opinion, that a man continues abso-humiliation for sin; and where this lutely dead in sin, till after he has is totally wanting, a professed become to Christ, and has explicit liever can at most rank no higher knowledge of him, and faith in him; than a stony-ground hearer, who has or even, as some state it, a full assur- no root in himself, in whatever manance of an interest in his salvation. ner slavish terrors have been sucThe new-born infant instinctively ceeded by selfish comforts. But craves the milk of the breast, when a careless sinner, or a proud though incapable of understanding despiser of the gospel, is brought the nature of its wants and desires: with downcast eyes, to smite on but various circumstances may re- his breast, and from his inmost soul tard its actual satisfaction in the to cry, "God be merciful to me a wholesome nutriment provided for sinner;" he certainly thus far maniit. Thus the new-born babe, in the fests a right spirit.—In the parable spiritual world, feels a strong desire here alluded to, the question is not, after the sincere milk of the word, what the Pharisee proudly assumed yet often scarcely knows what he concerning his own sanctity; or wants or seeks for: but the salva- what the publican humbly confessed tion of Christ alone can satisfy these of his own sinfulness; but whether new desires which he experiences; the humble confession of the one and whatever may hinder his pro- was not intrinsically better than the gress, he will still continue uneasy proud boastings of the other? And and inquiring, till brought to live whether the publican's self-abasing explicitly by faith in the Son of cry for mercy was not an exercise God. Then he will seek no further, of true holiness?—That it sprang except to secure and enjoy the satis- from humility and contrition, and fying blessings he has discovered. was not extorted by mere terror,

And now let the reader seriously our Lord himself testifies: "I tell and impartially consider these seve- you, that this man went down to ral arguments, and endeavour to his house justified rather than the estimate their collective force: after other: for every one that humbleth which, let us determine, whether it himself shall be exalted." Luke has not been completely proved, xvii. 14. And this testimony ought that, according to the word of God, to be decisive: for it evidently saving faith is always the effect of regeneration; and consequently that it is holy in its nature, as well as in its fruits.

SECTION III.

proves that genuine humility inseparably attends on justifying faith, even in its feeblest and most discouraged applications for pardoning mercy.

The Pharisee did not arrogate the honour of making himself to differ from other men; at least the words

ascribed to him imply the contrary:

Saving Faith always accompanied by other things essentially holy. and indeed the same is observable ANOTHER most conclusive argument in the language of many who are to prove the holy nature of faith, notorious for spiritual pride. But may be deduced from the other holy he presumptuously deemed himself exercises of the heart with which it eminent in holiness, when he was is inseparably connected. altogether unholy; and established No man ever yet truly believed in the full favour of God, from which in Christ, without some measure of he was entirely estranged. If a

man say, "God, I thank thee for But if we carefully examine the giving me humility, repentance, and language of Scripture, we must be newness of heart;" and then rely convinced, that humility is a radical on these supposed endowments as and most important part of holithe meritorious ground of his justi-ness; and especially that humiliafication; let him be classed with tion for sin is essential to the exthe Pharisee: but surely we may istence of holiness in the heart of a know that God hath given us these fallen creature. "To this man will holy dispositions, and that " by his I look, even to him that is poor and grace we are what we are," and of a contrite spirit, and that tremheartily thank him for his special bleth at my word. "Blessed are love in thus making us to differ, the poor in spirit, for theirs is the without in the least "trusting to kingdom of heaven." "God reour own righteousness and despising sisteth the proud, and giveth his others." Or else the most eminent grace unto the humble." Nay, a believers, both of the Old and New great part of the holiness of reTestament, must be joined with us deemed sinners, even in heaven, under this condemnation. In what seems to consist in a disposition to ever measure we have experienced ascribe all their salvation to Him "the sanctification of the Spirit that sitteth upon the throne, and to unto obedience," we shall not, if the Lamb that was slain; and in properly instructed, depend on it feeling and acting consistently with in the smallest degree for justifica- the recollection of their own deep tion and if this be the case of the guilt, and their inexpressible oblimost eminent saint on earth, why gations to the special mercy and should it be supposed, that the least love of the Redeemer. Indeed if conceivable spark of true holiness, pride were the first sin of apostate even when not discerned, must lead spirits, humility must be most essenthe new convert to a self-righteous tial to the holiness even of angels. confidence, and indispose him to seek the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ?

