Were you ever made to see and admire the all sufficiency of Christ’s righteousness, and excited by the spirit of God to hunger and thirst after it? Could you ever say, my soul is athirst for Christ, yea, even for the righteousness of Christ? Oh, when shall I come to appear before the presence of my God in the righteousness of Christ; oh, nothing but Christ! nothing but Christ! Give me Christ, O God, and I am satisfied! My soul shall praise thee forever. Was this, I say, ever the language of your hearts? And after these inward conflicts, were you ever enabled to reach out the arm of faith and embrace the blessed Jesus in your souls, so that you could say, _My beloved is mine, and I am his?_ If so, fear not, whoever you are—hail, all hail, you happy souls! The Lord, the Lord Christ, the everlasting God is your righteousness. Christ has justified you, who is he that condemneth you? Christ has died for you, nay, rather is risen again, and ever liveth to make intercession for you. Being now justified by his grace, you have peace with God, and shall ere long be with Jesus in glory, reaping everlasting and unspeakable redemption both in body and soul. For there is no condemnation to those that are really in Christ Jesus. Whether Paul or Apollos or life or death, all is yours if you are Christ’s, for Christ is God’s! … Oh think of the love of Christ in dying for you! If the Lord be your righteousness, let the righteousness of your Lord be ever in your mouth.… Think of the greatness of the gift, as well as of the giver! Show to all the world in whom you have believed! Let all by your fruits know that the Lord is your righteousness, and that you are waiting for your Lord from heaven! Oh, study to be holy, even as he who has called you, and washed you in his own blood, is holy! Let not the righteousness of the Lord be evil spoken of through you. Let not Jesus be wounded in the house of his friends; but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ day by day. Oh, think of his dying love! Let that love constrain you to obedience! Having much forgiven, love much.—_Whitefield._[2] [_March 15._]