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

but if you would give entertainment to it, it would be a matter of joy to many an one: you would be glad your self; you would have peace and joy in believing, and others would be glad with you: for it is a token of the presence of God, and a means of your salvation, a means to strengthen and continue the Kingdom of God, your godly relations would rejoice, Prov. 23.15. my Son if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice even mine; it will be a more joyful day to them than the day of your birth: and Ministers that have travelled in pain for you, will rejoice when Christ is formed in you: yea Jesus Christ rejoices greatly, when a sinner is brought home to him, it is the day of espousals, and therefore the day of the gladness of his heart: when he sees souls brought home to him, when he sees the fruit of his sorrows, the travel of his soul, he is satisfied, in this day of victory Christ triumphs, heaven and earth will rejoice at it, if you will entertain the calls of the Gospel, Luk 15.10. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth: God himself takes delight in it: there will be repining in hell, but joy in heaven if you come to Christ. 6. It is from the practice of Satan that you are so backward to come: not but that there is an enmity in your own hearts to the entertaining of Jesus Christ, but the opposition of your heart is much strengthened by the counsels of the Devil: the Devil out of enmity to God, and Jesus Christ and Mankind is labouring to hinder the efficacy of the Gospel: he is heightening those corrupt principles that are in men and dissuading of him from entertaining of the Gospel: Satan has abundance of devices to hinder the ⟨p. 291⟩reception of the Gospel: men are ready to think that they do act their own judgment in standing off from Christ, and are not aware of the activity of Satan in it; he suggests his reasonings as if they were the motions of mens own hearts; but their opposition to the Gospel does arise from him, 2 cor. 4.4. the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them: the Devil is blinding them by false reasonings, by instilling discouragements and presumptuous conclusions:

but if you would give entertainment to it, it would be a matter of joy to many an one: you would be glad your self; you would have peace and joy in believing, and others would be glad with you: for it is a token of the presence of God, and a means of your salvation, a means to strengthen and continue the Kingdom of God, your godly relations would rejoyce,