Many, perhaps, on hearing this comfortable declaration, will say, "Would to God that I could repent and believe! But I find, by experience, that I might as easily form an aqueduct that should convey to England the waters of Jordan, as force one tear of Godly sorrow from my own eyes; that to cleanse the Augean stable of my heart is not work for human ability; and that I could with equal facility touch the planet Saturn with my finger, or by a chain of my own fabrication bring it into contact with the earth, as believe on Jesus Christ so as to pacify my conscience, and quiet my dreadful apprehensions respecting the consequences of my sins." Happy, thrice happy conviction! This is a lesson which you did not learn in the schools of philosophy, but at the feet of Jesus from the secret instructions of His Spirit. "Flesh and "blood did not reveal it to you, but our Father "which is in heaven."* Come then, and "let "us beseech Him to grant us true repentance, "and His Holy Spirit." If you feel your own weakness, you are in a right temper for prayer, and will heartily "cry to the strong for strength. Since "Almighty God, the Father of our Lord "Jesus Christ, willeth not the death of a sinner, "but rather that he should turn from his wick"edness and live"-since "He hath given "power and commandment to His ministers to "declare and pronounce to His people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their "sins"-since repentance and faith are necessary to salvation, and both are the gifts of Godwith what holy boldness may we approach the mercy-seat, and ask for the influence of the Holy Matt. xvi. 17. Spirit of promise, that, by His Divine agency upon us, we may be enabled to repent and believe. "God giveth His Holy Spirit to them "that ask Him." How encouraging are our Lord's words, "Ask, and it shall be given you; "seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall "be opened unto you. For every one that "asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, find"eth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be "opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of "you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or, if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give "him a serpent? Or, if he ask an egg, will "he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being "evil, know how to give good gifts unto your "children, how much more shall your heavenly "Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask "Him?"* Every true worshipper of God wishes to please Him. To him the attainment of Divine approbation is the great object of sedulous endeavour. The good opinion of the world, even of the virtuous part of it, is a matter of indifference, compared with the smile of Heaven. This will compensate amply for toil and labour, obloquy and reproach, if met with in the path of duty. With him the grand inquiry is, not how may I make a conspicuous figure in the world, but how may I demean myself so that my conduct may please God? To this question a direct answer is given in the form of absolution. When repentance and faith are the inmates of our hearts, then, and then only, will "those things please Him which we do at this pre"sent." If these are wanting, the most splendid acts of charity, and our worship, whatever * Luke xi. 9-13. appearance of devotion it may have, are an abomination in His sight. Unless self-renunciation and self-abhorrence, accompanied by faith in the great atoning sacrifice, be the spring of action, and the source whence our confessions, prayers, and praises flow, we can have no testimony that we please God." Jesus is the beloved Son of God, in whom He is well pleased;" and nothing of our's can be pleasant to God, but what is honourable to Christ. "The sacrifices of God," acceptable to Him, 66 66 " are a broken and contrite spirit.", A man may build and endow hospitals, and rear stately and magnificent edifices for God's worship, and yet hear at last the tremendous words, "Depart "from me, I never knew you.' It is the motive that is regarded by the Great Searcher of hearts, rather than the act. It is the principle that sanctifies the gift. Were I to bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, it would not recommend me to God, unless, in the performance of these acts, I refused to ground on them any hope of acceptance with Him, and, as a helpless sinner, rested my plea on the atonement of Jesus Christ. "Without "faith it is impossible to please God." * The awakened soul is solicitous "that the "rest of his life hereafter may be pure and holy." The time past of his days he accounts more than sufficient to have been devoted to the service of sin. But he knows that he can become holy, only in proportion as God the Sanctifier makes him so; and therefore he earnestly beseeches God to "grant" him "His Holy Spirit" for this end. But perhaps it may be objected, that if pardon, faith, repentance, and even eternal life, be freely bestowed on the undeserving" without money and without price," then there is no need of any anxiety about a pure and holy life." In answer to this, let us endeavour to illustrate the Apostle's position, that "faith worketh by love."* Your house. has taken fire, and the flames are kindled all around you. No probable way of escape appears. You give yourself up for lost, and, in your own apprehension, you must perish. Just at this critical moment, when despair has seized your mind, one, who is under no obligations to you, undertakes your rescue, rushes through the surrounding flames, and, after suffering severely himself in the attempt, is successful in effecting your deliverance. Ask yourselves what would the feelings of your heart be towards that person? This act of kindness is more than realized to the redeemed sinner. Must not he, who knows that he has been " redeemed" from endless ruin," with a price, not of corruptible "things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ," love God, and labour to keep His commandments? Will not gratitude operate on the ingenuous mind more powerfully than slavish fear? We love Him, "because He first loved us."† 66 Thus" at the last we shall come to His eternal joy." Blessed be God, there is a state before us, in which the tear of repentance will be wiped away from our eyes, the sigh of sorrow be suppressed, and the conflict of faith be changed for everlasting triumph! "For they "who sow in tears, shall reap in joy; he that * Gal. v. 6. † 1 John iv. 19. "goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious "seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, "bringing his sheaves with him."* The hus bandman ploughs his ground, and scatters his precious seed over the soil, in expectation of a future increase; his pleasing hopes are, however, often chastised by fear of a disappointment. So the awakened sinner weeps, and prays; laments his past life and corrupt nature; struggles against "sin that dwelleth in him;" fights the good fight of faith, and labours hard to lay hold on eternal life. Many weary steps the industrious husbandman takes, while waiting for the time of harvest; but, when that season comes, his labours are amply repaid, while with joy and gladness of heart he carries the golden grain to his barns in safety. So shall it be with the humble believer. The present time is the time of sowing and waiting. We are now to live by faith, and that faith must be tried. Blighting winds and nipping frosts will threaten to destroy our pleasing prospects. The time of harvest may be long delayed. But there is a reaping season to come. Our utmost wishes will then be more than realized. "We shall "enter into His eternal joy." That joy will be greater than "the joy in harvest, or that of "those who divide the spoil." † It will not be, like the short-lived joy which arises from worldly prosperity, and which resembles "the crackling "of thorns under a pot,"‡ a momentary blaze, and nothing more. But it will be "eternal." Our present comforts, even those of a religious nature, often leave us to regret their want of * Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6. VOL. I. G + Isa. ix. 3. |