An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…

Secondly,¹ it doth teach us, where to look for all our justification and reconcilement with the Father. Truly brethren not in our own righteousness, for the Lord himself that knows it better then we do, he knows that it will not hold out before the judgement seat of God. He might have pleaded, that David was a man after Gods own heart; he might have pleaded the wisdom of Solomon; and the truth of Josiah heart, and the zeal of Phinehas, and the patience of Job: but he knowing the Law well enough, and what th•y have been, (and we have all been) he hath nothing to plead; and therefore we must not plead our own righteousness: let no man think that his own pleading will reach his own justification, whereas Christ himself could not reach it for him. All have sinned, all have been out of the way, and there is none that doth good no not one, Psal. 14. 1, 2, 3. he speaks of us by nature, and we were natural, before we came to be spiritual: Therefore saith the Apostle, What things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law, that every mouth may […], and all the world may become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19. […] use the Apostle himself makes of it, Vers. 23, 24, 25▪ We have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. So that (I say) this […] of our justification; the Lord Jesus hath borne, and suffered for us when he was silent in our behalf, and could not tell what to say. Papists can bring you many argum•••• […] ⟨p. 153⟩justify themselves; they will bring you many instances of this Saint, and that Saint, (and of the Virgin Mary above all others) of their purity, and righteousness, and how able they are to plead for others: They may be wise for themselves, and do as Proctors are wont to do, regard their fees, and not their Cause: but the Lord Jesus is faithful, and yet he cannot plead as guiltless: Nor must you think, as sometimes poor christians will do; I cannot say much for my self, but such a brother, such a sister, they may indeed give a better account of me then I can do of my self;