The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ

And this appears by three things: 1. If it be commanded, that we believe in Jesus Christs Righteousness, then it is lawful for us so to do; God would never put us upon that, which its own nature is not lawful, it must needs be a warrantable thing for us to put our trust in the righteousness of Christ: there can be no unlawfulness in attending that which God requires: but if it were not safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ, it could not be lawful to believe in it; it would be an irregular thing to put our trust therein and that on two accounts. 1. It would be a putting of too much honour upon Christ and his righteousness: if it were not ⟨p. 108⟩safe appearing in Christs Righteousness, then Christs Righteousness were not worthy to be believed in: if it were not safe trusting in it, then we should give too high a commendation to it, when we believe in it: for when we believe in it, we proclaim it to be safe so to do: it would be an idolizing of Christs righteousness, to trust in it, if it were not safe so to do; it is a fault to believe in that which cannot save: when we believe in Christs Righteousness, we give him the honour of having purchased salvation for us, if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness, then in so doing we should give him a glory that belongs not to him. 2. It would be self-flattery for us to believe in the righteousness of Christ; if it were not safe appearing in it, it could not be lawful to trust in it: to trust in it would be presumption, what would it be, but to delude our selves, and to please our selves with an idle dream, which would deceive us ••men are blamed in the Word of God for such confidences, Isa. 29.18. it is not lawful or warrantable for us to believe in that which we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in; but we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in the righteousness of Christ; if it be not safe to appear before God in it: what can encourage us to depend upon, and be satisfied in that which it is not safe to depend upon. 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the righteousness of Christ, then it is duty so to do: then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ, we cannot without sin stay away from Christ: and therefore surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ: the holy God would never make ⟨p. 109⟩