V&. 3 5, 3 6. xxvth Chitpter of St. M A r T t 1 w. 179 3. They are Signs and Tokens of their being approved, and accepted with God, ac- cording to the Gofpel- Covenant. Chrift, as God's Steward; cometh to diftribute the appointed Reward to the Heirs of Glory : This is the Evidence hè is to proceed by. When the .deftroying Angel was fènt to deftroy the Firft-born of the Egyp- tians, lie was to take notice of the Sign Of Sprinkling of Blood on the Door- Pofts, Exod. 12. Not that that Blood deferved ; but it fignified, that there dwelt If- raelites. 4. They are Meafures ; according to the Degrees of Graces and our abounding in the Work of the Lord : 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that foweth fparingly, fhall reap fpariagly ; and he that foweth bountifully, (hall reap elfo bountifully. The Reward is more full òr fparing, according tö what we have done or fuffered for God. ) S E. To fet us right in the Doctrine of Grate and Worki, wé häáe to do with three Parties ; I. The Pharifeical Leialt#, 2. The Carnal - Gofpeller ; and, 3. The Broken- hearted and ferrous Chrigian. (t.) The Legalifl; that trufts in himfelf that he is Righteous, and hopeth to be accepted with God for his Works fake. Trufting in Works is very natural, acid very dangerous : 'Tis very Natural, becaufe of the Law written upon our Hearts; We all come into the World with a fenfe of a Duty- Covenant ; and, becaufe every one would be fufficient to his own Happinefs, an unhumbled Soul is apt to give more to Duty, and, Perfonal Righteoufnefs, than to Chrift, Rom. lo. 3. For, they being ignorant of God's Righteoufnefs, and going about to eflablifb their own Righ- teoufnefs, have notfubmitted themfelves unto the Righteoufnefs of God ; ;w ú ,dynnev. A ruffet, ragged Coat 'of his own, pleafeth a Proud Man better than a filken Coat that is borrowed. 'Tis dangerous ; for 'tis contrary to all the Declarations of God, -Eph. z. 9.- By Grace ye are faved ; not of Works, left any manfhould boefl. The whole Progrefs of Salvation, from its firft Step in Regeneration, till its final and !aft Pe- riod in Glorification, doth intirely flow from Gods Grace, and not from our Works. The fecuring the Intereft of free Grace in our Salvation, is a thing the Spirit of God is very careful of in the Scriptures, the Glory of Grace being that which God mainly aimeth at, Eph. a. 6. and a thing which we do naturally incline to intrench upon, and to rob him of, in whole, or in part : Ir croffeth the great End which God aimed at in contriving of Man's Salvation ; which was, that all ground of glorying fhould be taken away from Man, as being in the meaneft or leaft refpe& a Saviour to himfelf; and that all the Glory might be afcribed compleatly to God in Chrift : t Cor- t. 29, 30, 31. Chrift fpake a Parable againft thofe that trufted in themfelves that they were righteous; Luk. 18. 9. Two men went up into the Temple to pray, the one a Pharifee, the other a Publican : The one cometh Appealing to Juftice ; The Pharifee flood, and prayed thus with hinifelf; God, I thank thee that I am not aà other men are,' Extortioners, Vnjufl, &c: I fall twice in the Week, I give Tythes of all that I pof'efs. The other cometh crying out, Grace: The Publican /landing a far off, would nob lift up fo much as his eyes unto Heaven, but fmote upon his Breafl, laying, God be merciful to one a Sinner: The Sinner is juftified, not the Worker. In fhort, to prevent all Miftakes, Firft, Our Works, whatever they are, .either Works of Love to God or Man, and the good ufe of External Means, or Common -Grace, are not the moving Cagle, or Inducement to incline God to give us Chrift, or the Grace of Faith, or Work of Converfion before others ; but this is the meet work of Grace, or the Mercy and good Pleafure of God : Tit. 3. 5, 6. Not by works of Righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his Mercy he laved us, by the wafhing of Regeneration, and renew- ing of the Holy Ghofl; Which he (bed on us abundantly, through ,7efus Chrift our Sa-' viour. Secondly, Works, both before and after Converfion, are not that Righteoufnefs, nor any part of that Rtghteoufnefi by which Sin is expiated, or the Wrath of God ap- peared ; or whereby we are reconciled to God, and do originally obtain a Right to Eternal Life: This is only afcribed to the Merit of Chrift, Rom. 3. 24, 25. Being ¡aft/fled freely by .his Grace, through ,the Redemption that is in 7efus Chrift, whom God bath fa forth to be a Propitiation, through fan* in his Blood, to declare his Righteouf- nefs for the Rem on of Sins that are pa/l through the forbearance of God. The Merit A a 2 is
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