See Prov. v. 3-12. Ps. cxix. 63. Prov. i. 10-15. 2 Cor. vi. 14. 1 Cor. v. 9-11. Do I practise the duty of SELF-EXAMINATION, SELF-ABASEMENT, PRAYER, and CONFESSION, as daily tributes to God of my uncertain and imperfect state? See 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Haggai i. 7. Isaiah xiv. 11. James iv. Ephes. vi. 18. Phil. 1. 2 Cor. vii. 11. James v. 16. 1 John Is all that I do, whether great or little, towards God, or towards man, faithfully and sincerely done, not for my own glory, but solely for the GLORY OF GOD? See 1 Cor. x. 31. Col. iii. 17. A PENITENTIAL EXERCISE. THUS having examined my heart and conscience, and having found many imperfections therein, especially* nay more than imperfections, having found many wilful sins, and direct breaches of God's holy commandments, especially* what remains for me but to turn unto God in REPENTANCE? Like David, I will acknowledge my sin, and my iniquities shall ever be before me. Like David, I will cry aloud, "I have sinned against the Lord." O let the prophet of God's infinite mercy say, "the Lord hath put away thy sin." But then repentance is a difficult work. To be genuine, and therefore acceptable in God's sight, it must be carefully examined itself, lest after all I should be deceiving myself with a vain shadow, and my sins should * Here express the particular occasions, and fill up the blank space with the particulars, as the case may be. still remain as red as scarlet. Repentance has three constituent parts: I. CONTRITION. Do I grieve for my sins? Do I really grieve not because God's wrath has visited me with some heavy punishment, but because my sin is odious in God's sight? Is my soul vexed and disquieted within me? Am I dissatisfied with myself? Do I go about mourning all the day long? Are the sins of my youth,-the sins of infirmity, of accident, of wilfulness, of habit, are they all become a burden to me, too heavy for me to bear? Do I afflict myself with the thoughts of them? Am I content to bear the chastisements which are due to them, and to submit myself to God's wrath, "and to be punished in this world, that my soul may be saved in the day of the Lord?"(Commination Service.) If so, I have the first part of true repentance. Godly sorrow is working within me. "A bruised and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." II. FORSAKING THE PAST. That which has caused us grief, which has caused us vexation and punishment, we hate; and that which we hate we are ready to forsake. If, then, the past sins of my life have caused me grief, I shall surely hate them; and if I hate them, then I shall be ready to forsake them. If I do not forsake them, my repent ance is vain. Am I, then, ready to forsake them? Am I ready to cast away all the ungodliness which I have done," to pluck out the right eye which offends me and cast it from me, to cut off the right hand which offends me and cast it from me, seeing that it is better that one of my members should perish, than that my whole body should be cast into hell?" Now am I ready and am I determined to do this,-to cease from my fornication, adultery, impureness of body and of mind; to drop all angry feelings, malice, and revenge; to put down all envy, covetousness, and pride; to cease from vanity, frivolous and carnal habits; to give up the world, and the cares of the world, and mammon, and sin? Am I ready and willing, and do I desire to cease from all this, as from a hated and polluted thing, and turn unto the living God? If so, I have the second part of repentance, and it is grateful in God's sight. "Turn ye (saith the Lord) from all your wickedness, and your sin shall not be your destruction. Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done. Make hearts and a new spirit. Wherefore will die, O ye house of Israel, seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. Turn ye, then, and ye shall live." (Commination Service.) you new III. AMENDMENT FOR THE FUTURE. ye Of that which we hate and forsake, we must love the contrary; and that which we love we shall pursue. But if we hate and forsake the devil and the world, we shall love God and religion. If we hate sins, we shall love virtues; if we forsake evil works, we shall pursue |