each PERSON diflinc`fly. 34' who lives upon conviEtions, Math got fume enlargements in duties, force conqueft over a fin or temptation, he hugs himfelf like Micha, when hé had got a Levite to be his prieft ; now furely it fhall be well with him, now God will biefs him, his heart is now at eafe he bath peace in what he bath done. But he who has communion with Chrift, when he is higheft in duties of fanc&ification and holinefs, is cleareft i ì the appreheufìon of his own unprofitablenefs, and rejects every thought that might arife in his heart, of fete.ing his peace in them, or upon them. He Lays to his foul, Do thefe things feem fomething to thee ? Alas ! thou haft to do with an infinitely righteous God, who looks through and through all that vanity, which thou art but little acquainted withal;. and fhould he deal with thee, according to thy bell works, thou mull perifh. 3.) They approve of, value and rejoice in this righteoufnefs, for their acceptation, which the Lord Jefus hail wrought out, and provided for them ; this being difcovered to them, they approve of it with all their hearts, and refs in it, Ifa. xtv. 24. Surely (ball one fay, In the Lord have I righteoufnefs and /lrength. This is their voice and language, when once the righteoufnefs of God in Chrift, is madeknown to them ; Here is righte- oufnefs indeed ; here have I reft for my foul. Like the merchant man in the Gofpel, Matt. xiii. 45, 46. that finds the pearl of price, I had been {earthing up and down, I looked this and that way for help, but it was far away, I fpent ny /lregth for that which was net bred; here is that indeed, which makes me rich for ever. When firfi the righteoufnefs of Chrill, for acceptation with God, is revealed to a poor labouring foul, that hash fought for refs and bath found none, he is furprized and amazed, and is not able to contain himfelf. And íuchh an one always in his heart approves this righ- teoufnefs on a fivefold account. (i. As full of infinite wifdom ; Unto them that believe, faith the tpo- ftle, Chri /l crucified, is the vaifilom of God, t Cor. i. 24: They fee infinite wifdom in this way of their acceptation-with God. In what darknefs, fags fuch an one, in what ftraights, in what entanglements, was my poor foul How little able was I to look through the clouds and perplexities where with I was encompalled ? I looked inwards, and there was nothing, but fin, horror, fear, tremblings I looked upwards, and flaw nothing but wrath, caries, and vengeance I knew that God was an holy and righteous God, and that no unclean thing fltould abide before him ; I knew that I was a pour, vile, unclean, and finful creature, and how to bring thefe two toge- ther in peace, I knew not, but in the righteoufnefs of Chrift, doth a world of wifdom open itfelf, difpelling all difficulties and darknefs, and manifeft- ing a reconciliation of all this. O the depth of the riches of the wifdom and knowledge ofGod, Rom. xi. 33. and Col. ii. 3. But of this before. (z. As full of grace ; he knows that fin had flrut up the whole way of grace towards him, and whereas God aims at nothing fo much as the ma- nifeftation of his grace, he wasutterly cut fhort of it. Now to have a corn- pleat righteoufnefs provided, and yet abundance of grace manifefted, ex- ceedingly delights the foul, to have God's dealing with his perfon, all grace, and dealing withhis righteoufnefs, all juftice, takes up his thoughts. God every where aillures us, that this righteoufnefs is of grace. It is by grace, and no snore of works, Rom. xi. 6. as the apoftle at large fets it out, Ephef. 7, 8, 9. It is from riches of grace and kindnefs, that the provifion of this righteoufnefs is made, it is of mere grace that it is bellowed on us, it is not at all of works. Though it he in its felf, a righteoufnefs of works, yet to us, it is of mere grace; fo, Tit. iii. 4, 5, 6, 7. But after that the rrr kindnefs
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