the righteoufnefs of the law, he thinks that he has the law of God upon his side, and so it is harder to convince him of the evil of his righteoufnefs, than it is to convince a hundred profane wretches of the evil of their fins: and, therefore, the greatest of finners fland fairer for hea ven than felf-righteous perfons, Mat. xxi. 31. "Verily, I fay unto you," fays Christ, speaking of the felf-righteous Pharifees, "that publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before you." This might be ftrange doctrine, indeed, to all legalists, if it were not Chrift's doctrine. I muft tell you, that you are all, by nature, married and wedded to the law, and to a legal righte oufnefs, built upon that foundation; and nothing can divorce you from that firft husband, but the almighty power of God's grace, revealing his Son in you. And, therefore, you little need any doctrine that tends to fofter up that natural conceit that you have of your own doing, as if God would be appeafed thereby. It is true, a fermon of good works is a noble fubject, providing it be evangelically treated: and prefuppofing, that the foundation of all good works is laid by union to Christ, in whom all our good fruit is found. But, if I should preach a fermon of works and obedience to the law; and, perhaps, fhould only, at the conclufion of the fermon, give a short caution, faying, "Good people, mind "there is no merit; and that all your ftrength to do "right, is from Chrift." Alas! the moft common profeffor and ignorant gofpel hearer will own that is true, they may learn many orthodox fentences of that fort, but they are words of course, that they have learned by cuftom and conftant hearing; while yet their hope of pleafing God is ftill founded upon fomething done in them, or by them; being naturally glued to the law; and so, they may profess that there is no juflification by the works of the law, but by the faith of Chrift, or by the works of Chrift received by faith; yet they continue as great enemies to the cross of Chrift, as the most profane perfons that ever lived; and, if they continue in that ftate, fhall as furely perifh, with their righteousness, as others, with their fins; for, "If righteousness come by the law, then Chrift is dead in vain," And yet fome cannot.

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endure to hear any thing fpoken againft felf-righteoufnefs; as if no perfon were in danger of being ruined thereby: whereas this is a great part of the ftrong man's armour, whereby he keeps poffeffion of fouls, and as if they were all new fchemers and Antinomians that preach up the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as the alone fure foundation of the fpiritual temple, in oppofition to that natural and damnable felf-righteoufnefs. The apoftle of the Gentiles was charged thus in his day; but what is his vindication? Why, fays he, "Do we make void the law, thro' faith? Nay, we eftablish the law." We lead to a righteoufnefs whereby God can fave us to the credit of his law; to the honour of his holiness; to the fatisfaction of his juftice; and to the glory of all his perfectiAnd therefore, if I have obtained any favour and grace from the Lord, to be faithful to the fouls of people in my minifterial ftation, I must teftify and declare to you all that hear me, in the awful name and authority of the great and eternal God, who will call you and me to answer for what we do, before his dreadful tribunal, that whoever think to ftand in judgment upon the rotten foundation of any legal righteoufnefs, good works, duties, or performances of their own, they fhall as furely perifh in their righteoufnefs, as ever any of the damned in hell perifhed in their fins; because this righteoufnefs of yours is but a finful righteoufnefs, and there is no falvation but by a perfect righteoufnefs. I fpeak not only to the grofly ignorant, but even to all thefe, who, though they may have found heads and found opinions, profeffing that there is no juftification by the works of the law; yet, are fo far from having a found heart, and a found faith, that they are feeking falvation, as it were, by the works of the law, as did Ifrael, Rom. ix. 31, 32. but they perifhed in the caufe; "For, they ftumbled at that ftumbling-ftone," that fure and only foundation that I am fpeaking of. I muft fay, then, of all other foundations, befides this, that men are ready to build upon; I muft fay of them, as Chrift faid to his difciples, when they fhewed him the fabric of the mate

*The reafon of this accufation may be feen opened up, Vol. I. page 232. Vol. II. p. 304. 395. Vol. III. p. 44.

rial temple, "There fhall not be left one stone upon another, that fhall not be thrown down." The apoftle cuts off all other foundations befides Chrift; 1 Cor. iii. 11. faying," Another foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Chrift ;" and he did not speak ignorantly; for he faw, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghoft, that he was a wife mafter-builder, ver. 10. And therefore, we would be but mad builders, if we should teach you to build upon any other foundation; yea, or to build, as it were, upon any other foundation, by mixing any of our own rubbish with it, as if this were not a fufficient foundation. To daub with untempered mortar in this case, were enough to bring a curfe upon any angel in heaven, let be any minister on earth; therefore, the apostle, fpeaking on this very subject, fays," If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gofpel, let him be accurfed." Curfed be the man or angel, that dare build a temple for God, upon any other ground than this bleffed foundation.

