fing with the church, Mich. 7. 17," who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth "by tranfgreffion? O! the purity of that holiness, "which chofe rather to punish the fins of the elect "in his only begotten fon, than fuffer them to go "unpunished! O! the abyss of his love to the "world, for which he fpared not his dearest fon, "in order to fpare finners! O! the depth of the "riches of unfearchable wisdom, by which he "exercifes mercy towards the penitent guilty, "without any ftain to the honour of the most "impartial judge! O! the treafures of love in "Chrift, whereby he became a curse for us, in "order to deliver us therefrom." How becoming the justified foul, who is ready to diffolve in the fenfe of this love, with full exultation to fing a new fong, a fong of mutual return of love to a justifying God?

tion of the

finner.

LXXXI. 2dly. This doctrine is likewife calcu- 2. For the lated for the humility of the finner; from whom it humiliacuts off all boafting, that the glory may remain unftained to God alone. "What haft thou, O man to boaft of? What, wherewith thou canst "ftand before the tribunal of God? Good works? But all thy righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Ifa. 64. 6. If thou leaneft on them, they are, Pope "Adrian VI. himself being judge, like the staff of a

reed which fhall break, and pierce thy leaning "hand. Perhaps thou wilt boaft of thy faith, as if "by the excellency of that thou canft please God. "But even that is like a fhaken and fhattered reed,

to which thou canst not fafely truft; and whatever it be, it is the gift of God, Phil. 1. 29. Thou "haft received; why doft thou glory, as if thou hadft "not received? I Cor. 4. 7. Thou haft nothing of "thine own, to prefent to God. Indeed thou haft 66 a great dale of thine own, but it is either fin, or at least what is ftained with fin; for which if thou

3. For the confola-

haft deferved any thing, it is only hell, or that which is worfe than hell, if any fuch thing can be. "And canft thou, O moft wretched creature, boast "of any fuch vanity? Rom. 3. 27."

LXXXII. 3dly. It conduces above all to the tion of the confolation of the afflicted foul, bewailing his fins aflicted. with godly forrow; whom we may address in this manner, from the very genius, or nature of this doctrine." Indeed, thy fins are both more numerous "and greater, than thou canst either conceive or "exprefs: but behold the lamb of God, which taketh

66

away the fins of the world. Every thing, in thee, "is infected with much fin: but thanks be to God, "the cause of thy juftification is not to be fought "for in thee: we are justified freely, by his grace. "Thou haft to do with a moft righteous judge, "who will not clear the guilty: but behold Jefus "the furety, who, by a full expiation, has brought "it to pafs, that he can juftify the ungodly, with"out any violation of his juftice. Having fuch a "leader and guardian, approach without fear to this judge, being affured, that Jefus thy patron or "powerful friend will to plead thy caufe, that "thou fhall not to be caft. Can't thou not yet "venture? What should hinder? Do thy fins, thy "nakedness and thy pollution affright thee? But "take shelter behind Chrift, hide thyfelf in his

wounds, wrap thyfelf in his death and blood, "receive, with the hand of faith, the offered fine "linen, the righteoufneffes of the faints. Is thy "faith itself so weak, that thou art afhamed and

grieved? But again thanks be to God, that thou art

not to be justified for thy faith, or for any "worthiness that is in it, but if it is true and fincere, "however weak, it is the band of thy union and "communion with Chrift. And being united to "him, prefent thyfelf to God without fear; undauntedly alfo before the devil, and all, who take "pleasure

pleasure to accuse thee. Humbly confefs what"ever fin may be objected against thee: but add, "that they fhall no doubt triumph in the judgment, "when they fhall make it appear, that the merits " and fatisfaction of Chrift are not fufficient to "atone for and remove them, or thou not suffered to plead those merits of Chrift in judgment. I challenge the devil and all his accomplices: who fball lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is "God that juftifieth, &c. Doeft thou believe these "things? Thou doeft, but with faultering and "hefitation. Fight manfully against all the temp"tations of unbelief, and even now, thou shalt "receive that white ftone, and new name written "thereon, which none knoweth, but he who re"ceived it; and the hidden manna, which have

