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

And herein they attribute more to their own obedience than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ: Christs active obedience was not sufficient to satisfy for sin: it purchased the blessings of the covenant, but it did not deliver us from the curse: active obedience to the Law has merit in it, if it be perfect, but it has not any satisfying virtue: it is something of another kind that God requires for satisfaction: the Law threatens death for sin, Rom. 6.23, The wages of sin is death: so that Christs active obedience could not satisfy for sins: if he undertake to satisfy for sins, he must bear the punishment of death.

And herein they attribute more to their own obedience than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ: Christs active obedience was not sufficient to satisfie for sin: it purchased the blessings of the covenant, but it did not deliver us from the curse: active obedience to the Law has merit in it, if it be perfect, but it has not any satisfying vertue: it is something of another kind that God requires for satisfaction: the Law threatens death for sin, Rom. 6.23, The wages of sin is death: so that Christs active obedience could not satisfie for sins: if he undertake to satisfie for sins, he must bear the punishment of death.

3. Hence they think that out of a respect to their own righteousness; and upon the account thereof, ⟨p. 178⟩God will bestow salvation upon them: they think that this is that which interests them, in all the good of the covenant: their own prayers and reformations, and affections and zeal in the cause of God is that which makes them heirs of glory, and gives them a title to the eternal inheritance. They look upon their own righteousness as the price of heaven, and think they have done something to the earning of glory, they are at work for God, and look upon heaven to be their wages.