images and objects, in rapid succession, before the eye of my mind, have not my thoughts of God and of the Saviour been among the most infrequent, the most indefinite, the most fleeting, and the most unwelcome of all that have ever presented themselves to my regard?

When the mind, which was before inconsiderate, has advanced thus far, it is in a state of decided seriousness. It is disposed seriously to reflect and to inquire; to study the Scriptures and to hear the gospel; to regard the voice of providence, and to listen to the advices of christian friendship. It is well that the mind, which was before dormant and insensible, as it regards its highest interests, is now roused from its torpor, and susceptible of deep impression. But in this state of mind, without further progress, let no one deem it safe to remain. Let no one rest satisfied with this. There are many, it is to be feared, whose only claim to the character of being religious is, that they are distinguished by a serious turn of mind. It is well that they are so-that they have made this degree of progress. It is hopeful. But let such be apprized, with affectionate fidelity, that the hope we are encouraged to entertain of their salvation diminishes in proportion to the lapse of time, without further progress. It is an affecting and an awakening consideration, that many a man who calls

himself a christian, may take credit to himself for no slight degree of seriousness of mind, while there is yet the absence of much that is essential to the exercise of true Repentance.

There is involved in "Repentance toward God,"

Secondly, CONVICTION—or a change of mind, as it regards the decisions of the conscience, in reference to the commission of sin.

There are two characteristics which distinguish genuine and deep conviction.

The first is, an impressive discovery of the extent and the criminality of the sin committed.

"I was alive," said the Apostle, "without the law once." At no period of his life, was he ignorant of the letter of the law; but he was long a stranger to its spirit. He perceived not the extent of its requirements, and therefore he discerned neither the magnitude nor the multiplicity of his offences. At length, however, when the commandment came with power to his mind, light flashed upon his conscience, and a conviction of the greatness of his sins proved the death of all his pharisaic hopes. "Sin," said he, "revived, and I died." This is a specimen of the ordinary process which terminates in true Repentance. By the light of the divine law, we discover that we are sinners, to a far greater extent of delinquency and guilt than we had ever

before imagined. We stand convicted at the bar of conscience, of sins of omission and defect, as well as of actual transgression; of sins in thought, and sins in heart, and sins in verbal expression, as well as sins in the actions performed. Every period of life, and every relation of life, and every scene of life, both of engagement and of enjoyment, seems now to bear testimony against us, and to produce a fearful catalogue of offences. We are 66 weighed in the balances, and found wanting." Defective now appear our best performances, our best motives, our best intentions. The further we proceed in the awful task of selfinspection, the more we detect of the evil of our lives, and the deceitfulness, and even "desperate wickedness" of our hearts; while in the very moment that some new development of iniquity appals our trembling minds, the inward monitor is heard to whisper, "Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these!"

The second characteristic of deep and genuine conviction is--a persuasion of the unimpeachable equity of God in denouncing and inflicting the punishment of sin.

He who is convinced of sin, by the word and by the Spirit of Christ, is prepared to admit, that God is righteous, but not rigorous, in giving us the law which we have violated-in attaching to that law its awful sanctions, and in actually

inflicting the penalty denounced. He now perceives that the justice of God is not at variance with his goodness; that although awful, it is not unamiable; and that both its requirements and its denouncements are essential to the glory of the divine character, the honour of the divine throne, and the well-being of the universe. He is now convinced that sin is an evil which conspires alike against the honour of the Creator and the happiness of the creature; and that, not in consequence of any arbitrary or unnecessary enactments, but in maintenance of the grand principles essential to all moral government, iniquity must be visited with the punishment deserved. It was under the influence of this conviction, that the Psalmist thus expressed the feelings of his heart:-" Against thee-thee only have I sinned; and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." Instead of impeaching the equity, or even the goodness of God in the punishment of sin, the suppliant is prepared to acknowledge that the heaviest of the divine judgments, even those which extend into an ever-during futurity, would not exceed the demerit of the offender.

To what extent there may be conviction of sin, without true Repentance, it is not easy for us to determine. Certain it is that convictions, to a very considerable degree of apprehension and

alarm, may be produced by the force of conscience, by the influence of early education, and by the impression of afflictive events, even while the heart remains unrenewed. That we may be more competent to attempt the desired discrimination, let us proceed to a further step in our inquiry. It is

Thirdly, CONTRITION, or a change of mind, as it regards the emotions of the heart, on a view of the extent of our guilt and our ingratitude.

The feelings of contrition, as the word denotes, are the feelings of a bruised and broken heart. The sacrifices which God requires of a sinner, and which he will not despise, are those of "a broken heart and a contrite spirit." Were we to attempt to distinguish the elements which enter into the workings of contrition, we should, I think, find them to consist of deep distress and deep humiliation, blended with some hope of divine forgiveness. Contrition certainly includes much more than sorrow for sin. There is a sorrow for sin, which cannot be denominated" godly sorrow;" and which does not even lead to the exercise of Repentance. The man who has impoverished himself by folly and extravagance, may display unfeigned and fruitless sorrow for the loss of his fortune. The man whose crimes have made him the inmate of a prison, may deeply lament the consequences of his criminality, and yet no feelings