ing tafted, thou wilt enjoy thy life in patience, 66 and death in defire." This is comfort indeed: they, who build not on thefe foundations, are, certainly, like Job's friends, miferable comforters. It is memorable, what the reverend Voetius, Difput. 2, p. 754, relates of John Frederick duke of Saxony who acquainted Luther that George duke of Saxony comforted his fon John, in the agonies of death, with the righteousness of faith, defiring him to look to Chrift alone, and difclaim his own merits and the invocation of faints. And when the wife of the aforefaid John (who was fifter to Philip Landgrave of Helle) afked duke George, why these things were not thus publickly taught, made answer; O daughter, fuch things are to be faid to the dying only. O! the force of truth, breaking forth even from the breasts of those, who are fet against it.

LXXXIII. 4thly. This doctrine is exceedingly 4. For powerful to promote gadliness. 1. Because it lays, as promot a foundation, a fubmiffive bumility of foul, prefuming ng piety. nothing of itself, without which there is no holiness, that deferves the name. 2. Because we teach, that no faith juftifies, but what is the fruitful parent of good works. And can any one really believe, that

A

he,

he, who is himself, a most unworthy finner, is, without any merit of his own, received into the favour of God, delivered from the expectation of hell, and favoured with the hope of a bleffed eternity, and not, in every refpect, and by all means be obedient to fo benevolent a Lord? Can he believe, that God the father fpared not his own fon, that he might fpare this flave: that God the fon bore fo many things grievous to mention, and hard to fuffer, that he might procure pardon for the guilty, and a right to life that God, the Holy Ghost, fhould enter his heart, as the meffenger and earnest of fo great a happinefs, and love thofe fo ardently, who had no love for him? Can he then provoke the father by difobedience? Trample on the fon by his wickedness and profane his blood? Can he grieve the fpirit the comforter? Indeed, fuch a one knows not what faith is, who imagines, that it confifts in a ftrong purfuafion deftitute of good works. 3dly. Because it teacheth a fublime pitch of holiness, by which a perfon, laying afide every mercenary affection, can love God and virtue for itself, direct every thing to the glory of God alone, and fecurely truft him with the free reward of his works. Here now we appeal to the confcience of our adverfaries, which is the fafer way, whether that which we point out to our people, or what they would have theirs to walk in? We both agree, that without good works none shall be saved. Now whether is it fafer, to say, do good works, with a prefumption of merit, or, do them with all diligence and energy of foul; because you cannot be faved without them: yet, having done all, own thyfelf to be an unprofitable fervant, and look for heaven as a free gift. If works merit nothing, doubtlefs he offends God, who boasts of his merits. But if they deferve any thing, yet I, tho' performing them diligently, dare not arrogate any thing to myfelf from merit: of what detriment, pray,

will that humility be? We conclude, that a doctrine, whose advantages are fo many, and fo confiderable cannot but be true.

1.

R

CHA P.. IX.

Of Spiritual Peace.

ECONCILIATION ftands in clofe connec- Peace foltion with juftification, the confummation of lows upon which is a fpiritual, holy, and bleffed PEACE: there-juftificafore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Rom. 5. 1.,

tion.

II. This peace is a mutual concord between God and Defined. the finner, who is juftified by faith; fo that the heart of God, is carried out towards man, and, in like manner, the heart of man towards God, by a delightful inclination of friendship God thus addreffes the church, when reconciled to him; thou shalt no more be termed forfaken, neither fhall thy land be any more termed defolate: but thou shalt be called, Hephzi bab (my delight), and thy land, Beulah (married): for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land fhall be married, Ifa. 62. 4. And the church in her turn, replies, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength, Pf. 18. 1.

war.

III. This bleffed peace prefuppofes that unhap- Prefuppy and deftructive war, which the inconfiderate poles a finner had raised between God and himself, con- ftate of cerning which the prophet' fays, your iniquities have Separated between you and your God, and your fins have bid bis face from you, Ifa. 59. 2. By fin man loft the favour and friendship of God, and incurred his righteous hatred and difpleafure, which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, Róm. 1. 18, and is threatned by the curfe of the law, Deut. 27. 26, felt in the confcience, which trembles at every voice of God, Gen. 3. 8, and is the bitter fource of all that anguish, which is

the