ness of sins, and an inheritance among the saints. Pray to be justified freely, and sanctified wholly by the rich grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do not begin to make excuse. Now hath God granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life. May you rejoice in this grant, and live the rest of your time to him who died for

you.

CHAP. III.

On the Necessity of Repentance.

Ir was necessary I should first tell

you

wherein true repentance consists. As a mistake on this point is dangerous, you ought to have right ideas of it: the most forcible addresses will otherwise be like arrows shot at random. If you are convinced, that repentance is a thorough change of mind, let me intreat you to consider how necessary it is. When I attempt to reason with you, every page of scripture will furnish me with arguments. When I make a solemn appeal, I hope conscience will rise up as a witness within, and declare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. When I try to persuade you, surely your own best interests should lead you to lend a willing ear to one, who has no end to answer but the promotion of your own welfare. The cause which I plead is of infinite importance. I shew you the necessity of that repentance, to which the gospel calls you. You may not give up all thoughts of it, but determine to look to

the worldly things for the present. "And what is it that thou dost count necessary? Is thy bread necessary? Is thy breath necessary? Then thy conversion is much more necessary. Indeed this is the one thing needful. Thine estate is not necassary; thou mayest sell all for the pearl of great price, and yet be a gainer by the purchase. Matt. xiii. 46. Thy life is not necessary; thou mayest part with it for Christ to infinite advantage. Thy esteem is not necessary; thou mayest be reproached for the name of Christ, and yet be happy; yea, much happier in reproach than in repute. 1 Peter iv. 14. Matt. v. 10. But thy conversion is necessary."*

I would therefore address you as Moses did Israel, Set thine heart to all the words that I testify unto thee this day, for it is not a vain thing, it is thy life.

I. I shall endeavour to prove, that repentance is absolutely, universally, and immediately necessary.

I. Repentance is absolutely necessary.

Without it heaven cannot be obtained, nor hell avoided. If these can be made to appear undeniable points, other arguments can scarcely be needed for this part of the subject.

Without repentance, it is impossible to obtain

* See Allein's Alarm.

heaven. Heaven is a place of pure and perfect" happiness, for which there must be a suitable preparation. The apostle speaks of being made meet to become partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. But to suppose there can be a fitness for heaven while you remain in a state of impenitence, is as absurd, as to think a building can be finished before the first foundation stone is laid. Every creature is suited to its own element. A fish cannot live in the air, nor a bird in the water. Take a carnal inan into the company of the pious, and he is miserable, because out of his own element. Accustomed to foolish and filthy talking, he has no ear for wisdom and instruction. Blinded with the glitter of vanity, he cannot discern the beauty of holiness. Feeding on the dry husks and dregs of the world, he has no taste for what is pure and spiritual. He has taught his tongue to speak lies and oaths, but it has never learned to pray or praise. Sin reigns in his heart, and therefore religion has no power, nor place there. Now if such a man is wearied, and his patience worn out, by being an hour or two in the company of godly men on earth, is he not quite unfit for heaven? Were he admitted into the mansions of immortal glory, they would afford him no joy. O remember, that a heavenly temper and disposition mut be brought into the

soul, before the soul can be raised to heaven. We must be holy, or we cannot be happy. We must be like Christ, or we can never be with Christ. To suppose that an ungodly man can go to heaven is to suppose an impossibility. Will a father suffer a murderer to dwell among his children, or a king permit a rebel to lodge in his palace? What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Does not Christ expressly says, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shali die in your sins, and where I am ye cannot come? Is not such a declaration enough to make the ears of every one that heareth to tingle? Yes, you had better, with a free pardon, die in a desert or dungeon, than with riches and honours die in your sins. If you be shut out from the presence of Christ, you will not have one moment of peace, one drop of comfort, or one ray of hope forever. It is a weighty maxim of Baxter, "Heaven will pay for any loss we may suffer to gain it, but nothing can pay for the loss of heaven." How strongly and solemnly is the necessity of a change of mind insisted on in the Scriptures! Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John iii. 5. If you are not washed in the laver of regeneration, you can have no part with Christ. Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.