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SERMON III.

IN WHICH THE

TRUE NATURE OF REPENTANCE

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CONSIDERED.

2 CORINTHIANS, vii. 9.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance.

IN order to find out the occasion of these words, we will look into the context, where we shall find that St. Paul (in the foregoing chapter) had wrote a very affectionate epistle to the Corinthians, wherein he informed them of the many sufferings he and his fellow labourers in the gospel underwent for the truth of what they had preached; and having exhorted them to purity of life, is informed by Titus, whom he meets at Macedonia, that it had so good an effect upon them, as to produce a godly sorrow in their minds, which led them to repentance.

Their godly sorrow led them to be more watchful and circumspect over their lives and actions; they examined themselves, were sorry for their evil doings, and their sorrow was godly, which produced a reformation.

And this will appear very plain to any one who reads this epistle, from whence my text is taken. At the 11th verse are these words: "For behold, this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

As if he had said, "It appears very evident, that your sorrow was of a godly sort, because it made you more careful of yourselves in your lives and actions. You divested yourselves of every evil to which you had been before addicted; and, with indignation, condemned yourselves for your past follies. You dreaded the vengeance of God, which you knew you then justly deserved, therefore you earnestly desired to be renewed in Christ, and were passionately desirous of the glory of God, and your own welfare. All these instances of a sincere repentance, make it very clear that you are truly sorry for your sins."

"Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance.” Having thus opened my text, I proceed now, in the

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First place, To shew the true nature of repentance.

Secondly, To remove some prevailing mistakes about it. And

Lastly, conclude with some proper inferences.

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First, I am to shew you the true nature of repentance.

From the method I took to explain my text, it appears, that true repentance consists in a change of the heart and mind from an evil disposition to a good one. A repenting sinner must return to God, under a strong conviction of guilt, and the abominable nature of sin; and the sense of his offending against an infinitely glorious and good Being, whom he is under the highest obligation to obey, should work so powerfully upon his mind, as to make him sincerely regret his having done amiss; and not only so, but it must produce a reformation in his life and conversation; or else his sorrow is not godly sorrow, but worldly sorrow, which worketh death.

Where there is no reformation reformation in life. and manners, there is no repentance, because the mind is still the same; and when the mind continues the same, it is in a state of impenitentcy, which will bring the sinner, in the end, to everlasting destruction and misery.

Many of the Jews thought that they, without more ado, should be entitled to heaven and happiness, because they were the children of Abraham; and therefore had but a very imperfect notion of repentance, 'till John the Baptist shewed them their mistake, and told them they must bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and think not to say within

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themselves, they have Abraham to their father." Matt. iii. 8.

It was not merely their being of the seed of Abraham that entitled them to the blessings of the promised Messiah; no, but they were commanded to purify their hearts by true repentance; such as would evidently appear by the good fruits of a virtuous and pious life, before they could expect a share in the blessings which Christ would bestow upon his faithful followers.

Many imagine that if they do but feel some remorse of conscience, and have some transient passions of grief and sorrow for their past sins, that that is repentance; and never regard whether it has any influence upon their fature conduct, so as to work a reformation in their hearts, and cause them to practice religion and virtue.

But in this they are greatly mistaken, for we shall find scarcely one sinner without such a repentance as this; not one, but who is often convinced of his evil courses, by an accusing conscience, which causes remorse and sorrow, through fear of the vengeance of God.

But what is a sinner's sorrow and tears, if they do not produce a reformation in his life! they are but feigned and hypocritical. He is, perhaps, sorry because he cannot enjoy his beloved sins with more ease and satisfaction to himself, but is determined to go on and gratify his vicious inclinations, though they do

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