An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

No man doubteth of his heart, none questioneth or examineth his heart, and therefore cometh not to the Word preached, to have that purged, to have that cleansed, but takes it for an undoubted principle, that his heart is good already. But how cometh it to be good? When was it made good? by nature it is full of evil, and therefore it can never be sanctified, but by the grace of God effectually working by the Ministry.

Secondly, The Scripture instanceth in another object of sinful trusting, that ¹is secret and close, but also very dangerous, and that is in the righteousness we conceit we have; and this was the great pharisaical sin. This was the Camels bunch; this made them stand in such immediate opposition to Christ, that they rejected his Person and Offices; They did not look upon themselves as sick, and therefore would not admit of a Physician. And oh that this sin had been like Jonah's gourd that sprang up for a day only, and presently was consumed; but it is a sin that passeth from one generation to another, to put confidence in their own righteousness, to seek to be justified by the works they do; Doth not this reign in Popish spirits, in all formalists, in civil and moral men? Do they not look to be saved, to be justified by their works of righteousness and charity? How often doth the Scripture thunder against this sin? And indeed ⟨p. 308⟩well it may, for it maketh our selves our own Christs, our own Saviours. It maketh Christ to die in vain. Now how natural and inbred a sin this is, appeareth by the Jews, Rom. 10. 3. They went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit themselves to the righteousness of faith. Hence because this sin did so reign in the Pharisees, our Saviour spake that excellent Parable, Luke 18. 9. concerning a Publican humbling himself, and sensible of his unworthiness, as being justified rather than a Pharisee; He spake this (saith the Text) to certain who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous. And why doth our saviour make those blessed, that mourn, that are poor in spirit, that hunger and thirst after righteousness? but to show in what a blasted and cursed estate they are, who put any trust in the good works they do to be justified by them. You see then by this, how dangerous and damnable a thing that common sin is, which every civil, every just and righteous man is apt to lean upon; if his eyes were opened, and his heart made tender, he would not dare to eat, or sleep, or stay one night in it, as good and safe, as now he believeth it to be.