He Is Faithful to
Cleanse From Sin
.A Message Sorely Needed in Most o f the Churches Todaj). From a Sermon hy REV. ORSON. R. PALMER
OW can men be delivered from the dominion and power of sin? A man may be constitutionally meek as the lamb, constitution ally kind as the spaniel, con stitutionally cheerful as the
er he wrote and preached, achieving a marvelous work and with his last breath he could say, “ Hinder me not, I have borne a crucified heart, and I am. bid den into the presence of the King.” Robert Murray McCheyne at his desk wept over his own sins, and in his pul pit wept over the sins of his people, and yet in the power of God, it was said at his death that he had done more for Scotland than any preacher of his day. That pioneer missionary to India, Henry Martyn, said, “ Still cast down at my execrable pride and ease of heart. Oh, I could weep in the dust with shame and sorrow for my wickedness and folly. My soul struggled with corrup tion, yet I found the grace of Jesus all- sufficient.” Such was the saying of that heroic missionary, Allen Gardiner, who, no doubt, in the sight of heaven, opened South America to the true Gospel, though he preached not, but without a murmur died for the Saviour’s sake— “ Lord, have merqy upon me, a sinner. Lord, I am laden with pride and selfish ness. "This is the sin that doth most easily beset me, save me from its galling yoke.” In like manner we read of the Scot tish lover of Christ, Samuel Rutherford, with whom none could measure swords in showing forth the loveliness of His heavenly Lover, and whose love letters still charm those who love the Saviour, yet we hear him sob, “ Sin, sin, this body of sin and corruption embittereth and poisoneth all our enjoyments. Oh, to be freed of these chains and iron fetters which we carry about with us.”— Sel.
lark, constitutionally modest as the owl, but these are not sanctification. No sweet, humble, heavenly tempers, no sanctifying graces are found but from the cross.-—(Berridge). Man at his best estate is altogether vanity. He may well cry with the leper, “ Unclean, unclean.’’ But deep convic tion of our sinful nature, wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, causes us to see the pit from which we were digged and the hole from whence we were taken, and when we get a real sight of our true condition and the exceeding sinfulness' of sin, how blessed the sight of a Saviour wbo can save us from our uncleanness and make us rejoice with "joy unspeak able” in His love for such as we.- Oh that we may indeed know the full power of His cleansing blood! A vision of Jesus Christ makes the repentance of saints even deeper than their repentance as sinners. It was the revelation of the Lord and His holiness that turned the come liness of Daniel, the servant of God, to corruption and made Isaiah, the prophet of God, cry out, “ I am undone.” The sinner sees his transgressions; the saint sees the polluted fountain from which the transgressions spring. John Bunyan out of the depths of his iniquities, cried out, “ Nothing but a real Saviour will do for such a great sinner as I.” Yet in the power of his Redeem
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