we by any means wash away so much as one sin that we have ever committed. Rivers of tears would be insufficient for that. Sinners therefore we must be even to the end.]
Yet is there in a scriptural sense an innocency to be attained —
[Our Lord said of his disciples, " Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you3." And we too may be clean, yea so clean as to be " without spot or blemish," if only we use the means which God himself has appointed b. There is " a fountain opened for sin and for uncleannessc ; " even the Redeemer's blood, which is able to "cleanse us from all sind"
The Holy Spirit also will renew our souls, and make
us "partakers of a divine nature e," and " sanctify us through- out in body, soul, and spirit f," and enable us, in the
whole of our life and conversation, to approve ourselves " Is- raelites indeed in whom there is no guile"
This is scriptural innocency : and this every sinner in the
universe may attain. It is freely offered to allg and
has actually been vouchsafed to the most abandoned of man- kind11 Nor shall it be withheld from any one that will
seek it at the hands of God1 God himself pants, if I
may so say, to give it us : " Wilt thou not be made clean ? When shall it once bek?" Those to whom it was offered in my text were wicked idolaters1: and therefore we cannot doubt but that it will be granted to us also.]
II. The expostulation respecting it —
Long has God borne with us, even as he did with his people of old —
[Who amongst you has not harboured idols in his heart? and whom has not God followed with warnings, ex- hortations, and entreaties, even to the present hour ? ]
And how much longer must he bear with us ?
[Have we not already provoked him long enough?
Or do we hope ever to enjoy his favour if we attain not to
innocency ? O ! delay not to seek this inestimable gift.
Is it so small a matter to possess the forgiveness of your sins through Jesu's blood, and the renovation of your souls by the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the entire conformity of your lives to the mind and will of God, that you will not set your- selves to seek them in the exercise of faith and prayer?
a John xv. 3. b Eph. v. 26, 27. c Zech. xii. 1.
d 1 John i. 7. e 2 Pet. i. 4. fl Thess. v. 23.
e Isai. lv. 1. h 1 Cor. vi. 11. ' John vi. 37.
k Jer. xiii. 27. ] ver. 4.