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defpifed, his commands broken without regret, and his goodness abused, he can be fevere, he has been so in instances innumerable, and he has declared that he will be fo, and give to every man according to his works, whether they have done good or evil.

God Almighty make us all truly fenfible of this, that we may fear where we have reason so to do, and be cheerful where we have none; that we may have always in our eye the prize of our high calling, which will be fufficient to encourage us under difficulties, excite our best endeavours, and reward all our labours.

Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour and glory, now and for ever.

SERMON

SERMON XIII.

TRUE REPENTANCE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO SALVATION.

Awaken, O God, the spirit of Repentance in this drowsy, thoughtless world, which ftands so much in need of it;-make me a faithful, fuccefsful preacher of true repentance;-pour down thy Holy Spirit upon my heart, and upon the hearts of all that shall hear thefe truths, that we may all repent and turn to God with all our hearts, and bring forth fruits anfwerable to amendment of life, for Jesus Christ's fake. Amen.

MATTHEW iii. 8, 9, 10.

BRING FORTH FRUITS MEET FOR REPENTANCE; (THAT IS, ANSWERABLE TO AMENDMENT OF LIFE) AND THINK NOT TO SAY WITHIN YOURSELVES, WE HAVE ABRAHAM TO OUR FATHER: FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT GOD IS ABLE OF THESE STONES TO RAISE UP CHILDREN UNTO ABRAHAM. NOW THE AX IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES: THEREFORE EVERY TREE WHICH BRINGING NOT FORTH GOOD FRUIT IS HEWN DOWN, AND CAST INTO THE FIRE.

THE

HESE words difcover to us a truth which most Christians are not aware of, and which they will be furprized at when they hear it; and it is this:-That too many are ruined, not fo much by their fins, as by their

See Deut. viii. 19, 20. Prov. xxviii. 13. Jer. iii. 12, 13. Ezek. xviii. 27. Mark vi. 12.

Isaiah i. 16. lv. 6, 7. 2 Cor. vii. 10.

very repentance; that is, they mistake and take that for repentance, which will never do them any fervice, and which God will never accept of for the pardon of their fins.

Sinners we are, every foul of us, and every foul of us would come fhort of heaven, if God in mercy had not provided and offered us a remedy for our fins. This remedy is a true repentance. Every Chriftian who lays hold of it will most certainly be pardoned, and faved, and be happy for ever. Every one who defpifes, neglects, or wilfully mistakes this remedy, will as furely be shut out of heaven, and be punished eternally, as God and this word of his, are true.

If this will not make you very attentive to what I am going to fay upon this fubject of repentance, I have no other arguments to prevail with you. For this is the very argument or motive, which the Spirit of God in the text made use of to awaken the Jewish nation, and to prepare them for receiving the mercies of the gospel just going to be offered them. The ax, (faith the Holy Baptift) the ax is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and caft into the fire: Affuring us by this, that the fruit of repentance is that which God expects from us, and which of his great mercy, for Chrift's fake, he will accept of; but if this fruit does not appear in our lives, we must expect nothing less than to be cut

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off by death, and to be burnt with fire unquenchable: there being no other choice for Christian people, but a true repentance or ruin. Every Chriftian, therefore, who lays any thing to heart, will be glad to be informed from the word of God,

Firft, Concerning the reafon and the neceffity of repentance, and in what true repentance does confift.

2dly, What are thofe miftakes concerning repentance, which Chriftians are liable to fall into. Laftly, How a Chriftian may have the fure comfort of knowing whether his repentance will be accepted of God for his pardon and falvation. And these are the particulars, that, by the good grace of God, (which I befeech him to vouchsafe me) I purpose at this time to lay before you, and to charge upon myself.

I. I muft, first of all, explain to you THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE. Not only John the baptift, but our Lord himself and his apoftles, began their ministry by exhorting and requiring people to repent, as they hope to be faved; plainly fhewing, that no man can receive the gofpel-can be a Chriftian,-without forfaking his fins, which are against natural reason and confcience: for he that will not forfake a fin which his own conscience tells him he ought not to live in, will not receive a revelation which his own reafon may tell him comes from God.

This,

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