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

Christ is not willing to lose one believer but claims the promise, and is set for their salvation, John 17.20. I pray for them also that shall believe on me through their word: and what does he desire for them? among other things, that they may be where he is, to behold his glory, ver. 24. 3. The Lord is persuading of you to believe in Christ: he is urging of you, and stirring of you up: this is the very design of the Gospel to gain mens consent to come to Christ: he invites you to come, Rev 22.17. and is giving you an account what preparation he has made for your acceptance: he has appointed the Ordinance of the Ministry upon this design, to draw you to Christ, and make up the match between you and Christ, 2 Cor. 5.20. yea, upon this account he sends his spirit into your hearts to terrify you, to mind you of your dying day, of eternal judgment, of the sinfulness of your lives and hearts, that you may be compelled to come away to Christ: that you may not be able to rest without him: and why should God concern himself so to persuade you to believe if this were not a way of salvation? what design can God have upon his heart in these works of his, but to save you, if you will hearken unto his voice? why does God take so much pains about this, if the life of your souls did not depend upon it? would God strive so to bring you to Christ, if you would not be the better for coming unto him? certainly God lays extraordinary weight upon it, and is deeply engaged in it, to bring you unto Christ, and would he ⟨p. 282⟩be so, if it were not a way of life and blessedness: God would let men alone and never busy himself so to persuade them to believe in Christ if the life of their souls did not depend upon it: it would not be worth the while, for God with a great deal of care, and by many wonderful works of his spirit to bring men to believe, if this were not the way of salvation: it would not become the wisdom and goodness of God to labour in this manner to persuade men to believe, if this were not the way of life. 4. God promises salvation to you if you will believe: God is not at liberty to accept or reject you: but he has brought himself under bonds, and entered into a solemn covenant to save you if you come to Christ: he has made a firm engagement, without any exceptions, conditions, reservations to bestow salvation upon you: