A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

1. All that you do without this, however it may please your minds or ease your Consciences, is not at all accepted with God. Unless this foundation be laid, all that you do is lost. All your Prayers, all your Duties, all your amendments are an abomination unto the Lord. Until peace is made with him, they are but the Acts of Enemies, which he despiseth and abhorreth. You run it may be earnestly, but you run out of the way; you strive, but not lawfully, and shall never receive the Crown. True Gospel-obedience is the fruit of the Faith of Forgiveness. Whatever you do without it, is but a building without a foundation, a Castle in the air. You may see the order of Gospel Obedience, Eph. 2. 7, 8, 9, 10. The foundation must be laid in Grace; Riches of Grace by Christ, in the free pardon, and forgiveness of sin. From hence must the works of obedience proceed, if you would have them to be of Gods appointment, or find acceptance with him. Without this God will say of all your Services, Worship, Obedience, as he did to the Israelites of old; Amos 5. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. I despise all, reject it all; it is not to him, nor to his Glory. Now if you are under convictions of any sort, there is nothing you more value, nothing you more place your confidence in, than your Duties; your Repentance, your Amendment, what you do, and what in good time you will be. Is it nothing unto you to lose all your hopes, and all your Expectations which you have from hence? To have no other Reception with God, than if all this while you had been wallowing in your sins and lusts? Yet thus it is with you, if you have not begun with God on his own Terms, if you have not received the Atonement in the Blood of his Son; if you are not made partakers ⟨p. 267⟩of Forgiveness, if your persons are not pardoned, all your Duties are accursed.

1. All that you do without this, however it may please your minds or ease your Consciences, is not at all accepted with God. Unless this foundation be laid, all that you do is lost. All your Prayers, all your Duties, all your amendments are an abomination unto the Lord. Untill peace is made with him, they are but the Acts of Enemies, which he despiseth and abhorreth. You run it may be earnestly, but you run out of the way; you strive, but not lawfully, and shall never receive the Crown. True Gospel-obedience is the fruit of the Faith of Forgiveness. Whatever you do without it, is but a building without a foundation, a Castle in the ayre. You may see the order of Gospel Obedience,