pray you Sir let me know who these Professors be and what they doe that so I may know whether I be one of them or no. Min. Why one sort of them of whom I thinke meet to speake first are such as may be truly called Antinomisticall Professors who confound the righteousnesse of Sanctification with the righteousnesse of Justification in making them to be both one for they will have that righteousnesse which is inherent in Christ to be the righteousnesse both of their Justification and of their Sanctification they will have all righteousnesse to be inherent in Christ and no righteousnesse to be inherent in themselves they will have God to impute all righteousnesse unto them but not infuse any righteousnesse into them they will apply a perfect righteousnesse unto themselves by faith when as they have neither faith nor righteousnesse they will have Christ without his Spirit and so indeed have neither Christ nor his Spirit you shall heare these men and women in their conference with others about these points will be ever uttering these or the like speeches As for me truly I have nothing in me that is good but am wholly sinfull neither doe I looke for any thing else to be in me but sinne and yet I doe verily beleeve that I am perfectly righteous in the sight of God through Christ or in Christ being cloathed with a garment of Salvation and covered with a robe of Righteousnesse so that I am all faire and cleane and there is no spot in me These men and women because they are not to looke for any good in themselves as a ground or cause of their faith they will not looke for any good in themselves as an evidence of faith because they are not to looke for inherent righteousnesse before they have by faith apprehended the imputed righteousnesse therefore they will not looke for any inherent righteousnesse at all because they must not looke for inherent righteousnesse to move them to beleeve therefore they will not looke for it to assure them that they have beleeved Sim. Surely Sir these men and women are much mistaken but what doe you thinke is the reason of it Min. Why truly I have thought upon three Reasons of it as first because that they have either by meanes of hearing reading or conference been instructed in the law of faith onely without instruction in the law of workes going before or the Doctrine of the Law of Christs following after or else in the Doctrine of the law of workes and the law of faith without the Doctrine of the Law of Christ My meaning is they have been instructed that they of themselves are altogether unable either to doe or suffer that which the law as it is the covenant of workes requireth and that they are therefore in a damnable condition and that yet notwithstanding if they truly beleeve and so apprehend the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ they shall have life and salvation but they have not been instructed that if they doe truly beleeve then they doe hereupon become subject and obedient to the minde and will of Christ revealed in his Word they have been instructed that he is Jesus a Saviour but they have not been instructed that to whomsoever he is Jesus a Saviour he is also to them Christ a Lord. The second Reason is because they take faith to be nothing else but a meere notion of Christ and his Righteousnesse swimming in their braine or at the best but a meere apprehension thereof in their minds which is but a faith of their own forging so they think they have a strong faith when as indeed they have not the least measure or degree of a true weake faith they thinke they have Christ in their hearts when as indeed he is but in their heads they thinke they have him in their wills and affections when as indeed they have him but onely in their understandings And a third Reason is because they mistake the meaning of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. where he saith that Christ is made unto us of God both righteousnesse and sanctification for whereas they doe thence conclude that Christs inherent righteousnesse is not onely that righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified but also that righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified and that in a Beleever there is no inherent righteousnesse nor sanctification as I have heard some have affirmed the meaning of the Apostle is not so but his meaning is that God hath not onely ordained that Beleevers should be justified by having the righteousnesse which is inherent in Christ imputed unto them but that Christ also should by his Spirit infuse righteousnesse into them and so sanctifie them he having not only by the merit of his Death procured the one but also by the vertue of his Death procured the other and so indeed is made unto them both righteousnesse and sanctification and thus have I shewed you the first sort of those Professors who confound his two-fold righteousnesse and how they doe it Sim. Well Sir I thanke God I am none of this sort and therefore I pray you shew me also who are the second sort and how they doe it Min. Why the second sort are such as are truly called formall or legall Professors who confound the righteousnesse of justification with the righteousnesse of sanctification making them to be both one