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day. There is no rest in his bones because of his sin, and his sorrow is continually before him. This sorrow is attended with self-condemA man under the influence thereof produces no excuses to palliate his crime, pleads not the ignorance or weakness of human nature, but condemns himself as, perfectly, inexcusable before God. This first part of repentance was pure, and genuine, and complete in the prodigal son. He did not lament the ruin and disgrace which he had brought upon himself, the injury which he had done to his character and fortune, the poverty and distress into which he had fallen. He was sorry, only, for having offended his father, and sinned against his God. "Father," said he, "I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." As sorrow for sin produces selfcondemnation, so it is itself produced by it. For, as that pleasure is most pure and exquisite which proceeds from a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man, so that anguish is unspeakable, which springs from remorse and self-disapprobation. But the wound must be probed before it can be cured; and consequently these are symptoms of a restoration commenced.

2. The next and second step in repentance is a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness; a removal of bad and an acquisition of good dispositions. This (every part of repentance being the link of a connected chain) is the necessary consequence of the former. For, we must, undoubtedly, abhor that line of conduct which we grieve to have followed, and love that which we lament to have forsaken. Thus

says the psalmist, "I hate vain thoughts, but

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thy law do I love." Besides, it is absolutely necessary that the heart and affections be totally changed, in order to make repentance of any value, or, in any respect, acceptable in the sight of God. For it is impossible that the Father of mercies can have any pleasure in the sorrow of his creatures, merely for it's own sake; otherwise the hopeless anguish of the damned would be more grateful to him than the ingenuous mourning of the penitent. Nor could it answer any good purpose, or be in any way consistent, to be grieved for what we still love and resolve to pursue and to confess such sorrow and our own guilt before God, is to mock him with a worthless sacrifice.

This important change of character and temper and disposition, is represented by va

rious images in sacred writ. It is called a new creation; because, by the operation of the spirit, virtuous principles are formed in that soul, where all before was without form and void. It is styled the new birth; because it introduces us into a new world, gives us, as it were, new faculties, and makes us acquainted with new pleasures, and a new manner of life. It is represented under the idea of a resurrection from the dead; because those who were dead in trespasses and sins, are thereby made alive unto God. St. Paul describes it as a putting off the old, and a putting on the new man; and, elsewhere, as a crucifixion of the affections and lusts. By this variety of expression we learn the great necessity of such a change, and that it is an essential part of true repentance.

3. But a no less essential part of it, is the fruit and consequence of this, viz. the practice of holiness, and a sincere endeavour after new obedience. This alone makes repentance complete and effectual. For, not only must the heart be changed, but the conduct also must be altered. We must, not only, resolve to keep God's righteous judgments, but we must also follow these resolutions with a suit

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able life and conversation. Those men are egregiously mistaken, concerning the nature of true repentance, who rest in sorrow for sin, in confessions and tears, and in religious inclinations and purposes; as if these things constituted its essence. The sacred writers, with one voice, uniformly, represent it as the great design of christianity to "redeem us from all iniquity;" and insist upon "putting away "the evil of our doings, ceasing to do evil, "and learning to do well," as an essential part of our conversion unto God. And if it be not allowed that these things are, properly speaking, a part of repentance, yet, at all events, it must be granted, that, they are its natural fruit, and its only evidence. For how can we know that our sorrow of mind has been genuine, or our change of heart real, without that obedience to which such a sorrow and change must naturally dispose us? Thus does the apostle Paul speak of the effects of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. vii. 11. " Behold, this self same thing, "that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what "carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indigna

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tion, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!"

In the same manner, John the baptist thus addressed himself to those who had come to his baptism, and who had confessed their sins in Jordan. "O generation of vipers, who hath "warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance." By which he, plainly, insinuated that without these fruits, their repentance was neither real nor valuable.

II. Let us now inquire into those new motives which the gospel affords to the performance of this duty.

The law of nature, as it, only, pointed out to man his duty, without any provision in case of a departure from it, laid him under no immediate obligation to repentance. Itlaid him, however, under a virtual obligation: because to repent of his crimes, and return unto God, after he had transgressed his law, was the only compensation which he could make, and was the most reasonable course which he could pursue. For, even without the light of the gospel, man could not but perceive the guilt and danger of transgression; and though nature could not discover to him that repentance, of itself, would have any influence in procuring pardon, yet it must have informed him, that,