supersede the necessity of the expiatory sufferings of Jesus, and militate with St. Paul's express declaration, "that we are justified by faith, through "the righteousness of Christ," and consequently would infer, that Christ died in vain." Did we repent of ourselves, without the preventing and assisting grace of God; and were our repentance perfect in its nature and fruits, it could not avail for our justification in any degree. It is indeed observable, that even they, who speak of atoning for our transgressions of the divine law by repentance, change their language when they have occasion to treat of the laws of human governments: you seldom hear them speak of a traitor or murderer making atonement for his crimes by repentance, but by his death. This sacrifice to justice the law demands: this alone expiates the offence: and if a criminal, however penitent or disposed to future obedience, escape punishment; the law is dispensed with, justice is relaxed, and no atonement made. But God's justice is perfect, and can admit of no relaxation; his law must be magnified and made honourable, and cannot be dispensed with. Not the repentance, but the eternal punishment, of the offender, is the atonement indispensably insisted upon, or one equally honourable to the precept and sanction of the divine law. This the true penitent perceives or allows; he subscribes the sentence of his own condemnation, and humbly trusts in that vicarious

8

atonement which the Son of God once made, and which is of infinite value and efficacy; and through which "God is JUST, and the Justifier of the be"liever.” That repentance, which is depended on for justification, is a proud unbelieving repentance, and not the humble repentance here treated of.

But in fact repentance, where it is genuine, is the gift of God. Thus St. Paul speaks on this subject to his beloved Timothy, "In meekness "instructing those that oppose themselves, if "God peradventure will give them repentance, "to the acknowledging of the truth, and that "they may recover themselves out of the snare of "the devil, who are taken captive by him at is "will.'" In like manner the apostle Peter, before the Jewish rulers, declared concerning Jesus whom they had crucified: "Him hath God exalted to "be a Prince and Saviour, for to give repentance "unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins." And when the same apostle gave his brethren and the church at Jerusalem an account of the conversion

of Cornelius and his household; they "glorified "God, saying, Then hath God to the Gentiles "granted repentance unto life.""

This accords to the prediction, or promise, which JEHOVAH gave by the prophet Zechariah, "I will pour out upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of

upon

2 Tim. ii. 25, 26.

*Acts v. 31. xi. 28.

grace

and supplication; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn "for him, as one mourneth for his only son."" This was fulfilled in part, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the crucifiers of Christ, on the day of Pentecost; and when being pricked to the heart, and enquiring of the apostles, " what they "must do?" three thousand obeyed the call to 46 Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus "Christ for the remission of sins." In entire harmony with these decisive testimonies of holy writ are those petitions in our excellent liturgy, which, alas! are often so familiar to the ear, as scarcely to excite the attention of the understanding, and not at all to affect the heart, of many professed worshippers in the established church: 'Let 'us beseech him to grant us true repentance and * his holy Spirit.' That it may please thee to give us true repentance.' 'Create and make in

us new and contrite hearts;' with expressions implying the same important truth, which continually occur in many parts of our most scriptural liturgy.

In fact, though we have so much cause for repentance, and are in duty bound to repent: yet our proud carnal hearts are naturally destitute of the least disposition or inclination to this duty.. The shame therefore of our obstinate impenitency belongs to us: but the whole glory of our

Zech. xii. 10,

repentance, when the grace of God disposes and enables us to repent, is due to him, "who worketh "in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. So far then are we from meriting any thing by repenting, that we are laid under fresh obligations to him, "who hath granted us repentance unto "life." "Do not err, my beloved brethren, every "good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, "and cometh down from the Father of lights." Yet, on the other hand, let us not regard those, who represent our natural want of inclination, as an excuse for impenitency; not considering that the dominion of pride and the love of sin which renders us incapable of our duty, forms itself the very essence of that impenitent heart, which God abhors and will condemn, and which canInot be its own excuse.-Nor is the most penitent person in the world perfect in his repentNo man hates sin in a degree equal to its hatefulness: no man condemns, abases, and abhors himself, as much as he ought to do: or as much as he would; did he more perfectly behold the glory of God, the excellency of the law, the evil of sin, and the multitude of his own transgressions; or had he more fixed views of the nature and glory of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. He, that is habitually most penitent, finds his repentance capable of increase, when his views are enlarged, and his heart is peculiarly affected with these discoveries: but even in these seasons his

ance.

enlarged godly sorrow is little in comparison to what it ought to be, and would be, did he, instead of "seeing through a glass darkly, see face to "face." How far then doth the general frame of his spirit, when his mind is comparatively dark and unaffected, come short of the perfection of repentance! Over this every sincere Christian mourns, and for this seeks forgiveness. :

crease.

For similar reasons, the fruits of repentance do nothing towards atoning for our sins, meriting a reward, or justifying us before God. Take a familiar illustration. You owe your tradesman a sum of money; and you now continue to deal with him for ready money only: yet the old debt is not by this diminished. But should you daily purchase to the value of a crown; and only pay daily one shilling, your debt would rapidly inPerfect obedience is no more than what is due to our Creator: so that after we have by sin for years run in arrear with him, did we obey during all the remainder of a long life as perfectly as an arch-angel, our love and obedience would be no more than is due for the present, and could do nothing towards dicharging the old account: even with the apostle Paul's obedience the debt would rapidly increase. Sure I am, whilst I now write, that I this moment am more deeply deserving of condemnation than ever; because, though I hope sincerely penitent, I daily add recent transgressions to my former sins, and I shall certainly