The saints treasury being sundry sermons preached in London /

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 ⟨p. 45⟩dangerous mistake; and we had need be very wary in this great point of justification, for all depends upon it. I remember Luther in this, says he, it is an easy matter to say we close with Gods grace, and the righteousness of Christ alone in the point of justification, till the soul be brought to a conflict: and then 'tis the hardest thing in the world to do it, and the people of God have found it so in the time of trouble of conscience: that's the first, that Christ is all in all in point of justification.

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 himselfe, to unbottome him, and to make him see and be sensible of his own unrighteousnesse and uncleanesse: this is a great and mighty work of Gods mercy. I remember Luther sayes of himselfe, that while he was a Papist, he was not obedient out of worldly respects for a livelyhood, and the like; but he did what he did out of conscience: and yet sayes he afterward, (after he knew God in Christ) That which I counted gain was losse 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 righteousnesse of a higher nature, even of the mediator God and man; and to enable the soul by faith to tender up that righteousnesse to God the father for satisfaction: this is the worke of Gods mercy in point of justification. The mistake of the way of Gods mercy having an influence into our justification is a very