for they will have that righteousnesse which is inherent in man himselfe or rather those righteous actions which are performed and done by himselfe to be not only that righteousnesse wherby he is sanctified but also that righteousnesse whereby he is justified and hence it is that such men doe labour and endeavour to reforme their lives and their waies and to performe good duties both towards God and man and also to the end they may have a ground to build their faith upon and so farre forth as they can see a righteous disposition in themselves and righteous and religious actions performed by themselves why so farre forth they will beleeve that they are justified in the sight of God and no further Sim. And I pray you Sir shew me also the ground and reason of this their mistake Min. Why truly I have also thought upon three Reasons of this whereof the first is because they either by meanes of hearring reading or conference have been instructed in such a manner in the Law of the ten Commandments as if a man in the time of this life were able to keepe and doe them perfectly and so might be justified in the sight of God by his owne obedience to them and they have not been condemned and killed by the Law in having it made knowne unto them in the purity and perfection of it The second Reason is because they have had little or no instructions in the Doctrine of the Law of faith or Covenant of promise especially betwixt that covenant and the covenant of workes or betwixt the righteousnesse of Justification and the righteousnesse of
did so it is cleare that you doe put confidence in your owne performances Againe I pray you answer me another question truly and that is Did you ever see so many imperfections and so much rottennesse and corruption as touching the manner and end of performing duties that you have even loathed your selfe and have been wearied and tired in your owne endeavours by reason of the same Sim. No truly Sir I cannot say I have for I have alwaies had great delight in the performance of religious exercises Sim. Then I doe assure you this is another signe that you have rested and put confidence in your owne performances for till a man see and take notice of his wandring and worldly thoughts and of his drowsinesse and heavinesse if not sleepinesse in Prayer and hearing the Word and such like exercises and till he see and take notice of his selfe ends in doing good actions he will rest and put confidence in them and be thereby kept from Christ and beleeve it neighbour Simon before that a man doe take up his rest in Christ the Lord doth discover unto him so much imperfections in his owne performances that he cryes out within himselfe I see now what a vile undone wretch I am I can doe nothing well all that I am is vile and all that I doe is vile I see now that I am indeed poore and blinde and naked and hereupon he is quite tired out and sits down wearie not seeing any hopes of healing the breach betweene God and himselfe and this saith a godly Writer I take to be the meaning of Mat. 11. 28. Yea that labour Mr. Shepheards sound Beleever p. 134. you that are weary in your owne way in seeking rest to your soules by your owne hard labour or workes as the word signifies and are tired out therein and so are now laden indeed with sinne and the heavie pressure of that finding no ease by all that you doe Come to me saith Christ you shall then finde rest unto your soules Againe I pray you let me aske you one question more and that is this Have you not prized the bare performances of duties wonderfully that is Have you not thought when you have prayed so many times in a day and heard so many Sermons in a weeke and turned to all the places of Scripture that the Minister hath coted and folded downe the leafe in your Bible or else writ their Sermons after them and made some repetition thereof to others and the like I say have you not in so doing rested satisfied without looking for a returne of your Prayers or what good you have gained to your owne soule by your hearing and so whether you have met with God in Christ in all these waies and meanes I pray you answer me truly from your heart Sim. Beleeve me Sir I must confesse I have done so Min. Then I beseech you take this as another evident signe of your resting and putting confidence in your owne performances for if a man doe not put confidence therein then he makes use of such performances but onely as a Bridge or Ferry-boat to carry or waft him over to God in Christ and resteth not contented till hee bee brought thither other signes I might lay downe touching this matter but I hope these will be sufficient for you to try your selfe by if the Lord be pleased to make them effectuall to you Sim. Well Sir and suppose that I should thereby finde that I have been guilty of resting and relying upon mine owne duties and performances and should come before you and the Elders and acknowledge the same would you thereupon conclude me to be but a formall legall Professor without true faith in Christ and therefore not fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Min. Neighbour Simon to the intent you may more clearely see and perceive what we doe when we meet together and also declare it unto others if you see