thy influence from on high upon all flesh; convert all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics. And grant that all who hear those oracles written by thy inspiration, may understand, to their salvation, the mys tery of God the Spirit, the Father, and of Christ; to whom be everlasting praise, might, majesty, and dominion. Amen.

SUNDAY XXIV.

CHAP. XXIV.

On true and false Repentance.

THE word of our Saviour is express, in coneur. rence with all the prophets, that without repentance we must perish. This is a truth too plain to be called in question. Yet the love of sin rendering us averse to repent, we naturally substitute something for repentance consistent with self-indulgence, and foolishly trust in this base counterfeit.

To put, therefore, true and false repentance in opposition to each other, will be a subject of much instruction, and great use, through the divine blessing.

Observe, then, false repentance takes its rise only from fear. When conscience sharply accuses and threatens impending destruction; when the law draws up the indictment, thus and thus hast thou done, and the wages of thy sin is death; much distress of mind must be felt, and self-love will prompt to tears and lamentations, to resolutions and promises of amendment, and a renunciation of the beloved

lust, which is now the cause of so much pain and dread. Yet no sooner is the storm over, which fear of death and judgment raised, than the false penitent grows easy; listens again to his vile seducer, and works iniquity with all greediness, till some fresh alarm revives his fears, which again produce the same effects. Thus too many repent and live in sin, till their hypocrisy receives its just reward.

Or perhaps deeper impressions, made by distress of conscience, produce a reformation of manners, and an abiding dread of some presumptuous offence, which has made the false penitent smart so severely. Yet, in this case, the sinner's passions are only chained up, and he deterred, by an external cause, from living after the desires of his heart. It is true terrors often prepare the way for true repentance; but, remaining alone, effect no conversion.

Yet it is much better to tremble under apprehensions of wrath to come, than have no forebodings, and a conscience past feeling. And far the greater part of true penitents, who have been most exemplary, and whose conversion encourages the vilest to turn to God, have first cried for mercy, like the jailor at Philippi, almost at their wits end, for fear of being lost for ever. Instead, therefore, of construing what has been said to expose false repentance, as if you had not taken one step right, because you have turned to God out of fear, let it only excite you to pray, that terrors, and checks, and reformation from mere self-love, which are no certain proofs of true repentance, may be perfected in what undoubtedly are. These certain proofs are, sorrow for sin, and avestion to it, from an abiding conviction of the dishonor and injury it offers to God; from a conscious. ness that your deportment, and the ruling tempers of your heart, before you turned to God, have been very base and detestable. The language of a true

penitent is this. "I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned: mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden; they are too heavy for me. Deliver me from all my transgressions, let not my sins have dominion over me." Here is hatred of all sin, and grief of heart for having done iniquity here is a desire, that no lust should be spared, though dear as a right eye. How glaring a difference between the restraints of fear, and casting away sin because compelled for a season by the lashes of a guilty conscience, and loathing ourselves for what we have done, and the very temptations and motives with which we so vilely and readily complied; between a mere regard to our own safety, and ardent fixed desires to conquer corruption in every shape, and live for God alone!

False repentance dishonors God, by distrusting his mercy. It is full of unbelief though a blessed door of hope is opened for sinners of largest size and deepest dye; though pardon and everlasting salvation are offered without money, or price, to ruined sinners, through the blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin. Even in this glorious refuge, the false penitent sees no safety. The law of God challenges his obedience, and condemns his transgressions: conscience concurs with the precept and sentence of the law; in order, therefore, to pacify conscience, satisfy the law, and lay a good foundation, as he thinks, of hope, the false penitent is made up of resolutions, promises, attempts to obey better, pen. ances, and a variety of self-righteous schemes. But his sad defects in all these things still leave him in fears, which again excite to new endeavours. Thus a false penitent, notwithstanding the greatness of his sorrow, and the pain of his convictions, still seeks righteousness by his works, afraid to trust in

the mercy of God, manifested in the death of his only Son. Indeed, a false penitent may have so much regard to Christ, as to use his name in prayer for pardon, though he dare not trust in his sacrifice for it still he has a secret hope that his sorrow, if it were more sincere, his reformation, if more exemplary, and his performance of duties, if more exact, would recommend him to the favour of God, more than Christ's merits can, and prove a better security against punishment. He cannot look for the mercy of God unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; he must feel some worthiness of it in himself.

The nature of true repentance is in every respect different. The true penitent approaches his much injured Maker, feeling his desert of eternal rejection, but he comes before a mercy-seat. He confesses, were God to mark iniquity, he could not stand before him, yet remembers there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared, and plenteous redemp tion. He looks to the blood of Christ alone to cleanse his soul, and take away the curse due to his great offences. "Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin; purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." This hope of mercy imbitters to him all his sins, makes him loathe them, and cry for deliverance.

Is God ready to forgive, saith the true penitent, and have I sinned against such astonishing goodness? Is sin so hateful to him, that, to make atonement, it must be punished in his dear Son? How then must I appear in his eyes, who am nothing but sin? Have my offences been accessory in nailing Christ to his cross, and bringing him under the agonies of a cursed death, and shall I take pleasure in them again? Have I dishonored God so much already,

Loaded his dear Son with so many indignities, and brought such a charge of sin upon myself? It is high time to cast away every vile lust, as an enemy to God.

How plain is the opposition here between flying from God in fear, like Adam after his fall, and an humble self condemning approach to him, like the prodigal son to his Father; between proud, though earnest attempts to obtain favor with God by newness of life, and dependence for pardon on the blood of Christ alone; between distress from regard to personal safety, and grief and shame for sin, as the greatest evil in the world, and the basest return to God and Christ.

False repentance can consist with aversion to God and his law; in true, the love of both prevails. Those terrors, which awakened sinners feel, arise from lively apprehensions of God's justice. They know they have greatly provoked him, and therefore want some covert from his wrath; and having some idea both of his holiness and power he appears an insupportable enemy. They desire, therefore, to be at peace with him, knowing the quarrel will énd in their everlasting destruction. Upon this account they resolve to obey him, as slaves serve diligently a tyrannical master, though their inclination be directly contrary to their work. Thus in the case of false penitents, were the penalty of the law removed, they would presently return to their old course with delight.

The true penitent, on the contrary, sees great excellency in obedience, and strives, for this reason, to obey with all exactness. He grieves, not because the law is so strict, or its penalty so terrible (for he esteems the law to be holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good), but that he is carnal, sold under sin; that, from a nature opposite in its bent to