God, he can make no better progress in his ways' and service. He breathes earnestly after holiness, esteeming it no less a blessing than deliverance from condemnation: he does not desire the law should bend to his corruptions, but that his heart should become fully subject to it. To partake of the redemption that is in Jesus, to make a progress in conquering every vile affection, and to live in communion with God, is the whole wish of his soul.

False repentance wears off with the alarming con. victions from which it sprung; but true repentance is the constant exercise of the soul. Many sad instances we find of persons, who for a time appear under much trouble and sorrow for their sins, yet they return to them. Others quiet their consciences, by reflecting upon the distress they once were in for their sins, and take comfort in their reformation and formal course of religious duties. From hence they become lukewarm and secure. Some of this character will even boast of their experience, and talk of the joy they have in God, whilst they know nothing of humiliation, for their remaining manifold corruptions, imperfect duties, and numerous failings. Hence, their prayers are habitually offered up in a slothful spirit, without desiring an answer; the great things of God's law are but mean in their eyes, and all their religion is reduced to a lifeless form, to God hateful, and to themselves unprofitable.

On the contrary, true repentance produces lasting self-abasement for remaining corruptions, as they are discovered. The true penitent does not forget his past sins, because he has peace with God. The enjoyment of so high a favor makes the remembrance of his offences much more grievous. Not that he looks back to past years for matter of humilfation; his present state of mind calls upon him to

renew his confession and sorrow before God. Such frequent workings of a carnal, worldly, unbelieving spirit; so little love to God or man; such a taint brought upon the soul, under provocations to envy, pride, anger, impurity, and discontent, though his fellow-creatures see it not, yet he groans often, being burdened with an evil nature. Sorrow and

shame therefore for sin, he continues to feel, till death gives him a discharge from this warfare.

Do I know (says the true penitent) that God has pardoned my sins? What an instance of mercy is this! How marvellous the grace which plucked a brand out of the fire! And am I still doing so little for him who hath done so much for me? O vile ingratitude! O that I could obtain more victory over my corruptions! How often have I lamented my infirmities and defects, yet have cause to do so still! How often designing and pursuing closer communion with God, but what a poor progress do I make! How would the defilement found in my best duties separate betwixt God and my soul for ever, had I not the blood of Christ to cleanse me, and the benefits of his intercession, as my glorious Advocate with the Father! O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

FALSE

SUNDAY XXV.

CHAP. XXV.

The same Subject continued.

repentance produces only a partial amendment; true, and equal opposition to every kind

of disobedience. As some gross As some gross offence generally excites that fear which is the life of false repentance, deliverance from its dominion too frequently satisfies without any further change. Or, if the false penitent is zealous for religious duties, who was once profane, he will live in strife, injustice, and uncharitableness; if he contend earnestly for the truth of the gospel, he will love money, and value it more than the peace of God; and, under the form of godliness, he feels no power from on high: like those of Laodicea, he is perfectly satisfied with himself.

Directly opposite to this is the character of a true penitent. He finds, indeed, as we observed before, continual cause to confess his imperfections, and seek renewed pardon in the blood of Christ. But though he has not already attained, neither is already perfect, yet he watches and strives against all that is evil, and labours to be transformed into the image of God. He cannot be satisfied with freedom from presumptuous transgression: all the graces of the blessed Spirit are beautiful in his eyes; he cannot live without them: purity, humility, meekness, charity, patience, faith, and love, are implanted in his soul, and he constantly uses the appointed means to establish and increase them more and more. I confess, said the true penitent, my heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; this makes me feel the need I have of power and grace from Heaven to keep me yet my desire is before the Lord, and my groaning is not hid from him. I can truly say, I hate the thought of foolishness, but thy law do I love. O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep thy law.

It will suffice to mention but one instance more. False repentance suffers us basely to yield to the fear of man, whilst true repentance leads us to forsake all to follow Christ. Many set out a little way,

and run well in religion, till love of praise or dread of contempt conquers them, and they turn back. Their own relations, or persons who can be of great advantage to them in the world, must at all events be pleased; no sinful ways, therefore, must they abstain from as filthiness, if so doing will forfeit their favor, by whom they may gain or lose so much.

The true penitent, on the contrary, heartily ashamed of his past life, and determined, from love to God, to do his will, carefully avoids every snare and every occasion which would endanger a relapse. He will no longer comply with evil customs, or call innocent what gives temptation its most inviting form; diverts the thoughts entirely from God and eternal things, and inflames those passions, which wisdom, interest, and duty require men to suppress. For conscience sake, therefore, he will risk the loss of temporal advantages, and resist the entreaties, and bear the frowns of relations and friends, sooner than be seduced from his vigilant jealousy over sin, and all approaches to it. He will walk with great circumspection in regard to all persons and things, lest they should obstruct him in his pilgrimage. It is his steadfast purpose, lose or suffer what he may, never to yield to popular errors, or the fashion of neglecting the soul, but to repel every insinuating advocate for conformity to custom, saying, "Depart from me, ye wicked, I will keep the commandments of my God."

The vast importance of the subject requires us to sum up the several particular instances in which true and false repentance differ. False repentance is the offspring of fear; true, of light from Heaven, which makes sin appear exceeding sinful. False repentance seeks relief from its fears, and builds its hope on better obedience, suspicious of the atone

ment made on the cross; true, confides in this alone having the heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ from an evil conscience. False repentance can consist with an aversion to God and his law; in' true, there is a love to both. False repentance is temporary respecting gross sins, and then settles into a despicable form of religion; true, is an abiding self-abasement before God, for which there appears abundant cause from growth in the knowledge of him, and of ourselves. In false repentance, some beloved lust or base temper is spared, and a partial obedience is offered up to God; in true, the change is universal, and followed with all the fruits of the Spirit. False repentance will lead a man to obey God only so far as he may without persecution or reproach; true, is content to go through evil report, content with the praise of God, let men think or do as they please.

This view of the difference between false repentance, and that which is unto salvation, would be sufficient on the subject, were the word of God generally known and received: for that commands "all men to repent ;" affirming, that eternal ruin must follow except we repent. But, alas! in flat contradiction to scripture, the fashionable sentiment and general conclusion is, that those only need repentance whose wickedness offends society; the lewd, the drunken, the dishonest, and profane. In the judgment of the world, ignorant of natural depravity, and proudly prejudiced against the doctrine, much evil must first be committed, before a change of life and heart can be at all necessary. To speak out more plainly, a sober young gentleman, who has been dutiful to his parents, kind to his relations, well esteemed abroad, and much commended at home, kept at the same time, by his affluence, from the temptation of doing any thing men in general account base, is apt extravagantly to overrate his