so dreadfully. He tries to disbelieve that this is a reality, and if compelled to believe it, rebels against the justice of the doom. Why, then, do you go to that place of torment? God has given his oath that he takes no pleasure in your death, but would rather that you should turn and live. (Ezek. 33. 11.) Do you not know that while you turn your back on the Saviour, and travel in the broad way, and quarrel with the justice of God at every step, you are saying at heart, I would that there were no hell, or that its fires were tolerable, that I might quietly live in sin? What would you have God do? Can he require any thing less than repentance as a means of salvation? “There is no peace to the wicked.” There can be none. It is not possible for God himself to make the wicked happy, except by making them holy. Do you call him, then, a hard master, because he entreats, and commands you to do that which is absolutely necessary to your eternal well-being? Do you complain because he does not quietly leave you under the everlasting bondage of iniquity, to dwell with fallen spirits, and the outcasts from this ruined world? You know not what you do, when you desire to be excused from confessing and forsaking sin. This will appear the more evident as we consider,

III. The duty of repentance. When one man injures another intentionally, and without just cause, common sense decides that he ought to

acknowledge his fault, and ask forgiveness, and avoid in future the like offence. It is no less evident that God is just in commanding all men to. repent; and that they are under perfect obligations to obey the command. If he is holy, and good to all, and sin is inexcusable transgression, repentance is a duty too obvious, it might seem, to need illustration. But none of the divine requirements are so repulsive to the human heart as this; and after the power of argument is exhausted, many will deny the binding force of obligation, and die in their sins. This, however, is no good reason for neglecting to explain, and urge a compliance with the duties which the gospel enjoins. The words of the Lord must be declared, whether the rebellious will hear, or whether they will forbear. (Ezek. 2. 7.)

It will be admitted, then, that “we live, and move, and have our being” in God—that we are the subjects of his moral government, and accountable, at least to some extent, for our moral conduct. If it is also true that God is perfect, and the sinner is able to render the required obedience--a plain inference—it is proved that repentance, in the full and proper sense of the word, is a duty.

The divine perfections are first to be noticed. It is necessary to the present argument, that we consider only the goodness of God-his other attributes are more readily admitted. According to the Scriptures, the perfect goodness of the Lord constitutes the ground of obligation to repentance, and presents the strongest motives to the performance of the duty. When Paul prays the Corinthians, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God, he adds : For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be made

!; the righteousness of God in him. (2 Cor. 5. 20.) When he expostulates with the blinded Jews, he says: Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? (Rom. 2. 4.) The Scriptures generally represent the perfections of God, especially his great love in the gift of his Son, as the ground of our obligation to serve him with all the heart. It is evident that if God were not holy, just, and good, repentance could not be a duty. A corrupt king could not with much propriety require his subjects to be upright. If they should say : thou that commandest a man 6 not to steal, dost thou steal ?” he would be perplexed to find an

If a lawgiver should trangress his own laws, with what face could he require others to obey them, and how could he inflict punishment for disobedience ? So of the great moral Governor and Lawgiver. He can justly require of his subjects nothing more than conformity to his own character and example. This is all that he does require. As he which hath called you is

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holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy : for I am holy. (1 Pet. 1. 15: Deut. 11. 44.) I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate

you,
and

pray them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he inaketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.-Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5. 44–48.) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children : and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. (Ephes. 5. 1.)

If further proof were necessary that the goodness of God makes repentance a duty, we have his appeal to the conscience of his subjects, for the perfection of his character, and the rectitude of his administration : Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal ? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. (Ezek. 18. 29, 30.)

If we inquire, then, why repentance is a duty; the answer is, because God is love, and sin is base ingratitude and causeless rebellion : They hated me without a cause. (John 15. 25.)

But the goodness of God should be considered more particularly, and set in contrast with the evil of sin. He sustains to his rebellious subjects the several relations of Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, Redeemer. Every blessing which they enjoy, except existence, has been purchased for them by the sorrows of Christ. Look at the mercies of the Lord, bestowed in the various relations specified. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward : they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare, and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psa. 40. 5.) Consider especially the great love which contrived and executed the plan of redemption. If Christ tasted death for every man, every sinner may say, He was wounded for my transgressions, he was bruised for my iniquities. For me he endured the agony of Gethsemane--the death of the cross. For me he prayed with his expiring breath. Does not the goodness of God, then, lead thee to repentance? Is not this the foundation of the duty ? And do you not find here the most subduing motives to obedience? If this does not melt the heart of stone, where shall it be softened? Tarry fast by the cross of Christ, and let his loving kindness pro