Queft. How fhall we know then, if the foundation of the fpiritual temple be laid in us? That is, in fhort, if Chrift be formed in you, or not; and if you be built upon Christ as your foundation.

I offer you thefe fcriptural marks for your trial.

1. If this foundation be laid, you have been humbled under a fenfe of your own fin and folly, in building your hope upon any other foundation, and thereby flighting this foundation. This is imported in the promise of the Spirit to convince of fin, especially of unbelief, John xvi. 8." He fhall reprove the world of fin, of righteousness, and of judgment; of fin, because they believe not in me;" that is, because they have not built upon me as the foundation. Now, has the Spirit of God ever convinced and humbled you, for your fin of unbelief in flighting the Son of God; and feeking to build on other foundations? If you know nothing of this, it is to be feared, the foundation is not yet laid; but if you do, it is an evidence that God either hath begun, or is beginning the good work.

2. If this foundation be laid, then you have been made to quit your hold of all other foundations, and to give up with them; yea, to defpife them as dung, in VOL. VII.

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comparison of this foundation: "What things were gain to me, fays Paul, thefe I counted lofs for Chrift," Phil. iii. 8. What things doth he fpeak of? Why, it is even his beft things, his beft righteousnefs; for he was, concerning the law, a Pharifee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; and concerning the righteousness which is of the law, a blameless perfon: yet all this he counts lofs for Chrift. You will fay, "That was the

righteoufnefs he had before his converfion; but doth "he not efleem better of his righteoufnefs after his "converfion?" Nay, he puts that among the defpicable dung too; "Yea, doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs and dung, [or, dogs meat, as it is in the original] for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jefus my Lord, that I may win him, and be found in him, not having mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law, but the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith, unto all, and upon all them that believe." Have you thus been made to quit the hold of all other foundations, and to defpife them as dung in comparison of this foundation? This fays much for you.

3. Have you cordially and refolutely been made to lay the whole weight of your fouls and bodies, and all that concern them for time and eternity, and the whole weight of your falvation upon this foundation, and upon it only? This is the foul's echo to that call, Pfal. Iv. 22. "Caft thy burden upon the Lord, and he fhall fuftain thee." And to that, 1 Pet. v. 7. "Caft all your cares upon him, for he careth for you." This is the foul's motion to Chrift for reft, Mat. xi. 28. "Come to me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft." Now, have you thus come, and found reft to your heart and confcience, by cafting all the burdens of your fin and guilt, all the cares of your falvation and eternal happiness upon this bleffed foundation? Why then, your portion is provided, your everlasting felicity is fecured for ever; you may fay, truly, what the fool faid, vainly, Soul, take thy reft, thou haft goods laid up not for many years only, but for all the ages of "eternity." If all your burdens and cares be laid upon the foundation, what have you to care for ?→

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Why, fay you, fhould a foul that is come to Chrift, have no more care about falvation? I anfwer, There is a finful care of anxiety, doubts, and fears; this he ought no more to have: but there is a holy care of activity and diligence, to testify his gratitude to the God of his falvation; this he ought to have; both these you fee, Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing

E by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Therefore,

4. If this foundation be laid, then you will live upon the foundation, and have a real and conftant communion with the foundation, by cleaving to it, and abiding in it; juft as the ftone of a building cleaves to, abides with, and, in a manner, lives upon the foundation.Now, do you live upon this living foundation, fo as you cannot live without him? As Chrift himself fays, Without me ye can do nothing;" or, Separate from me, the foundation, ye can do nothing.' 'Hypocrites and legalists, and all that are not built upon this foundation, they can do all things themfelves; they can read, and pray, and hear, and communicate, and what not: they think it is very eafily done, and what fhould hinder them. Alas! they know not what it is to live upon the foundation; to lean upon and draw virtue from the foundation: but the believer finds it otherwise, even that he cannot live, he cannot move, he cannot act fpiritually in any duty whatfoever, without fpiritual communications of life, light, and ftrength: his life is hid with Chrift in God; and fo he lives, yet not he, but Chrift liveth in him, and the life he lives is by the faith of the Son of God. Thus he lives in a conftant dependence upon the foundation.

5. If this foundation be laid, then you will not only live upon, but live to this foundation. Chrift is faid to die for us, "That they which live, fhould not henceforth live to themselves, but to him that died for them, and rose again," 2 Cor. v. 15. Before a man be united to this foundation, he lives to himfelf; felf is at the top and bottom of all his best duties and performances: but whatever remainders of felf is with the believer, yet the power and do. minion of felf is fo far broken in him, that his felf-love, self