In this way, also, those who are under the deepest concern often wander in search of pardon and peace. Most men under convictions are very unwilling to throw away all self-confidence. They are not willing to despair of ever being fair in the sight of God in themselves. They shrink back from the idea of being lost and undone, for anything that they can do. They do not like to venture to lie helpless and without a plea at the feet of a sovereign God.
Salvation is by grace.
When a man chooses an apple off a tree, he generally chooses the ripest, the one that promises best. It is not so with God in choosing the soul He saves. This is proved by the instances given in the Bible of brands plucked out of the burning. All these things happened unto them for ensamples, to show us that God saves according to the good pleasure of His will, not for our goodness, but to show His own free adorable grace. The same thing is proved by the experience of every child of God.