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

But though they that lead an holy life keep Gods commands in a course, yet they are guilty of continual sinning against God: the corruption that is in the heart of a Saint, is making continual opposition unto holiness: as for the external part of it, many a man attends that, that has not a spark of grace, and there is a great deal in a Saint besides grace that helps him to observe the outward part of his duty; pride, covetousness, slavish fear contribute much to that: but there is abundance of opposition to the inward part of obedience, faith, love, &c. and though there be a course of holiness, and time after time an exercise of grace, yet it does not follow, that the inward actings of grace are more frequent than the actings of corruption: without question the case is far otherwise: though grace through the special presence of God is getting forward: yet there are in the heart of a Saint abundance more of the workings of pride then humility, unbelief than faith, earthliness than heavenly mindedness, the best of ⟨p. 254⟩the Saints have but a little strength, Rev. 3.8. a Saint commits a multitude of sins every day: and the actings of grace are few comparatively.

And besides this, though he that leads an holy-life, walks in Gods command in a course, yet he may have some special fits of sinning: as he that is wise may in a fit carry him self very foolishly, so he that is godly, may in a fit carry himself very sinfully: a meek man may have a fit of passion as Moses had, and the Father of the Faithful may have a fit of unbelief: there are sometimes when godly men have strong pangs of corruption, and sin does prevail not only over grace, but over conscience, and respect unto their credit, and every thing that stands as an impediment in the way of it: corruption may overflow all its banks, and for a turn a good man may carry himself very badly: and some of the people of God have more of such distempered fits than others have; and they do prevail to a greater height in some than in others: but these are but fits, the ordinary way of a Saint is a way of obedience.