But besides these, there are many others, who have been advantaged with the light of the Gospel that have been unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance, and have pleaded for such methods of Salvation as the Word of God is utterly a stranger to: withal wresting many passages of Scripture to vindicate their own delusions: thus as the Jews of old, so especially the Papists & Socinians now go about to establish a righteousness which the Gospel does not acknowledge: and fix upon a way of acceptance with God, that has no better foundation than their own sophistical reasonings, this is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture; in the matter of our Justification; but greatly to the pride that men have in their own understandings: carnal reason suggests that otherwayes are more probable than that which is commended to us by God: carnal reason is full of objections against the Doctrine of our acceptance by Christs righteousness: and men know not how to deny their own reason, they dent carry a sense upon their hearts of the imperfections and ⟨p. 4⟩deceits of their own reason: they know not what dim sighted things they are; carnal reason is a thing much idolized: many men have not learned that lesson to be satisfied in the testimony of God, but make their understanding the rule and measure of Principles in Religion: lay so much weight upon their own reason, that they judg things must be so as their reason represents them, loth to entertain any thing in matters of Faith, that they do not see with their own eyes, partly to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ: this way of Salvation is very suitable to our necessities, but no ways suitable to our natural disposition: mans heart would sooner fall in with such a way of Salvation, wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in; this way tends much to the exalting of God, and abasing and emptying of man: the spirit of man is to set up his own righteousness, and not be beholden unto the righteousness of another; which makes men unwilling to believe this Doctrine of our acceptance by Christ: and this opposition of the heart hereto prepares men to receive the contrary Doctrine: Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression upon men of corrupt minds;
But besides these, there are many others, who have been advantaged with the light of the Gospel that have been unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance, and have pleaded for such methods of Salvation as the Word of God is utterly a stranger to: withal wresting many passages of Scripture to vindicate their own delusions: thus as the Jews of old, so especially the Papists & Socinians now go about to establish a righteousness which the Gospel does not acknowledg: and fix upon a way of acceptance with God, that has no better foundation than their own sophistical reasonings, this is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture; in the matter of our Justification; but greatly to the pride that men have in their own understandings: carnal reason suggests that otherwayes are more probable than that which is commended to us by God: carnal reason is full of objections against the Doctrine of our acceptance by Christs righteousness: and men know not how to deny their own reason, they dent carry a sence upon their hearts of the imperfections and ⟨p. 4⟩deceits of their own reason: they know not what dim sighted things they are; carnal reason is a thing much idolized: many men have not learned that lesson to be satisfied in the testimony of God, but make their understanding the rule and measure of Principles in Religion: lay so much weight upon their own reason, that they judg things must be so as their reason represents them, loth to entertain any thing in matters of Faith, that they do not see with their own eyes, partly to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ: this way of Salvation is very suitable to our necessities, but no wayes suitable to our natural disposition: mans heart would sooner fall in with such a way of Salvation, wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in; this way tends much to the exalting of God, and abasing and emptying of man: the spirit of man is to set up his own righteousness, and not be beholden unto the righteousness of another; which makes men unwilling to believe this Doctrine of our acceptance by Christ: and this opposition of the heart hereto prepares men to receive the contrary Doctrine: Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression upon men of corrupt minds;
