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

men in this way do venture their souls upon a fancy of their own: God gives them no assurance that he will accept them in that way: men have only their own judgments for it, that this is a way of salvation, God has not told them that this way satisfies him, and answers his expectations, but men guess that this way will do, men venture it, as if they were able by their own understandings to determine what way would please God: and needed not any revelation in the Word: they stay not for a promise, but boldly venture upon God without one: what madness is to desert the way that God directs to, and take away of your own, as if you had found out a better way to heaven than God tells you of: you have an imagination that this way will do, but is it not a daring thing, for men to venture the eternal state of their souls upon an imagination of their own? it is great folly for men to neglect the way wherein they have a promise, and trust in one wherein they have none: you act in this as if you did not matter, though you should perish; 'tis strange that men should in a matter of such importance, go upon such slender ground, if you should be mistaken in your judgment, what way pleases God, your souls are lost: and if you should miscarry in this way, it would not he strange, for you had no warrant from God for it: you may miscarry, and God be faithful, God is under no covenant engagements unto you in this way: is it not strange that men should be shy and scrupulous and afraid to trust God in such a way wherein they have his solemn promise, and yet bold and daring to ⟨p. 194⟩rely on him in such a way wherein he has given them no encouragement, herein preferring their own judgment, before the covenant of God.

men in this way do venture their souls upon a fancy of their own: God gives them no assurance that he will accept them in that way: men have only their own judgments for it, that this is a way of salvation, God has not told them that this way satisfies him, and answers his expectations, but men guess that this way will do, men venture it, as if they were able by their own understandings to determine what way would please God: and needed not any revelation in the Word: they stay not for a promise, but boldly venture upon God without one: what madness is to desert the way that God directs to, and take away of your own, as if you had found out a better way to heaven than God tells you of: you have an imagination that this way will do, but is it not a daring thing, for men to venture the eternal state of their souls upon an imagination of their own? it is great folly for men to neglect the way wherein they have a promise, and trust in one wherein they have none: you act in this as if you did not matter, though you should perish; 'tis strange that men should in a matter of such importance, go upon such slender ground, if you should be mistaken in your judgment, what way pleases God, your souls are lost: and if you should miscarry in this way, it would not he strange, for you had no warrant from God for it: you may miscarry, and God be faithful, God is under no covenant engagements unto you in this way: is it not strange that men should be shie and scrupulous and afraid to trust God in such a way wherein they have his solemn promise, and yet bold and daring to