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lemn season full in view! Time how thy serious apprehensions about thy short! eternity how long! life how soul, "Go thy way at this time, precarious and vanishing! death when I have a convenient season I how certain! the pursuits and em- will call for thee;" lest death and ployments of this present life how judgment come before that season: vain, unsatisfying, trifling, and vex--and be not an Agrippa, almost atious! God's favour and eternal persuaded to be a Christian; but life how unspeakably precious! His seek to be altogether such as the wrath, the never-quenched fire, the primitive Christians were. I say, never-dying worm, how dreadful! agree but with me in these reasonOh! trifle not away the span of life, able requests, and we shall at length in heaping up riches which shortly agree in all things;-in many, in must be left for ever, and which this world;-in all, when we hear profit not in the day of wrath; in the Son of God address us in these such pleasures and amusements as rejoicing words,-" Come, ye blesswill issue in eternal torments, or in ed of my Father, inherit the kingseeking that glory which shall be dom prepared for you from the founswallowed up in everlasting infamy. dation of the world." May the Agree with me but in this,-that it Lord vouchsafe unto the writer, and is good to redeem precious time, to to every reader of this Narrative, labour for the meat that endureth "that wisdom which is from above;" unto everlasting life, and to attend that teaching of his Holy Spirit, principally to the one thing need- which guides into the ways of ful; take but thy measure of truth peace; that faith which justifies as well as duty from the word of and works by love; that peace of God; be willing to be taught of God which passeth all understandGod; meditate on his word day and ing; and that measure of sanctifynight; let it be "the light of thy ing and strengthening grace, which feet, and the lantern of thy paths;" may enable each of us to be "steadand in studying it," lean not to thy fast and unmoveable, always aboundown understanding," trust not im- ing in the work of the Lord, as plicitly to expositors and commen- knowing that our labour shall not tators, but ask wisdom and teaching be in vain in the Lord." of God. Be not a Felix, saying to

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A

DISCOURSE ON REPENTANCE.

And they went forth, and preached that men should repent.-Mark, vi. 12.

PREFACE.

THE importance of the subject treat- in their zeal for one part of divine ed of, and the rank which it holds truth, may drop unguarded expresin the word of God, among the doc-sions, which bear an interpretation trines and duties of Christianity; injurious to another part of equal the backwardness of mankind to at-importance; and thus, undesignedtend to it, in proportion to that im-ly, by their reputation give sanction portance; and an apprehension that to error. This our artful and watchit is not insisted on, either from the ful enemy will be sure to observe, pulpit or the press, so frequently and make his advantage of, in opand strenuously in our times, as it posing true religion; by which some was in the days of the apostles; may be deceived, others hardened, form, collectively, the reasons which and religion itself exposed to coninduced me to this publication. tempt and reproach.

Much ignorance, and various hurt- It behoves then other friends of ful and perplexing mistakes and dif- religion, who are witnesses of such ficulties, about repentance, may be perversions, to oppose and obviate observed, both amongst professors them; nor must the reputation of of serious godliness and others; I some, or the censure of others, therefore thought, that it might not among their fellow-servants, be rebe unseasonable or unprofitable, to garded, when the glory of God, the publish a discourse upon the sub- interests of religion, and the salvaject. tion of souls are at stake.

Were

My first intention was only to send some pious men, now in glory, to to the press the substance of a ser- return on earth, and witness the mon which I had repeatedly preach- abuse that has been made of certain ed; but the same reasons influenced indiscreet expressions which they me, upon mature consideration, to employed, they would be the first complete the design, as far as I was to approve every endeavour to councapable; though the size and price teract their fatal tendency. With are both by that means increased. all plainness and freedom I would

Some passages may be judged to plead the cause of truth and holibear hard upon certain popular sen-ness; but would give no needless timents, and current species of re-offence to any man. May that God, ligion. I have indeed very plainly whom I would "serve with my spispoken my mind respecting several rit, in the gospel of his Son," powthings, which I am convinced are erfully succeed this feeble attempt detrimental to the cause of pure re- to promote his glory in the salvaligion; and I hope I have not trans-tion of souls.

gressed the rules of meekness and

candour. Even wise and good men, Olney, 2nd February, 1785.

