of sin, as defiling our nature, and necessarily separating us from a pure and holy God, who can have no communication with sinners; and who therefore to expiate their sins sent his Son to die on the cross! And if repentance be sincere, it must go still farther. It not only truly laments what is past, and wishes to undo it, as far as possible, at any price; but it resolves in just abhorrence of sin, and its destructive nature, to fly from its practice in future, and to direct all the thoughts, words and actions by that love of God, which is holiness; and by that rule of life, which alone, through divine grace, can lead to the favour of the Almighty.

The truly penitent sinner will daily, hourly, and continually look up by humble faith to Him, who was "wounded for our transgressions, and "bruised for our iniquities." He will chiefly delight in reading or hearing the blessed Gospel, and will rejoice to know and feel, that "there is "no other name under heaven whereby we can "receive health and salvation, but only in the "name of our Lord Jesus Christ!" Happy to be assured, that by an entire confidence in him, and perfect resignation to his holy will, he shall at length, however worthless in himself, obtain pardon and peace, and be numbered with the penitent in heaven.

Permit me then to ask you, Do you perceive in yourself this repentance, this undissembled contrition in your heart? Are you truly sensible of your numberless offences, and of your eternal ruin without the merits and mediation of the great Redeemer? Do you in the bitterness of your convicted soul thus lament, "O wretch"ed man that I am!" and ask, "Who shall de"liver me from the body of this death?" O wretched man, that I am thus defiled with sin, thus an enemy to God by wicked works, thus

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#self-destroyed, where, where is my hope? O Saviour of the world, who by thy precious blood hast redeemed lost mankind, have mercy on me! O Saviour of the world, save me and help me, or I perish!

If this is indeed the sincere language of your heart, I congratulate you on this blessed dawn, this opening of a future better day. Let me press you then to a conduct, which both to yourself and others will give all possible proof and satisfaction, that the work of a real repentance is begun in your heart.

:

It is an undeniable truth, that sin never did, never can, nor ever will either make man happy, or produce him any solid and substantial good; so the sooner you absolutely quit all its love in your heart, and its practice in your life, the greater comfort will you gradually receive, and find every day more and more serenity of soul; howeyer at first, as it is reasonable to expect, the stings and reproaches of a convinced conscience may be sharp and piercing, and sometimes painful, very painful but be not discouraged by these; rather consider them as proofs that your soul is alive, and be incited by them, as motives to a zealous perseverance in the great work of reconciliation with God. To this end endeavour to be much in meditation and self-recollection. And one thing you must do, for without it all the rest will be hopeless: you must not fail to lift up your heart in prayer to God on every convenient occasion for his assisting grace, and merciful favour to you. Remember, prayer is not a mere repetition of words: it is the language of the heart, expressing a due sense of its wants and woes to that God, who hears the prayers of

* See Hosea xiii. 9. "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy"self, but in me is thy help." This is the case of every convinced sinner, till his reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ,

all his people, and knows all their circumstances. You should continually thus express your heart to him your heart conscious of its evils, deploring them, and desirous of pardon for them, and deliverance from them. You should moreover continually dart up earnest petitions to the Father of compassions, fervent ejaculations to the throne of grace in every place and at every time. In short, keep your heart fixed and intent upon God, turn to him in sincere desire, and it will turn to him in the language of that desire; for it will pray.

Give me leave to observe, that what I advise to you is that on which I depend myself for salvation. I confess myself a deeply humbled, penitent sinner. On Christ alone is my hope and trust; on Christ, as accepting my soul in true and unfeigned repentance, and perfect submission, offering up its unworthy self before him.

You may be fully assured, that, unless we pray for his divine and all-powerful grace to work in us this repentance and resignation, this love of him and of holiness, this universal charity and good-will, we cannot in the nature of things be partakers of his kingdom; nay indeed we could find no happiness or pleasure in that kingdom, were it conceivable that we could be admitted there in such an unrenewed state. It is a kingdom of holiness, purity and love, into which nothing sinful, defiling, or malevolent can ever enter. Like must associate with like. Endeavour therefore to turn from sin in heart, lip, and life, and become holy, like God; and

* See the Confession in the Communion Service. "We "are heartily sorry for these our misdoings: the remem"brance of them is grievous to us; the burden of them is "intolerable."

then, however and whenever he is pleased to take you from this present life, you will infallibly find happiness with him, as you will be made fit through his grace for the inheritance of the saints in light. There, delivered from the power of evil, you will no more know sin, sorrow, or death; but will rest with God in peace and comfort, in holiness and happiness for ever.

Man is the only creature concerned that be must die, because he is the only creature concerned after death: no man therefore should be so much his own enemy, as to have his repentance to begin in a time of sickness. This ought to have been the practice of his former life, and then he might complete it in his sickness by confessions of his sins; by pleading a pardon on the terms and promises of our Lord Jesus Christ; by resolutions of amendment, should he recover; and by shewing the truth of his repentance by its fruits, particularly by acts of charity to the poor, according to his abilities, and by a forgiveness of his enemies, if he have any. This is a work for all men at all times who would wish to live in safety, or die in peace; but especially for the sick, who ought to make it their earnest desire and care. An heart-searching self-examination too will be highly necessary; and in their performance of this important duty they will find assistance, if they earnestly solicit it, at the throne of grace.

Remarks on the fifty first Psalm, which is expressive of David's repentance, and particularly suited to the sick.

This penitential psalm consists of two prayers; private for ourselves, and public for the people. In the private for ourselves there is an earnest supplication for mercy.

1. "Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy "great goodness: according to the multitude "of thy mercies do away mine offences."

Then follows a petition for purifying (or sanctifying) grace.

2.Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness; "and cleanse me from my sin."

Next a confession of sins contained in the four following verses.

3. "For I acknowledge my faults, and my "sin is ever before me*."

4. "Against thee only have I sinned, and done "this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be "justified in thy saying, and clear when thou "art judged."

5. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and "in sin hath my mother conceived me.

6. "But lo! thou requirest truth in the in"ward parts, and shalt make me to understand "wisdom secretly."

The seventh and eighth verses are an act of faith in God's power and mercy; a firm persuasion that he will pardon and cleanse.

7. "Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I "shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me and I "shall be whiter than snow.

8. "Thou shalt make me hear of Joy and "gladness; that the bones which thou hast "broken may rejoice."

The four next verses are a prayer for those graces and favours which are now most needful for him as, for instance, a petition for forgive

ness:

*

These evils I deserve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly; yet despair not of his final pardon,
Whose ear is ever open, and his eye

Gracious to readmit the suppliant.

Milton's Samson Agonistes.