The degree of genuine humility, connected with the sinner's first actings of faith in Christ, may be Saul of Tarsus, when a proud very small: but will any Christian Pharisee, expressed the most con- say, that there is absolutely none at temptuous enmity against the holy all? Or that pride is at that moJesus, and breathed out threat-ment in full dominion? Can a sinenings and slaughter" against his ner embrace the salvation of Christ harmless disciples. But view this in a cordial manner, without the same person, prostrate on the least disposition to abase and conground, trembling with apprehen- demn himself? Can he, when sions of merited vengeance, suppli- merely alarmed by the dread of a cating undeserved mercy, and say-punishment which he does not al ing to the Saviour, Lord, what low that he deserves, sincerely seek wouldest thou have me to do?" the deliverance from free unmerited Then observe him, when "what mercy? Can he sincerely seek this things were gain to him, these he mercy, in the most humiliating way counted loss for Christ;" and de-imaginable, without the least determine whether no degree of ge-gree of humiliation? And if his nuine humiliation was connected professed reliance on the free grace with his first exercises of faith in through Immanuel's atoning blood, the Son of God. be insincere, will a heart-searching

God justify him on account of a penitent; but he deduces his whole hypocritical pretension? "Blessed encouragement to return home, from is the man to whom the Lord will the known kindness and compassion not impute iniquity, and in whose of his offended father. Thus is he spirit there is no guile." represented as resolving to return In a word, it has often been said, home, from right principles, and in and it never has been disproved, a right spirit: and when welcomed that "there can be no more mercy with immense kindness, and within the sinner's salvation, than there out any upbraidings, by his loving was justice in his condemnation :" parent, he alters not the terms of it is therefore absolutely impossible his intended confession, except by for any one cordially to welcome leaving out the concluding words, salvation altogether of mere mercy, as superseded by the undeserved unless he sincerely allow that he and unexpected reception he met might justly have been left under with. As this parable was purposely named by our Lord, to illus

condemnation.

Again, did our Lord, in the para-trate the dealings of our merciful ble of the prodigal son, design to God towards the vilest of sinners, represent the returning sinner as who come to him in his appointed driven merely by distress to seek way, it is absolutely decisive, that deliverance from God? What did he considered godly sorrow, humihe then mean by the expression, liation, and unreserved confession When he came to himself? The of guilt, as never-failing attendants prodigal is supposed to have felt on saving faith. Luke xv. And the his misery before, (as devils and arrangement of the parable contains damned spirits do,) with proud and a demonstration, that regeneration determined alienation of heart from is at all times antecedent to faith, his father, and the rules of his as the cause is antecedent to the family but "when he came to effect. himself," he awaked as out of sleep, Every serious student of the Scriphe recovered as from intoxication, tures must have observed, that they he was restored as from insanity; always represent repentance and and then he became sensible of his faith as inseparably connected. It sin and folly. Other thoughts now is not indeed worth while formally arise in his mind concerning his to dispute, which of these twinfather's character, authority, and graces is first exercised by the newly conduct; and his own past beha- regenerated sinner: a belief of some viour and present situation: and divine truths may show him his need he breaks out into this exclamation, of repentance; and some degree of How many of my father's servants a penitent disposition may render have bread enough and to spare, him sensible that he wants an inand I perish with hunger! I will terest in Christ's salvation by faith arise and go to my father; and will in his name. It suffices to say, that say unto him, Father, I have sinned true repentance is a believing repentagainst heaven and before thee, and ance, and true faith is a penitent um no more worthy to be called thy faith. A general belief of God's son. Are not these expressions of mercy and readiness to forgive, sorrow and humiliation for sin, and seems essential to genuine repentof deep self-abasement? No ex-ance; but more explicit views of tenuation or excuse is so much as the way in which mercy is vouchthought of by the self-condemned safed, are not always requisite: yet

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repentance is doubtless rendered | heart, "through which sinners treamore deep, spiritual, and ingenuous, sure up to themselves wrath against in proportion as the glory of the the day of wrath." So that, beyond gospel is understood, and its con- all dispute, the change of mind, solations experienced. We ought which is called repentance, pecunot, however, to overlook, much liarly relates to the heart, without less to invert, the order in which which every change of opinion can the inspired writers mention re-at most only amount to a dead faith pentance and faith. Repent ye, and a form of knowledge. True refor the kingdom of heaven is at pentance implies an entire revoluhand." 66 Repent ye and believe tion in a man's views and judgment the gospel." "Repent and be con- respecting himself, and every thing verted, that your sins may be blotted to which he stands related, and in out." Repentance towards God, all his corresponding dispositions and faith towards our Lord Jesus and affections. But though this inChrist." "If peradventure God ternal change be especially denoted will give them repentance, to the by the word thus translated; yet acknowledging of the truth; and when the term is used in a popular that they may recover themselves sense, and as distinguished from reout of the snare of the devil, who generation, it includes fear of divine are taken captive by him at his wrath, godly sorrow, humiliation, will." 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. hatred of sin and all its pleasures

