3. That this is the way of our recovery, in order to the enjoyment of the privileges of the new covenant. God and Christ agreed that salvation should be dispensed upon these terms, and the whole frame of the gospel is to invite sinners to repentance. God sent him to heal the broken-hearted. Mat. xi. 28. He interposed as mediator to make way for this.
[1.] This appeareth by the doctrine of the covenant. He hath made a covenant wherein he hath offered pardon and life to the penitent believer : Luke xxiv. 47, ' And that repentance and remission
SERMON UPON MARK II. 17. 9
of sins should be preached in his name to all nations;' with Mark xvi. 6, 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' Kepentance putteth us within the reach of the proniise, which speaketh pardon to none but those which repent. Some dispute whether it be an equal condition with faith. It is as necessary ; but faith hath its special use for some respects. As repentance is a return to the love and obedience of our God, so faith is a thankful acceptance of the benefit of our Redeemer: Acts xx. 21, 'Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.' The closing act is faith or acceptance of Christ, yet the person must be penitent. As in marriage, the hearing of the proposal, believing what is heard, the liking the party, living in con- jugal society, are terms, but the solemn taking one another is the nuptial knot ; so here, consent to take Christ is the closing act of faith, and then there must be a living in obedience afterward.
[2.] The sacraments or seals of the covenant bind to it. Baptism implieth it : Mat. iii. 11, * I baptize you with water unto repent- ance ; ' that is, to seal up the covenant of repentance, whereby the party baptized is obliged to his duty, and hath the promise of God to supply us with grace to repent. The Lord's supper also binds to it. The main benefit there offered is remission of sins, Mat. xxvi. 28, which cannot be had without repentance. We are bound in baptism," but men forget that they were purged from their old sins. There- fore earnest resolutions against sin need often to be renewed, lest we become cold and remiss iu them ; therefore a special repentance is required before we come to the Lord's table.
4. The suitableness of the qualification.
[1.] It is much for the honour of God. Christ hath purchased the effects of his grace, to be communicated to us in a way becoming his wisdom as well as his justice. Now it would not be for the glory of God, nor preserve his law and government, if we should be pardoned without submissive confession of past sins, or a resolution of future obedience. Common reason will tell us that our case is not com- passionable without it. Who will pity those in misery that are unwilling to come out of it ? Repentance is called a giving glory to God : Mai. ii. 2, ' I will curse your blessings, because ye will not lay it to heart, and give glory to my name ; ' Josh, vii. 14, ' My son, give glory to the God of Israel, and make confession to him ; ' Rev. xvi. 9, ' They repented not to give glory to God,' Repentance repaireth God in point of honour, giveth him the glory of the justness of his laws and providence. The self-condemning sinner subscribeth to all this ; therefore it is suitable to the wisdom of God that a penitent sinner should have pardon rather than an impenitent, or one that con- tinueth securely in his sins, and despiseth both the curse of the law and the grace of the gospel.
[2.] The duty of the creature is secured when he is so firmly bound unto future obedience. Therefore surely a converting repentance is the fittest condition, such as may induce a hatred of sin repented of, and a love to God and holiness. Now our first hearty consent for the future to live in the love, obedience, and service of our creator, with a detestation of our former ways, is most conducible to this end ; besides the obligation of the vow itself, or bond of the holy oath into
10 SERMON UPON MARK II. 17.
which, they are entered, and the circumstances accompanying it, because this vow and promise is made partly in our anguish, when we feel the smart of sin, then for the soul to resign itself to God : Acts ix. 6, ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' And partly when we are in the deepest and freshest sense of his pardoning mercy, when we see at how dear a rate he is content to save us, and upon what free terms to pardon all our wrongs ; surely they that are brought back from the grave, and fetched up from the gates of hell, and from under a sentence of condemnation, will be engaged more to love God : Ps. cxxx. 4, * But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou shouldst be feared.' The woman loved much who had much forgiven her, Luke vii. 47.
[3.] It is most for the comfort of the creature that a stated certain course or remedy should be appointed for our peace, which may leave the greatest evidence upon our consciences. Now what is likely to do so much as this first and apparent change, whereby we utterly renounce, and bitterly bewail, our former folly, and solemnly give up ourselves to God by Christ ? Things are evident to the feeling which are serious, advised, difficult, have a notable delight accompanying them ; all which concur here. This is the most important action of our lives, the settling of our pardon and eternal interest ; a sense of sin, if deep and thorough, will ever stick with us. The heart is hardly brought to this, to submit to God's appointed course : Kom. x. 3, ' For they being igno- rant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.' And it is rewarded with some notable tastes of God's love ; for he ' reviveth the hearts of his contrite ones,' Isa. Ivii. 15, and * restoreth comfort to his mourners,' ver. 17.