First, Our best graces and performances are not commensurate §1and square payment in the eyes of pure justice; all of them as inherent in us, and acted by us, are but imperfect excellencies. No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required, nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do: Every particular grace, though it be of an heavenly and divine original, yet it is like the Stars twinkling, though placed in the heavens; so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person, even the righteousness that is in him,1 would not be safety and defence unto him; for what a deal of pride have we mixed with a little humility? and what a deal of passion have we mixed with a little meekness? and what a deal of hypocrisy have we mixed with a little sincerity? and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we mixed with a little heavenly-mindedness? and what a deal of unbelief have we mixed with a little faith? O Sirs! in the great business of your access to God, and of your acceptance with God,2 and of your reconciliation to God, and of your justification before God. 'Tis best, safest and noblest, to bottom your faith, hope and expectation, infinitely rather upon imputed righteousness than inherent righteousness, upon what Christ has done for you, than upon what he has done in you. Inherent righteousness is stained, imperfect, impure; but imputed righteousness is pure and perfect; if there were any stain, or any imperfection in that, it could not justify us, it could not save us, it could not secure us from wrath to come. Such evidences as are not fetched from any thing in us, nor from any things done by us, but are fetched by faith from our free justification, and from Christ's full satisfaction which he hath wrought for us, will be found the most full, the most sweet, the most refreshing, the most comforting, and the most satisfying evidences. Christ is all fair, all perfect, all pure, and therefore let him be most in your eye, and most upon your hearts; but here take heed, that you don't look upon your graces, or your gracious evidences, as poor, low, weak, contemptible things (as too many do) for the least of ⟨p. 375⟩them is more worth than heaven and earth, and they may yield you much comfort, much support, much refreshing, and much satisfaction;
First, Our best graces and performances are not commensurate §1and square payment in the eyes of pure justice; all of them as inherent in us, and acted by us, are but imperfect excellencies. No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required, nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do: Every particular grace, though it be of an heavenly and divine original, yet it is like the Stars twinkling, though placed in the heavens; so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person, even the righteousness that is in him,1 would not be safety and defence unto him; for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little humility? and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness? and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity? and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we mixt with a little heavenly-mindedness? and what a deal of unbelief have we mixt with a little faith? O Sirs! in the great business of your access to God, and of your acceptance with God,2 and of your reconciliation to God, and of your justification before God. 'Tis best, safest and noblest, to bottom your faith, hope and expectation, infinitely rather upon imputed righteousness than inherent righteousness, upon what Christ has done for you, than upon what he has done in you. Inherent righteousness is stained, imperfect, impure; but imputed righteousness is pure and perfect; if there were any stain, or any imperfection in that, it could not justifie us, it could not save us, it could not secure us from wrath to come. Such evidences as are not fetcht from any thing in us, nor from any things done by us, but are fetcht by faith from our free justification, and from Christ's full satisfaction which he hath wrought for us, will be found the most full, the most sweet, the most refreshing, the most comforting, and the most satisfying evidences. Christ is all fair, all perfect, all pure, and therefore let him be most in your eye, and most upon your hearts; but here take heed, that you don't look upon your graces, or your gracious evidences, as poor, low, weak, contemptible things (as too many do) for the least of ⟨p. 375⟩them is more worth than heaven and earth, and they may yield you much comfort, much support, much refreshing, and much satisfaction;
- 1Psal. 143.2. Job. 14.3, 4. Rom. 3.20.
- 2Rom. 3.20, to ver. 27. Phil. 3.8, 9, 10.
