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

2. The law requires perfect obedience in order unto life. gal. 3.12. the man that doth these things shall live in them: it is perfect obedience, for it is such obedience as is not mingled with sin: if there be any mixture of sin, then the person is exposed to the curse, but it is impossible that a person should at the same time be an heir of the curse and the blessing; of hell and heaven; but there is no man in this life does attain unto perfect obedience, those that put their trust in their own righteousness do not perform right obedience, their obedience is only the shell and carcass of obedience: their best works are not only sinful, but properly sins, for they are acted by a spirit of lust in all that they do: self-love rules every unregenerate man, Rom. 8.8. they that are in the flesh cannot please God: and the obedience of the people of God is greatly tainted with sin; the Saints do many things that are sins, and their best duties also: are sinfully defective: sin cleaves to them: besides the positive workings of sin, they cannot perform any inward act of grace, with their whole soul as long as the soul is imperfectly sanctified, 1 King. 8.46. there is no man that sinneth not.

2. The law requires perfect obedience in order unto life. gal. 3.12. the man that doth these things shall live in them: it is perfect obedience, for it is such obedience as is not mingled with sin: if there be any mixture of sin, then the person is exposed to the curse, but it is impossible that a person should at the same time be an heir of the curse and the blessing; of hell and heaven; but there is no man in this life does attain unto perfect obedience, those that put their trust in their own righteousness do not perform right obedience, their obedience is only the shell and carcase of obedience: their best works are not only sinful, but properly sins, for they are acted by a spirit of lust in all that they do: self-love rules every unregenerate man, Rom. 8.8. they that are in the flesh cannot please God: and the obedience of the people of God is greatly tainted with sin; the Saints do many things that are sins, and their best duties also: are sinfully defective: sin cleaves to them: besides the positive workings of sin, they cannot perform any inward act of grace, with their whole soul as long as the soul is imperfectly sanctified,