2. A SECOND thing that belongs hereunto is a peculiar remem- brance of sin, and converse about it in our minds, with self-displi- cency and abhorrency. God hath promised in his covenant that he "will remember our sins no more," — that is, to punish them; but it doth not thence follow that we should no more remember them, to be humbled for them. Repentance respects sin always; wherever, therefore, that is, there will be a continual calling sin to remem- brance. Saith the psalmist, " My sin is ever before me."
There is a threefold calling our past sins unto remembrance: —
(1.) With delight and contentment. Thus is it with profligate sinners, whose bodies are grown unserviceable unto their youthful lusts. They call over their former sins, roll them over in their minds,
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express their delight in them by their words^ and have no greater trouble but that, for the want of strength or opportunity, they cannot still live in the practice of them: this is to be old in wickedness, and to have their bones filled with the sins of their youth. So do many in this age delight in filthy communication, unclean society, and all incentives of lust, — a fearful sign of being given over unto a repro- bate mind, a heart that cannot repent.
(2.) There is a remembrance of sin unto disquietment, terror, and despair. Where men's consciences are not seared with a hot iron, sin will visit their minds ever and anon with a troublesome remembrance of itself, with its aggravating circumstances. For the most part men hide themselves from this visitor, — they are not at home, not at lei- sure to converse with it, but shift it off, like insolvent debtors, from day to day, with a few transient thoughts and words. But sometimes it will not be so put off, — it will come with an arrest or a warrant from the law of God, that shall make them stand and give an account of themselves. Hereon they are filled with disquietments, and some with horror and despair ; which they seek to pacify and divert them- selves from by farther emerging [immersing?] themselves in the pur- suit of their lusts. The case of Cain, Gen. iv. 13, 16, 17.
(3.) There is a calling former sins to remembrance as a further- ance of repentance ; and so they are a threefold glass unto the soul, wherein it hath a treble object: —
[1.] It sees in them the depravation of its nature, the evil quality of that root which hath brought forth such fruit ; and they see in it their own folly, how they were cheated by sin and Satan; they see the unthankfulness and unkindness towards God wherewith they were accompanied. This fills them with holy shame, Rom. vi. 21. This is useful and necessary unto repentance. Perhaps if men did more call over their former sins and miscarriages than they do, they would walk more humbly and warily than they do for the most part. So David in his age prays for a renewed sense of the pardon of the sins of his youth, Ps. xxv. 7.
[2.] The soul sees in them a representation of the grace, patience, and pardoning mercy of God. " Thus and thus was it with me : God might justly have cast me off for ever; he might have cut me off in the midst of these sins, so as that I should have had no leisure to have cried for mercy; and perhaps some of them were sins long continued in. 0 the infinite patience of God, that spared me ! the infinite grace and mercy of God, that forgave unto me these provoking iniquities \" This frame is expressed, Ps. ciii. 3, 4.
[3.] The soul sees herein the eflicacy of the mediation and blood of Christ, 1 John ii. 2. " Whence is it that I have deliverance from the guilt of these sins? that way was made for the advancing of grace
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in the pardon of them? Whence is it that my soul and conscience are purged from the stain and filth of them?" Here the whole glory of the love and grace of Christ in his mediation, with the worth of the atonement that he made, and the ransom that he paid, with the efficacy of his blood to purge us from all our sins, is represented unto the mind of the believer. So " out of the eater comes forth meat;" and thereby a reconciliation is made between the deepest humiliation and a refreshing sense of the love of God and peace with him.
This, therefore, a soul which is engaged into the paths of repent- ance will constantly apply itself unto ; and it is faith alone whereunto we are beholding for the views of these things in sin. In no other light will they be seen therein. Their aspect in any other is horrid and terrifying, suited only to fill the soul with dread and horror, and thoughts of fleeing from God. But this view of them is suited to stir up all graces unto a holy exercise.
3. Hereon godly sorrow will ensue : this, indeed, is the very life and soul of repentance; so the apostle declares it, 2 Cor. vii. 9-11. And it compriseth all that is spoken in the Scripture about a broken heart and a contrite spirit, which expresseth itself by sighs, tears, mourning, yea, watering our beds with tears, and the like. David giveth so gi-eat an instance in himself hereof, and that so n-equently repeated, as that we need no other exemplification of it. I shall not at large insist upon it, but only show, — (1 .) What it doth respect ; and, (2.) Wherein it doth consist, — how faith works it in the soul.