occasion I pray you understand and take notice that if we upon examination finde a man to be wholly ignorant and wholly sinfull as you know I found our neighbour Alexander to be then we doe absolutely conclude that he hath no true faith in Christ and therefore we shut the Gate against him and keepe him from the Sacrament under the notion of an ignorant prophane man and suffer him not to come there whilst he remaines in that condition Yea and though we know a man that he lives honestly and peaceably amongst his neighbours and deales uprightly and justly with all men giving every man his due and for ought we know or can heare is free from all grosse and scandalous sins yet if upon examination we finde him to be grosly ignorant then doe we likewise conclude that he hath no true faith in Christ and so shut the Gate against him also and keepe him from the Sacrament under the notion or a meere civill honest man and suffer him not to come there whilst he remaines in that condition But if upon examination we finde a man to have a competent measure of knowledge especially if it be experimentall of himselfe and neither know nor can upon enquiry heare any thing to the contrary but that he leads both a civill and religious honest course of life though he be accused to be but a formall legall Professor yea and though we upon examination doe finde him not to be so cleare and distinct in his knowledge touching the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospell or Covenant of workes and Covenant of Grace as we could wish he were yea and though for want of so cleare a light betwixt Justification and Sanctification as some have he seemes to confound the righteousnesse of justification with the righteousnesse of sanctification yet if he be an humble man shew it by confessing his ignorance and his willingnesse to be better instructed herein then we judge in charity that he hath true faith in Christ and so open the gate of the Sacrament and let him in but if upon examination we finde a man ignorant in these points and yet because of his great measure of knowledge in others though not so necessary points to be knowne he be puffed up and by reason of his righteous course of life be kept back from seeing his need of Christ as it seemes to me you are then are we jealous over 2 Cor. ii 2 him with godly jealousie as the Apostle was over the Corinthians but yet we dare not absolutely conclude that he hath no true faith in Christ and therefore we pray him as I doe now pray you before you come to the Sacrament to command with your owne heart upon your bed as David exhorts Psal 4. 4. and to examine himselfe as you know the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 11. 28. and if he come unto us againe and acknowledge that upon serious examination of himselfe he hath found that that with zealous Paul before his conversion he
and the rest to be admitted Min. Why truly neighbor Simon the best counsell that I can give you is to labour to become truly poore in spirit that is to say labour to see in your selfe a want of all good as of your selfe that so you may see your need or Jesus Christ and to this end I pray you consider that Shepherds â—ound beleever p. 145. as a godly writer saith Not onely some sinne but some good that a man thinkes he hath and resteth in without Christ may as easily prove his ruine because a mans owne righteousnesse rested in doth not onely hide mens sinnes but strengthens them in some sinne by which men perish Trusting in a mans own righteousnes and committing iniquity being couples Ezek. 33. 13. and therfore though you have forsaken all other sinnes yet if you doe still with the Scribes and Pharisees and with zealous Paul before his conversion retaine this sin you undoe your selfe Cast away therefore from you all your transgressions and confidence in your owne righteousnesse amongst the rest and with Paul after his conversion reckon it all but losse for Christ yea and Phil. 3. 8 9 judge it to be dung that you may win Christ and be found in him not having your owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith for God as a Creator Sincere Convert p. 108. saith that godly writer in another place having made a Law will not forgive one sin without the Blood of Christ Nay saith hee further Christs Blood will not do it neither if thou dost joyne never so little that thou hast or dost unto Jesus Christ and makest thy selfe or any of thy duties co-partners in that great work of saving thee Cry out therefore as that blessed Martyr did None but Christ None but Christ yea and as Richel cryed out Give me children or Gen. 30. 1. else Idie even so do you cry out Give me Christ or else I die For as hee that hath the Sonne hath life so he that hath not the Sonne hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 12. But for as much as you of your selfe have no power to do this I beseech you be earnest with God in prayer to make you see and feele your owne sinfulnesse and helplesnesse and so your great need of Jesus Christ who is that mighty one upon whom the Lord hath laid Act. 4. 12. help Psal 89. 19. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby wee must be saved wherefore saith the holy Ghost He Heb. 9. 