Sovereign Grace Church

In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; 
I will not fear what flesh can do unto me

(Psalm 56:4)

[Beloved] consider the various fears to which all God’s converted people, and myself among the rest, are subject, while imprisoned in a body of clay.

Within are fears. For that sorceress, whose, name is fear, can transform herself into a multiplicity of shapes, though she is in reality, the same identical bag in all.

Sometimes she assumes the mantle of pretended humility; and whispers, that “we must not give absolute credit to God’s covenant and promises, nor aspire to the comfort and enjoyment of them, for fear of being presumptuous.”

[And soon enough], she wears the mask of caution: “Do not rejoice in God’s election, and in Christ’s righteousness, for fear of being a self deceiver.” Whereas, in reality, all who can embrace the free favour of God, and all who can lay hold on the righteousness of Christ, have a covenant right to both. And why should not they who have a right to these, rejoice in the God to whose rich and immutable grace they are indebted for it?

At another time, fear accosts us in the garb of affected holiness; “you must bring,” says she, “a price in your hand, to God the Father; or Christ’s redemption will profit you nothing. Do not undervalue yourself, by supposing that you can do no good work before you are justified. I tell you, that you must work for life and justification. You must do good works, in order to be accepted; and fulfill a string of terms and conditions, seeing you are to be saved for your works, because of your works, yea, according to the merits of your works.” But thou, O believer in Christ, flee these abominable doctrines. Hearken not to them, as you value the glory of God, the freeness of grace, the riches of Christ, the interests of real holiness, and your own happiness. Remember that the conditions of fallen man’s salvation are two, and no more: namely, perfect atonement for sin, and perfect obedience to the law. Both these conditions Christ has completely fulfilled, in the stead, and for the infallible salvation, of every soul that comes to His blood for cleansing, and to His righteousness for clothing. “To what end, then, serves faith?” To let thee into the knowledge, possession, and enjoyment of this free and finished redemption. “And to what end serve good works?” Not to entitle us to God’s favour, or even to pave (much less to pay) our way to His kingdom: but to glorify His name, to adorn His gospel, to evidence our adoption, and benefit others on our road to heaven.