The saints treasury being sundry sermons preached in London /

But it may be said, it is true, though God should enable me, yet there may be imperfections; but God is merciful, and will pass them by: therefore I add another consideration, that it is not only what thou canst do, or canst be enabled to do, but 'tis not Gods mercy added (if barely considered, as the mercy of God as a creator to his creature, and not under this consideration through Christ, and accepting a righteousness beyond thy own) that can eke out thy justification. This is a great mistake, many think that that which they have in themselves and what they are able to do, is but little: but when they have done something, if God will come then and add his mercy to it, that they think will eke it out: no, it is not that and mercy together that is thy justification, I say mercy out of this notion we are speaking of.

But it may be said, it is true, though God should enable me, yet there may be imperfections; but God is mercifull, and will passe them by: therefore I adde another consideration, that it is not onely what thou canst do, or canst be enabled to doe, but 'tis not Gods mercy added (if barely considered, as the mercy of God as a creator to his creature, and not under this consideration through Christ, and accepting a righteousnesse beyond thy own) that can eke out thy justification. This is a great mistake, many think that that which they have in themselves and what they are able to doe, is but little: but when they have done something, if God will come then and adde his mercy to it, that they think will eke it out: no, it is not that and mercy together that is thy justification, I say mercy out of this notion we are speaking of.

And that you may understand it yet more clearly, consider it thus the work of Gods mercy in justification, it is not of this use, that it should be our justification, or should eke out what we are wanting in for our justification; but the work of Gods mercy in justifying a soul is, to take him off from himself, to unbottome him, and to make him see and be sensible of his own unrighteousness and uncleanness: this is a great and mighty work of Gods mercy. I remember Luther says of himself, that while he was a Papist, he was not obedient out of worldly respects for a livelihood, and the like; but he did what he did out of conscience: and yet says he afterward, (after he knew God in Christ) That which I counted gain was loss unto me. He did not think it enough to do what he did out of conscience, and that Gods mercy should make up the rest: no, he was taken off of that way. 'Tis not the work of mercy to do this, but to discover to the soul a righteousness of a higher nature, even of the mediator God and man; and to enable the soul by faith to tender up that righteousness to God the father for satisfaction: this is the work of Gods mercy in point of justification. The mistake of the way of Gods mercy having an influence into our justification is a very