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

Argument 2.

While natural men seem to have relentings and breakings of heart for sin, it is impossible but they should put their confidence therein; as long as he does imagine that there are any good affections in himself, he will be lifted up with them: these affections will keep him from being humbled: men will feed upon these husks as long as they can get them: there is no bringing of a natural man out of his strong hold, until it be thrown to the ground: a bleeding heart is meat for carnal confidence: there is that spirit of pride and slavish fear in natural men, that as long as they can imagine any good in themselves, they will hang upon it, Rev. 3, 17. thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods.

Argument 3.

When a man is indeed under the work of humiliation, he sees he cannot mourn for sin: he sees his mourning frames are gone; he finds his heart shut up, and the pangs of affection, which he sometime had, gone beyond recovery: in order to the work of Humiliation, God makes men to see their hard hearts; and hence they are wont to complain when God is about to humble them, that God has ⟨p. 209⟩