perish if Jesus do not plead for me, "Deliver him "from going down into the pit-behold the

" ransom."

This salvation, through the ransom and intercession of the Son of God, every true penitent cordially approves and thankfully embraces, and shall certainly participate. My brethren, an impenitent believer and a penitent unbeliever are ideal characters, which have no existence unless in some men's imagination; except where the repentance is counterfeit, and the faith dead. Genuine repentance and faith are twin graces produced together, thriving together, and forwarding each other's growth. It is true some exercises of faith precede, and produce, repentance in the regenerate soul: but repentance precedes, and makes way for that exercise of faith, which interests the soul in the merits of Christ for salvation. The belief of the existence and perfections of God, his law and government; of our relations, obligations, and accountableness to him; of the future state, the day of judgment, heaven and hell, always precedes repentance, and is influential in leading men to it: a belief of several truths respecting Jesus Christ and his salvation, generally, though perhaps not always, precedes. But he must be already in some degree penitent, who can cordially approve and embrace that salvation: for whilst a man remains impenitent, his proud heart will have insuperable objections to it; insuperable I say, in

any other way, than by that change of judgment and disposition, which is denominated repentance.

The salvation revealed in the gospel exalts God upon the throne, and requires the sinner to submit to his authority and righteousness, and give him the whole glory of his salvation. This appears most equitable to the true penitent, and to him alone. 'Let God be glorified, says he, by all in ' heaven and earth, whatever becomes of me: but 'should he mercifully save so vile and worthless a 'rebel, I shall be an eternal monument of the ' riches of his mercy, and the power of his grace.' -The gospel is intended to put honour upon the law: " It is holy, just and good," says the penitent soul: "I consent unto it that it is good,"

' and I have deserved its awful curse for my vile

transgressions: I rejoice to see this holy law mag

'nified in the obedience unto death of God incar'nate: I long to have it written in my heart by the finger of the Spirit: and my prayer is,' "Oh that "my ways were directed to keep thy righteous "precepts." The gospel shews sin to be exceedingly sinful, and discovers its infinite odiousness and just demerit; the true penitent, and he alone, irreconcilably hates all sin, even that which was his most darling indulgence. The gospel abases the sinner, silences his excuses, rejects his pleas, strips him of his distinctions; and without regard to his learning, wisdom, wealth, honour, morality, or amiable character among men, treats him as a sinner condemned to die, deserving and fitted for destruction. To this the true penitent, and he alone, cordially submits. "I loathe and abhor "myself." "To me belongs shame, and confusion " of face," is the genuine expression of his humbled heart.

The gospel honours Christ, as the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the All in all : Thus he appears to the true penitent, and to none else. In his person, undertaking, righteousness, atonement, resurrection, mediatorial exaltation, offices, (as King, Priest, and Prophet,) intercession, instructions, example, and Spirit of grace, he appears to the humbled sinner altogether suitable, sufficient, and precious. On every other side despair lowers; the glory of God, and the honour of the law, demand his destruction: But here hope brightens; here he sees God glorious and sinners saved: here he sees every thing exactly suited to his wants, and his desires: here he may have his sins pardoned, his corruptions subdued, his ignorance removed, grace communicated, strength renewed, and every thing bestowed freely, without money and without price, which can raise him from the brink of hell, and the borders of despair, to the "lively hope of an inheritance incorrupti"ble, undefiled and unfading." Christ appears to him " the Pearl of great price." " the chief among "ten thousand, and altogether lovely."

"He

"counts all but loss for the excellency of the " knowledge of him." To him he flees, though with trembling heart, lest he should meet with a repulse; with trembling hand he lays hold on this only hope; to him he cleaves in the midst of discouragements and delays, and answers every rising despondency with, "Lord, to whom shall I go, "thou hast the words of eternal life." Nothing but impenitent pride and love of sin render men blind to the glory, deaf to the voice, or negligent of the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ: nor can any thing but a penitent sense of the evil of sin, and the misery of a sinner, reconcile the proud heart of man to this salvation.

Though repentance therefore do not in any degree merit pardon; yet it is that disposition of mind, which both prepares the soul to receive it, and renders the possessor a meet object on whom a holy God may honourably bestow it: and no further obstacle remaining, divine justice being satisfied in the sufferings of the Redeemer; the point yielded by the sinner's repentance, that he did deserve to perish, and is saved by free grace; and his heart being now rendered willing to be saved in the appointed way; he shall, without all doubt or delay, have salvation, and the consolation which springs from it.

Were more encouragement needful, I might lead your attention to the many examples, with which the word of God furnishes us, of sinners

who had committed the most atrocious crimes, and born the most infamous characters, for complicated long-continued guilt, who on repentance were pardoned and saved. It will be enough to recite a few of their names: such were Manasseh; the woman who was a sinner, a scandalous and notorious sinner; the thief on the cross; Saul the persecutor; and the very men who crucified the Prince of Life! These instances are doubtless recorded purposely for the encouragement of those, who are ready to conclude, that their sins are too many and too great to be forgiven; and they form a very important proof and exemplification of our doctrine; that no degree of guilt can exclude the true penitent from forgiveness, through the blood of Christ. For although our Lord speaks of some, who sin against the Holy Ghost, and shall never be forgiven; and the apostle John mentions a sin unto death, which they who have committed should not be prayed for: yet St. Paul extricates us out of this difficulty, by informing us, "that "it is impossible to renew them to repentance;" which forms indeed an awful warning, to those who harden their hearts against conviction and in impenitency, but affords no exception to our doctrine, and need give no discouragement to the penitent soul.

And now, sinners, you see the necessity of repentance, the real nature of it, and the abundant encouragement you have to repent. I would