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

This appears, 1. Because it is contrary to the decree and appointment of God to save such as do not believe, the decrees of God are inviolable, it is a vain thing for any man to look for salvation contrary to Gods decree: but it is against Gods decree to save unbelievers, not that there is such a formal act in the decree that unbelievers shall be damned; but this is a truth arising from the decree: for God has determined to ⟨p. 275⟩give faith unto all those that he has chosen unto salvation: he has determined to lead them in a way of faith unto life, 2 Thes. 2.13 God has chosen you from the beginning unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth: all that God has chosen unto life shall believe, John 6.37. all that the Father has given me shall come unto me: so that it is cross to the decree of God to save any man that has not faith, the decree of God is a bar in the way of his salvation. 2. Because faith is the condition of the covenant of grace: there is one law for all men: there is but one condition of this covenant: John 5.24. he that heareth my words, and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life, &c. we are directed to take this way for salvation: there is no other way proposed, in case of a failure in this: so that the want of this must needs exclude men from the good of the covenant; the want of this condition renders men uncapable of life. 3. Because it must be so in Justice, and Gods heart is as much upon the glorifying of his Justice as his grace: one attribute is as due to him as another, the glorifying of his Justice is not a by-business but a thing that his heart is deeply concerned in: and Justice requires the ruin of unbelievers: for they deserve it, Rom. 6.23. the wages of sin is death: and there is no way for Justice to be satisfied for their sins but by their ruin. 4 Because it is foretold and prophesied of, that Christ will destroy unbelievers when he comes to Judgment: the Scripture gives us an account before ⟨p. 276⟩hand of the transactions of the day of Judgment; what will be the issue of things, and befall these and those in that day: and God tells us that unbelievers shall be ruined then: he does not only threaten them with ruin, but tells the Saints that such persons shall be ruined,