promise doth not say, lie who hath a giant faith, who can believe God's love ihroujrh a frown, — Avho can rejoice in aftliclion, — who can work wonders, remove mountains, stop the mouth of lions, — shall be saved ; but, whosoever believes, be his faith never so small. A reed is but weak, especially when it is bruised, yet the promise is made to it : Mat. xii. 20.,' " A bruised reed will he not break." 4tli. A weak faith may be fruitful. Weakest things multiply most. The vine is a weak plant, but it is fruitful. The thief on the cross, who was newly con- verted, was but weak in grace; but bow many precious clusters grew upon that ten- der plant ! Luke xxiii. 40., he chides his fellow-thief, "Dost thou not fear God?" Me judgeth himself, " We indeed suffer justly." He believes in Christ, when he said, " Lord." He makes a heavenly prayer, " Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Weak Christians may have strong affections. How strong is the first love, which is after the first planting of faith ! 5tli. The weakest believer is a member of (Christ, as well as the strongest; and the weakest member of the body mys- tical shall not perish. Christ will cut off rotten members, but not weak members. Therefore, Christian, be not discouraged. God, who would have us receive them that are weak in faith, Rom. xiv. \. will not himself refuse them.
H. The second means M'bereby we es-- cape the curse and wrath due to sin, is by
OF REPKNTANCK.
Acts xi. 18. 7 '/.en hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life.
REPENTANCE seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad lium«mr of sin. Repentance is by some Antinomian spirits cried down as a legal doctrine ; but Christ himself preached it. Mat. iv. IT., " From that time Jesus began to preach, and say. Repent," &c. And, in his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, be commanded that " Repent- ance shoijd be preached in bis name," Luke
xxiv. 47., Repentance is a pure gospel-grace. The covenant of works would not admit of repentance ; it cursed all that could not perform perfect and personal obedience. Gal. iii. 10. Repentance comes in by the gospel ; it is the fruit of C hrist's purchase, that repenting sinners shall be saved. Re- jientance is wrought by the ministry of the gospel, while it sets before our eyes Christ crucified. Rej)entance is not arbitrary, but
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OF REPENTANCE.
necessary ; there is no being saA'cd without it ; Luke xiii. 3., " Except ye repent, ye sliall all likewise perish." And we may he thankful to God, that he liath left us this plank after shipwreck.
1st. I shall show the counterfeits of re- pentance.
1. Natural softness and tenderness of spirit. Some have a tender affection, aris- ing- from their complexion, whereby they are apt to weep and relent when they see any object of pity. These are not repent- ing tears : for many weep to see another's misery, who cannot weep at their own sin.
2. Counterfeit, legal affrightments. A man has lived in a course of sin ; at last he is made a little sensible ; he sees hell ready to devour him, and he is filled with anguish and horror ; but, within a while the tem- ])est of conscience is blown over, and he is quiet : then he concludes he is a true peni- tent, because he hath felt some bitterness in sin : this is not repentance. Judas had some trouble of mind. If anguish and trouble were sufficient to repentance, then the damned would be most penitent, for
5. Counterfeit, vows and resolutions. What A'ows and solemn protestations do some make in their sickness. If God reco- ver them they will be new men, but after- wards are as bad as ever : Jer. ii. 20., " Thou saidst, I will not transgress;" here was a resolution ; but for all this, she ran after her idols ; " Under every green tree thou wandercst, playing the harlot."
6. Counterfeit, leaving off some gross sin. But that is .a mistake : for, 1. A man may leave some sins, and keep others. He- rod did reform many things amiss, but kept his Herodias. 2. An old sin may be left, to entertain a new. A man may leave off riot and prodigality, and turn covetous; this is to exchange a sin. These are the counterfeits of repentance. Now, if you find that yours is a counterfeit repentance, and you have not repented aright, mend what you have done amiss ; as in the body, if a bone be set wrong, the chirurgeon hath no way but to break it again, and set it a- right : so must you do by your repentance ; if you have not repented aright, you must have your heart broken again in a godly
they are most in anguish of mind. There ; manner, and be more deeply afflicted for
may be trouble of mind, where there is no grieving for the offence against God.