What God alone can do for sinners (Quality: Poor)

[0:00] I'd venture to try and make a few remarks from you'll find in the 71st Psalm, verses 19 and 20.

[0:11] The 19th and 20th verses, the 71st Psalm. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high.

[0:27] Thy, who hast done great things, O God, who is life unto thee, thou hast shown me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

[0:57] In this particular Psalm, we have an evidence how the Psalm is designed to be thankful under God for all his many mercies toward him.

[1:14] And one feels how often it is we are forgetful of his many mercies lengthen out toward us as we go on day by day.

[1:41] And yet there are times when there is in our hearts a desire to lift them up in thankfulness for his many full mercies toward us.

[1:58] And you know, if we were to be able to put our miseries and our trials in the scale, we should find that our mercies balance them.

[2:15] O how we have had to prove that God's mercy and love toward us is far beyond the comprehension of man and far beyond the love and mercy that we can begin to fathom individually.

[2:46] And so I owe his crimes even Guammy's youth until the time when he wrote this Psalm which is evident that he was old and gray and desired even then that God should not forsake him.

[3:09] so some of us can say here thou know it's not applicable quite to all but many of us can hear saying from our youth until now he has watched over us reserved us and kept us we hope we can say as the apple of his eye not because of any righteousness righteousness in us not because we had procured anything whatsoever from God of our souls but because of his sovereign mercy and his grace toward us he had given it may I say sometimes and ask for well in this particular verse it is thy righteousness also oh God is very hard well this righteousness of God is such as he is righteous

[4:42] I believe it means righteous in all his works and that this righteousness was embodied in the eternal free before all worlds and his righteousness I was made known by God in the beginning when when a full man took place in the garden of Eden his righteousness was so high that it was made known unto Adam that he had made preparation for the redemption of man from that very fall that had just taken place and you know it's very clear how that when man sins he endeavors to hide himself from God

[6:06] Adam trying to hide himself from God we can't you know at all searching I at penny tracks right into the involuntary senses of the heart of man no hiding place there so Adam had to prove that there was no hiding place in the garden of Eden but as God showed him by those words he spoke that the seed of them and as the woman should bruise a serpent's hand and he should bruise his evil so how he was there made many paths and shown on the ladder the Lord he said that God had prepared a way whereby his righteousness should be made known unto sinners sinners are made known unto anyone else sinners all are sinners in

[7:36] God's sight but few so in their hope if you are made to know yourself to be a sinner and feel it and know it by a bitter experience where is better my mind says at that point if it isn't bitter to you well I don't know that path sin is a bitter wank weed in the heart of man so that we shall know then something of that truth how God prepared in Christ Jesus our Lord a righteousness that is very high it's so high that it covers all the sins of his people and and so high that it is

[8:48] I believe or it was I believe made known in heaven in the eternal covenant we can't get higher than heaven where this righteousness was first and foremost ordained of God in the covenant and that in Christ Jesus it should be known unto those unto whom it has been appointed thy righteousness O God is very harsh it's far above all as the righteousness of man dear heart is righteousness within thee rooted may have fear to take thy part

[9:50] O what a terrible thing to be only in appearance and not in reality may have fear to take thy part but let righteousness imputed be the breastplate of thy heart this righteousness then was known and made known in the coming of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and I believe the psalmist had a view to this whereas as the psalmist and the prophets patriarchs all look forward to the sacrifice especially in those who had it revealed to them in those sacrifices of in the Levitical dispensation how I believe they had revealed unto them the coming of the

[10:57] Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ seeing that righteousness which is very high I was in Christ and in him who should come while you and I and this is a favour we can do back by thanks while we look back to that time when the Son of Righteousness the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came to offer up himself a sacrifice by all sin to deliver us from the bondage of hell and all its consequences and giving us an eternal and everlasting salvation wherein we shall be brought to that place live forever and ever in the realm of eternal bliss where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary half everlasting rest well might one say oh what sacred joys await them they shall see their

[12:21] Saviour he that is our righteousness our sanctification and our redemption he that hath led captivity captive received gifts for men yea for the rebellious all men he that hath delivered us from so great a death that eternal death united should we not pray any of us here who have some humble hope that he has raised us from the awful condition of death through sin and given us a hope beyond this wicked world and the things other some might say well I can't come to that high well are you aren't to it are you bursting after it desiring it longing for it well if you are surely we might say that you're on the road to us but there is sometimes when our time we hope we can feel a little of that hope in our hearts that he has showed us that his righteousness is very high and is so high that there is none that can in any wise send up unto it men try to arrive at this righteousness by their old works and some by much learning and so on but he takes the fools and makes them know these things oh what a mercy it is to be among these fools who are willing to be one that they may learn of Christ and know something of that righteousness that is far above and beyond any righteousness of man we believe that our some that as we look upon

