§. XIII.
And to conclude this Proposition, let none be so bold as to mock God, supposing themselves justified and accepted in the Sight of God, by Virtue of Christ’s Death and Sufferings, while they remain unsanctified and unjustified in their own Hearts, Job 8. 13.and polluted in their Sins, lest their Hope prove that of the Hypocrite, which perisheth. The Hope of the Hypocrite shall perish, but Grace is to the Humble.Neither let any foolishly imagine, that they can by their own Works, or by the Performance of any Ceremonies or Traditions, or by the Giving of Gold or Money, or by afflicting their Bodies in Will-worship and voluntary Humility, or foolishly striving to conform their Way to the outward Letter of the Law, flatter themselves that they merit before God, or draw a Debt upon him, or that any Man or Men have Power to make such Kind of Things effectual to their Justification, lest they be found foolish Boasters, and Strangers to Christ and his Righteousness indeed. But blessed for ever are they, that having truly had a Sense of their own Unworthiness and Sinfulness, and having seen all their own Endeavours and Performances fruitless and vain, and beheld their own Emptiness, and the Vanity of their vain Hopes, Faith and Confidence, while they remained inwardly struck, pursued, and condemned by God’s holy Witness in their Hearts, and so having applied themselves thereto, and suffered his Grace to work in them, are become changed and renewed in the Spirit of their Minds, passed from Death to Life, and know Jesus arisen in them, working both the Will and the Deed; and so having put on the Lord Jesus Christ, in Effect are clothed with him, and partake of his Righteousness and Nature; such can draw near to the Lord with Boldness, and know their Acceptance in and by him; in whom, and in as many as are found in him, the Father is well pleased.