than in the practice of king David, that bright example of true contrition of foul. But thefe, and what further obfervations remain to be made upon this most interesting fubject, fhall be deferred to the next difcourfe upon it. May God bless all who apply to this effential ftudy, with a fpeedy and happy change of mind and life; that they may caufe joy in heaven over every finner that repenteth, and be found finally themfelves of that bleed number. Now to God, &c.

DIS

DISCOURSE XXIV.

The Homily on Repentance continued.

Same Text.

I

N the former part of this difcourfe on these words, you had this effential doctrine of repentance very clearly explained to you, and the practice of it most earnestly enforced. It has been fet before you in four diftinct points of view; and we come now to confider more fully, the judgment and example of king David, refpecting the conditional part of the text, as expreffed in great part of the 25th Pfalm: this penitent prince, not fatisfied with privately lamenting his fins, doth publicly declare and exalt the juftice of God, in punishing them. By which confeffion, he furnishes a check to thofe perfons who otherwife might have abused his example, by continuing to fin more boldly, fuppofing that a little outward forrow, would finally make amends for a long courfe of wickedness. You fee then, that all who will not confefs, nor VOL. II.

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lament their fins, or who continue in them, although they pretend a forrow for them, are very far from true repentance; nay, they may be faid by fuch conduct, rather most wickedly to glory, and rejoice in their tranfgreffions.

Now to prevent any mistake of so serious a confequence as this; and left any one should think that repentance confifts in outward weeping and other figns of forrow, the Prophet plainly fheweth, wherein the principal part of this duty lieth, in these words before quoted in the last discourse, Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and TURN unto the Lord your God. This is fpoken according to the custom of the Eaftern nations, who were used, upon any thing very grievous befalling them, to tear their clothing, in token of their vexation and uneafiness and hypocrites have frequently counterfeited thefe marks of concern, vainly thinking, that fuch apparent arts of temporary forrow, might pass for the whole of true repentance. But the Prophet teacheth a very different thing that it is required to be contrite in heart; that we muft utterly bate and forfake all manner of wickedness, and refifting it with all our might, return unto the Lord God, from whom we had before departed, through the deceitfulness and folly of fin: for God hath no pleasure in merely outward forms, but requireth an bumble, and broken fpirit, which he will never defpife, or caft out, as David doth fully declare in the 51ft Pfalm. Nor in truth is there any other value in thefe outward acts, than in proportion as they proceed from an unfeigned and deep fenfe of our paft errors, and great unworthinefs, they contribute to glorify God, and edify one another, by the fincerity of our example.

Further to this faving doctrine, and ferious exhortation, the Prophet doth alfo advance feveral holy reajons to confirm it, which he grounds upon

the

the nature and perfections of the Deity, and by which he proves, repentance is most expedient and profitable to men. For, as in other things, men are apt to faint, when they perceive that they are laboring in vain, we must therefore take efpecial care in the article of repentance, not to fuffer ourselves to be difcouraged, with a fear that our best endeavours will not profit us; left, on one hand, a dangerous despair fhould take place, or on the other, a graceless inclination to continue in fin, which will most affuredly lead to defpair. And, in order to defend men from thefe evils, the prophet fetteth forth the great grace and goodness of God, who is always most ready to receive his creatures to favor whenever they truly turn unto him; and this bleffed hope he proves, by the fame titles which the Almighty giveth himself unto Mofes, in the xxxivth Exodus, 6th verfe, where he thus fpeaketh, For the Lord God is merciful and gracious, long fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, and, as the Prophet adds, repenteth him of the evil; that is, in other words, his mercy leadeth him to compaffionate our infirmities and afflictions, and to avert the judgments we have deserved, whenever we are truly forry for our offences, and amend our ways; or, as Mofes expreffes it, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, and tranfgreffion, and fin.

First, the Prophet defcribeth God as gentle and gracious, to convince the mind, that the Lord, of his own nature, is more ready to pardon than to punifb, as the words of the prophet Isaiah do teftify, Ivth chap. 7th verfe. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Secondly, he exalteth the attribute of God's mercy, or (as it is tranflated according to the Hebrew phrafe, in many parts of fcripture) the bowels of his mercy and kindness,

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