felf, lay in Sackloth, and went softly; and Herod reformed many Things, as well as David refrained his Feet from every evil Way.—It is impoffible for a Sinner to give the Reins to his Lufts, while under the fevere Lafhes of an awakened Confcience, that a mere legal Conviction muft, while it lafts, procure an external Reformation. Such a Reformation, of itself, can therefore be no Evidence of a fincere Repentance, how great foever it may appear; and be fure it can be no Evidence against it. Befides, Men may be put upon Diligence and Activity in Duty, by both a legal and evangelical Repentance. An infincere Repentance may bring Men with the hypocrital Jews, to feek the Lord daily, and delight to know his Ways, as a Nation that did Righteousness. In their Afflictions they may feek him early. They may feek him and return, and enquire early after God. This may be the Fruit of a legal Repentance, as well as that a true Repentance may, and always does, bring Men to lift up their Hearts and their Hands to God in the Heavens. -This therefore can be no distinguishing Criterion in the Cafe before us. Once more, a comforting Perfuafion of having obtained pardoning Mercy is common to both Kinds of Penitents.-God's ancient People, when most incorruptible in their Impiety, would trust in lying Words, come and fland before him in the Houfe that was called by his Name, and fay, We are delivered to do all thefe Abominations. The Ifraelites in the Wilderness concluded, that God was their Rock, and the most high God their Redeemer, when they flattered him with their Lips, and lyed to him with their Tongues, and their Hearts were not right with him. And, on the other Hand, the true Penitent may say with David, I faid I will confefs my Tranfgreffions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveft me me the Iniquity of my Sin.A mere Perfuafion of Forgiveness therefore, how comfortable or joyful foever, does not distinguish the Nature of that Repentance, on which fuch a Perfuafion is founded. In fhort, it is not the deepest Senfe of Sin or Guilt, nor the most diftreffing Sorrow on that Account; it is not the Fear of God's Wrath, nor the greatcft external Reformation of Life; it is not the molt diligent external Attendance upon all known Duty, nor the most quieting Perfuafion of having made our Peace with God, nor all these together that will denominate a Man fincerely penitent.For all these may be, and have been, attained by mere Hypocrites, and often are found with the false, as well as the true Profeffor. Having, by Way of Precaution, given you thefe Remarks, I now proceed directly to confider the important Cafe before us. And, 1. A legal Repentance flows only from a Senfe of Danger, and Fear of Wrath; but an evangelical Repentance is a true Mourning for Sin, and an earnelt Defire of Deliverance from it. When the Confcience of a Sinner is alarmed with a Senfe of his dreadful Guilt and Danger, it must neceffarily remonstrate against thofe Impieties, which threaten him with Deftruction and Ruin. Thence thofe Frights and Terrors, which we fo commonly fee in awakened Sinners.Their Sins (especially fome groffer Enormities of their Lives) ftare them in the Face, with their peculiar Aggravations. Confcience draws up the Indictment, and fets home the Charge against them. The Law paffes the Sentence, and condemns them without Mercy. And what have they now in Prospect, but a fearful looking for of fiery Indignation to confume them? -Now with what Diftrefs will they cry out of the Greatness and Aggravations of their Sins ?-With what what Amazement will they expect the dreadful Iffue of a finful Courfe? How ready are they now to take up Refolutions of a more watchful and holy Life? Now they are brought upon their Knees before God, to acknowledge their Sins, and to cry for Mercy; and now Confcience, like a flaming Sword, keeps them from their former Course of Impiety and fenfual Gratifications.--And what is all this Repentance, but mere Terror and Fear of Hell? Let but Confcience be pacified, and their Fear blown over, and the Dog will quickly return to his Vomit again, 'till fome new Alarm revive the Conviction of their Sin and Danger, and their former Procefs of Repentance. Thus fome will fin and repent, and repent and fin, all their Lives, and yet lie open to eternal Repentance after all.