in Christ; and externally, by his own works; but so, that there remain a place for a mutual pardon from one man to another. Therefore the righteousness of Christians, stands much more in the remission of sins, than in any works of their own. But this order of things those vainly-prating talkers have utterly perverted, and enforce works only, without making any mention of the

remission of sins.

But, behold, the apostle Paul thus strikes at the error and ignorance of those, who thus boast of the law and enforce it by their perpetual preaching; and yet, at the same time, having themselves no knowledge of nor showing at all the way in which the law is to be satisfied; understanding nothing whatever of the matter, and only prating and bawling again and again, that the law and the commandments are to be kept; and saying, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,' &c. And thus, at this day, all books are filled with this scum, and nothing else is vomited out in any of the sermons that are heard but this vainly-prated stuff, of which they themselves understand nothing. And it is concerning such that Paul is here speaking; for such, never bring forth one word about the sum of the Christian doctrine; that is, how charity is to flow out of a pure heart attended with a good conscience and faith unfeigned. All they say, is, Keep the commandments." But, though they are ever aiming at the mark, they never hit it: and therefore, they adulterate and falsify charity, heart, and conscience. They utterly leave out the main point of the whole matter, namely, "faith unfeigned;" whereas, if that be not right and pure, all things must of necessity be adulterated whereby one can attain unto righteousness and stand therein. Hence, whatever they teach is a mere bugbear, and bordering upon juggling; and not at all unlike those things which are looked at through a coloured glass, which appear to be of the same colour as the glass, but in reality are not so. And they imagine that they are viewed of God in the same way, and that they appear unto him as they have lived before men: which, as it appears unto them,

has been righteously. But if such were the way with God, then he might have kept Christ and the Gospel to himself. For what necessity would there have been for his sending Christ from heaven, to obtain for us that by his precious blood, which we already had in ourselves, and could bring unto him? And surely he would be the most foolish of all mortals, who should uselessly give away a most precious treasure which nobody

needed.

Hence, you see how these men teach their own dreams, concerning which they themselves know nothing certainly, nor have had any experience therein, and do nothing else but fill men with errors, not being able to shew how that to which they exhort is to be obtained. They drag indeed men unto works, and thereby leave them confirmed in their original nature and habits, from which they ought to be delivered. And such are indeed pestiferous and detestable characters, and are justly accused and condemned by Paul in the severest manner. And it appears that those, with reference to whom Paul spake, were men of no common authority and estimation, seeing that he says of them, that they wished to be called and considered teachers of the law, and greater and above the apostles themselves.

Wherefore, we are to take diligent heed that we hold fast this text, and lay it up in the secret recesses of our hearts for it is most signally expressed, and contains the pure and perfect doctrine:-how we are to be righteous both before God and men as the law requires, and to embrace in our experience these three things in one bond, as it were, a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. And it is from all these things that our life flows, and in these it consists and stands; and it is thus that we satisfy and fulfil the law. But we are first of all most carefully to take heed, that we bring Christ unto the law, who is the end and perfection thereof, and is our righteousness and fulness before God; which we cannot find in ourselves, and never can attain unto, but by faith. And how much soever the law may be enforced and set forth in any

other way, it is all without knowledge or understanding. Let it suffice for the present, to have thus spoken upon this passage by way of exposition.

SERMON IX.

A SERMON OF CONSOLATION ON THE COMING OF CHRIST AND THE SIGNS THAT SHALL PRECEDE THE LAST DAY.

LUKE XXI.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth, distress of nations through perplexity, &c.

IN the Gospel for to-day, Christ our Lord gives us a particular declaration of the state of things that there shall be in the world, when the end thereof shall be at hand. Whence we may be instructed as to the time when that great and terrible day shall be near, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall openly come himself unto judgment; so that we may not be compelled to remain in doubt, nor to fluctuate through any uncertain opinions. Nay, he plainly tells us the particular signs which shall be in that latter time, and which shall usher in that great day. And indeed, it is not likely that so great an event as the signal and ultimate change of all things, should not be marked with many and great signs, when the much less important changes in countries and kingdoms take place according to predicted signs.

But, as this Gospel has already been copiously set forth before, so that it is well understood by all, and many are fully acquainted with it, I shall not here speak of the doctrine which it contains, but shall treat

of it in another way, to the glory of God and our consolation. For it is to that end published abroad by preaching, and committed to writing, that it may serve and be for a consolation to the faith and hope of us who preach Christ, and of us who believe in him. And although it is calculated to alarm that scum of the rest of mankind whom the signs are intended to awaken, yet, such is its nature, that they are not moved by those signs, but look upon them with an unconcerned security of mind. Wherefore, we shall pay no regard to them, but leave them to our God and their judge who is to come, and who will render unto them their reward; so that they shall feel, in their own eternal experience, what it is that they would not regard or believe. We however, ourselves, will make this Gospel administer to our profit, by so treating of it, as that it may be to us a sweet and gladdening sermon, and may not be left recorded in vain, nor lose its power and virtue.

And of this consolation we have abundant need; because, it is evident that the signs themselves are sufficiently terrible, and exhibit an alarming sight; and moreover, real Christians are of themselves extremely fearful, and of little courage; whom, when even beholding any examples of the indignation of God, the sound of a leaf may strike almost dead with fear. Whereas, the ungodly are by these things rendered the more secure, and the more hardened; being such, whom no signs, however great and alarming, can move. And this is indeed a lamentable reversion of things. For those to whom these signs ought especially to be a source of gladness, are filled with fear because of them: whereas, those whom God threatens by those signs, have feelings of horn and hearts of stone. Whence it comes to pass, that they cause no concern, and appear to be of no concern to them, to whom all things that speak of and threaten the future wrath and impending indignation of God belong; while, on the other hand, those, who ought not to be alarmed at these signs, but should rather rejoice on account of them, as being messengers not of wrath, but of grace only and consolation,

are wrongly filled with fear by them, and are with difficulty brought to raise their hearts to the conception of those joyful and consolatory thoughts which they ought to entertain.

There are, in this Gospel Two THINGS to be observed by us. First that Christ enumerates in order those signs that shall precede the last last day, and by which it may be known that it is even at the doors. Secondly that he predicts those signs for the consolation of his Christians, to the intent that they may expect his coming with a gladly waiting and happy mind.

FIRST PART.

The first sign, then, which he saith shall appear, shall be from heaven in the moon and stars: that is, as he himself explains it, Matt. xxiv. "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." And then that there shall be" in the earth distress of nations." With such perplexity shall men be filled, that they shall not know which way to turn themselves, or where to remain, but shall melt away with fear. And moreover, there shall be signs beheld in the sea and in the waters. So that all the creatures and the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and the earth shall quake; as an old building, threatening to fall, afterwards utterly gives way and drags its ruins along with it. So that, a something strikingly awful shall forewarn, that the world will soon come to an end, and that the last day is even at the door.

Again, before the last day of judgment, there will be many men whom the devil will drive and torture by an evil conscience and by dire temptations, and will press them into such straits, that they shall not know which way to turn or where to abide. But let the devil thus vex and terrify, yet shall he not hurt those, who are such as God never intended to alarm or condemn like the wicked and ungodly, but who are of a fearful and tender mind, and would willingly receive consolation and be converted, and who can find no comfort or counsel, but as God himself delivers them out of their afflictions of