The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-29

pang tells Of possible despair.
In Gods word both the present in
iquity and the impending ruin are full
" stated. Sicknesses, heartaches,
tears. God-defyings, deaths. are fully
stated here. You do not find any stoi-
cal heartless ignoring of our suffer
lhgs or needs. Every phase of them
is dealt with both for time and eterni.
". lniquity is therefore real. and
ruin may be as real
RUM There is no a pleasing or
wlnsome consideration attachable to
me word. A ruined city. a ruined
nome, ruined health, ruined reputation.
a ruined soul! It all stands may
fails) hidden in a night unlit by even
me faintest glow worms light. RuInl
IL means worth. but worth discarded
10 the past. 1t means value indeed,
out hopelessness. 1t is the guilt of
an eternal sil"-a stumbling to a
fall.
God. through Ezekiel, was calling
TO His people. although they were
iniquitious. His purpose was to end
the wrecking before 1t became ruin.
And this is the very business Of the
Christians Gospel. 1t can prevent me
doom. 1t is uttered that men might
not perish" Is there any subject in
all the world one-thousandth so ro-
mantle? Behold here the ruin Of a
soul Is prevented. not by a fence OF
fatalism placed between the soul and
ruin. but by a work of grace wrought
within the soul itself which causes it
to turn in its journey toward ruin and
e~ternally journey toward increasing
glory.
First, then, there is the lniqulty
cure. If the malady were a physical
one. we might hear the physician say
that there Is one chance In fifty or
perhaps n in twenty for recovery.
But 1t is never so here. He is able
to save unto the uttermost." The
sinner "of whom I am chief having
been saved. certainly ii as worthy Of
all ~acceptation" that Christ fails With
none who accept Him. Find In all
the universe one. just one failure.
where this remedy has been accepted
and has failed. If you could find one,
then you would find that all had failed
and that there was no real Gospel to
announce TO sinful men.
Second. There is ruin rendered for.
ever impossible. Ii is first saved. then
safe. 1t is kept by the power OF
God" and with that keeping who could
be ruined? I'VE are not of the night"
eternal day has begun.
Third. 1t is the very opposite to
ruin. Over against that word there
is set for the saved soul, riches Of
grace" mo condemnation" saliva
ton" Are you thinking of ruined
business? Place them over against II
these riches" Is it the guilt In ruin?
Place over against it mo condemna-
ton" Is it wreck? Then place over
against it salvation" Look into the
depths and behold the impending ruin.
then look, oh soul. into the heights
and behold the place prepared by Him
who made the worlds. There Is what
you escape; here is what you gain.
And 1t is all personal. Let it be
stated, Il am the man who has SUI.
fered from iniquity. | the man ap
preaching ruin; but | am the man,
through grace in Christ Jesus-saved
and safe" To Israel the call was
national. but in the Gospel of grace
1t is personal. Christ loved Me and
gave himself for Me-" II is our Lord
Jesus who says to poor Bartimeus,
what wilt thou that I should do unto
thee?' It IS all personal to that blind
sufferer. Now. "Bartimeus" means
son Of the unclean.' And that is
my name. That same Jesus appeals
to me, an unclean soul. the son Of
the unelean. saying. what Wilt thou
that I should do unto thee?s And
He gave me ~cleanness.