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sorrow, producing the fruits of righteousnessor that holy sorrow, exercised through the influence of the gracious Spirit, in view of sin as committed against God, and resulting in corresponding obedience. It is a change of mind, and includes regeneration, because it has the promise of everlasting life! An eminent writer with his usual comprehensive brevity says: "repentance is the relinquishment of any practice from the conviction that it is offensive to God.” This, however, although it implies, does not include obedience to the divine precepts. The definition given by Locke, therefore, is preferable : “Repentance is a hearty sorrow for our past misdeeds, and a sincere resolution and endeavor to the utmost of our power, to conform all our actions to the law of God; so that repentance does not consist in one single act of sorrow, (though that being the first and leading act, gives denomination to the whole,) but in doing works meet for repentance in a sincere obedience to the law of Christ, the remainder of our lives.”

I shall now consider the evidence, necessity, and duty of repentance.

1. The EVIDENCE of repentance. This is determined by its fruits. The apostle in addressing the Corinthian church, has described some of the results of godly sorrow. Behold this selfsame 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 ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2 Cor. 7. 11.) In the 51st Psalm there is also a very plain illustration of the nature of genuine repentance. The same is exhibited in the conduct of Peter. After his great guilt in denying the Lord, when Jesus looked upon him in the judgment hall, he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22. 62.)

This repentance is exercised through the influence of grace, (Acts 5. 31 : 2 Tim. 2. 25.) and is distinguished by the subsequent life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. (Gal. 5. 22.) These graces are illustrated in the character of the contrite man, and a description of his character, therefore, will be the best means of exhibiting the evidence of saving repentance.

He has abasing views of the evil of sin, as committed against God. The long-suffering, forbearance, and goodness of his injured Benefactor, fill him with amazement, and his heart sinks under the burden of past ingratitude. His eyes run down with tears of ingenuous sorrow for the neglect of such loving kindness—the abuse of such tender mercies, and while he freely offers the sacrifice of " a broken and a contrite spirit,” it almost exceeds his belief, that so great a sinner may receive the pardon of his offences. He feels no disposition to justify himself for past neglect of duty, or to “cover his sins ;" but publicly acknowledges them, so far as the gospel requires, and makes an unreserved confession to God. He laments not only his deeds of wickedness, but the depravity of his heart. He applies to himself, the words of holy men : Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job. 40. 4: 42. 5, 6.) I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou Preserver of men. (Job. 7. 20.) The penitent man evinces the sincerity of his repentance, likewise, in the amendment of his life. He forsakes sin and turns to God. This is not all. He is fully convinced now, that his former life, however externally moral it may have been, was ruinous to the souls of those over whom he exerted an influence; and he is deeply anxious to prevent, so far as lies in his power, the pernicious effects of his past example. If he has wronged any man, he will, if possible, make him restitution. This is illustrated in the case of Zaccheus, the converted publican: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: : and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold. (Luke

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There is another peculiar trait in the character of the penitent man.

He is restrained from sin, not so much from the fear of punishment, as from love to God, and the hatred of iniquity. He consecrates himself a living sacrifice to his Lord and Redeemer; and his prayer-proved sincere by corresponding efforts--is: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as in heaven.

By thus observing the fruits of repentance unto life, we shall be able to distinguish it from the sorrow of the world which worketh death. The one flows from love to God, and a deep sense of the ingratitude of sin, and the mercy of forgive

While it breaks the heart with holy grief, it brings the soul into union with Christ, and sheds abroad an indescribable peace. The other arises from the fear of punishment, the loss of some temporal good, and wastes away the health in inconsolable mourning, or, as in the case of Judas, leads to self-destruction. If the blessings lost could be restored, or the fear of divine wrath were removed, the cause of sorrow would cease to exist. But it is not so with godly sorrow. Neither relief from fear, nor the bestowment of earthly good, would prevent its exercise. Hatred of sin abides, for it has been committed against a God of holiness and truth; and the riches of grace only can pardon it. This reflection will prevent from drying up the springs of holy

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Enough has been said to enable the inquirer to distinguish between true and false repentance ; but a deceitful heart, blinding the understanding, may cause him to overlook the distinction. There is danger of mistaking conviction of sin, for the exercises of a contrite spirit. However they may resemble each other, they are essentially different. The Jews at the Pentecost, by the fervent application of divine truth, “were pricked in their heart”-language denoting extreme distress—but this was not repentance. When they said : Men, brethren, what shall we do? Peter replied: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins. (Acts 2. 38.) Their conviction of guilt, therefore, in rejecting and crucifying the Lord, and the anguish of spirit attending it, was not godly sorrow. Judas was horror-struck when he saw that he had betrayed into the hands of murderers the Holy One and the Just, but he manifested none of that repentance which saves from eternal death. Felix trembled, but did not embrace the truths of the gospel. And many within the compass of our own observation, appeared for a time truly penitent, but afterward their goodness vanished away like the morning cloud, and the early dew.

It is of vast importance to keep in view the essential difference between the two kinds of sorrow which have been described. Repentance

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