hatred of sin. Is not this, then, sufficient to affect us with great sorrow, when we consider that so long as we live in a vicious course, so long are we exposed to all the punishments which God hath reserved for wicked men, and which will most certainly be their portion, if not prevented by a timely repentance ?

The SECOND Part of a true Repentance is Contrition, or a sorrowful bewailing of our own sinfulness,in thought, word, and deed. When we call to mind the sins of our past lives, and the dangers into which we are likely to fall, surely we cannot but be grieved with the thoughts and apprehensions of our present and approaching misery. The sorrows of David, and the repentance of Peter, (Psalm lxix. 10. Luke xxii. 62.) were shown in floods of tears, which were too great to be suppressed. Our hearts, on the contrary, are generally so hard and unrelenting, that we sin against God, and lose our own souls, without so much as a sigh or a tear. I know that the tempers of people are different; some can shed tears upon every slight occasion; and others cannot weep, though their hearts are ready to break for grief;

and, therefore, we are not to judge of the sincerity of our own repentance; or of the repentance of others, by such tokens. Nor are tears always necessary to repentance, though they very well become us; and the least we can do when we have done amiss, is to be sorry for it, to condemn our folly, and to be full of indignation against ourselves. I will deelare my iniquity, saith holy David, and be sorry for my sins, Psalm xxxviii. 18. Especially, if we have been very wicked, if we have multiplied our transgressions, and continued long in an evil course, then the measure of our sorrow must bear some proportion to the degrees of our sins. If they have been as scarlet and crimson, Ísa. i. 18. that is, of a deeper die than ordinary, then our sorrow must be as deep as our guilt. If indeed our sins be not so great, we ought, however, to show so much contrition, as to produce in us a penetential confession of them.

This is the THIRD property of a sincere Repentance, I will acknowledge my Sin unto thee, says holy David, and mine Unrighteousness have I not hid. I said, -I will confess my sins unto the Lord, and

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so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Psalm xxxii. 5. This confession of sins must not be in general terms only, that we are sinners with the rest of mankind, but it must be a special declaration to God of all our most henious sins in thought, word, and deed; and this we must do, to show that we condemn all our former vicious courses, with a full resolution, by God's assistance, never to do the like again; for our sorrow for sin, and the confession of our wickedness, can never profit us in the sight of God, if it be not joined with a firm resolution of leading a new life.

This is the FOURTH and most essential part of a sincere Repentance, and the only condition of finding mercy with God He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy, Prov. xxviii. 13. Let the wicked man forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon, Isa. Iv. 7. Itell you nay, saith Christ, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish, Luke xiii. 3. Repent ye, therefore, and be con

verted, that

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sins your be blotted out, Acts iii. 19. Those parts of repentance before-mentioned are only preparative: that which must complete the work of a convert is, to become a new Creature, "to turn from our evil ways, and to break off our sins by righteousness," Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Dan. iv. 27. This certainly must be the desire and intention of all communicants, hoping for any advantage from this solemn rite or covenant; for he that comes with the purpose of continuing his former sins, comes somewhat like Judas, who persisted in his resolution to betray his master. That which makes a man absolutely unfit to receive the Holy Sacrament, is the living in the habitual practice of any known sin, without the least desire of repentance or amendment. Such a man's approach to the holy table, no doubt, is to "eat and drink his own damnation," since it is a mockery of God, and a contempt of his authority. We must, therefore, by the assistance of God's grace," resolve to lead a new life, following the commandments of God;" otherwise, our former examinations will appear but slight and

superficial, our sense of sin trivial and indifferent, our sorrow and contrition forced and hypocritical, and our confessions odious and formal. Examine well, therefore, the sincerity both of your repentance and resolutions, that you neither deceive God nor yourselves. Him you cannot deceive; because he is a searcher of the heart, and a discerner of the thoughts, and he will not accept of any thing which is not hearty and unfeigned.

We are not to suppose, however, that this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper requires perfect obedience in all our addresses to the holy Altar, or that none must come but such as are in a state of perfection. No: this would be impossible, because there is no man which liveth and sinneth not; for who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Eccles. vii. 29. Prov. xx. 9. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is not a converting, but a confirming ordinance, intended to preserve and increase that spiritual life and grace which we receive at our baptism; so that when we come to the Holy Communion, we come