It is a remarkable thing to find in the Old Testament, such exercises and experiences as those recorded in Ps. 32 and 51, Job 42:1-6 and various other places. Whilst Israel as a nation was brought outwardly near to God, with a system of sacrifices and carnal ordinances as means of worship, it is remarkable to find such exercises and expressions as those above referred to. It shows that in the midst of a nation, whose relation to God was simply external, whose worship was with ceremonies, " which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings, carnal ordinances, imposed upon them until the time of reformation," there were those, taught of God, who looked and saw beyond the symbols to their spiritual realities, in drawing near to God.

As the apostle shows in Rom. 4 :6-8, the 32nd psalm describes "the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works," upon the heart-confession of his sin. " I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." Ceremonies are left behind; it is directly with the holy God he has to do, and is met with sovereign grace! And note that it is not only the wrong done, but the heinousness of sin in God's sight that the enlightened, the Spirit-taught soul acknowledges- it is "the iniquity of my sin."

But Ps. 51 and Job 42:6 in another line go deeper still. Reviewing his crime in the presence of God, David beholds his own corruption, and says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my
mother conceive me" (or "warm me," as in her womb, marg.). He sees himself with a corrupt nature from the womb, and, like Job, he "abhors himself," In the very face of God's holy law, his corrupt nature has broken out in revolt-broken through God's command; so that his sin against man is swallowed up as it were in this breach against God his Maker and Redeemer!-"against Thee, Thee only (supremely), have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight." In the presence of God he views himself-takes God's part against himself, with the cry,"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew aright spirit within me."

Fellow-Christian, do you know, do you believe and confess to God, that your nature is the same as David's ? Do you hate and abhor it as he did ? It is this deeply solemn truth that is taught us in Romans, chaps. 6, 7, where, with the recognition and confession of it, deliverance is found, by turning from myself to Christ-my righteousness, my sanctification and redemption from sin's dominion and power.

" I was shapen in iniquity," " I abhor myself." "Who shall deliver me ?" "I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord ! "

" For He (God) hath made Him (Christ) who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him " (2 Cor. 5:21).