ed when he was a self-sufficient and self-wise Pharisee! Holy Job, when brought to a right state of heart, " abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes.” Few, I apprehend, will expressly say, that they are far better characters than Job was: yet how few can sincerely use his language!" Then," saith GOD, ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight."

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This humiliation makes way for ingenuous confession-"He who covers his sin shall not prosper; but he that confesses and forsakes it, shall obtain mercy."

"If we say, that we have no sin, we deceive our"selves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess "our sins, Gon is faithful and just to forgive us our "sins."-Thus David, while he kept silence, was deeply distressed; but at last, he said, "I will con"fess my sins unto the LORD; and so," he adds, "thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." And thus the returning prodigal, without attempting a palliation of his crimes, says, "Father, I have sinned "against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."

This union of submission and humiliation forms, I apprehend, what the Scripture calls the broken and contrite heart. "The sacrifices of GoD are a broken

spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O GOD, thou "wilt not despise."—" Thus saith the high and lofty "ONE, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; "I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also, "that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the "spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the "contrite ones."-" Blessed are the poor in spirit; for their's is the kingdom of heaven." Pride, stub

bornness, self-will, and an independent self-confident spirit, are the opposites to this contrite heart: but when submission and humiliation take place; the sinner feels himself a child who needs teaching, a criminal in want of pardon, a leper that desires and longs to be cleansed, a prisoner panting for liberty. These blessings, and all others, are set before him in the gospel he asks and receives. "LORD JESUS! save "me,

me, I perish."-Now hear the words of GOD: "To "this man will I look, to him that is poor, and is of a "contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word."

You will no doubt allow, that if we abhor ourselves because' we have sinned, we must hate sin; and if we abhor sin, as transgression of the law of GoD, we must love and approve of that law. If we hate sin, we love its opposite, even holiness and if we love holiness, we must love the holy perfections of God, the holy character of CHRIST, the holiness of his disciples, his truths, his ordinances, and whatever has his stamp upon it. With these views and these affections, how can we do otherwise than admire the plan of redemption, as far as we understand it? seeing it is the grandest display of the divine holiness, and of the evil and desert of sin, which ever was made, or shall be made, connected with the most endearing view imaginable of the love and mercy of Gon to sinners. With these things in our minds, we cannot fail to pet. ceive the force of St. Paul's important question, "How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer "therein ?" If repentance includes conviction of criminality and depravity, submission to GoD, humiliation, hatred of sin and of ourselves for sin, and love to

holiness and to every thing holy; can such a revolu tion in our judgment and heart fail of producing a change of conduct?-Will a man live any longer in that which he abhors, and habitually seek pleasure in what he hates? Impossible !-As soon might each animal leave its proper element, and seek, satisfaction in that which would prove fatal to it.

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True repentance then, consisting in newness of heart, must and will be shewn in newness of life.A true penitent indeed, being still very imperfect, and surrounded with temptations, may be betrayed into sin: but he cannot sin habitually, or, if I may so speak, upon plan and system. This forms a grand discrimination between the real christian and the hypocrite. The true christian in this sense," cannot "commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he "cannot sin, because he is born of GOD." But a hypocrite pleads the examples of imperfection, or the deeply-lamented sins, of real believers, especially those which stand recorded in Scripture, as an excuse for habitual, allowed, and unrepented transgression; and as a reason for thinking himself, and expecting to be thought by others, a sound character.

But now let me ask you, can any one hate sin and abhor himself for sin; can he love GoD and love his neighbour; and yet keep possession of that property, which, previously to repentance, he had iniquitously acquired?-Surely, if he has the power and the opportunity of making restitution, and hates the works of sin, he will abhor its wages likewise. He will never consent to perpetuate the injustice of which he re.. ally repents: but will certainly make full restitution,

where he can, whatever self-denial it may impose. In numberless instances indeed, it is difficult to know, in what particulars, and to what persons, this restitution is due; but the poor, especially the poor of CHRIST'S flock, we have always with us: and here, if difficulties arise, the conscientious penitent will not only bestow, what he is conscious is not his own, and yet knows not to whom to restore it; but even add far more to it, if in his power.

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The apostle, however, addresses some, whom he supposes unable to make restitution: and his language is well worthy our attention. "Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, 'working with his hands the thing that is good, that "he may have to give to him that needeth." Mark the reason: not only that he may honestly support himself and his family: but also," that he may have "to give to him that needeth;" thus gradually making amends to man for injuries done to man; though he can make no compensation to his offended GOD. Here" he hath nothing to pay," and begs a free forgiveness.

In a variety of ways the true penitent, during his daily self-examination, will discover instances, in which he has injured others perhaps in their character, or their principles, by his conversation, or his example: and he will here too endeavour to counteract, or make amends for, his misconduct, by any means in his power, however humiliating and self-denying; and especially by henceforth setting a good example, and trying to "do good to all men, and especially to "the household of faith."

To these general outlines of the nature and effects of true repentance, it may be proper to add something more particular, as it relates to the state and inward feelings of the heart. It must be obvious to those who duly consider the subject, that the repentance above described will be attended with great tenderness of conscience, fear of temptation, jealousy of a man's own heart, and dread of being deceived. For it arises from a conviction, that "the heart is deceitful above "all things and desperately wicked."

If then, thou art a true penitent, and there be any sin to which thou hast been formerly addicted more than to others: here thou wilt keep the strictest watch; all temptations to this evil thou wilt most cautiously shun; against it thou wilt most frequently and earnestly pray; and though thou mayest often feel trouble and alarm from it; yet it will henceforth be more opposed, dreaded, and hated, than any other sin.

This tenderness of conscience, and hatred of sin, (the heart of flesh which God hath given instead of the heart of stone ;) disposes a man to condemn himself in many things, in which he once saw no harm. He now loves the holy rule of the divine law; he loves holiness and hates sin, every kind of sin: and, as a person of delicate cleanliness is disgusted by the least speck of dirt; so the true penitent is more pained by an unguarded word, or an angry temper, than others are, or than he himself used to be, by habitual ungod liness, not to say acts of direct immorality.

"Herein," says the great champion for the doctrines of grace, "Herein do I exercise myself, to