25. is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them so that you may assure your selfe there is no need of any of your own righteousnesse or performances in the case of Justification or Salvation and therefore I pray you come empty handed to Christ who doth not require you to bring any thing at all to him to enrich him but would have you come poore and then will he inrich you and so shall you be fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and then if you come in to us when we meet together and make it appeare to us that your heart is so qualified we shall willingly set open the gate to you and let you in and so beseeching the LORD to worke this in you by the power of his owne Spirit I will for this time take my leave of you commiting you to God and to the word of his grace Sim. Sir I could willingly have tarried longer with you but it may be your occasions doe now call you away from mee and therefore I will at this time take my leave of you giving you many thanks for the great pains you have taken with me and I beseech you Sir pray for mee and before long God willing I will make bold to come to you againe for truly I am perswaded I shall never be well till I have further conference with you but no more at this time FINIS
you call Elders should have any hand in such a businesse especially such ignorant men as some of them are to my knowledge Min. Assure your selfe it is both lawfull and needfull that there should be Elders to joyne with the Minister both in admitting those to the Sacrament that upon examination are conceived to be fit and in keeping those back who upon examination are conceived to bee unfit because Christ hath not given this power to the Minister alone for when he saith Matthew 18. 17. Tell the Church hee doth not meane the Minister only neither yet the whole Church but the Rulers in the Church to wit the Minister and Elders and so the Apostle mentioning the excommunication of the incestuous person 2 Cor. 2. 6. saith That his punishment was inflicted by many not by the Minister onely for then he would have said by one nor yet by the whole Church for then he would have said by all but by many that is to say of the Presbytery which consisted of many Officers And indeed I do conceive it is very needfull that the Elders should be joyned with the Minister in this worke both for the assisting and helping of him therein and for the preventing of occasions of suspicion of his usurping more power to himselfe then Christ hath given unto him or going beyond the bounds which Christ hath set him Sim. But Sir there is a Neighbour of mine who is the Independant way as it is called who hath to tell you truly perswaded with me to come into their way and in our Conference together I remember amongst the rest he told me that by the word Church is not to be understood the Ministers and Elders only but also every member of the Church and that it is therefore meet that every member of the Church should joyne with the Ministers and Elders both in admitting those to the Sacrament that upon examination shall be conceived to be fit and in keeping those backe who upon examination are conceived to be unfit Min. I know who that Neighbour is of whom you speake and I hope he is a man truly fearing God but yet I must tell you that I am confident that therein he erreth from the truth for it is evident by Scripture that in the Church of Christ there are to be some Governours and Rulers whom others in the Church must honour be obedient unto and submit themselves as in 1 Cor. 12. 28. the Apostle saith God hath set some in the Church to be helpers in Government And in Rom. 12. 8. there is mention made of Rulers in the Church He that ruleth saith the text let him doe it with diligence And in 1 Tim. 5. 17. the Apostle saith expresly Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine and in Heb. 13. 17. it is said Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves unto them because they watch for your soules as they that must give an account And most plainely it is said Heb. 13. 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you and all the Saints Where you see that Rulers and Saints are made contra distinct one to another and thus you see it is evident by all these Scriptures that in the Church of Christ there are to be some Governours and Rulers and some to be ruled and governed but if all the members of the Church should have an equall authority in the Churches affaires then should they be all Officers and Rulers and then who should be ruled If all were Governours then where were the governed Sim. Well Sir I must confesse that you have hereby given me more satisfaction in this point then ever any man yet did and truly if I did make any question of my fitnesse to come to the Sacrament I could be contented either to be examined by you privately or else come before you and the Elders more publiquely but that I thanke God I doe not and therefore I cannot bring my heart to subject unto any such thing Min. Neighbour Simon let me tell you plainly and truly it is possible that a man may have a very great measure of knowledge and leade a very righteous course of life according to the Law and yet have no true faith in Christ and so be unfit to come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for the Apostle Paul when he was a Pharisee and before he had any true faith in Christ at all was endued with a great measure of knowledge and legall righteousnesse being as himselfe confesseth Act. 22. 3. brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the Fathers and as touching the righteousnesse which is in the law he was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. Sim. But Sir though the Apostle Paul when he was a Pharisee had a great measure of knowledge yet had he no knowledge of Christ as thankes be to God we Christians have in these dayes and therefore it is no marvell though he had no faith in him Min. I tell you neighbour Simon that in these dayes of Gospell light a man may have a great measure of knowledge concerning Christs Person Christs Offices Christs Death and Resurrection yet all may be but meer notions floting in the braine and so indeed have no more true faith in Christ then Paul had when he was a Pharisee the Apostle Peter speakes of some in his time that had escaped the pollutions of the world and that through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and yet afterwards were intangled and overcome 2 Pet. 2. 20. Sim. But Sir I should thinke it were impossible for a man that is able to answer you any question touching any fundamentall point of Religion and that leades an honest and religious course of life to want true faith in Christ for me thinkes it should be as evident that such a man hath true faith as it is evident that a sinfull and ungodly man hath it not Min. No it is not so evident for though it be true that whatsoever doth not glister is not gold yet it is not so true that whatsoever doth glister is gold even so may we say That although it be evident that every person that is grosly ignorant and is a grosse sinner hath not true faith in Christ yet it is not so evident that every man that hath knowledge and leades an honest and righteous course of life according to the Law hath true faith in Christ I tell you truly a man may have a name that he liveth and yet be dead as it is said concerning the Church of Sardis Rev. 3. 1. yea and a man may with the Church of Laodicea think himselfe rich and increased with goods and to have need of nothing and yet be wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Rev. 3. 17. and therefore I would intreat you to consider well of it Sim.
whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Sim. Sir this Act of God in thus making a man righteous I doe not well understand and therefore I pray you tell me what is meant by Gods imputing the Righteousnesse of Christ unto a man or not imputing his sins unto him Min. Why the meaning is nothing else but this to wit that God graciously accepteth for a man and in his behalfe the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ both active that is his obedience which in the dayes of his flesh he performed for man and passive that is his sufferings which he sustained for man as if he had in his owne person both done and suffered the same for himselfe Sim. But Sir if the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ be imputed to a man for his Justification and a man be justified thereby why then is it said in Scripture That Faith is imputed to a man for his righteousnesse and that a man is justified thereby Min. It is because faith is the instrument and as it were the hand whereby Christ and his Righteousnesse is received so that wheresoever it is said in Scripture that Faith is imputed to a man for his righteousnesse or that a man is justified by faith we are to understand it relatively that is as it hath relation to Christ and his Righteousnesse which it receiveth and applyeth for indeed Faith considered in it selfe cannot be said to be imputed neither as it is a habit nor as it is an act because that which is within a man cannot be said to be imputed Piscator on Justification to a man but that which is without a man but faith is within a man for With the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10. 10. and therefore faith cannot be properly said to be imputed to a man however this may serve for a briefe and full answer to Mr. Shepheard in his sound Beleever pag. 228. your question that to be justified by faith and to be justified by Christs Righteousnesse is all one in Scripture phrase and meaning Gal. 2. 16 17. Sim. But Sir if faith doe receive and apply the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ then it should seeme that Gods imputation is not sufficient for mans Justification without faiths application Min. No indeed for without mans application Gods imputation is not at all Sim. Why then Sir it should seeme that a man doth helpe to justifie himselfe Min. O no not so for mans application is also Vrsinus Catechis from God for God first imputeth unto a man Christs satisfaction and then he ingendreth faith in him whereby he applyes that which is imputed unto him and then is a man perfectly just or righteous indeed Sim. Well Sir you have sufficiently declared wherein that first Act of God consisteth in making a man just and righteous I pray you also shew wherein the second Act of God consisteth in pronouncing him just and righteous Min. This Act of God is nothing else but a judiciall acquiting whereby the Lord as a Judge pronounceth just and innocent him that is accused and brought to the Judgement Seat and this is done when that Satan accuseth and the Law condemneth a Beleever unto whom the Lord doth not impute sinne but doth absolve and free him both from the fault and punishment and this is that which the Apostle meaneth when he faith Rom. 8. 33. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth where you see that Justification is manifestly opposed to condemnation Sim. Well Sir I doe now plainely perceive that a man is neither made just by nor pronounced just for his owne inherent righteousnesse but onely by and for Christs righteousnesse imputed but Sir Doth not the Lord wheresoever he imputes righteousnesse to a man whereby he is justified infuse righteousnesse also into him whereby he is sanctified Min. Yea indeed for Christ by his obedience hath not onely obtained imputation of righteousnesse for his elect whereby they are justified but also that by his Spirit together with faith there should be righteousnesse infused into them whereby they are sanctified and therefore I doe affirme that sanctification is a necessary and unseparable consequent of Justification so that although inherent righteousnesse be no part of that righteousnesse wherewith a man is formally justified yet that righteousnesse wherewith a man is formally justified is not imputed and applyed to any man that is growne in yeares of discretion without the gift of inherent righteousnesse whereby he is renewed Eph. 4. 24. Colos 3. 9. in the spirit of his minde and restored to the Image of God which consisteth in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse Sim. Then Sir it seemes that the righteousnesse whereby a man is justified and the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified are not both one Min. Yea they are both one in regard of matter and substance but yet there are divers other differences betwixt them Sim. I pray you Sir for my better information shew we what those differences are Min. Why first of all the righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified is in Scripture called Gods righteousnesse as you may see Rom. 1. 17. Rom. 3. 21. not because it is the righteousnesse of the God-head but because it is the righteousnesse of that Person who is God but the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is called man 's owne righteousnesse as you may see Rom. 12. 3. Phil. 3. 9. Secondly the righteousnesse whereby a man is justified is called the righteousnesse which is of faith but the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is called the righteousnesse which is of the Law as you may see Rom. 10. 5 6. Thirdly the righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified is inherent in Christ and imputed unto him but the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is inherent in himselfe being infused into him by the Spirit of Christ Fourthly the righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified is a most perfect righteousnesse and cannot be increased nor admit of any degrees for the God-head of Christ afforded such dignity vertue efficacy and merit to the obedience and sufferings of his Man-hood as that they were an all-sufficient price ransome and satisfaction to the Justice of God but the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is imperfect and there are degrees of it according to the measure of grace received Lastly to name no more the righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified is alwaies imputed unto him and apprehended by faith before the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is infused into him by the Spirit Sim. Truly Sir I must acknowledge that I did never before this time observe these differences betweene this two-fold righteousnesse Min. Surely neighbour Simon if I mistake not there are two sorts of Professors who for want of the true understanding of this difference doe confound this two-fold righteousnesse making them to be both one Sim. I
lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world not for faith and justification but from faith and justification then may he be assured that inherent righteousnesse wrought by the Spirit of Christ hath followed as a consequent and so consequently that he hath both the righteousnesse of justification and the righteousnesse of sanctification bearing witnesse either to other in their due place according to Gods owne order and as his owne distinct actions And now neighbour Simon I beseech you try your selfe by these things and know that if it hath been in any measure thus with you then you may be assured that you have truly beleeved on the name of Jesus Christ and are justified freely by his grace and sanctified by his Spirit and so are no formall or legall Professor but if it hath been in no measure thus with you but that you have laboured and endeavoured to live a godly and righteous course of life that so you might have a ground to build your faith upon that is upon your owne righteousnesse and performances if you have been ignorant of Gods righteousnesse as the Apostle Rom. 10. 