2c! The Gofpel-112yflery Diret. V$; on, when they fay, they hope God will fave them,' becaufe they have a good meaning, though they live in the neglect of all religion) without any further practice ofholinefs, (hall pats with many for enough of fincere Obedience, both to enter them into a Rate of falvation, and to continue them in it fo that they ,hall never be accounted breakers of the gofpel -co- venant, while fo much can be pretended. The molt that is made necefrary for falvation, (hall be only, to endeavour to do what we can to obey Chrift's com- mands : though all that the molt can do, is nothing that is truly good: Thofe that have a little more zeal for their falvation by works, are prone to fpend it in fuperttitious obfervances, becaufe they fuit better with theircarnal nature, than the fpiritual commands of God and Chrift. I doubt not but this bath been one occafion of the prevailing of Heathenifh, Jewilh and Popifh fuperftitions in the world. We find, by experience, how Popery fell in feveral nations of late years, when the great pillar of it, the doErineof juf- tification by works, was overthrown by the Protef tant doarine of juftification by faith alone. If thefe legal zealots be forced, by ftrong conviction to en- deavour the practice of fpiritual duties for the quiet- ing of their guilty confciences, they may be brought to ftrive and labour earneftly and even to macerate their bodies with fatting, that they may kill their lufts ; but ftill their lufts are alive, and as ftrong as ever they were ; and do (hew forth their enmity a- gainit the law of God, by inward fretting, repining and grudging at it, as a grievous talk-matter, though a flavifh fear retrain their grofs outward actings. And, if once thefe zealots be enlightened with the knowledge of the fpiritual nature of the law, to di- fcern that God rejecteth all their {lavith fervice, and will not own it for fincereobedience; then they fall into defpair of their falvation, becaufe they fee they have failed in their higheft attempts to perform the condition ; and then they can eafily difcover them!
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