came from the lips of One who loves us with a love that passeth knowledge, even Jesus Christ the Son of God. They were spoken by One who so loved us that He left heaven for our sakes,- -came down to earth for our sakes,-lived a poor, humble life, for three and thirty years on earth for our sakes,—went to the cross for us, went to the grave for us, and died for our sins. The words that come from lips like these, must surely be words of love.

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And, after all, what greater proof of love can be given than to warn a friend of coming danger? That father who sees his son tottering toward the brink of a precipice, and, as he sees him, cries out sharply, Stop, stop!"-does not that father love his son ?— That tender mother who sees her infant on the point of eating some poisonous berry, and cries out sharply, "Stop, stop! put it down!"-does not that mother love that child?-It is indifference that lets people alone, and allows them to go on every one in his own way. It is love, tender love, that warns and raises the cry of alarm. The cry of "Fire!-fire!" at midnight may sometimes startle a man out of his sleep, rudely, harshly, unpleasantly. But who would complain if that cry was the means of saving his life? The words, "Except ye repent, ye shall all perish," may seem at first sight stern and severe. But they are words of love, and may be the means of delivering precious souls from hell.

Reader there are three things to which I ask your attention in speaking to you about this text of Scripture.

I. First of all, I will speak of the nature of repentance-what is it?

II. Secondly, I will speak of the necessity of repentance, why is repentance needful?

III. Thirdly, I will speak of the encouragements to repentance,—what is there to lead men to repent?

I First of all, what is repentance?

I ask your attention to this point. The importance of the inquiry cannot be overrated. Repentance is one of the foundation-stones of Christianity. Sixty times, at least, we find repentance spoken of in the New Testament. What was the first doctrine our Lord Jesus Christ preached? We are told, that He said, "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel." (Mark i. 15.) What did the apostles proclaim when the Lord sent them forth the first time? They "preached that men should repent." (Mark vi. 12.) What was the charge which Jesus gave His disciples when He left the world? That "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations." (Luke xxiv. 47.) What was the concluding appeal of the first sermons which Peter preached? "Repent, and be baptized." "Repent ye, and be converted." (Acts ii. 38: iii. 19.) What was the summary of doctrine which Paul gave to the Ephesian elders, when he parted from them? He told them that he had taught them publicly, and from house to house, "testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance

toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts xx. 21.) What was the description which Paul gave of his own ministry, when he made his defence before Festus and Agrippa? He told them that he had showed all men that they should "repent, and do works meet for repentance." (Acts xxvi. 20.) What was the account given by the believers at Jerusalem of the conversion of the Gentiles, when they heard of it? They said, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." (Acts xi. 18.) What is one of the first qualifications which the Church of England requires of all persons that would come to the Lord's table? They are to "examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins." No impenitent person, according to the Church of England, ought ever to come to the Lord's table. Reader, you will surely agree with me that these are serious considerations. They ought to show you the importance of the inquiry I am now making. A mistake about repentance is a most dangerous mistake. An error about repentance is an error that lies at the very roots of our religion. What, then, is repentance? When can it be said of any man, that he repents?

Repentance is a thorough change of man's natural heart upon the subject of sin. We are all born in sin. We naturally love sin. We take to sin, as soon as we can act and think, as the bird takes to flying, and the fish takes to swimming. There never was a child that required schooling or education in order to learn deceitfulness, sensuality, passion, self-will, gluttony, pride, and foolishness. These things are not

picked up from bad companions, or gradually learned by a long course of tedious instruction. They spring up of themselves, even when boys and girls are brought up alone. The seeds of them are evidently the natural product of the heart. The aptitude of all children to these things is an unanswerable proof of the corruption and fall of man. Now when this heart of ours is changed by the Holy Ghost, when this natural love of sin is cast out, then takes place that change which the word of God calls "repentance." The man in whom the change is wrought is said to "repent." He may be called, in one word, a "penitent" man.

But I dare not leave the subject here. It deserves a closer and more searching investigation. It is not safe to deal in general statements, when doctrines of this kind are handled. I will try to take repentance to pieces, and dissect and analyze it before your eyes. will show you the parts and portions of which repentance is made up. I will endeavour to set before you something of the experience of every truly penitent

man.

I

True repentance begins with knowledge of sin. The eyes of the penitent man are opened. He sees with dismay and confusion the length and breadth of God's holy law, and the extent, the enormous extent, of his own transgressions. He discovers, to his surprise, that in thinking himself man with a good heart," he delusion. He finds out that,

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good sort of man," and a has been under a huge in reality, he is wicked,

and guilty, and corrupt, and bad in God's sight. His pride breaks down. His high thoughts melt away.

He sees that he is neither more nor less than a great sinner. This is the first step in true repentance.

True repentance goes on to work sorrow for sin. The heart of a penitent man is touched with deep remorse, because of his past transgressions. He is cut to the heart to think that he should have lived so madly, and so wickedly. He mourns over time wasted, over talents misspent, over God dishonoured, over his own soul injured. The remembrance of these things is grievous to him. The burden of these things is sometimes almost intolerable. When a man so sorrows, you have the second step in true repentance.

True repentance proceeds, further, to produce in a man confession of sin. The tongue of a penitent man is loosed. He feels he must speak to that God against whom he has sinned. Something within him tells him he must cry to God, and pray to God, and talk with God, about the state of his own soul. He must pour out his heart, and acknowledge his iniquities, at the throne of grace. They are a heavy burden within him, and he can no longer keep silence. He can keep nothing back. He will not hide anything. He goes before God, pleading nothing for himself, and willing to say, “I have sinned against heaven and before thee; — my iniquity is great;-God be merciful to me a sinner!" When a man goes thus to God in confession, you have the third step in true repentance.

True repentance, furthermore, shows itself before the world in a thorough breaking off from sin. The life of a penitent man is altered. The course of his daily conduct is entirely changed. A new King reigns within