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

1. The pride of mans heart: fallen man is a proud creature; tho he has so much to bring down his spirit, yet he is extremely addicted to magnify himself, Job 11.12. vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild Asses colt: self-love which is the very root of original sin, runs principally in this channel, men are miserably devoted to this way of sinning, though men have extremely debased themselves, and degraded themselves from that excellency which God bestowed on them, yet they are exceeding prone to swell with pride: pride is thought to be the first sin of the devil, and we are sure there was a great deal of pride in the first sin of man, that temptation of being like Gods, knowing good and evil, had a principal influence into the apostasy of our first Parents: and this spirit runs through the life of man, from his ⟨p. 173⟩child-hood to old age: therefore called the pride of life, 1 Joh. 2.16 how many methods have men found out to gratify their pride: what cost are men at, what pains do they take, what hazards do they run, that they may satisfy this lust of pride? men are proud of every thing, all natural excellencies, acquired endowments, external enjoyments are fuel to pride; men are proud of their duties and graces, yea proud of their sins too: proud of the mercies that God bestows on them, and proud of the afflictions that they have, or have had▪ pride is deeply rooted in the heart of man; and hence it is that he is so addicted to seek salvation by his own righteousness: the spirit of a self-righteous man is to exalt himself: setting up a mans own righteousness is directly contrary to the work of humiliation and the grace of humility: a Pharisaical spirit is a proud spirit, Luk. 18.14. pride is the reason of mens setting up their own righteousness; and it has an influence these two ways.

1. The pride of mans heart: fallen man is a proud creature; tho he has so much to bring down his spirit, yet he is extreamly addicted to magnifie himself, Job 11.12