SERM. the new covenant, was what all the followIV. ers of Christ were understood to be bound

to, as the genuine effect, I may say, the continuation of that repentance which was begun at their converfion to christianity, and into which they were initiated at their baptifm. This repentance was supposed, when once fincerely begun, never to be revoked, nor to need to be repeated, as the apostle speaks, 2 Cor. vii. 10. not to be repented of; as the feal of it was never to be received but once; and therefore, in the 6th chapter to the Hebrews, repentance from dead works, as well as faith, and in confequence of both, baptism is reckon'd as the foundation of christianity not to be laid again.

To fuppofe men called to repent in the fame manner as at their firft profeffing the religion of Christ, is to fuppofe that the foundation is destroy'd, that in effect they have departed from christianity, and renounced their baptifm; thus falling from grace and returning to that state of death in trefpaffes and fins wherein the world lay, like the unconverted Gentiles who walked in the vanity of their minds, and according to their former lufts in ignorance; and this is a fuppofition which is not made in the general

ftrain

ftrain of the New Teftament writings, (as SERM.
it was not reasonable it fhould) they are, IV.
therefore, to be understood in treating of re-
pentance, to mean the first converfion of
finners, by the grace of God that brings fal-
vation, from dead idols to the fervice of the liv
ing God; from an impious and immoral con-
verfation in worldly lufts, to a fober righteous
and godly life; in which they are bound by
the laws of their religion and their covenant
with God to persevere and go on to perfection.
Its true, chriftians are in fome sense oblig'd
daily to repent; that is, whereas this is an
imperfect state, and they are liable to failures
thro' furprising temptations, remaining ig-
norance, and many infirmities which com-
pass them about, they ought continually by
impartial felf-examination to find out these
failings, to regret them humbly, and fet.
themselves in oppofition to them, aspiring to
higher measures of perfection, leaving the
things that are behind, and reaching forth to
thofe things which are before as the * Apoftle
Speaks. But, this is not what the facred
writers mean by repentance, but becoming
new creatures, turning from a wicked and
ungodly life to a fincere holiness and virtue ;
and their doctrine is, that fincere chriftians

Philip iii. 13, 14.

being

f

SERM. being born of God, born of water and of IV. the Spirit, that is, truly repenting and being

baptized, they do not, they cannot fin, because the divine feed abides in them; they do not commit fin, fo as to be its fervants, and under its dominion any more.

Nevertheless, it is a cafe which may be fuppofed, for it is fometimes fact, and the inspired writers themselves affirm it to be fo, that men under the profeffion of the gospel fall into thofe courfes, and into these practices which are utterly inconfiftent with fincerity; they * fin wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, and depart from the boly commandment which was delivered unto them. Not only an open and avowed rejecting of christianity, which fome in the primitive times were guilty of, and it was extremely difficult to renew them again unto repentance; not only this, I fay, but any wilful, deliberate finning against the light and conviction of men's own minds, any known criminal practices frequently repeated, any of those things for the fake of which the wrath of God cometh on the children of difobedience, as adultery, fornication, drunkennefs, fraud, violence, oppreffion, or others of a like nature and malignity, any of them knowingly

Heb. x. 26.

knowingly and wilfully committed, efpe- SER M. cially relapsed into, after profeffed forrow IV. and purposes of amendment, is a violation of the christian covenant, a forfeiture of our claim to the favour of God according to the laws of the gofpel, and fubjects finners to his indignation. What in this case is to be done? I have faid already these are not the perfons to whom the doctrine of repentance was originally preached, nor to whofe condition it is accommodated in the general strain of the New Teftament. Indeed their condition is much worfe, their guilt is more agravated by fuch bold and prefumptuous defiance to the light of their own confciences, and contempt of the gospel grace; the fpirit of God is grieved, their hearts more hardened, and their reformation rendered more difficult, as St, Peter fays, 2d epift. ii. 21. It were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it to turn from the boly commandment.

But after all there is no other remedy; repent they must or perish. Tho' the scripture speaks but fparingly of their cafe, and of that duty with an application to it, as it is not reafonable fuch ample encouragement hould be given to them as to those who

6

finn'd

SERM.finn'd in ignorance, and whose fins were in IV. fome sense connived at, yet the plain reason of the cafe will direct them to this, as the only way for obtaining forgiveness and falvation, notwithstanding all the disadvantages they have brought themselves under, and all the disabilities they have contracted for performing it. And yet the fcripture is not wholly filent concerning this cafe, and the neceffity, and even the hopefulness of repenting in it. The prophets often call upon the Jews (whofe condition in this respect was parallel to that of chriftians) in fuch terms as these, *return ye blackfliding children, for I am married to you. The covenant on God's part fhall ftill ftand, if ye will forfake the fins by which you have violated it and revolted from him; and † tho' thou haft plaid the harlot with many lovers, yet return to me faith the Lord. That is, for fo the figurative expreffion fignifies, tho' thou art guilty of heinous aggravated offences, and particularly of idolatry, which was an effential breach of the covenant, yet there is room for repentance. And in the New Teftament, as we find the cafe of apoftacy supposed, or of infincerity, that is of wilful tranfgreffions under the chriftian profeffion

* Jer. ii. 14. + Jer. iii. 1.

and