Mary mistook Christ for the gardener. John 20:15. We are very apt to mistake our graces for our Saviour. Some put their faith in the place of Christ's righteousness, as if we were justified by our faith, and not by the righteousness of Christ. But hereby the glory of Christ is eclipsed. The sinner's eye is turned from the Saviour to himself. His trust is placed in his graces instead of Christ. He mistakes the things, which accompany salvation, for salvation itself.
What are the things, which accompany salvation? Naturally, we have none of them. We have only the things, which accompany damnation. We never work them in ourselves. They are the train of graces, which attend the King of saints. The Saviour brings them with himself into the saved sinner's heart.
They are the graces of his Spirit: Faith in Jesus, as a redeeming, justifying, sanctifying Saviour. Repentance towards God, as receiving and pardoning stoners in Christ: hatred of sin, and turning from sin to Christ. Hope, which is an anchor of the soul, keeping it steady in the expectation of what the word promises and faith believes. Love to God, excited by his love to us in Christ. Peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Joy in God, having now received the atonement by faith. Heavenly-mindedness, by living on Jesus. Deadness to sin, by the body of Christ. Deadness to the world, being crucified with Christ. Living to holiness, being alive unto God through Jesus Christ. Love to our brethren and fellow-sinners, having passed from death to life. And add to all the rest, constant dissatisfaction with ourselves, seeing we still are miserable sinners, imperfect creatures, unprofitable servants.
We look on nothing within us as our title to glory, but look wholly and solely to Jesus. These graces we receive out of his fulness. These are evidences of interest in him, make us meet for heaven, and accompany salvation. For we have fellowship with God and his Son Jesus Christ. Paul was persuaded of these things concerning his christian brethren. See then the glorious nature of christianity. The faith of the Gospel and the hope of salvation are not empty notions. But" whom God justified, them he also glorified." Rom. 8:30. Those whom he adorns with the glorious robe of Christ's righteousness, he makes glorious with the graces of his Spirit. "What God hath joined together let not man put asunder." Matt. 19:6.
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