripping & laying hold upon Jefus Chrift & His Righteoufnefs , held forth & ei e=Ld in
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