Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

But may some say, if it be so, then it is better to sin, ¹and not do good works •t all.

1. 1Object.

Not so, for then thou increasest thy punishment: thy ¹sin is the less if thou hast a good meaning, because thou thinkest that thou dost that which is good; if thou knewest and thoughest otherwise, thy condemnation should be the deeper; yet know this, till thou art in Christ all is abominable before God, and but l•st labour, Phil. 3. 5, 6. Paul, he had a zeal enough in him, before he came to believe in Christ, and not only a good meaning, but thought he did more, and better then others, and for his righteousness towards man, he was unrebukeable, none could come near him, but after he came to see it was a hindrance (for that it was without Christ) and so made him to run so far out of the way; and therefore we must cast off all our own righteousness before we can be in Christ. This Paul saw, and that made him come to ⟨p. 176⟩Christ, and say that he counted all loss, yea but dung that he might win Christ, and be found clothed in that righteousness which is by faith in him, which before he could not attain unto, notwithstanding he might have stood upon his privileges, and have boasted of the excellent things he had done, yet was he fain to cast away all his confidence in the flesh, that is, his prerogatives, righteousness and zeal, &c. and so must we cast away all our own righteousness and goodness, and fetch all from God, and serve God according to his will, and not after our own phantasies, or the prescripts of man, dealing also truly with every one we have to do withal. 'Tis not our own righteousness, but the relying on it, that hinders and keeps a man from faith, without which all is but abominable, even our eating, drinking, and whatsoever we do is odious before God, until we come to get this true faith, to triumph over condemnation. A man when he is naked in in himself is then the fitter to be clothed with Christs robe; every thing is then sweet to him, and so he comes to desire and say, Come Lord Jesus.