IF my soul rests entirely on the work of Christ and His acceptance, as the One Who appears in the presence of God for me, I am resting on a finished work, and a poled, infinite acceptance. Then, "as He is, so am I in this world:" so that "Herein is love made perfect with us, that we [the children of God] should have boldness in the Day of Judgment.”
Now, what men substitute for this is the examination of the effects of the Spirit in them; the effects of regeneration are put as the ground of rest, in lieu of redemption. Hence I sometimes hope when I see those effects, sometimes despond when I see the flesh working; and having put the work of the Spirit in place of the work of Christ, the confidence I am commanded to hold fast never exists, and I doubt whether I am in the faith at all.
All this results from substituting the work of the Spirit of God in me for the work, victory, resurrection, and ascension of Christ actually accomplished—the sure (because finished) resting-place of faith, never altering, never varying, but always the same before God.