suffer death, rejoices at the sight of a reprieve, at the intelligence of his pardon,we, surely, must rejoice at the tidings of the birth of our Redeemer, and be thankful from the bottom of our hearts. Let us take heed, however, that we render not our rejoicing vain, by neglecting the salvation thus offered Let us always remember, that one great end of the Gospel dispensation was to "teach us, that denying ungodliness, and "worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righ

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teously, and godly in this present world." Let us remember that Christ was manifested, and "gave himself for us, that he might re"deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto "himself a peculiar people zealous of good "works'." Let us, therefore, take heed unto ourselves, that we show our thankfulness, not with our lips only, but in our lives, by giving ourselves up to the service of God and of our Redeemer, by obeying in all things His will, and walking in holiness and righteousness all our days.

1 Titus ii. 12, 14.

SERMON XXI.

CONTRITION.

PSALM li. 17.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

THE first branch or part of true repentance, or rather the first preparatory step in order to it, is that conviction, that knowledge of our sins, which is to be acquired through the grace of God, by serious and diligent selfexamination; and the proper effect of this conviction of sin or self-knowledge, and consequently the next step in the process of repentance, is a deep sorrow for having offended, with the several instances of selfabasement and humiliation. Having already discoursed on the first of these, the duty of

self-examination, it is my intention to proceed now to the second, and to offer some observations upon this sorrow.

The fifty-first Psalm is, throughout, a pathetic expression of penitential sorrow. The passage of this Psalm, which I have taken as my text, is, as you well know, one of the select sentences at the beginning of our ordinary Church Service. "The "sacrifice of God," says the Psalmist, "is a "broken or troubled spirit." In other words, the offering which is most acceptable to the Almighty, and which tends most effectually to procure His favourable acceptance of the returning sinner, is that inward trouble, that deep grief of heart, which arises from the knowledge of having offended Him.

The Holy Scriptures abound in passages recommending this sorrow, this contrition of spirit, and setting forth its efficacy in procuring forgiveness through the merits and atonement of Jesus Christ. "The "Lord," says the Psalmist, in the thirtyfourth Psalm, "is nigh unto them that are

"of a broken heart, and saveth such as be "of a contrite spirit." Thus again, in Isaiah, "To this man will I look, saith the

Lord, even to him that is poor and of a "contrite spirit, and trembleth at my "word 1." A similar passage occurs in another part of the same book, and is introduced with a solemn and impressive preface, which seems designed to mark its importance. "Thus saith the High and Lofty "One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name "is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy

place, with him also that is of a contrite "and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of "the humble, and to revive the heart of the "contrite ones 2."

The Scriptures of the New Testament are not less strong and express in enforcing this disposition of heart, and the production of it was one principal object of the preaching of our Lord, and of His forerunner, the holy Baptist. When St. John first, and afterwards his great Master, preached, "saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of

1 Isaiah lxvi. 2.

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2 Isaiah lvii. 15.

"heaven is at hand," they inculcated this disposition of heart, as one of the parts of repentance. And who are those, whom our blessed Lord especially invites to come to Him, to partake of the privileges and comfort of His Gospel? Those who were weary and heavy laden, weary and heavy laden with the sense of their sins. And what was the instance which he gave of accepted devotion? that of him, who, in the grief and humbleness of his soul, "would not lift "up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but "smote upon his breast, saying, God be "merciful to me a sinner1." And who was she, whose "sins though many, were "forgiven her, because she loved much?" She, whose penitential tears were so abundant, as to wash the feet of Him, who came to bring sinners to repentance, and then to save them.

When the voice of inspiration is clear and express upon any subject, that alone ought to be sufficient to regulate our practice. But if the oracles of God had been altogether silent

1 Luke xviii. 13.