July 18

The Law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Psalms 119:72.

This doctrine — justification not by our works, but by grace; not by the Law, but by the Gospel — alone affords enduring comfort to poor sinners. If you think that you can reach heaven by keeping the divine commandments, your soul will always be filled with dread and fear. You will feel like a slave who works in the sweat of his face and can never satisfy his master. You will never be able to say: Now I have done everything that the Law requires. The Law will comfort no one. By means of the Law you will never arrive at the joyful conviction that you are justified before God and have forgiveness of sins, that you are God's dear child, and that the heavenly Father is pleased with you.

The Gospel alone can afford to us this sweet comfort. For the Gospel is the glad tidings of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The Gospel tells us that God does not desire to reward us according to our sins and iniquities, but that He has given us His dear Son, the Savior Jesus Christ, in whom we shall have forgiveness of all our transgressions because He took upon Himself our sins and suffered and died on the cross to atone for them. This precious Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. If you receive this Gospel of the Savior Jesus into your heart, all your dread and fear will be removed, and it will afford to your conscience the sweetest of comfort — enduring comfort. You will be able to rejoice and say: "Mine eyes fail for Thy Word, saying, When wilt Thou comfort me?" The Gospel is Spirit and life. It works faith in him who was dead in trespasses and sins; it communicates strength to the Christian; it fills his heart with consolation and hope; it brings salvation to his immortal soul. Nothing else can set us free; nothing else can truly comfort and console us.

Prayer.

Grant, O merciful God, that we may profit from the unbelief of others, that we may apply the light given us to better purpose. Let the light of the Gospel rise unto those who as yet are far from Christ, the true Sun, and are groping in the dense darkness of idolatry. Bring these scattered sheep back into Thy spiritual fold

by the voice of the Gospel. Let Christ be also to them the rock on which they stand. Let His cross and resurrection be their plea at Thy judgment-throne. Amen.

Blest river of salvation, Pursue thy onward way; Flow thou to every nation Nor in thy richness stay;

Stay not till all the lowly Triumphant reach their home; Stay not till all the holy Proclaim, "The Lord is come."