4. Had any of the dying Israelites refused to look upon the fiery serpent, they would have perished without excuse.

They could not have found just cause of complaint against the means provided for their restoration to health. They could not have claimed that it was unreasonable to look on the serpent, or to forsake their sins, and live a holy life, and bless God for his loving kindness. Had they rejected the means of deliverance, so mercifully provided, their folly and guilt would have been extreme, and they would justly have deserved the consequence.

So will the sinner be without excuse, if he refuse to look to the crucified Saviour and live. In the light of the last day, he will perceive that his madness in murmuring against the gospelin rejecting Christ-in losing his own soul, when he might so easily have been saved, is incomprehensible. He will go away from the judgmentseat, dumb with amazement. Through eternity he will revolve the excruciating inquiry : “ How could I suffer the harvest to pass—the summer to end, and not be saved!”

5. Had any of the Israelites been so unwiseif the strange supposition is possible--as to neglect looking on the serpent, what would have been the conduct of the healed toward them?

Parents, children, husbands, wives, friends, would not they in tears, and passionate earnestness have expostulated with the obstinate dying, and besought their kindred to live? But if they would have done this, when natural life was at stake, how much more should they do the same, whose souls are saved? What is natural, compared with eternal life? This is the field for the exercise of Christian compassion--strong desires -ardent prayer-and the achievements of holy enterprise. Here must the dying sinner witness the earnestness, and faith of his pious friends, and their sense of eternal realities. And here must holy compassion--fervent expostulation--the tenderness of intreaty-and a burning zeal in the cause of Christ upbraid him for his folly, and alarm and persuade him to flee from the wrath to come. From lukewarmness he will infer that religion is an empty name—that sin is a trifleheaven is of little value-and hell is little to be feared! Merciful Redeemer! keep the skirts of thy people's garments from being stained with the blood of souls !

CHAPTER III.

ON REPENTANCE.

THERE are in the Greek Testament two words which are translated repentance, but they have not precisely the same meaning. One expresses sorrow in a higher degree than the other, and of a different kind. The first of these words (uetávora)* derived from a word signifying mind, is generally used to denote that sorrow for sin which has the promise of salvation. The other (ueraueréia) signifies trouble or anxiety on account of something done. This word is used in the passage which records the self-destruction of Judas. (Mat. 27. 3.) He repented himself, as it is translated, that is, he deeply regretted having betrayed the innocent Saviour, and being greatly troubled on this account, hanged himself. So, also, in Rom. 11. 29. a word with a negative particle, derived from the same verb, is used. The gifts, and calling of God are ('Aperapianta) without repentance, i. e. unrepented of. God is unchangeable in his purpose to make sinners the subjects of his grace. Having noticed this distinction between the two

* The original is given here, and occasionally in the following chapters, for the sake of those who understand the language. For the sake of those who do not, the Greek words are translated.

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words translated repentance, I proceed to consider the meaning of the word commonly used to denote saving penitence. It signifiies literally to grow wise again, and expresses

an afterthought, on the soul recollecting its own actings; and that in such a manner as to produce sorrow in the review, and a desire of amendment.” It is used, however, in various senses. Sometimes it means the exercise of contrition at any particular time, or for any particular sin, as in Acts 8. 22: and 3. 19. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Repent ye therefore, and be converted,* to the blotting out of your sins, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send his Son Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you. Repentance, also, sometimes denotes that holy amendment of the life, which results from godly sorrow: and frequently includes all that is necessary to salvation. (Luke 13. 3: 2 Pet. 3. 9.) In 2 Cor. 7. 10. repentance signifies reformation. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, regretted: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. This last mentioned sorrow, is called in systems of divinity, legal repentance—the tem

* The translation of this passage, in the received version, does not exactly express the meaning of the original. I have given the literal sense.

porary fear and anxiety occasioned by the threatenings of the law. It is opposed to evangelical repentance, or that which the gospel requires as a means of salvation. It is important to notice, likewise, that God is frequently represented as repenting of what he had done, or regretting his own conduct. In view of the extreme wickedness of the world, it is written: It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at the heart. (Gen. 6. 6.) Again: It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king. (Num. 21. 11.) This is spoken after the manner of men, and must be so interpreted. The emphatic language describes the feeling of God toward sin. Sometimes, also, God changes his conduct toward the unfaithful, and treats them with severity, after treating them with kindness, as if he repented of having blessed them. He is said to repent, too, of the evil he had threatened, when he is moved by compassion toward the guilty, or entreated by their supplications, and does not execute his judgments. (Psa. 106. 45: Jer. 18. 8.) In no other sense can repentance be ascribed to God, for he is perfect, and unchangeable in all his attributes. (Num. 23. 19: James 1. 17.) I have noticed thus particularly the various senses in which the word under consideration is used, for the purpose of presenting distinctly the great object of practical inquiry : What is repentance unto salvation. The Scriptures call it a godly