66 fore, the Scripture sets down no other time than "to-day; while it is yet called to-day." But, because it will every day be called to-day, we must remember, that our duty is such as requires a time, a duration; it is a course, a race that is set before us;" a duty requiring patience, and longanimity, and perseverance, and great care and diligence, "that we faint not." And, supposing we could gather probably, by circumstances, when the last period of our hopes begins; yet he that stands out as long as he can, gives probation, that he came not in of good will or choice; that he loves not the present service; that his body is present, but his heart is estranged from the yoke of his present employment; and then all that he can do is odious to God, being a sacrifice without a heart, an offertory of shells and husks, while the devil and the man's lusts have devoured the kernels. 49. So that this question is not to be asked beforehand; but after a man hath done much of the work, and in some sense lived holily, then he may inquire into his condition; whether, if he persevere in that, he may hope for the mercies of Jesus. But he that inquires beforehand, as commonly he means ill, so he can be answered by none but God; because the satisfaction of such a vain question depends upon future contingencies, and accidents depending upon God's secret pleasure and predestination. He that repents but to-day, repents late enough, that he put it off from yesterday. It may be that some may begin to-day, and find mercy, and to another person it may be too late; but no man is safe or wise that puts it off till to-morrow. And that it may appear how necessary it is to begin early, and that the work is of difficulty and continuance, and that time still increases the objections, it is certain that all the time that is lost must be redeemed by something in the sequel, equivalent, or fit to make up the breach, and to cure the wounds long since made, and long festering; and this must be done by doing the first works, by something that God hath declared he will accept instead of them: the intention of the following actions, and the frequent repetition, must make up the defect in the extension and co-existence, with a longer time. It was an act of an heroical repentance, and great detestation of the crime, which Thomas Cantipratanus relates, of a young gentleman condemned to die for robberies; who, endeavouring to testify his repentance, and, as far as was then permitted him, to expiate the crime, begged of the judge, that tormentors might be appointed him, that he might be long a dying, and be cut in small pieces, that the severity of the execution might be proportionable to the immensity of his sorrow and greatness of the iniquity. Such great acts do facilitate our pardon, and hasten the restitution, and in a few days comprise the elapsed duty of many months: but to rely upon such acts is the last remedy, and like unlikely physic to a despairing person: if it does well, it is well; if it happen otherwise, he must thank himself, it is but what in reason he could expect. The Romans sacrificed a dog to Mana Geneta and prayed, Ne quis domi natorum bonus fiat," that none of their domestics might be good; that is, that they might not die, (said Plutarch",) because dead people are called good. But if they be so only when they die, they will hardly find the reward of goodness in the reckonings of eternity, when to kill and to make good is all one, (as Aristotle observed it to be in the Spartan covenant with the Tegeatæ ", and as it is in the case of penitents, never mending their lives till their lives be done ;) that goodness is fatal, and the prologue of an eternal death. 50. I conclude this point with the words of St. Paul: "God will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality;" to them, “eternal life. But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness;" to them "indignation and wrath : tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil °." 51. Having now discoursed of repentance upon distinct principles, I shall not need to consider upon those particulars, which are usually reckoned parts or instances of repentance; such as are contrition, confession, and satisfaction. Repenance is the fulfilling all righteousness, and includes in it whatsoever is matter of Christian duty, and expressly commanded; such as is contrition or godly sorrow, and confession to God, both which are declared in Scripture to be in order to pardon and purgation of our sins. "A contrite and a broken heart, 66 O God, thou wilt not despise ;" and, "If we confess our sins, God is just and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity." To which add, concerning satisfaction, that it is a judging and punishing of ourselves; that it also is an instrument of repentance, and a fruit of godly sorrow, and of good advantage for obtaining mercy of God. For "indignation and revenge" are reckoned by St. Paul, effects of "a godly sorrow;" and the blessing which encourages its practice, is instanced by the same saint: 'When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord; but if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged:" where he expounds "judged" by "chastened;" if we were severer to ourselves, God would be gentle and remiss. And there are only these two cautions to be annexed, and then the direction is sufficient. 