the Lord's supper, namely, To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins. This examination we now most earnestly recommend ; lest in the midst of all "your sacrifices" the wrath of God break forth against you and you " perish" in a far more fearful manner than ever the " Galileans" did11.]
2. To those who desire to repent —
[Delay not one moment to execute your death find you unprepared to meet your God. terrors of the Lord, we would "persuade" you him that you may have no reason to dread them. ber not to address yourselves to the work of repentance in your own strength : for it is God alone who can give it you ; and he has " exalted the Lord Jesus to his own right hand on purpose to give you repentance and remission of sins1." If you are tempted to doubt whether he will bestow it upon you, know that " he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance k." In proof of that, we need only consider what is implied in the words of our text. When it is said, that " except we repent we shall all perish," we may fairly take the converse of it to be true, and conclude, that they who do repent shall not perish. O blessed truth, con- firmed by thousands of positive declarations ! Not to insist on that instructive parable of the Prodigal Son (which yet may be a source of comfort to every contrite soul) ; let that represen- tation of God's love to penitents, which is given us by the prophet Jeremiah, be duly considered, and you will need no other encouragement to turn unto God with your whole hearts1. Behold, then, our parting exhortation to every one amongst you is, " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un- righteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon1"."]
h ver. 1. * Acts v. 31.
1 Jer. xxxi. 18 — 20.
k 2 Pet. iii. 9. m Isai. lv. 7.