by which, though our "sins are as scarlet, they may be made white as snow, though they be red as crimson, they may become as wool."

III. There is, however, in the third place, an important caution with respect to this subject. The declarations of Scripture respecting Repentance are so very gracious and merciful, and the instances which they afford of the restoration of virtue after it has been seemingly overwhelmed under the most degrading offences, are so very encouraging, that I fear they sometimes operate in a wrong direction upon the human mind, and induce men to "continue in sin, that grace may abound." No misapprehension, however, can be more fatal. Of all men who live, they are the most incapable of Repentance who deal unfairly with their own consciences, and reject the solicitations of Heaven, under the supposition that they may again be repeated. Scripture, it is true, is most gracious in its declarations of pardon to the Penitent, and in many instances as well as that now under our review, it exhibits the renewal of fallen virtue in the most animating colours. But if we examine these cases, we shall, in general, find, that although they are instances

of men who were guilty of offences of the deepest dye, yet these men either acted in a great measure through ignorance, as was probably the case with the malefactor, whose penitence was accepted on the Cross-or from some sudden impulse of passion, as in the detestable crime of David-or from some strange panic, and loss of self-possession, as occurred in this melancholy failure of St Peter.

In all these Characters, however grievously they had offended, there still seemed to exist a certain ingenuousness and simplicity of hearta mind open to the impressions of truth, and that could be touched with the first ray of Religious conviction-no subtile windings and intricacies -no attempts to conceal their guilt from themselves! Nothing, then, can be more dissimilar than such characters from those of men who live under a constant practice of self-deception, and have not sufficient fairness to lay open their bosoms to the natural feelings of morality, or the more powerful probings of Religion! We may lay it down, therefore, my brethren, as a principle, that no species of vice is so incapable of being repented of, as that reflecting kind which prescribes its own limits,

P

and says, "thus far shall I go, and no farther;" which thinks that Repentance is always in its own power, and puts it off without hesitation till "a more convenient season," when it may be more inclined to listen to its admonitions.

If, then, you have hitherto lived without any serious offence-if you have " done justice, and loved mercy, and walked humbly with your God;" do not I beseech you, for the wealth of worlds, deviate from that plain and direct course. In vain will you imagine, that, although you should deviate a little way, you can easily return-that the door of the Divine Mercy is ever open-that the voice of a Father is ever entreating his wandering children to retrace their steps. Yes! that Heavenly Voice never ceases to entreat; but do not trust to your own hearts that you will at all times be willing to listen to its entreaties. Alas! when you are far from the Paternal mansion, and are wandering on through the obliquities of the world, its sounds may cease to vibrate on your ears, and you may be led on from delusion to delusion, till you are almost beyond the possibility of a return. Guard, then, while it is yet in your power, the purity of your hearts, and the integrity of your lives

guard them as the jewels of your peace; if they are lost, it must only be in the bitterness of tears, and the anguish of the soul, that they can be restored!

But if it is otherwise with any of us; if, in some unguarded hour, we have thrown away those treasures, and conscience tells us that we have broken the covenant of our God, and are losing ourselves in the deceitfulness of sin, then let us not avoid those tears, or fly from that salutary anguish. O let us not turn from that Divine Eye, which mingles mercy with its look of reproof, but permit its searching beam to penetrate our souls, and to burn away their guilt and impurity! The bitterness of our tears will soon be turned into gratitude and joy,-our weakness will become strong,-holier resolutions, and firmer purposes, will carry us forward in triumph through our course; and when we "have fought the good fight, and have finished our course, and have kept the faith," we shall then know that "there is laid up for us a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give us at that day.”

"And the Lord turned, and looked upon

Peter." He had not yet, my brethren, looked

with the same eye of pity upon all the wanderers of the human race. But the hour was at hand, when, from the elevation of the Cross, that look of mercy was to be equally turned upon all, and all were to be comprehended in that prayer of compassionate tenderness,-"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!" Shall not we, then, no less than the penitent Peter, be affected by a mercy so unmerited and so universal; and falling down before our Saviour, at his Altar, and there contemplating the symbols of his sufferings for a sinful world, be inspired henceforth with the holy purpose to go " and sin no more?"