A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

Fifthly, No Hypocrite can live wholly and only upon the ⟨p. 296⟩[…] ⟨p. 297⟩[…] ⟨p. 298⟩righteousness of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, the merits of Christ for justification and salvation. The hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees prayed and fasted,¹ and kept the Sabbath, and gave alms, &c. and in this legal righteousness they rested and trusted. Upon the performance of these and such like duties they laid the weight of their souls, and the stress of their salvation, and so perished for ever. An Hypocrite rests upon what he doth, and never looks so high as the righteousness of Christ; he looks upon his duties as so much good moneys laid out for heaven; he weaves a web of righteousness to clothe himself withal, he never looks out for a more glorious righteousness to be justified by than his own, and so puts a slight upon the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. The first step to salvation is to renounce our own righteousness, the next step is to embrace the righteousness of Christ which is freely offered to sinners i• the Gospel; but these things the Hypocrite minds not, regards not: The righteousness of an Hypocrite is not only imperfect, but impure, a rag, a filthy rag; and therefore he that rests upon such a righteousness,² must needs miscarry to all eternity. O Sirs! who will say that that man needs a Saviour, that can fly to heaven upon the wings of his own duties and services? If a man's duties can pacify an infinite wrath, and satisfy an infinite justice, then farewell Christ, and welcome duties. He that will rest upon his own righteousness for life and justification, must needs sit down on this side salvation; he that rests upon his duties, and that rests upon a gift of knowledge, a gift of utterance, a gift of memory, or a gift of prayer, though he may come near to heaven, and bid fair for heaven, yet he will never be able to get into heaven. Now, how sad is it for a man to lose himself and his soul in a wilderness of duties, when he is upon the borders, yea the very brink of the holy Land; he that rests upon any thing in him, or done by him as a means to procure the favour of God, or the salvation of his soul, will put such a cheat upon himself as will undo him for ever.