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And the more lively and comfortable his hope is, the more he is humbled and abafed for his fins; and the more vigorous are his endeavours after a life of new o◄ bedience. As repentance is a hatred of and separation from all fin without referve; it must certainly be a flight from and an abhorrence of unbelief and defpair, the greatest of all fins. And the further the foul flies from thefe, the more is it conformed to the gospel of Christ; and the more is it in the way of mercy. It is not therefore fufficient, for the fincere penitent to be sensible, that God is infinitely gracious: and that the blood of Chrift is infinitely meritorious; and that there is for. giveness with God for the greatest finners, if he still maintains fome referve in his mind, with refpect to his own cafe. But he must be likewise persuaded, that he either already hath, or that he may obtain, a perfonal interest in this redeeming pardoning mercy, in order to his approaching to God as a father; and in order to his being in love with the ways of God; and to his ferving him with a chearfulness and delight. This is not only neceffary, in order to the first exercise of a true repen tance: but the fincere Chriftian will always find, that by whatever darkness, difficulty, or temptation, he is brought into a really discouraged defponding frame, he is thereby rendered fo much the more incapable of godly forrow for fin, of delighting in God, or of a spiritual performance of any duty of religion, We may be jea lous and distrustful of ourselves; but we must not des. pond and be jealous of God, if we would maintain the exercite of any faving grace.

I confefs (fays the truly penitent foul) that my fins are like the ftars in the firmament, and like the fand · on the fea-fhore for multitude; that they are of a scar let and crimson dye; and that it is of the infinite pa⚫tience of God, that fuch a guilty wretch is out of hell: But yet as great, as dreadfully aggravated as my fins be, the merit of a Redeemer's blood is fufficient to a <tone for them all; and infinite mercy is ftill greater than my greatest fins. Though my iniquities have abounded, God has encouraged me to hope, that his grace fhall abound much more, to the returning finner. It must be aftonishing mercy indeed, if I am faved,

but fuch mercy is offered in the Gofpel: And bleffed be God, I am not excluded from that gracious offer. • Tho' I have naturally no power to comply with the terms, upon which pardoning mercy is fet before me: Yet the Gofpel provides a remedy in that cafe also; and I am encouraged to truft in the Lord Jefus Christ, ⚫ for all fupplies of grace. I will therefore caft my guil ty foul at the footstool of a sovereign God, and rely on infinite mercy through a Redeemer. I will de pend upon the blood of Chrift, which cleanfeth from all fin. I will conftantly repair to his fulnefs, that from thence I may receive, even grace for grace; and in that way I will hope for that bleffed fentence from his gracious mouth, thy fins which be many are forgiven thee. O how will mercy triumph over fuch fins as mine! How great glory will God bring to the riches of his infinite grace in the falvation of such a sinner as I, if ever I am faved! How will heaven ring with eternal hallelujahs on my account! Surely I have finned enough already, let me no more add to the number and guilt of my fins, by diftruft of God's mercy, " or by doubting the faithfulness of his invitations and promises. Whether I have already obtained, a faving interest in Chrift or not, I am refolved to hope in his mercy; and to lie at his feet, whatever the iffue be.'

So great is the difference between a legal and an evan、 gelical repentance: as great as between defponding fear and encouraging hope, as between being affrighted by a fight of our fins, into an incapacity to truft God or ferve him with delight; and being allured by his infinite mercy to feek his favour, expect forgivenefs through the blood of his Son; and to ferve him with the dif pofition of children.

5. A legal repentance is temporary; wearing off with the convictions of confcience, which occafion it: but an evangelical repentance is the daily exercise of the true Chriftian. We have too fad and numerous inftances of fuch, who will for a while appear under the greateft remorfe for their fins; and yet quickly wear off all their impreffions, and return to the fame courfe of impiety and fenfuality, which occafioned their distress and terror; and thereby declare to the world, that their

