ing mercy, or the like; these are directly deftructive of, or inconfiftent with, the actings of a true repentance. A fincere penitent looks over the highest mountains, which are raised before him, by the greatness of his fins, his own mifgiving heart, or the temptations of Satan, into an ocean of infi. nite goodness and mercy. Thither he will fly, and there he will hope, let his case appear never fo dark, and though every thing feems to make against him. And the more lively and comfortable his hope is, the more he is humbled and abased for his fins, and the more vigorous are his endeavours after a life of new obedience.-As repentance is a hatred of, and feparation from all fin without reserve, 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 these, the more is it conformed to the gospel of Chrift, and the more is it in the way of mercy.It is not therefore fufficient for the fincere penitent, to be fenfible that God is infinitely gracious, and that the blood of Chrift is infinitely meritorious, and that there is forgivenefs with God for the greateft finners, if he still maintains fome reserve in his mind, with respect to his own cafe; but he must be like. wife perfuaded, that he either already hath, or that he may obtain a perfonal intereft in this redeeming, pardoning mercy, in order to his ap proaching to God as a father, and in order to his being in love with the ways of God, and to his ferving him with cheerfulness and delight.This is not only neceffary, in order to the firft exercife of a true repentance; but the fincere Chriftian will always find, that by whatever darkness, difficulty, or temptation, he is brought into a really difcouraged, defponding frame, he is thereby rendered fo much the more incapable of godly forrow

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for fin, of delighting in God, or of a spiritual performance of any duty of religion.-We may be jealous and distrustful of ourselves; but we must not defpond and be jealous of God, if we would maintain the exercise of any faving grace." I confefs "(lays 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 scarlet and crimson-dye; and that it is of "the infinite patience of God, that fuch a guilty ❝ wretch is out of hell: But yet as great, as dread"fully aggravated as my fins be, the merit of a "Redeemer's blood is fufficient to atone for them "all; and infinite mercy is ftill greater than my "greatest fins.-Though my iniquities have abound. "ed, 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.-Though I have natu"rally no power to comply with the terms, upon "which pardoning mercy is fet before me, yet the "gospel provides a remedy in that cafe alfo, and I "am encouraged to truft in the Lord Jefus Chrift, " for all supplies of grace.I will therefore caft << my guilty foul at the footstool of a fovereign God, "and rely on infinite mercy through a Redeemer. "I will depend upon the blood of Chrift which "cleanfeth from all fin. I will conftantly repair to "his fulness, that from thence I may receive even "6 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.———✪ "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 fuch a finner

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"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 "diftrust of God's mercy, or by doubting the faithfulness of his invitations and promifes.Whe"ther I have already obtained a faving intereft in "Christ or not, I am refolved to hope in his mer"cy, and to lie at his feet, whatever the iffue be."

So great is the difference between a legal and an evangelical 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 forgiveness through the blood of his Son; and to ferve him with the difpofition of children.

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5. A legal repentance is temporary, wearing off with the convictions of conscience 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 greatest 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 diftrefs 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 thefe, 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 themfelves at peace with God; and seem to have no great care and concern about either

their former impieties, or their daily tranfgreffions. They conclude themselves in a converted tate, and are therefore eafy, careless, and fecure.-These may think, and perhaps speak loftily of their experiences; they may be blown up with joyful apprehenfions of their fafe ftate, but have no impreffions of their fins, no mourning after pardon, no groaning under the burden of a wicked heart, imperfect duties, and renewed provocations against God. I fear, we have too many fuch in the prefent times, who will go on flattering themselves in their own eyes, until their iniquities are found hateful. I might add, there are many, that, while under the ftings of an awakened confcience, 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 serious and in earneft in the performance of it. Now, by this imaginary progress in religion, they gradually wear off their convictions, and get from under the terrors of the law; and then their watchfulness and tenderness of confcience are forgot. They attend their duties 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 mere cold formality. They still maintain the form, but are unconcerned about the power of godlinefs. 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-abaling, 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 past fins, and grow careless and unconcern

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ed about them, as foon as he obtains 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 he does loathe, 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 reprefent themselves to him.-A fenfe of pardoning mercy makes Paul appear to himself the chief of finners, and speak of himself as a pattern of hope, to all that shall come after him.-The true penitent not only continues to abhor himself on account of his paft guilt and defilement, but finds daily cause to renew his repentance before God. He finds fo much deadness, formality and hypocrify in his duties, fo much carnality, worldly-mindednefs, and unbelief in his heart, fo much prevalence of his finful affections, appetites, and paffions, and fo many foils by the fin that eafily befets him, that he cannot but groan, being burdened while he is in this tabernacle. Repentance, therefore, is the daily continued exercife of the Chriftian indeed, until he puts off mortality. He will not leave off repenting, till he leaves of finning, which is not attainable on this fide heaven." Have I hope (fays the penitent foul) "that God has pardoned my fins? What an in"ftance of pardoning mercy is this! How adorable "is that wonderful grace which has plucked fuch 66 a brand out of the fire! And am I ftill daily of"fending against fuch mercy and love! Am I ftill "fo formal, lifelefs, and hypocritical! Am I yet "doing fo little for him, who has done fo much "for me! Ah vile, finful heart! Ah base ingrati❝tude to fuch amazing goodness! Oh for more vic66 tory over my corruptions; for more thankfulness for "fuch mercies; for more fpirituality and heavenly"mindednefs!

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