the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Golden Treasury
By grace ye are saved. Ephesians 2:5.
To rely on grace, and desire to be saved only by free grace, is a sweet exercise; but so far from being practised enough, that we have all need to learn the prayer of the publican better still, since the pharisee and the old monk, as Luther observes, are ever busy to creep in again.
But care must be taken, that we do not build our faith only upon the sweet enjoyments of the grace of God in our hearts; but also, upon the grace in the heart of God, as it is recovered by Christ and promised to us through Christ. For which reason God sometimes denies us sensible enjoyments, that true faith may begin to act like itself, and depend upon nothing but his free grace in Christ. And this we have also boldness to do, should we even seem to fall short of due measure of faith, godly sorrow and repentance. For since there is no merit to be placed in these things there is no certain measure and degree prescribed to all.
It is enough truly to hate sin, to desire grace, and sincerely to enter upon the Christian race.
’Tis not by works of righteousness
Which our own hands have done;
But we are saved by sovereign grace,
Abounding through his Son.
’Tis from the mercy of our God
That all our hopes begin;
’Tis by the water and the blood
Our souls are washed from sin.
Raised from the dead we live anew?
And justified by grace,
We shall appear in glory too,
And see our Father’s face.
