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

Sometimes he thinks that his duties lay some bonds upon the justice of God, he thinks it equal that he should be spared, and that it would be extreme rigour, for God to cast him off at last, when he has done so much for him. Sometimes he thinks his duties have laid a tie upon the faithfulness of God, God has made promises to them that seek, and he claims an interest in them; he makes his duties the slay of his soul, and when conscience is pursuing of him, he takes sanctuary here.

Sometimes he thinks that his duties lay some bonds upon the justice of God, he thinks it equal that he should be spared, and that it would be extream rigour, for God to cast him off at last, when he has done so much for him. Sometimes he thinks his duties have laid a tye upon the faithfulness of God, God has made promises to them that seek, and he claims an interest in them; he makes his duties the slay of his soul, and when conscience is pursuing of him, he takes sanctuary here.

3. Such men take their encouragement from their frames and duties to come to Christ: many self-righteous men do draw comfort from Christ, and they think they have their dependence on Christ: count themselves believers, but the comfort they draw from Christ is at the second hand; their encouragement takes its first rise from some excellency in themselves. They would not dare to trust in Christ but under such considerations as these; that they are reformed, not so bad as other men, have love to Christ, are sorrowful for their sins: have a good affection to Ordinances, and the people of God, such considerations do embolden them to come to Christ, he thinks if he were so bad and so bad, Christ would not accept of him: but it being otherwise ⟨p. 166⟩with him he thinks he may venture: he desires to be better with all his heart, and so hopes that it is not presumption for him to come to Christ: finding such frames in his own heart, he thinks that Christ does mean him in the invitations of the Gospel, so he makes his own duties a step towards Christ, he makes his own gracious frames a preparation to his coming to Christ.