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

2. Some men are naturally of a more stubborn spirit than others: and upon that account they feel more dreadful opposition: though every natural man is equally under the power of sin: for they are totally so: the disposition to sin against God does neither increase nor decrease in natural men, though particular evil dispositions do: yet some men by reason of their temper are of a more stubborn spirit: and in other cases are wont to be more difficult to yield either to God or men than other men, and that is one reason why they in this case do experience more opposition.

3. There is a great difference in the risings of mens hearts against yielding to God, from the different manner of Gods dispensations, to the same under this work: Especially in three things: 1. Some men had abundance more confidence that they were in a good estate than ever others did obtain unto: they were strongly persuaded that they were converted, had had abundance of joy under the apprehension of their good condition: and when these hopes come to be pulled away from them, it is no wonder that their hearts work exceedingly: they are like the troubled Sea that casts forth mire and dirt. 2. Some men when they are emptied of their own righteousness are left more upon the borders of despair than others are: there is a secret hope that God does sustain the hearts of all by; an hope rising from the power of God, and the deliverance he has wrought for others &c: in some there is more ⟨p. 217⟩of this hope in others less: the more there is of this the more this work of submission is facilitated: an enemy will sooner yield where he has more hope of mercy than where he has less: the less hope men have, the more difficult their submission will be: that made the Syrians yield because they looked on the Kings of Israel as merciful Kings, 1 King 20.31. 3. God does discover his own sovereignty sooner unto some than unto others: the conviction of that is the thing that silences the heart, and makes it bow: that brought down Jobs Spirit, Job 42.2, 5