"God who cannot lie," and of importance proportioned to the interests of eternal ages.

Hear me then, I beseech you, with candour and attention: lay aside prejudice and levity, whilst with all seriousness and plainness, I discourse concerning, 1. The necessity of repentance. 2. The nature of repentance. 3. The encouragement given to repentance. 4. The proper season for repentance: and 5. The means to be used in repenting.-For the love of thy soul, I beseech thee, sinner: and as thou wilt answer it at the day of judgment, I charge it upon thy conscience, to lay this matter home to thy heart, as in the sight of God; at the same time beseeching him to make thee partaker "of that repentance, which is unto salvation, not to be repented of."

PART I.

CONCERNING THE NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE.

BEFORE we enter more fully upon the subject, I would premise, that I choose the word Necessity, as the most comprehensive which occurs to my mind: and I would be understood to intend by the necessi'ty of repentance: 1. The urgency of the case: sinners must either repent or perish: 2. The reasonableness of repentance: having done wrong we ought to repent, and act most unreasonably if we do not: 3. The obligation sinners are under to repent, both from this reasonableness of the injunction, and the authority of that God who enjoins it: and 4. The additional guilt contracted by impenitency. As the same arguments frequently prove the necessity of repentance in more than one of these senses, I thought it would better prevent needless repetition, and obscurity in point of method to treat of the whole at once, than to divide them into different heads. Haying thus stated the meaning of the term employed, to prevent ambiguity, and that all may know what we say and whereof we affirm, let us proceed to the proof. And here, reader, I have no need to inquire into thy character, whether thou art moral or immoral, a

sober man or a drunkard, a good or bad relation of member of society, a formal worshipper or profane. Granting all that any man can desire, supposing the character of the reader to be decent, amiable, and respectable amongst men, I will endeavour to show him, and to show all, their need of repentance.

are.

I. "Because all have sinned, and come short of "the glory of God."-Few in comparison are acquainted with the extent, strictness, and spirituality of the law of God, as taking cognizance of every thought, word, action, intention, or disposition of the whole heart and life; requiring absolute perfection in all things, continued even to the last moment of life. Few keep an exact account of their own thoughts, words, and actions, with reference to this law, as the standard of duty and sin: consequently few are sensible in any tolerable degree, how numerous, or rather how innumerable their transgressions But most, or all know, that in some instances they have offended God, by doing those actions which he hath forbidden, and leaving undone those which he hath commanded. Surely, reader, thy conscience will excuse me from further evincing this particular. Only listen to this faithful monitor: even now it arraigns, accuses, and condemns thee: and wert thou guilty only of one transgression, (instead of those millions, which are noted in God's book of remembrance,) and shouldest thou die without repenting of that one sin as surely as conscience now condemns thee, so surely will God condemn thee in that solemn day, "when he shall judge the secrets of men by "Jesus Christ." "For if our heart condemn us, God "is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things."

One felony or murder fully proved ensures condemnation, equally with ten thousand. "There"fore, by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God;" because all have sinned: "And by the law is the knowledge of sin." It takes cognizance of, and condemns every sin and every sinner; and consequently can justify none who have once transgressed. But remember, that the number and heinousness of our transgressions, though they add nothing to the certainty, yet will add proportionably to the greatness of the merited condemnation; and should add to the depth of our repentance. Could that man be found who had once, and but once, and in the smallest instance, failed of obedience, he would need repentance, it would be his duty, nor could he be saved in impenitence. How needful then repentance for him, whose sins exceed in number the hairs of his head, and equal the moments of his life! For him, whose crimes are full of aggravation, and loudly cry for vengeance!

II. The law we have broken is "holy, just, and good.”—There are laws in this land, which condemn the murderer and house-breaker to death. These are reasonable laws, of which none can disapprove, but those who are, or would be guilty of those crimes. We experience them to be the security of our persons, property, and repose. He who breaks these laws, is not only condemned by them, but in the judgment of every wise and honest man; and ought in reason to condemn himself like the penitent thief, allowing the justice of the punishment he sufferst.

Luke xxiii. 41.