INTRODUCTION.

THE Christian Religion, as St. Paul the world, and death by sin; and preached it both to Jews and Gen- so death passed upon all men.' tiles, consists of "repentance to-Rom. v. 12. In consequence of wards God, and faith towards our the awful sentence, "Dust thou Lord Jesus Christ," and may there-art, and to dust thou shalt return," fore be properly called the religion millions through successive geneof a sinner; for none but sinners rations have yielded to the stroke: need repentance, or faith in a Me- all the former inhabitants of the diator, or that forgiveness of sins, earth are swept into the grave by which through him is preached to one general execution; many are all that believe. at this moment experiencing the

This consideration ought care-agonies of death; numbers are befully to be attended to; Jesus Christ wailing their departed and depart"came not to call the righteous, ing friends and relatives. We too but sinners to repentance:" and if feel the consequences of sin, in our men lose sight of this peculiarity own personal pains and sickness, of the gospel, they will mistake in a which are the forerunners and earnfundamental concern; and be of- ests of our dissolution: we too must fended with those ministers, who have the sentence executed upon alone address them in a Scriptural us in all its rigour. The wisest method. Our business, as preachers cannot elude it, the strongest cannot of the gospel, is not with men, resist its stroke, nor can the richest merely as rational agents, but with purchase exemption from it. men as sinners. We must not ad- The constant and extensive radress them, as if they were newly vages of death are, in themselves, entered on a state of trial; were as extremely affecting to the consiyet free from all blame; and were derate spectator: but become more at last to stand or fall according to so when we reflect, that as certainly their future good or bad behaviour, as when a malefactor is dragged and only needed to be instructed in from prison, and executed on a their duty, and excited to perform scaffold, he dies for breaking the it. This is not the state of the case. laws of the land; so certainly, when Even the most moral, respectable, a sinner dies, he dies for breaking and amiable of mankind are sin- the law of God.

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ners,-condemned sinners. In this Had sin and death been hitherto light the word of God considers us; equally unknown to mankind; and and informs us, (not "What good now in our days had sin first made thing we may do to inherit eternal its entrance: immediately upon life," but) What we must do to man's rebellion had we heard the be saved" from impending ruin; sentence audibly and solemnly dewhither a sinner "may flee from nounced, "Dust ye are, and to dust the wrath to come." And thus must ye shall return;" had fevers, dropthe faithful minister address his sies, palsies, apoplexies, consumphearers, calling upon them as sin- tions, and other mortal diseases, on ners, to repent and believe the the one hand; with earthquakes, gospel. famines, and wars on the other, sudBy one man sin entered into denly begun to spread desolation

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through families, villages, cities, the judgment of the Son of God, and kingdoms among the guilty worthy of our fear. Yet the bare alone: should we behold at once recital of those tortures, which the multitudes dead, aud multitudes in cruelty of man hath invented and the agonies of death, the rest mourn-inflicted, in killing the body, is sufing over their beloved friends, and ficient to chill our very blood: how trembling for themselves; (like dreadful therefore must they have Egypt when there was not a house, been to those who endured them! in which there was not one dead); And what must that misery be, the connexion betwixt transgressing compared with which the other is the divine law, and being punished not worth a fear? Yet to this awful with death, might be more affecting, destruction every sinner is conbut would not be more certain, than demned, for breaking the law, and it now is; though it is seldom se- rebelling against the authority of riously laid to heart. his Creator.

