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

3 The Devil is busy to hinder men from entertaining this truth: the Devil is most industrious in this matter, because their entertaining this truth will deliver them from his dominion: 2 Cor. 11.3, he is possessing of men with prejudices against this truth, casting in objections, and fortifying of the heart against the persuasions of the word: and this does considerably increase the difficulty, because of the subtlety of Satan to represent his temptations with great appearance of reason, and smooth a delusion, so that it shall have a great face of truth, & because of his ability, together with his reasonings to work so upon the affections, as to make the soul more opposite to the entertaining of the truth. 4. Man by nature does not believe the testimony of God: this truth cannot certainly be known but by faith, reason may argue something for it, but not conclusively: but natural men are destitute of a principle to receive the testimony of God: they are ignorant of the glorious nature of God, and so of his faithfulness, and therefore though they may look on it a thing probable, because of Gods testimony, having heard a same of him, yet they cannot be assured of it upon his word; since they know him not: so that it is a great and wonderful work of Gods spirit to help men over all these difficulties, and convince them that 'tis safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ.

3 The Devil is busie to hinder men from entertaining this truth: the Devil is most industrious in this matter, because their entertaining this truth will deliver them from his dominion: 2 Cor. 11.3, he is possessing of men with prejudices against this truth, casting in objections, and fortifying of the heart against the perswasions of the word: and this does considerably increase the difficulty, because of the subtilty of Satan to represent his temptations with great appearance of reason, and smooth a delusion, so that it shall have a great face of truth, & because of his ability, together with his reasonings to work so upon the affections, as to make the soul more opposite to the entertaining of the truth. 4. Man by nature does not believe the testimony of God: this truth cannot certainly be known but by faith, reason may argue something for it, but not conclusively: but natural men are destitute of a principle to receive the testimony of God: they are ignorant of the glorious nature of God, and so of his faithfulness, and therefore though they may look on it a thing probable, because of Gods testimony, having heard a same of him, yet they cannot be assured of it upon his word; since they know him not: so that it is a great and wonderful work of Gods spirit to help men over all these difficulties, and convince them that 'tis safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ.