The Twenty Third of April.

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD --- 2 Corinthians 5:21.

"God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." --- 2 Corinthians 5:21.

"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." --- Romans 4:5.

These are very sweet and precious words to those who look upon their own best virtues and performances by nature as sinful, and upon their best condition by grace as extremely weak and imperfect. How comfortable a thing is justification of the penitent by faith, when the soul was first stripped naked before God, and thoroughly convinced of wickedness and weakness.

A mere moral man does not meddle with this; he pretends to make amends for his former sins by altering his course, and doing better works: but this is not making amends at all, since we are but unprofitable servants, and want continually forgiveness of sin, even when we have done all.

There is but one way to be justified, and to obtain and preserve the blessing of a good conscience, which is by humbling and confessing ourselves guilty, and looking only for forgiveness and righteousness in Christ. Thus we are made by him the righteousness of God itself. May the Lord put us all in this way!

No more, my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done;
I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of thy Son.

Oh yes, and I must and will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus' sake;
Oh may my soul be found in him,
And of his righteousness partake.

The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before thy throne,
But faith can answer thy demands,
By pleading what my Lord has done.