in the Duties of God's immediate Worship, he may ftill live in Acts of Injustice, Strife, and Uncharitablenefs towards Men.-If he fhews fome Zeal and Activity in the Service of God, he will yet (perhaps) have his Heart and Affections inordinately glewed to the World, and purfue it as the Object of his chief Defire and Delight.If he makes Confcience of all open, actual Sins, he yet little regards the Sins of his Heart, but lives in Envy, Malice, Pride, Carnal-mindednefs, Unbelief, or fome other fuch Heart-defiling Sin.-To finish his Character, whatever seeming Progress he may make in Religion, his Heart is not right with God, but is ftill going after his Idols, ftill eftranged from vital Christianity and the Power of Godliness. Like Ephraim, he is as a Cake not turned, neither Bread nor Dough; or like Laodicea, lukewarm, neither hot nor cold.

If we proceed to view the Character of the fincere Penitent, it is directly contrary to this.He finds indeed (as has been obferved) continual Occafion to lament the great Imperfections of his Heart and Life, and accordingly seeks renewed Pardon and Cleanfing in the Blood of Christ.. But though he has not already attained, nor is already perfect, he is yet preffing towards Perfection. He is yet watching, ftriving against all his Corruptions; yet aiming at, and endeavouring after, further Conformity to God, in all holy Converfation and Godlinefs. He is never fatisfied with a partial Reformation, with external Duty; or with any Thing fhort of a Life of vital Piety.He does not renounce one Luft, and retain another, content himfelf with first Table Duties, in the Neglect of the fecond; nor quiet himself in a Life of mere formal Godliness; nor can he reft, till he rejoices in the Teftimony of his Confcience, that in Simplicity

and

and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly Wifdom, but by the Grace of God, he has his Converfation in the World.All the Actings of his Mind, as well as his external Conduct, fall under his ftricteft Cognizance and Inspection; and he is awfully careful to approve himself to him who knows his Thoughts afar offHis Reformation extends not only to the Devotions of the Church, but of his Family and Clofet; not only to his Converfation, but to his Thoughts and Affections; not only to the Worship of God, bus to the Duties of every Relation he sustains among Men; and, in a Word, his Repentance produces Heavenly-mindednefs, Humility, Meeknefs, Charity, Patience, Forgivenefs of Injuries, Self-Denial, and is accompanied with all other Fruits and Graces of the bleffed Spirit." It is the Defire of my "Soul (fays the fincere Penitent) to keep the Way "of the Lord, and not wickedly to depart from << my God. I would refrain my Feet from every "evil Way, and walk within my Houfe with a "perfect Heart.--I know I have to do with a "God who trieth the Heart, and hath Pleasure "in Uprightnefs; I would therefore fet the Lord. "always before me, and ferve him with a perfect "Heart and with a willing Mind. I know that 66 my Heart is deceitful above all Things, and defperately wicked. I know that mine Iniquities: afcended over mine Head, for which I am "bowed down greatly, and go mourning all the "Day long. But yet my Desire is before the Lord; "and my Groaning is not hid from him.--I can "truly fay, that I even hate vain Thoughts, but "God's Law do I love. O that God would give "me Understanding, that I may keep his Law, and "obferve it with my whole Heart! I would be "for God without any Reserve; for I esteem his Precepts concerning all Things to be right, and

66 are

"I have

"I have inelined my Heart to keep his Statutes always, even unto the End."

To conclude, herein lies the great Difference between a legal and an evangelical Repentance : The one is an external Reformation only, deftitute of all the Graces of the bleffed Spirit. The other is an internal Change, a Change of the Heart, of the Will and Affections, as well as of the outward Conversation; a Change which is accompanied with all the Fruits and Graces of the Spirit of God.The one aims at just so much Religion as will keep the Mind easy, and calm the Rufies of an awakened Confcience. The other aims at a holy, humble, watchful, and spiritual Walk with God; and rests in no Degree of Attainments whatsoever.

Thus, Sir, I have given you a general View of the Difference between a legal and an evangelical Repentance. You have not demanded this of me out of mere Curiosity, or as a Matter of Speculation only, but in Order to the Exercise and Practice of a Repentance unto Life, not to be repented of.

You fhould therefore remember who is exalted at God's right Hand, to give Repentance, as well as Forgiveness of Sins. Remember that you must depend only upon the Grace of the Lord Jefus Christ, and muft accordingly lie at his Footstool, to have this great and important Change wrought in your Heart. And therefore, fince you depend upon the mere fovereign Grace of God in Chrift, for the renewing Influences of his Holy Spirit, you fhould be the more importunate in your Cries to him, in the Language of Ephraim, Turn hou me, and I fhall be turned for thou art the Lord my God. You shoul! endeavour to review your paft Sins, and as partic arly as you can, acknowledge them before God with all their heinous Circumstances

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and peculiar Aggravations; and you should with peculiar Ardor of Soul wrestle with him for Pardon and cleansing in the Blood of Christ.

You fhould endeavour to fee and be affected with the Sin of your Nature, as well as of your Practice, of your Heart as well as of your Life; and with conftant Fervency cry to God for a new Heart and a right Spirit, for Victory over your Corruptions; and for Grace to approve yourself to God in a Life of new Obedience, as well as for Pardon and Reconciliation to him.

You should be daily calling yourself to an Account for your daily Sins and Imperfections, and daily confeffing and lamenting them before God, that you may never have so much as the Sins of one Day unrepented of.

Though it be impoffible, that you can be fufficiently humbled before God, under an abafing Senfe of your great Sinfulness, Unworthinefs, and Ingratitude to him, yet remember that faithful Saying, which is worthy of all Acceptation, that Christ Jefus came to fave Sinners.- Do not difhonour the infinite Merit of the Redeemer's Blood by being afraid to trust to it for Pardon and Sanctification. Do not dishonour the infinite Compassion of the divine Nature, by calling into Question his being as ready to grant, as you heartily to feek Pardon and Forgivenefs of all your Sins, how many and great foever they be.--Be therefore humbled, but not difcouraged. While you lament your Sin and Imperfection, adore the infinite Riches of that Grace and Love, which has opened a Fountain for Sin and Uncleanness.

And, to fum the whole in a Word, you must remember, that it is the Effence of a true Repentance, to turn to God; and therefore, if you would evidence the Sincerity of your Repentance, you must

give up yourself to God. You must chufe him for your God and Portion. You must watch at his Gates, and wait at the Pofts of his Doors. You must make a Business of Religion; and, in a Life of most active and earnest Diligence, expect Acceptance thro' the Merits of Chrift, and continued Supplies of Grace and Strength from his Fulness, to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance.

That the Lord would carry on his own Work in your Soul, and lead you from Grace to Grace, and from Strength to Strength, till you arrive where your Faith will be turned into Vision, and your Repentance into eternal Praises, is the Prayer

of,

SIR

Your, &c.

LETTER X. Wherein is proved, that the feventh Chapter to the Romans contains the Defcription and Character of a converted State.

I

SIR,

Cannot but take Comfort from your melancholy Complaint of the Corruptions you are ftruggling with, and your Senfe of the Vileness and Sinfulness of your Heart, which makes you groan being burthened; because you therein breathe the Language of a broken and a contrite Spirit, and give me Hopes that you are offering to God the Sacrifice, which he will not defpife. You took Comfort, you tell me, from the feventh Chapter to the Romans, finding there, the like Complaints with yours, in fo eminent and exalted a Chriftian as the Apostle Paul himself; but that Prop

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