1. That when promise of pardon is annexed to any of these or another grace, or any good action, it is not to be understood as if alone it were effectual, either to the abolition or pardon of sins; but the promise is made to it, as to a member of the whole body of piety. In the coadunation and conjunction of parts, the title is firm, but not at all in distinction and separation. For it is certain, if we fail in one, we are guilty of all; and therefore cannot be repaired by any one grace, or one action, or one, habit. And, therefore," charity hides a multitude of sins" with men and God too; "alms deliver from death'; humility pierceth the clouds," and will not depart before its answer be gracious; and "hope purifieth3, and makes not ashamed';" and patience, and faith, and piety to parents, and prayer, and the eight beatitudes, "have promises of this life, and of that which is to come"," respectively and yet nothing will obtain these promises, but the harmony and uniting of these graces, in a holy and habitual confederation. And when we consider the promise, as singularly relating to that one grace, it is to be understood comparatively; that is, such persons are happy, if compared with those who have contrary dispositions. For such a capacity does its portion of the work, towards complete felicity, from which the contrary quality does estrange and : - Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀρνουμένους καὶ ἀντιλέγοντας μᾶλλον κολάζομεν· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ὁμολογοῦντας δικαίως κολάζεσθαι θυμούμενοι.—Arist. Rhet. 2. ' 1 John, iii. 3. disentitle us. 2. The special and minute actions, and instances, of these three preparatives of repentance, are not under any command in the particulars, but are to be disposed of by Christian prudence, in order to those ends to which they are most aptly instrumental and designed: such as are fasting, and corporal severities in satisfaction, or the punitive parts of repentance; they are either vindictive of what is past, and so are proper acts or effects of contrition and godly sorrow; or else they relate to the present and future estate, and are intended for correction or emendation, and so are of good use as they are medicinal, and in that proportion not to be omitted. And so is confession to a spiritual person, an excellent instrument of discipline, a bridle of intemperate passions, an opportunity of restitution: "Ye which are spiritual, restore such a person overtaken in a fault," saith the apostle; it is the application of a remedy, the consulting with a guide, and the best security to a weak, or lapsed, or an ignorant person, in all which cases he is unfit to judge his own questions, and in these he is also committed to the care and conduct of another. But these special instances of repentance are capable of suppletories, and are, like the corporal works of mercy, necessary only in time and place, and in accidental obligations. He that relieves the poor, or visits the sick, choosing it for the instance of his charity, though he do not redeem captives, is charitable, and hath done his alms. And he that cures his sin by any instruments, by external, or interior and spiritual remedies, is penitent, though his diet be not ascetic and afflictive, or his lodging hard, or his sorrow bursting out into tears, or his expressions passionate and dolorous". I only add this, that acts of public repentance must be by using the instruments of the church, such as she hath appointed; of private, such as, by experience, or by reason, or by the counsel we can get, we shall learn to be most effective of our penitential purposes. ·And yet it is a great argument that the exterior expressions of corporal severities are of good benefit, because, in all ages, wise men and severe penitents have chosen them for their instruments. * Gal. vi. 1. › Vide Disc. of Mortification, Part i. and Disc. of Fasting, Part ii. THE PRAYER. O eternal God, who wert pleased in mercy to look upon us when we were in our blood, to reconcile us when we were enemies, to forgive us in the midst of our provocations of thy infinite and eternal majesty, finding out a remedy for us which mankind could never ask, even making an atonement for us by the death of thy Son, sanctifying us by the blood of the everlasting covenant and thy all-hallowing and divinest Spirit; let thy graces so perpetually assist and encourage my endeavours, conduct my will, and fortify my intentions, that I may persevere in that holy condition which thou hast put me in by the grace of the covenant, and the mercies of the holy Jesus. O let me never fall into those sins, and retire to that vain conversation, from which the eternal and merciful Saviour of the world hath redeemed me; but let me grow in grace, adding virtue to virtue, reducing my purposes to act, and increasing my acts till they grow into habits, and my habits till they be confirmed, and still confirming them till they be consummate in a blessed and holy perseverance. Let thy preventing grace dash all temptations in their approach; let thy concomitant grace enable me to resist them in the assault, and overcome them in the fight: that my hopes be never discomposed, nor my faith weakened, nor my confidence made remiss, nor my title and portion in the covenant be lessened. Or if thou permittest me at any time to fall, (which, holy Jesu, avert, for thy mercy and compassion's sake,) yet let me not sleep in sin, but recall me instantly by the clamours of a nice and tender conscience, and the quickening sermons of the Spirit, that I may never pass from sin to sin, from one degree to another; lest sin should get the dominion over me, lest thou be angry with me, and reject me from the covenant, and I perish. Purify me from all uncleanness, sanctify my spirit that I may be holy be holy as thou art, and let me never provoke thy jealousy, nor presume upon thy goodness, nor distrust thy mercies, nor defer my repentance, nor rely upon vain confidences; but that I may, by a constant, sedulous, and timely endeavour, make my calling and election sure, living |