If it please God to give repent- and profits, forsaking sin, turning to ance to an opposer of his gospel, God with ingenuous confession and he will then acknowledge the truth, cries for mercy, and entering on a believe in Christ, and be saved: new course of life. It is needless but if God do not give him repent-in this place to enter further on the ance, he will continue an unbeliever subject, as the public has long been held fast in the snare of the devil. in possession of the author's deliThis at least completely proves, berate thoughts upon it; but if that true repentance always accom- any man doubt of what has been panies the first actings of saving here advanced, let him carefully and faith. And a man's views must impartially consider the scriptures certainly be unscriptural, when he referred to, with the several concannot support them without in-texts, and I apprehend he will find verting or altering the language of it impossible to resist conviction. inspiration. Job xlii. 6. Jer. xxxii. 19. Ezek. The word translated repentance xviii. 28. Matt. iii. 8-10; xxi. denotes a change of mind: but surely 29-32. no Christian will deliberately main-2 Cor. vii. 9-11. In the last pastain, that this change takes place sage referred to, the apostle speaks only in the understanding, without of godly sorrow as preceding, and at all influencing the will and affec-working" repentance unto salvation, tions! Or that it is merely a change not to be repented of:" surely then of opinion about the doctrine of no repentance is saving or genuine justification! Yet incautious ex-which is unconnected with godly pressions to that effect are not un-sorrow!

Luke xv. 10, 17, 21.

It is our

common. We read however not Repentance is both the command only of "an evil heart of unbelief in and the gift of God. departing from the living God;" duty; but without divine grace we but also of an hard and impenitent

* Discourse on Repentance.

are wholly indisposed to perform ye might believe." Hence we learn it: and in this respect it resembles that the general belief of John's all other duties, each of which is testimony brought the publicans the subject of promises as well as and harlots to repentance, and this of precepts; and none of them are repentance prepared them for adperformed in the right manner, ex-mission into the Messiah's kingdom cept as the Lord gives us a new by faith in him; and if the Phariheart and a new spirit. "God (by sees had repented of their sin, in the gospel) commandeth all men rejecting the ministry of John, their every where to repent." "Jesus repentance would have been conis exalted to be a Prince and a Sa- nected with the same faith in him viour, to give repentance and for- to whom John bare testimony. Ingiveness of sins." Repentance be-deed the office of John Baptist, in longs entirely to the gospel and to preparing the way of the Lord, as the covenant of grace; and has the herald of the Saviour to pronothing to do with the law and the claim his appearance and introduce covenant of works, except in our his gospel, is peculiarly important being grieved and humbled at heart in this argument. He first called for violating them, and in our hum- sinners to repentance, showed the bly confessing that we deserve that Jews in general the fallaciousness wrath of God which is denounced of trusting in their national priviagainst every transgressor. The leges, and the Pharisees in particugospel alone gives the call to re- lar the emptiness of their forms and pentance, the encouragement to re- external services; he used the propentance, and the grace of repent- per means of convincing all sorts of ance: it is therefore most astonish- persons of their guilt and danger; ing that the preaching of repentance and then pointed out to them the should have ever been called legal, Lamb of God that taketh away the or thought inconsistent with the sin of the world;" "the Son of free grace of the gospel! Or that God," who " baptizeth with the repentance should ever have been Holy Ghost:" concluding with this almost excluded from the list of solemn declaration and warning: evangelical graces, the constituent" The Father loveth the Son, and parts of true holiness. hath given all things into his hands.

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But, says our Lord, "What think He that believeth on the Son hath ye? A certain man had two sons, everlasting life; and he that beand he came to the first, and said, lieveth not on the Son, shall not Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. see life, but the wrath of God He answered and said, I will not; abideth upon him." John iii. 35, but afterwards he repented and 36. And his whole ministry undewent. And he came to the second, niably proves, both that genuine and said likewise: and he answered repentance is always connected and said, I go, sir; and went not. with saving faith; and that it is an Verily I say unto you, the publi- important part of that "holiness cans and harlots enter into the king- without which no man shall see the dom of heaven before you. For Lord."

John came unto you in the way of This appears also in a very conrighteousness, and ye believed him vincing manner in the singular exnot: but the publicans and harlots ample of the penitent thief, who believed him and ye, when ye had upon the cross humbly acknowseen it, repented not afterwards, that ledged, that he deserved his igno