An Empty Hand

If any thing else, on our part, were mingled with justification, save the bare receiving of Christ with an empty hand, the promises would never be sure. There could nothing come from us so perfect, but the Devil would pick a hole in it. Therefore hold this, thy sins are done away by him, in whom the Devil could find nothing: and he received, apprehended, and believed in, is thy life; for then thou art become a member of his, and canst not perish. The ignorance of many on this point is the cause why the Devil keeps men so long in sorrow, because they clog the matter of faith in justification with their own inventions, to be worthy, to be fitted first with such and such measures of humiliation: when indeed our greatest worthiness is, to see ourselves altogether unworthy, and so come. Faith comes to God with an empty hand, and leaves all: and therefore when we come to Christ, faith are the feet we go with, and the mouth we speak with, the weapons we fight with. Then a man comes to the throne of grace with confidence and great boldness, and lays hold on life, assured to receive: as a man cometh with confidence to take in his bond, when his surety hath paid the debt. If a man bring not Christ with him, there is no name or promise else to take hold of, whereby he may be saved. "In him (saith the apostle) all the promises are yea and amen." "If any man hath the Son, he shall have life." All good things, all high and low things, must be let fall in this case. If it were humiliation itself, we have not Christ for this: I must receive freely with an empty hand, that all may be of grace.

—James Ussher