3. saith the Jewes were and have gone about to stablish your owne righteousnesse as they did then you may be assured that you have not truly beleeved on the name of Jesus Christ neither are you justified nor sanctified but are in plaine tearmes a meere legall Professor Sim. Sir I must confesse that I have not heretofore been acquainted with these things and therefore I cannot truly say that I have done thus or that it hath been so with me but yet I cannot be perswaded that I have gone about to stablish mine owne righteousnesse for I know right well that when we have done all that we can we are but unprofitable servants and that a man is to be justified by the mercies of God and the merits of Christ and not by his owne workes and merits as the Papists hold Min. I but neighbour Simon I must tell you that it is one thing to say thus in words and to hold thus in judgement and another thing to doe it in effect and practice I meane in heart and conscience it is not enough for a man to thinke and be of opinion that he cannot be justified by his owne righteousnesse and performances for that is onely a worke of the judgement rightly informed and not a worke of the heart rightly reformed wherefore I doe admonish you to take heed that whilst you are a Protestant in opinion and profession you be not a Papist in effect and practice I meane in the inward disposition of your heart as I feare me too many both men and women in this City are for if I be not mistaken their very speeches and behaviour doe testifie that because they know and doe more then they do conceive others know and doe or because they are members of such a mans Congregation and so in a Church way as they call it therefore they trust in themselves that they are righteous as our Saviour said the Pharisees did Luke 18. 9. and yet if a man should say unto them as our Saviour did to the Pharisees Luke 16. 15. Ye are they which justifie your selves they would utterly deny it as you doe but to tell you plainly neighbour Simon your speeches and behaviour when you were with me the other day made me to feare that you were but a kind of a Pharisaicall Professor furely in your crowing over and undervaluing your honest neighbour Zacheus in comparison of your selfe you did too nearely resemble the proud Pharisee crowing over and undervaluing the humble Publican Luke 18. and in judging of him to be unfit and unworthy to come to the Lords Table you did too nearely resemble Simon the Pharisee mentioned Luke the 7. who when he saw that sinfull yet penitent and beleeving woman washing our Saviours feet with her teares and wiping them with the haires of her head he spake within himselfe saying This man if he were a Prophet would have knowne who and what manner of woman this is that hath touched him for she is a sinner and therefore I pray you consider of it Sim. But Sir this is somewhat strange that a man should put confidence in his owne righteousnesse and thinke he is thereby justified and yet not know it I would you could give me some signes of a mans doing so that so I may know whether I doe so or no. Min. Why truly I can give you no more evidenter a signe of it then that which I have already given you and that is in plaine termes a proud spirit for those men and women that doe truly beleeve that they are justified Rom. 3. 24 freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ they are the humblest people and the most free from spirituall pride of any people in the world and therefore the Apostle having fully proved free justification in respect of a mans selfe Rom. 3. 21 22 23 24 25 26. he breakes out in the next verse into this patheticall expression saying Where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of workes nay but by the law of faith I tell you neighbour Simon if a true Beleevers heart doe begin to swell because of his excelling others in gifts and parts he doth ere long give it a vent by saying to it in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it But yet to the intent you may be the more fully convinced that you have put confidence in your owne righteousnesse I pray you answer me this question Did you ever finde it a hard matter to deny your owne righteousnesse to become truly poore in spirit to be broken off from confidence in your owne performances and to passe through them all to Jesus Christ I beseech you answer me truly from your heart Sim. Why truly Sir I must confesse I never thought my selfe guilty of any such thing Min. Why then beleeve it you are guilty of it for it is naturall for every man and woman when they leave off plodding towards Hell in the dirty path of sinne yet to goe on thitherward in the cleaner path of duty rested in when Satan cannot keepe a man from Christ by sinne then he labours to keep him from him by selfe if he cannot keep a man with his sinnes from flesh-pots in Aegypt then he labours to keep him from Canaan by losing himselfe and his soule in the wildernesse of his owne performances rested in assure your selfe that there is in all men naturally this frame of spirit never to come to Christ whilst they have any hopes that their owne performances will heale them therefore here they rest untill they see it bewaile it and pray against it and therefore if you never