Or, were men in general free Imagine to yourselves a company from sin; but from time to time of condemned criminals in a dunone and another transgressed; who geon. A warrant arrives :—one is immediately upon transgressing was taken from them, they see him no punished by death, according to the more; know not what becomes of examples of vindictive justice re- him; and do not readily believe corded in the Scriptures: the con- any reports which reach them, of nexion would be more attended to, the tortures which he endured, and but not more certain than at present; the pains he suffered; another is when, "because sentence against thus taken from them, and another. an evil work is not executed speedily, The remainder still suppose that the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in them to do evil." Eccles. viii. 11.

their companions are only released from the miseries of a dungeon; and expect their own turn merely But as all have sinned, and all as a similar deliverance. All this die, and things have gone on so for time, however, certain messengers many generations, death is consi- from the king earnestly persuade dered as a thing of course: we live them to submit, ask forgiveness, in the midst of its devastations with- and accept of mercy. A few are out horror, or uneasy reflections; and inquire little why it is so? or what the consequence will be? Like soldiers who grow inured to scenes of blood, and insensible to dangers through being familiar with them.

prevailed upon, and dismissed; but the rest, seeing no difference betwixt those who are taken from them by a warrant, and those who are set at liberty with a pardon, persist in their obstinacy, and treat all persuasion with neglect and contempt.

But this, solemn and alarming as it is, forms only a small part of the sentence of condemnation, which This is the exact representation we lie under. Our Lord warns us, of the condition men are in. Death "not to fear them that kill the body, removes our friends and neighbours, and after that have no more that one by one: we see not how they they can do; but to fear Him who fare in another world; nor are we is able to destroy both body and disposed to believe that "they lift soul in hell." In comparison with up their eyes in hell, being in torthis effect of divine wrath, the worst ments," (though this is indeed the which men can do to us is not, in awful condition of all who die

impenitent). Our turn will shortly fondness for perishing vanities, and come; but we are seldom duly ap- disregard to your eternal interests, prehensive about the consequences. excite our compassion; and would "All things happen alike to all; excite our indignation and astonishias dieth the sinner, so dieth the ment, had not we too been equally righteous:" each is released from sottish. Of the worth of your souls, the evils of life; faith alone can the danger to which they are exfollow the one to heaven, and the posed, the preciousness of salvaother to hell but all men have not tion, and the happiness of being faith; therefore most treat with truly religious, we are deeply conneglect and contempt the preachers vinced. "We have believed, and of the gospel, who inform them of therefore speak;" and though in their danger, and in God's name ourselves unworthy and insufficient, call upon them to repent, believe, yet being entrusted with the miand be saved.

we are

nistry of reconciliation,
now ambassadors for Christ, and as
though God did beseech you by us,
we pray you, in Christ's stead, be
ye reconciled unto God."

But, beloved, though much grieved and discouraged by this neglect, we must not desist, nor would we despair of success. Let me beseech you then to keep in your mind these The most high God hath presolemn and important truths, whilst pared a royal feast; all things are with all seriousness, earnestness, ready, rich abundance of provisions, and tender compassion, I address and plenty of room! We are sent you as condemned sinners, in danger to invite the guests, and are directed of eternal misery. We must take to "compel them to come in." We God's part against you, and vindi- would therefore invite, exhort, excate his justice in that awful sen- postulate, warn, persuade, and comtence which he hath denounced; mand, with all tenderness and aubut we can sympathize with you, thority, and not take a denial. and weep over you, and "long after Blame not, I beseech you, our you in the bowels of Jesus Christ." earnestness; be not disgusted or We also were involved in the same offended with our importunity; do guilt, and under the same con-not "pray us to have you excused;" demnation; we were equally se- do not overwhelm us with discoucure and obstinate in sin, and equal-ragement, and send us to give, with ly negligent of salvation. But being tears, an account of our ill success. now, through God's mercy, made Our love to your immortal souls, sensible of our guilt and danger; our longing after your everlasting and having upon repentance found happiness, constrain us to be thus forgiveness, and enjoying the hopes troublesome and importunate. Nay, and first-fruits of eternal happiness, though you frown, insult, threaten, we are desirous our fellow-sinners and persecute, we must persist, so should share our deliverance, and long as there is a shadow of a hope. experience our felicity. "We must not be overcome of evil, To be instrumental to the salva- but overcome evil with good." And tion of your souls, my fellow sin- at last, "if ye will not hear, we ners, is all to which the true minister must weep in secret places for your of Christ aspires. However your pride; after His example, who wept minds may be blinded by the "god over ungrateful Jerusalem. of this world," we see your danger, To the true believer, careless and mourn over your delusion. Your sinners appear like intoxicated per

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