[15:22] God as the judge he's a righteous judge he judges righteously and he judged righteously in that eternal covenant though I know there is a principle within us that is in our flesh in the old man of sin that cannot receive it but we are made to receive it when when God reveals to us that he is just and right in all his view having in his divine hand the clay which you and I are he's having me out therefore he was righteous in that eternal covenant when he ordained that clay that he's in his sovereign hand as we have said before here

[16:31] I believe I spoke of it once God knows how you see when the prophet was taken down to the potter field he saw the clay marred in the hand of the potter that's all men by nature that clay marred in his heavenly hand but he took the clay and on the wheels the wheels of of the verse which I wanted to come to in the next verse if it will it helps as he does work upon those wheels of trials and troubles he moulded and shapes it yet another vessel he's righteous he's just he's holy as he takes the clay and moulds it and shapes it he's indeed his righteousness is very hard far beyond the comprehension of man

[17:32] I'm sure your puny thoughts can't attain unto it or mine that depth of his righteousness as it was seen in in the covenant before all worlds when he ordained in that righteousness that some should receive in his hand eternal and everlasting redemption while others should be left to perish oh I'm sure the flesh can't receive it how can man receive it unless it is made blessed to and revealed to it that it is the sovereign rule of all mankind and that their destined place is fixed in eternity the bounds of thine having patience are fixed oh what a mercy it is to to see these things clear and to believe them and embrace them and also to cleave still cleave to the truth still cleave to those things that we believe are right not from a presumptuous point but by the revealing of the spirit in our soul and though they come so terribly close if I may speak myself they make me tremble sometimes

[19:16] I felt a bit of that last night after I retired for a few problems trembling at the port of eternity with eternity says the poet tremendous sound to guilty souls of dreadful wounds but oh if Gordon hadn't been mine how sweet the answer how divine so there is I believe time when the soul will tremble at the majesty of the great and mighty Jehovah whose righteousness is so very high that we cannot attain unto it so there will be I believe times when it will be brought for him to tremble at his majesty and his power he's terrible in his acts he's terrible in his dealing with us something for he's merciful he's gracious he's long suffering compassionate so that there is that the child of

[20:37] God is brought to not only acknowledge acknowledge his righteousness and his greatness but they are brought to acknowledge how they feel before him he knows that already how they feel but they are brought to acknowledge it before him and something more too I believe comes from that desire how they it brings them to a godly repentance what a blessed path is repentance repentance for sin I wonder how many years longing to repent and calm I would repent but cannot or God will be there that you desire I tell you he'll bring you he'll bring you by way you knew not in that path repentance he has his own need but he does bring his people to repentance and doesn't always come about in trouble he may lead you gently on in repentance and he may bring you to that place

[22:05] I wish it might be with any of you here to gain that feel in that place they would repent but cannot that he might bring you there that there is as any there might be joy in heaven over one sinner that repented more than over 99 that need no repentance you vent your sinner vent your heart and you may have a a grace of crimes as you are brought to fall down before it in repentance may I just say here as a kindly exhortation venture even as steal away if so enabled in secret before him cry out before him with a lamentable cry that you have mercy upon you are never dying and immortal souls that's repentance repentance with a witness and it is you see too as crying saying concerning these secret ones he says he will reward them over them they will come when your stammering tongue will be unloosed

[23:23] I'm sure of that I don't believe that there will be a time I don't mean a lot of words there be a time when if they should hold their peace so he stole your cries there's a poor trembling one here this morning feel dog cannot speak time will come I say this lovingly and rightly the day will come and unloose your stammering time you'll be able to come and tell what the Lord has done you'll never done so oh I will rejoice my heart there was one like man to come and say what God has done for and that we as a few people could receive them and say come in thou blessed is the Lord why can't it thou widows no I didn't intend to say that but these things come may be for purpose

[24:24] God knows but I do desire that that there may be a that here amongst us the Holy Spirit might come pour out of his food upon us there may be those that shall come and enter into that blessed path and fulfill these commands walk in the ordinances of his house they may be able to come and take a bread ordinance which he has appointed which is so blessed it is in duty all to have a free entry again and again into that ordinance the ordinance of inheritance that we may when we partake those of us who have entered into it that we may feel when we partake of it we eat his flesh and drink his blood by faith his righteousness his righteousness the one die righteousness so also

