n it.
[Rom. 3] Now, when a man thus thinketh of his ways,--I say, when
he doth sensibly, and with heart-humiliation, thus think, then hath
he good thoughts of his own ways, because his thoughts now agree
with the judgment of the Word of God.

{360} IGNOR. What are good thoughts concerning God?

CHR. Even as I have said concerning ourselves, when our thoughts
of God do agree with what the Word saith of him; and that is, when
we think of his being and attributes as the Word hath taught, of
which I cannot now discourse at large; but to speak of him with
reference to us: Then we have right thoughts of God, when we
think that he knows us better than we know ourselves, and can see
sin in us when and where we can see none in ourselves; when we
think he knows our inmost thoughts, and that our heart, with all
its depths, is always open unto his eyes; also, when we think that
all our righteousness stinks in his nostrils, and that, therefore,
he cannot abide to see us stand before him in any confidence, even
in all our best performances.

{361} IGNOR. Do you think that I am such a fool as to think God can
see no further than I? or, that I would come to God in the best of
my performances?

CHR. Why, how dost thou think in this matter?

IGNOR. Why, to be short, I think I must believe in Christ for
justification.

CHR. How! think thou must believe in Christ, when thou seest
not thy need of him! Thou neither seest thy original nor actual
infirmities; but hast such an opinion of thyself, and of what
thou dost, as plainly renders thee to be one that did never see a
necessity of Christ's personal righteousness to justify thee before
God. How, then, dost thou say, I believe in Christ?

{362} IGNOR. I believe well enough for all that.

CHR. How dost thou believe?

IGNOR. I believe that Christ died for sinners, and that I shall be
justified before God from the curse, through his gracious acceptance
of my obedience to his law. Or thus, Christ makes my duties, that
are religious, acceptable to his Father, by virtue of his merits;
and so shall I be justified.

{363} CHR. Let me give an answer to this confession of thy faith:--

1. Thou believest with a fantastical faith; for this faith is
nowhere described in the Word.

2. Thou believest with a false faith; because it taketh justification
from the personal righteousness of Christ, and applies it to thy
own.

3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy person,