Sec, then, that ye be " Israelites indeed, in whom is no allowed guile0." Then, whether it be " under the fig-tree," or in any place whatever, God will behold you with complacency; and not only listen to your prayers, but exceed in his answers your largest petitions or desires'1.]
2. A deep contrition for all your past iniquities —
[A forsaking of sin is not sufiicient. There are many grounds on which some lust may be subdued : a change of age, or even of our circumstances in life, may operate to the abstaining from some sins, whilst yet the evil of them may never have been truly felt. Sin, of whatever kind, is hateful in the sight of God ; and must become so in our eyes. " Be afflicted therefore, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness: humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, if ever ye would be lifted up." It is " the broken and contrite heart, which God will not despise e :" and all repentance that falls short of that, will only prove " a repentance that must itself be repented of f." But, if ye come to God with a holy and ingenuous shame, even though you had been as wicked as Manasseh himself, you shall not be rejected : for " all manner of wickedness shall be forgiven unto men*;" nor will God ever suffer any human being to " seek his face in vain h." No, verily ; if he see one prostrating himself before him in dust and ashes, he will " lift him up," just as the father in the parable did his prodigal son ; testifying over him the joy with which he will restore him, not. to his favour only, but to all the blessedness that he him- self is able to impart1. He that thus sows in tears, shall surely " reap in joyk:" and " he who thus humbles himself, shall surely be exalted1."]
Application —
1. It may be, that some amongst you doubt the
necessity of such a repentance —
But who amongst you is not " a sinner" before God? or, who amongst you has not been " double-minded," giving at least a portion of his heart to the creature, when the whole
of it should have been fixed on God? I accuse not any
one amongst you of gross sin : but as corresponding with the character drawn in my text, I must accuse every child of man. I grant there is a great diversity in the guilt of different men: but there is no man so innocent as not to need repentance,
c John i. 47. d John i. 48 — 51. with Eph. iii. 20.
e Ps. li. 17. f 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11. e Matt. xii. 31.
h Isai. xlv. 19. I Luke xv. 20—24. k Ps. exxvi. 0.
1 Luke xviii. 14.