Our tears of penitence cannot
remove one blot. By Henry Law. Where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound. Romans 5 20 Heavenly Father, deepen in us
this day contrition for our vileness, as miserable sinners in your
sight. How often without resistance
have we floated down the stream of evil? We cloak not our wretchedness,
our lips are ready to confess, but our hearts are slow to feel,
and our feet are reluctant to amend our ways. We bring our
hard hearts unto you, break them by your Spirit, and then bind
them by your grace, wound them to the core, and then pour in
the gospel balm. Such is the blindness of our
fallen nature, that we cannot see sin's deformity, except as
you are pleased to unmask it. Such is our deadness, that we
cannot hate it, except as you shall graciously implant abhorrence. Such is our infirmity, that we
cannot flee it, except as your strength enables. Conscious of
our total inability, we come to you for light, for help, for
strength, for blessing. Our sins beyond number stare
us in the face. They are piled as mountain upon
mountain. Their height reaches to the heavens,
but their full extent is open only to your omniscient eye. The burden of our known transgressions
weighs us to the dust. but the burden is light, compared
to the mass which the scales of your justice hold. We see
but little, because our light is partial, and our sight is
dim. How must we appear, as seen by
you, before whom the very heavens are not clean? You charge your
holy angels with folly. What must be your estimate of
our polluted souls? Humbled for what we see and feel,
fearful for what is known only unto you, we meekly cry, pardon
all our sins for Jesus' sake. we smite upon our breasts as
utterly unworthy of the least of your gracious and unfathomable
mercies. Hear now our cry and work in
us by the omnipotence of your Holy Spirit more profound and
abiding repentance. Give us more and more of that
godly grief which ever fears and trembles, and yet ever trusts
and loves, which is ever watchful and prayerful, and yet is ever
confident and hopeful. May the remembrance of the sad
past quicken us to walk in entire newness of life. Grant that through
the tears of penitence we may see more clearly the brightness
and glories of the saving cross. O blessed Jesus, we flee to you,
we cling to you. Our countless iniquities condemn
us, but you will wash them all away. Our tears of penitence
cannot remove one blot, but your blood has all cleansing merit. Our prayers can earn no pardon,
but your mercy says, your sins which are many are all forgiven. The more we loathe ourselves,
the more we love you. Our vile demerits commend your
glorious worth.