"In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." --- Isaiah 45:24; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 5:19.
Justification through faith in Christ, at first, is a very dark doctrine, hard to be understood; but afterwards we find by experience, that it would be impossible to be saved in any other way, and that nothing can be surer than this, though all mankind should turn away from it.
And when we are made to see that our best performances are unclean in the sight of God, and could not be accepted without the covering of Christ's righteousness, then we are brought to submit entirely to Christ, and at last to look upon ourselves wholly justified through him, which alone produceth rest, strength, and a gentle spirit, the true image of Christ.
In vain do we hope to procure this rest by any reasonings or strong resolutions of our own; for if we are sometimes able to master our affections by our own strength, this is yet a building of our own, and keeps us from earnest wrestling in prayer. We have now a form of godliness without its power, and are still deceiving our own souls; for nothing can be pleasing in the sight of God, and profit us in the last day, but what he works himself.
Away, therefore, with all these doings of our own. Let us acknowledge the weakness and nothingness of our strength, and apply in our poor, blind, naked, lost, and miserable condition, to the blood and righteousness of Christ; then we shall also find power and dominion over sin. Isaiah 33:24.
Sinners should hear the sound,
Their thankful tongues shall own
Our righteousness and strength is found
In thee, the Lord, alone.