April 8

We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. - Romans 5:11.

WHATEVER the people of the world may imagine, religion is the highest wisdom: “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;” and “wisdom is justified of all her children.” The service religion demands is founded upon principles that will bear the strictest investigation. It is a reasonable service, and hence it is enjoined on all Christians to be “always ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness and fear.” And the Christian’s joy proceeds from knowledge; and therefore David says, “Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound: in thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.” There is no joy-not even the joy of hope-apart from the gospel.

Now, when a man is convinced that he is a sinner, and condemned by the righteous law of God, which says, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them,” it is impossible for him to rejoice, even in hope, till he can see God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing unto men their trespasses; nor can he be happy until he knows that he is “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Oh, what a burden is laid upon the conscience when we are thus awakened!-a burden too heavy for us to bear. What a burden had poor Christian, as he travelled on from day to day, till he came within sight of the cross,-when he saw this his burden was loosed from off his shoulders and rolled into the sepulchre! To dismiss allegory, the Christian is thus “justified by faith, and has peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Yea, “he rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh.” Thus, as Cowper says,-

“To see the law by Christ fulfill’d,

And hear his pardoning voice,

Changes the slave into a child,

And duty into choice.”

Though our safety does not depend, yet our comfort does, upon clear and full views of the gospel, of our acceptance with God, of the manner of our justification, of our safety, and of the certainty of our perseverance even to the end, and of our becoming more than conquerors “through him who hath loved us.” Therefore we joy in God in proportion as we are receiving this knowledge of salvation by Jesus Christ. Therefore it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace,-that is, the doctrine of grace: and thus may we go on our way rejoicing.