Necessary it is unto any man who is to come unto a Trial, in the sentence whereof he is greatly concerned, duly to consider the Judge before whom he is to appear, and by whom his cause is finally to be determined. And if we manage our Disputes about Justification without a continual regard unto Him, by whom we must be cast or acquitted, we shall not rightly apprehend what our Plea ought to be. Wherefore the Greatness, the Majesty, the Holiness, and Sovereign Authority of God, are always to be present with us in a due sense of them, when we enquire how we may be justified before him. Yet is it hard to discern how the minds of some men are influenced by the consideration of these things, in their fierce contests for the Interest of their own works in their Justification; precibus aut precio ut in aliqua part haereant. But the Scripture doth represent unto us what thoughts of him, and of themselves, not only Sinners, ⟨p. 10⟩but Saints also, have had, and cannot but have upon near Discoveries and effectual Conceptions of God and his Greatness. Thoughts hereof ensuing on a sense of the guilt of sin, filled our first Parents with fear and shame, and put them on that foolish attempt of hiding themselves from him. Nor is the wisdom of their posterity one jot better under their Convictions, without a discovery of the Promise. That alone makes sinners wise, which tenders them relief. At present, the Generality of men are secure, and do not much question but that they shall come off well enough one way or other in the Trial they are to undergo. And as such persons are altogether indifferent what Doctrine concerning Justification is taught and received; so for the most part for themselves, they incline unto that Declaration of it which best suits▪ their own Reason, as influenced with self-conceit, and corrupt Affections. The sum hereof is, that what they cannot do themselves, what is wanting that they may be saved, be it more or less, shall one way or other be made up by Christ, either the use or the abuse of which persuasion is the greatest fountain of sin in the world, next unto the Depravation of our nature. And whatever be, or may be pretended unto the contrary, Persons not convinced of sin, not humbled for it, are in all their Ratiocinations about spiritual things, under the conduct of Principles so vitiated and corrupted. See Mat. 18.3, 4.
Necessary it is unto any man who is to come unto a Trial, in the sentence whereof he is greatly concern'd, duely to consider the Judge before whom he is to appear, and by whom his cause is finally to be determined. And if we manage our Disputes about Justification without a continual regard unto Him, by whom we must be cast or acquitted, we shall not rightly apprehend what our Plea ought to be. Wherefore the Greatness, the Majesty, the Holiness, and Soveraign Authority of God, are always to be present with us in a due sense of them, when we enquire how we may be justified before him. Yet is it hard to discern how the minds of some men are influenced by the consideration of these things, in their fierce contests for the Interest of their own works in their Justification; precibus aut precio ut in aliqua parte haereant. But the Scripture doth represent unto us what thoughts of him, and of themselves, not only Sinners, ⟨p. 10⟩but Saints also, have had, and cannot but have upon near Discoveries and effectual Conceptions of God and his Greatness. Thoughts hereof ensuing on a sense of the guilt of sin, filled our first Parents with fear and shame, and put them on that foolish attempt of hiding themselves from him. Nor is the wisdom of their posterity one jot better under their Convictions, without a discovery of the Promise. That alone makes sinners wise, which tenders them relief. At present, the Generality of men are secure, and do not much question but that they shall come off well enough one way or other in the Trial they are to undergo. And as such persons are altogether indifferent what Doctrine concerning Justification is taught and received; so for the most part for themselves, they encline unto that Declaration of it which best suits▪ their own Reason, as influenced with self-conceit, and corrupt Affections. The sum hereof is, that what they cannot do themselves, what is wanting that they may be saved, be it more or less, shall one way or other be made up by Christ, either the use or the abuse of which perswasion is the greatest fountain of sin in the world, next unto the Depravation of our nature. And whatever be, or may be pretended unto the contrary, Persons not convinced of sin, not humbled for it, are in all their Ratiocinations about spiritual things, under the conduct of Principles so vitiated and corrupted. See Mat. 18.3, 4.
