SERMON XVI.

LUKE XV. 10.

There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God, over one Sinner that repenteth.*

WHOEVER examines the Holy Scriptures with a heart sensibly touched, and a mind seriously disposed, to appreciate their meaning and efficacy, cannot but acknowledge that they contain the most familiar illustrations, and the most consoling encouragements, in the way to everlasting salvation. The chapter, from which the text is taken, is singularly confirmative of the truth of the foregoing remark. The pleasure which a man experiences on finding one lost sheep which has strayed from the remaining ninety-nine of the fold, is likened by our blessed Saviour unto the joy which shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. So the gratification which a poor woman feels, on recovering one

• Preached at St. Mary's, July 4th, 1824.

lost piece of silver, is likened by the same high authority unto the joy, in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth.

The illustration of this heavenly joy, as drawn from the satisfaction felt by a human being on finding his lost treasure, be it what it may, is sufficiently simple and obvious: and the consolation arising from an absolute, thorough repentance, as affording joy to the angels which are in heaven, is surely of the most encouraging, exalted, and imperative nature. Thus, my brethren, God Almighty wins us over to a knowledge of his laws, and to a sense of our own importance in the scale of created beings, by precepts the most pointed, and by exhortations the most encouraging and familiar.

We are also told, in the verses immediately preceding that from which the text is taken, that ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance, cause not so much joy, in the sight of heaven, as the heartfelt, entire, and perfectly sincere repentance of one sinner. Again, in those verses which immediately succeed the text, our Saviour pursues the same strain or doctrine of repentance by the celebrated parable of the prodigal son,

whose turning from his evil ways so transportingly affected his father, and caused such jealousy in the brother.* From the entire chapter then, this conclusion is manifest: that repentance is necessary to salvation-that repentance produces joy and comfort to all that are spectators of it, as well as to the sinner himself and that God Almighty is pleased to look down with approbation, and his ministering Spirits to feel delight, on the manifestation of such repentance. The subject therefore of this Discourse is the nature and end of repentance.

In the Scriptures, perhaps, a conversion from the idolatries of Paganism was also meant, as much as an entire and thorough reformation from the usual indulgence of the appetites and lusts of the flesh. But now, in the christian dispensation, "a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness,” are the tests of the repentance in question.

And, first, the man who lost his sheep, and the woman who lost her money, straitway sought for the departed treasure. They no sooner became sensible of the loss, than they strove to repair it. The application to ourselves-indeed to all ranks and conditions of men-is obvious enough. We must no sooner * See the preceding Discourse.

become sensible of our infirmities, than we must strive to repair them; the moment we know we have erred, that moment must we set about correcting our wanderings. There must be no half measures; no hesitating doubts; no treacherous misgivings-but, as the lapses from integrity and virtue have been distinct and defined, so the retracing of our deceitful steps must be as promptly and as undeviatingly pursued. You observe, my brethren, that our Saviour's illustration (as was noticed at the opening of this Discourse) is exceedingly simple and striking. The man, who loses his sheep, goes immediately in pursuit after the straggler from the fold: the woman, who loses her piece of silver, immediately lights a candle, and sweeps the house, and seeks diligently till she finds it. So let the man, THE SINNER, who has wandered from the ways of his Maker, who has walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and stood in the way of sinners, let him immediately look into his own bosom-let him listen to the reproaches of his own heart- --and let him, above all things, seek consolation in the inspired word of God. Let him seek THE BIBLE, and this will furnish him with a light to shew him, first, the deformity of his conduct,

and, secondly, the beauty, the loveliness, the holiness, of that path of life from which his feet have so fatally turned. Many a poor, wretched, benighted sinner, hath failed in finding out the consolations, as well as the real nature, of repentance, because he has had recourse to man, when he should have had recourse to God: because he chose to substitute the ravings of the fanatic, or the wily counsels of the sceptic, for the letter and spirit of his Bible-and the sound and sober commentaries thereon, by the pious, the learned, and the good.

I trust in God that examples of these mistaken notions of repentance are becoming rarer and rarer; and that when so much has been done and yet continues to be done, in

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training up a child in the way he should go,” that child will not, when arrived at man's estate, be so prone, as he would be without such an education, to shut his eyes upon that only code of laws which will secure his happiness here and hereafter.

The first step, then, in the nature or doctrine of repentance, is, that it be early: the second step, which I am about to illustrate, is, that it be sincere. Now repentance, to be sincere, must be persevered in. I admit that