The Most Heavenly Thought Of The Most Heavenly Man Does Not Deserve Heaven

The most holy and heavenly man that ever breathed, durst not adventure the salvation of his soul upon the most heavenly thought that ever he conceived. Our impressions of this will help to keep your hearts right in point of righteousness; so as not to build your acceptation before God upon your good works, but only on the works of the Son of God.

Study always to keep up the lively impression of this awful truth upon your hearts, that God could find matter of condemnation against you, not only for your worst sins, but from the best of your duties….[A]ll this will not make a righteousness by which I may expect to be justified or accepted of God. No, he [Apostle Paul] accounted all as dung and loss, in the point of justification, that he might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness. So that you see, even in the presence of your best graces, works, and duties of obedience, free grace through imputed righteousness is to be your only sanctuary and city of refuge.

Ebenezer Erskine, The Whole Works of the Late Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, 1:145. (HT: Inwoo Lee)

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