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

5 Let us consider how such self-righteous men do hide it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness: for the Scripture does so plainly witness against justification by works, that if they saw ⟨p. 188⟩that they trusted in their own works, that alone were enough to dash all their comfort, so that there is a necessity in places of Gospel-light, that such men do add this delusion to the other, to persuade themselves that they do not make their own righteousness the foundation of their confidence, hence self-righteous men please themselves that they believe in Christ, they trust in their own righteousness, and yet fancy that they trust in the righteousness of Christ; and this they do by such pretences as these: 1. They pretend that they don't trust in their own righteousness, because they are convinced that their own righteousness cannot save them: they are satisfied that their own works cannot justify them before God: they think the opinion of the Papists is sottish and irrational, they are settled in that Doctrine, that works cannot justify them; but this may be where mens confidence is in their own works; there are none among us that do think that works can save them, yet there be multitudes that do put their trust in their own righteousness: the reason of this is because men seek salvation by mixing the covenant of works and grace together: they reckon that works alone cannot save them, yet they reckon that they will contribute much to their salvation: they think that works are not sufficient of themselves for their salvation, but yet they think they have a great stroke in their justification: they think their works do gain God to be willing to save them, and that there is somewhat of merit in them, yet they judge they will not do alone, without grace and the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 9.32. they sought it as it were by the works of the Law. 2. They pretend that they do not trust in their own ⟨p. 189⟩works, for tho they do take encouragement from them, yet it is only as they are signs of a good estate, not as the foundation of their Faith: they say that Ministers do commonly give men signs from their works and qualifications to try their good estate, and so does the Word of God, and we find that holy men in Scripture have laid great weight upon them, and they are not to be blamed for that: that is not a self-righteous spirit: