Psalms 32:11

REFLECTIONS

READER! how very gracious the Lord is, in the blessed provision made against the evil effects of sin and iniquity in our poor fallen nature? How sweet is it to feel the effects of grace leading to repentance. But, Reader! let you and I keep in remembrance, that although a gracious God in Christ, when we confess our transgressions, will forgive the iniquity of our sin; yet this pardon ariseth not for our repentance and confessions, but for the sake of Christ the Lamb of God, who hath taken away sin by the sacrifice of himself. It is not our tears, our repentance, our sorrow, our confession, which entitle us to mercy; for what glory, or what recompense to God's righteous laws, which we have broken by sin, can the Lord find from these and ten thousand more of our endeavours to restore the honour of his holiness and his glory, which by us is impossible? Surely, if we think at all, we cannot but conclude, that there is nothing in us, or in our greatest exertions, which can satisfy divine justice, when we ourselves are altogether as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses as filthy rags. But it is Jesus, in his holiness and covenant righteousness, it is his blood which cleanseth, and his obedience which justifieth, without any other procuring cause on our part, and which brings us, into a state of acceptance before God. Reader! are you fully established in these truths? Then will you enter into a real, heartfelt enjoyment of the blessedness this Psalm speaks of. It is indeed, most blessed, when in Christ we behold righteousness imputed to us, who are poor sinners in ourselves: and it is most blessed when the load of guilt is taken away, and the sin of our souls is so completely covered, that, like the sin of Judah, though written by nature as with a pen of iron, and graven upon the tablet of the heart, yet, by grace in Christ, when sought for, it shall not be found. God saith I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more. Blessed Jesus! in thee these blessings alone we find. Thou art the Lord our righteousness. Clothe me, holy Lord, with thy garment of salvation, and cover me with the robe of thy righteousness; then will mercy indeed compass me about, and my soul will shout for joy with all the upright in heart.