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I. WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IMPLIES.

1. All apprehension of the holiness of God.

2. The condition — holiness — in which alone he could have communion with God.

3. Great desire for it.

4. Willing to give up all that stood in his way, all sin, especially.

II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN KEEPING SUCH RESOLUTION.

1. Renunciation of present sin.

2. Repentance for what is past.

3. Restitution and confession.

4. Regard to the rights of others in all respects — plain honest dealing and kindness.Oh, the endless tricks of selfishness, and the endless subterfuges with which men excuse themselves; and yet so much piety in the midst of it all. Sometimes it is that persons would not on any account stay away from church on the Sabbath, but they would cheat you in their business on the Monday if they had an opportunity of doing so. Suppose you say, well, I am seeking to get money that I may give it to the missionary cause! Let me tell you that a man might as well fit out a pirate ship for the same purpose! You take advantage, lie and cheat, to get money for God! Well, when you have got the money so for God; just go into your closet, lay the money down, and say, "Lord, Thou knowest how I got this money today: there was a man came into my shop and wanted a certain article, and I had not what he wanted, but I had one not so good, but I managed to get him to take it, and I charged hint a little more than it was worth, because! wanted to give something to the missionary cause!" Now, would that be washing the hands in innocency? Would an infinitely holy God accept such an offering? Judge ye!

III. We now pass to show that BOTH THE RESOLUTION AND THE KEEPING OF IT ARE INDISPENSABLE CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD. When we talk of persons being justified by faith we always mean that faith implies repentance, making restitution, obedience, and holiness of heart. The faith that takes hold on Christ implies all this. We are justified by faith; but it is the faith of obedience to God, the faith which leads to sanctification, the faith which works by love and purifies the heart, the faith that overcomes the world. Ah, the faith that overcomes the world, that's the faith to mark an honest man! No man has faith that justifies him who has not faith that makes him honest. If you are not honest you have not faith; in God's sense of the term you have not the faith of the Gospel. Now, suppose that every person in this house were at this moment willing to do as the Psalmist did, and were to come right out and say, "I will wash my hands in innocency" — what is there to hinder?

( C. G. Finney.)

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KJV: I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:

WEB: I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh;