"Faith appropriates the merits of the Redeemer. It does not add any thing to those merits, but it is, so to speak, the hand by which they are received."
"It is a strange and fatal error, which men sometimes entertain, that Christ died that they might live and indulge in sin; that inasmuch as he has died for men, he has thus satisfied the divine justice; and now all that is necessary, is for them to believe that he has thus offered himself, and they will be secure. This is far from the truth. Man must feel himself a poor and helpless sinner; that he is even now under condemnation, and deserves nothing from a righteous God but eternal misery, and must become truly penitent and humble. When in such a state of mind, all the false comfort he may have derived from the merits of the Saviour, will disappear. He will feel the need of a complete change of nature, and a closer union, than aught he had before conceived, between the Lord Jesus and his soul. Then, when he is truly convinced of his ill desert and misery, the Son of God will appear to him in his precious Gospel, saying, in language of the most endearing and condescending love, "I have died for thee, and atoned for all thy sins. I have mourned that thou hast gone on so long in thy blindness, and impenitence, heaping up wrath against thyself, and despising all my sufferings. I now rejoice that thou seest thy sin and misery, and the anguish which thy transgressions have caused me. Thou art now in the right way, for thy heart is now brought to a godly sorrow for sin, which works the repentance unto life. Behold now I have sprinkled thee with atoning blood, as I ever do the hearts that mourn over sin. Be comforted! I died upon the cross, arose and ascended on high, to deliver thee from the power of sin and Satan. Behold! I deliver thee from all unrighteousness, from death and hell. I am thine, and thou art mine. Thou hast been long sinning against God, and exposed to his wrath, but now thou art pardoned and secure. Thou hast now a righteousness which thou canst plead before God. Believe in me. Put all thy trust in me."...
"Thus faith appropriates the merits of the Redeemer. It does not add any thing to those merits, but it is, so to speak, the hand by which they are received. Now the sinner having cast away all reliance upon himself gives himself away to Christ, and through the spirit of grace which is given to him, his whole heart is renewed; he is a new man in Christ Jesus. He now serves, with joy and gratitude, that Saviour who has redeemed him."
"I add nothing more than to direct you all to Him. Go to the Lord Jesus, and receive from him grace for grace. Stay not away, thinking it too late for you to return to him. He will never reject the sinner who returns. Be assured that no one who comes, and with contrite heart says, 'God be merciful to me a sinner,' will be cast out. Do not suppose that they only should come, who are sanctified, in part, from sin. The Lord Jesus looks not on your worthiness; but is ready, for his mercy's sake, to receive the vilest offenders. You cannot, and you must not, attempt to prepare yourselves by your own righteousness to come to him. He must begin, and carry on, and complete the work of your salvation. Go and believe in him."—August Francke