Excerpt from Hymns and Sacred Poems
1. Some verses, it may be observ'd, in the following collection, were wrote upon the Scheme of the Mystick Divines. And these 'tis own'd, we had once in great veneration, as the best explainers of the Gospel of Christ. But we are now convinced that we therein greatly err'd; not knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God. And because this is an error which many serious minds are sooner or later exposed to, and which indeed most early besets those, who seek the Lord Jesus in sincerity; we believe ourselves indispensibly obliged, in the presence of God and angels, and men, to declare wherein we apprehend those writers, not to teach the Truth as it is in Jesus.
2. And first, we apprehend them to lay another foundation. They are careful indeed to pull down our own works, and to prove, that by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified. But why is this? Only, to establish our own righteousness in the place of our own works. They speak largely and well, against expecting to be accepted of God for our virtuous actions: and then teach, that we are to be accepted, for our virtuous habits or tempers. Still the ground of our acceptance is placed in ourselves. The difference is only this: common writers suppose we are to be justified, for the sake of our outward righteousness. These suppose we are to be justified, for the sake of our inward righteousness: whereas in Truth, we are no more justified, for the sake of one than of the other. For neither our own inward nor outward righteousness, is the ground of our justification. Holiness of heart, as well as holiness of life, is not the cause, but the effect of it.
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