goodness, like Ephraim's, was but a morning cloud and an early dew. And befides these, there feem to be fome who quiet their confciences, and speak peace to their fouls, from their having been in diftrefs and terror for their fins, from their reformation of fome groffer immoralities, and from a formal courfe of duty. They have repented, they think, and therefore conclude themselves at peace with God; and feem to have no great care and concern about, either their former impieties, or their daily tranfgreffions. They conclude themselves in a converted state: and are therefore eafy, careless, and fecure. These may think and perhaps fpeak loftily of their experiences, they may be blown up with joyful apprehenfions of their fafe state: but have no impreffions of their fins, no mourning after pardon, no groaning under the burthen of a wicked heart, imperfect duties, and renewed provocations against God. I fear we have too many fuch in the present times, who will go on flattering themselves in their own eyes, untill their iniquities are found hateful. I might add, there are many that while under the ftings of an awaken'd conscience, will be driven to maintain a folemn watch over their hearts and lives, to be afraid of every, fin, to be conscientiously careful to attend every known duty; and to be ferious and in earnest in the performance of it. Now, by this imaginary progrefs in religion, they gradually wear off their convictions, and get from under the ter rors of the law; and then their watchfulness and tenderness of confcience are forgot; they attend their du ties in a careless manner, with a trifling remifs frame of foul, while the great concerns of an unfeen eternal world are but little in their minds; and all their religion is reduced to a mére cold formality. They ftill maintain the form; but are unconcerned about the power of god. linefs. In fome fuch' manner, a legal repentance always leaves the foul fhort of a real fanctifying faving change. On the other hand, a faving evangelical repentance is a lafting principle of humble, felf-abafing, felf-condemning mourning for, and abhorrence of all the fins which the penitent difcovers, both in his heart and life. The true penitent does not forget his paft fins; and grow careless and unconcerned about them, as foon as he ob

tains peace in his confcience, and a comforting hope that he is reconciled to God: but the clearer evidences he obtains of the divine favour, the more does he lothe, abhor, and condemn himself for his fins, the more vile does he appear in his own eyes; and the more aggravated and enormous do his paft fins represent themselves to him. A fenfe of pardoning mercy makes Paul ap pear to himself the chief of finners, and fpeak of himself as a pattern of hope, to all that fhall come after him. The true penitent not only continues to abhor himself on account of his past guilt and defilement: but finds daily cause to renew his repentance before God.. He finds fo much deadnefs, formality and hypocrify in his duties, fo much carnality, worldly mindedness, and unbelief in his heart, fo much prevalence of his finful affections, appetites and paffions; and fo many foils by the fin that easily befets him; that he cannot but groan, being burthened, while he is in this tabernacle. Repentance therefore is the daily continued exercise of the Christian indeed, untill he puts off mortality. He will not leave off repenting, till he leaves off finning; which is not attainable on this fide heaven. • Have 1 hope (fays the penitent foul) that God has pardoned my fins? What an inftance of pardoning mercy is this! How adorable is that wonderful grace, which has pluckt • fuch a brand out of the fire And am I still daily offending against fuch mercy and love! And am I still fo formal, lifelefs and bypocriticalt Amiyet doing fo little for him, who has done fo much for me! Ah vile finful heart! Ah bafe ingratitude to fuch amazing goodness! Oh for more victory over my corruptions; ⚫ for more thankfulness for such mercies, for more fpirituality and heavenly mindednefs! How often have I been mourning my infirmities: and muft I yet have • caufe to mourn over the fame defects ! How often ⚫ pursuing and defigning a closer walk with God; but • what a poor progress do I yet make, fave in defires and endeavours! How would the iniquities of my best du • ties feparate between God and my foul for ever, had I not the Redeemer's merit to plead What need have I, every day, to have this polluted foul washed in • the blood of Chrift; and to repair to the glorious

Advocate with the Father, for the benefit of his interceffion! not a step can I take in my fpiritual progress, without fresh fupplies from the fountain of grace and 'ftrength; and yet how often am I provoking him to withdraw his influences, in whom is all my hope and confidence! O wretched man that I am, who fhall de'liver me from the body of this death? Thus the true penitent goes with his face Zion ward, mourning as he goes. And thus in his highest attaiments of comfort and joy, will he find caufe to be deeply humbled before God, and to wrestle with him for renewed pardon; and new fupplies of ftrengthening and quickening grace.

The difference between these two forts of penitents is very apparent. There is the fame difference, as between the running of water in the paths after a shower, and the streams flowing from a living fountain of water: a legal repentance lafting no longer than the terrors which occafion it, but an evangelical repentance being a continued war with fin, till death sounds the retreat. Once more.

6. A legal repentance does at moft produce only a partial and external reformation; but an evangelical repentance is a total change of heart and life, and univerfal turning from fin to God. As fome particular more grofs iniquities most commonly lead the way to that distress and terror, which is the life of a legal and infincere repentance; so a reformation of thofe fins too frequently wears off the impreffion, and gives peace and reft to the troubled confcience, without any further change. Or at beft, there will be fome darling lufts retained, fome right hand or right eye fpared, fome fweer morfel rolled under the tongue. If the legal penitent be afraid of the fins of commiffion, he may ftill live in the omiffion or the careless performance of known duty. Or if he be more forward in the duties of God's immediate worship, he may ftill live in acts of injuftice, and uncharitableness towards men. If he fhews some zeal and activity in the fervice of God, he will yet (perhaps) have his heart and affections inordinately glewed to the world; and purfue it as the object of his chief defire and delight. If he makes confcience of all open actual fins, he vet little regards the fins of his heart,

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