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

Take it under these three Heads:

1. They may attain to as much as any Saint, as to the external part of Religion: all the external acts of holiness may be done by him that has no principle of holiness: the external acts of grace may be so imitated that no man can discern the difference: though ordinarily the conversation of the saints be better than the conversation of other men, yet others may attend the external part of godliness as much as any saint; for 'tis not grace that gives men power to do that which is externally good: nature gives men the power to do the action, and grace gives men power to do it in a right manner, and for a right end: and the corruption in natural men be strong to hinder them from the external acts of Religion, yet that may be over-ruled: natural men have a power to do the external duty, and they may have a will too through some over-ruling consideration: Paul tho a Pharisee, may have a blameless conversation; tho Urith was ⟨p. 169⟩not a faithful Priest, yet he was a faithful Witness, Isai 8.4. many a natural man is of chaste conversation, temperate in the use of meat and drink, just in his dealings with men, charitable to the poor, strict in observing of the Sabbath: he may be greatly instrumental in promoting the public good; abound in Fasting and Prayer, fall in with the better party; take much pains for the conversion of others: yea the Apostle intimates that a man may give all his goods to feed the poor, and his body to be burned, and not have charity, 1 Cor. 13.3. an opinion of merit is sufficient to make many men give all they have to the poor: and men may suffer death in the cause of God, that have no grace, either from sturdiness of spirit: some are men of high spirits, and count it a disgrace to them to yield: they scorn that others should get the day of them: they will not disparage themselves nor humour their enemies so as to yield to them: or from confidence of their salvation; lotting upon it, that if they dye in such a cause, they shall surely go to heaven.