[25:34] God his very honor so I then are that it is above all others and then he says here who has done great things all great things he's done so this God of ours has done such great things that he made as I said a little of this morning some of these great things he made preparation for his people in that covenant and he prepared for them that kingdom which is above and where to he won I didn't intend to say this just at this point but on the past Monday when one had the had the course to take to convey one of my own dear niece to the tomb you see how this brings it to our force that his grace his mercy is extended to sinners and when we can feel not because of any losing sight of all fleshly relationship

[27:04] I say losing sight of all that to be able to say he is not dead but sleeper and to feel that such one has entered into that eternal joy and peace and has proved in our lifetime that he has done great things even to deliver from the issues of death to deliver from every burden and every sin and herein too that it is a speaking voice to us that in the midst of life we are in death so then it is important that we might know more and more of this righteousness that we might be clothed in it what a great thing it is to be clothed in that glorious righteousness this righteousness that covers a sinner from top to toe that righteousness which caused the saviour such sorrow and grief and how when he suffered upon the cross to obtain his righteousness for nothing else was satisfied divine justice nothing else would satisfy a

[28:48] God the Father but a full and complete sacrifice and a sacrifice that could be made acceptable unto the Father and may I say the Holy Spirit for I believe all were concerned in his righteousness and so that this righteousness then was obtained by Christ that he might present his church that is his people who are the church in pure and holy and undefiled covered in righteousness that the Father could receive so that as he looks upon the church that is his people he sees them as being without wrinkles spot or blemish this seems too great for me sometimes when

[30:03] I look at myself but you see it in our soul the old man will be doesn't give us license of sin I don't mean that but I say the old man will be what he ever wants and if I know anything of the part he's our biggest enemy apart from Satan we haven't father to go around to find an enemy we look at ourselves oh I say what an awful enemy he he would damn our soul forever my friends if were not for God's righteousness he would oh I how easy it is we fall how easy it is that we sin against God yea even the thought of foolishness being sin and I know we have got control over that so we mustn't look at the old man of sin we must search deeper than this have you or

[31:11] I a principle a divine principle the new man of grace that has been born of the spirit that loves to walk in God's ways and loves those things which are in God's womb and loves to come to the truth and to and now then it's favor to enjoy the sweet peace of the spirit with with him so that so then he has done who has done great things wasn't that a great thing when he came and convinced us of sin a great thing when he saw us lying ruined in the fallen undone where we should have laid to all eternity had not the mighty voice that thundered in the heavens added into our conscience and thundered as it were that conviction of sin for it is a voice of thunder if you know when the conviction of sin comes out and just here for a moment as I always like to clear this point for the sake of those who may not have come so deep laying you know you get a thunderstorm literally there are little small claps of thunder and there are mighty claps don't there some will cause us to be greatly frightened frightened some lots of us and so on well so it is when the voice of God thundered in the conscience sometimes it is a mighty heavy thundering in the conscience but another may not be so severe yet it's the same spirit that comment and convince according according to the divine appointment of

[33:31] God's Father that this conviction may be made known therefore we would desire to pick up the little ones of these particular points they may not be discouraged best they may think they had to come into great depth God is a sovereign in those things by conviction there must be so there will be then this great thing that he will do unto sinners convince us of our sins and lead to Jesus blood oh what a mercy it is to be convinced of sin well that's a great thing and then it is a great thing when he comes and leads us to the fountain yes a great thing to be led of the fountain not to go rushing for as it is it were my aunt say that reverend oh my friends

[34:52] God people don't make hate no no here a little there a little line up and line up and line three steps and three steps and you'll find if I may just bring away every minute you start to try to run you'll have to refresh your steps Bunyan still can try to hurry on you know he went to sleep in the harbour didn't he oh my friend oh what a mercy it is not to be in a hurry and try to do something for ourselves well I say they don't make harry well how he leaves them here it is and he shows us that he is that good shepherd that goes before his sheep he leads them he leads them unto

[35:59] Calvary's cross the only place of atonement the only place where sinners may receive remission oh may we ever be kept from that many poor things are left you know to go unto man earn poor remission go as well as to what emergency of your arm have been lit of the spirit of Calvary's cross place where Christ obtained our righteousness and then done a great thing offered of himself a sacrifice for sin that you and I might be delivered by a problem his awful power that there hath no more dominion over us since

[37:05] Christ has done no great thing in rentering his people and have promised him the power of the grave oh what a mercy well we see that he has fulfilled the grave with his merits and also to see he has done that great thing that he has extracted the sting of death oh death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory sting our dentists of all but blessed be unto God who giveth us the victory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so that he has he has done that great thing he has delivered his people from the power of the grave and of sin and has also delivered them he does deliver them from all those things that would destroy ultimately he'll deliver them from this body dear