-Or if the Diftrefs of Confcience make fo deep an Impreffion, and fix fuch an abiding Awe of particular Sins upon the Mind, that there remains a visible and continuing Reformation, yet their Lufts are but dammed up by their Fears, and were but the Dam broken down, they would run again in their former Channel with renewed Force.It is true, the Law fometimes proves a School-master to drive Sinners to Chrift; and Conviction of Sin, and a legal Repentance, is a neceffary Preparative to a faving Converfion; but this alone gives no Claim to the Promife of the Gofpel. "he Houfe may be thus empty, fwept and garnished, but for the Reception of feven worfe Spirits than were driven out of it; and a Sinner may thus efcape the Pollutions of the World, and yet have his latter End worfe than his Beginning. If, on the other Hand, we confider the Character of a fincere Gospel-Repentance, though fuch legal Terrors may lead to its Exercife, they do not belong to its Nature, nor are they any Part of its Defcription. Sin itself becomes the greatest Burden and Averfation to a truly penitent Soul.I hate (fays the Pfalmift) every falfe Way. wretched Man that am (fays the Apoftle) who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death!-Thus the penitent groans, being burdened, not for Fear of Hell; fuch Fear being no Part of a true Repentance, though it may fometimes accompany a fincere and godly Sorrow for Sin But this Sorrow arifes from an affecting, humbling, mourning Senfe of Sin; from a View of the Sin of Nature, with the Hardness of the Heart, and univerfal Depravity of the Affections which flow from it; and from a View of the numerous Sins of Practice, with their fpecial Aggravations. This is the Grief, this the Distress of a repenting Sinner. It is neceffary from the Nature of a true Repentance, that it must have Respect both to the Sin of Nature and Practice; though both of these are not at all Times actually in the Mind, and particularly thought of, and mourned for by the repenting Sinner.The Language of a true Repentance is fuch as that; I acknowledge my Tranfgreffions, and my Sin is ever before me. Mine Iniquities are gone over mine Head, as an heavy Burthen, they are too heavy for me. Deliver me from all my Tranfgreffions. Let not my Sins have Dominion over me. Innumerable Evils have compaffed me about, mine Inquities have taken hold upon me, fo that I am not able to look up; they are more than the Hairs of mine Head; therefore my Heart faileth me. Be pleafed, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make Hafte to help me.. -As the true Penitent longs for more and more Victory over his Corruptions, fo is he most watchful, prayerful, and in earnest to mortify his Lufts, and to cut off all Supplies of Sin. He mourns for all, he hates all all his Lufts; and is willing to fpare none, no not fo much as a right Hand, or a right Eye. —As there is nothing fo grievous to him as Sin, fo there is nothing which he fo earnestly defires and purfues as a nearer Approach to that bleffed State where Nothing can enter which defileth, or worketh Abomi nation. Here you fee an apparent Difference between being struck with Fear, restrained by Terror, and driven from a Course of finning by the Lafhes of an awakened Confcience; between this (Ifay) and loathing ourselves in our own Sight, for all our Iniquities and Abominations, with a Groaning after Grace and Strength to conquer and mortify our Corruptions, and be free from the Empire of Sin.That is merely the Fruit of Self-love, which prompts the Soul to fly from Danger. This is the Exercise of a vital Principle, which feparates the Soul from Sin, and engages the whole Man in a continued Oppofition against it. 2. A legal Repentance flows from Unbelief; but an Evangelical Repentance is always the Fruit and Confequence of a faving Faith. I have fhewn you already, that a legal Repentance is effected by fearful Apprehenfions of Hell and Damnation. And whence is this amazing and distracting Fear and Terror?-Has not the Gofpel provided a glorious Relief for such Distreffes, and opened a blessed Door of Hope for the greatest Sinners? Is not Pardon and Salvation freely offered to all that will accept a bleffed Saviour, and his faving Benefits? Is not the Blood of Chrift fufficient to cleanse from all Sins, however circumstanced, and however aggravated they may be? Why then do not they chearfully fly for Refuge to this Hope fet before them?Alas, they can fee no Safety in it! The Law of God challenges their Obedience, and condemns |