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

2. They may attain unto great religious frames: many carnal men have had very strong pangs of affection their hearts may overflow in a religious way: many that have no principle of grace have had great impressions on their hearts from the Word of God, the hearts of natural men have been considerably engaged in the ways of God: the Galatians many of whom Paul was afraid of, were formerly greatly affected with the Gospel, Gal. 4.15. he that was not prepared to go through sufferings tells Christ in a pang, he will follow him whither soever he goes, Luk. 9.57, 58. Saul has a great pang. because God had wrought salvation in Israel, 1 Sam 11.13. they sang Gods praise that soon forgot his works, Ps 106.12, 13. men may receive the ⟨p. 170⟩word with joy, yet not hold out in a day of persecution? Mat. 13.21. men may bewail their miscarriages tho their hearts be not mended, 1 Sam. 26.21. men may delight in Religion that are not sincere in it, Job 27.9, 10. men may abominate some sins, though none be mortified, 1 Chron. 21.6, the Kings word was abominable unto Joab: men may be full of zeal that are strangers unto Christ, Phil. 3.6. these pangs and religious frames are nothing else but the various workings of an enlightened conscience and self-love: some men are enlightened to see their danger in a way of sin, and the hopes of blessedness in a way of returning to God: God puts a light into the mind whereby men come to see their present danger, and hell, and eternity, and wrath seem real things unto them: and after a while God gives many of them some special encouragements of the possibility of salvation: natural men are sometimes under a common conviction of the glory of God: a natural man is capable of some discoveries that way: and these convictions work upon that natural principle of self-love: and hence arise that fear, joy, hope, thankfulness, that many natural men do experience: all those religious frames and dispositions that are in natural men, are nothing else but the various shapings of self-love: the same principle of self-love which made them before to follow the World and their pleasures, does after conviction make them seek after holiness, Christ and salvation.