[38:41] Paul how he said oh wicked man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death well God will deliver it in due time he'll deliver it from the body of this day he'll bring it my friends into that place where they should be led to mountains of living water indeed they take a little of that fountain here the day will come when they be led to fountains of living water and that continually to all eternity isn't a death eternity no end no end the name to all things they belong gain decay around us and with everything no end we pray to sin it what end of evil cry forever what a death isn't it to have this good oath it went the bottom door and victory won that'll be our death time place hope I'm not in presumptions gulf but I say

[40:05] I do design to hold fast to these things and not let them because they are so precious and they are those things which I believe we seek after they seek a city that has foundations who build them and make them God they do indeed they all say the same thing they speak one language you know oh yes that's why some don't know what we say they don't we see they don't know the language of Zion what are the few of the deer they know the language of Zion know the same the same boys you know not strange than the father understand oh I say how the dear poet blessed inhabitants of Zion washed in the redeemed of life they're not near that hymn sang for this for him glorious think of the earth spoke

[41:09] Zion city of our God he whose word can ne'er be broke only for our best above his blessed above on the rock of ages who shall shake thy sure repose with salvation fall to thou shall make my all thy foes oh what a mercy it is to have an eye to that heavenly city where God has done great things who has done great things in preparing for up a city how he hath how Christ said here when he in honor his eye goes to repair a place for you that where I am he may be also well that's one of the great things he did and how he has gone we believe headed into the holies of holies before the father there to intercede on our behalf and to and there to be our advocate of father or when faith our little faith sometimes

[42:36] I know but still faith when our faith looks to into heaven as it were penny threats through all the crowds and clouds and everything surrounds us and penny draped into heaven and behold the throne visualize it may I say reverently and rightly the throne of God in heaven we dare not venture to near but dare to see him in our poor puny wine as a great and mighty God and Christ before the throne as our advocate feeding our forms and we hold with our names engraved upon the palm of his hands thy race is also

[43:43] God is very high who has done great things he has done great things for us they said some said this verse they said the Lord has done great things for that well that is an outward look the world sees God does great things for us they won't own it haters of religion the religious world I'm speaking here they see God do it great things for us but they won't own it and what did God's people say in those days the Lord has done great things for us in leaving there where are we glad there was great in their hearts it wasn't just left at a blunt end as it were if I may use that expression now there was a finish to it you know if we behold

[44:44] God has done great things for us we certainly shall praise him as I have said so many times an impossibility to pray to God and we receive his answers to our prayers not praise him I'm sure real prayer has a three pole binding together may I say really and truly asking receiving and praising I'm sure they go to God I wish I had more to praise him for times if I might put it that way that is to say more prayer thus receiving more answers and more praising well and he's done great things he's done great things may I say for us here just breaking away on this point done great things for us here as a few people oh yes

[45:51] I know I may have mentioned before but I remember when our friend Mr. Pitt died and my son too went away the same the next week and I was left alone as I felt wasn't alone you know but I felt to be alone and how I feared and trembled felt seemed ready to run away almost and yet he's done great things for us provided for us you know in many ways as some of you have been witnesses of and he held us together here as a few people and he had I believe now then blessed the world to one another also one or two more friends too of the inclined to come here to hear his word he rejoices our heart and God gets the praise he does indeed done great things he set to plant those many fears and doubts that we have and he has given us in exchange thankfulness unto him may I just say here at this point

[47:22] I have tried to pray at late that I may be kept from praying when I was reading with Nebuchadnezzar the other night oh I thought what an awful condition Christ can bring one into and so it was with with with Hamon and out or who would the king like to honor more than me now the same gallows that he got for Mordecai had to hang on the same one cried my prince is an incredible king may God keep his poor in our humble may keep us in that place now rightly so where we may honor him as power we enable as poor puny creatures honor him in all we do and desire to acknowledge his goodness to us and his many mercies toward us his making provision for us too in those ways which we need from time to time that he has blessed us abundantly as indeed will be to us and all things are in his hands great things

[48:47] O God who is like unto thee who is like unto thee there is not there is none that are like unto him there are gods many and lords many there are those gods that man is set up to worship yea there are many in this world but we were designed to leave the subject for the moment and ask the Lord to bless those things that have been advanced to be still sovereign will and lead it again into this world if if we are favoured to have it rest upon our foot and the Lord be pleased to have it done to bye para some another cannot run take him to nem has he you