fhall my heavenly Father do unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trefpaffes -Obferve the expreffion, from your hearts. It is not only forbidden to abflain from all outward acts of revenge, but to abstain from all inclination to it.

Thus we find, that if we allow malicious and revengeful thoughts, let our repentance be what it will, it wants that mark of its fincerity, without which it cannot be accepted by God.

Even in the Lord's Prayer, short as it is, this doctrine is ftrongly inculcated. Forgive us our trefpaffes, AS WE forgive them that trespass against

us.

I could wish you alfo to be convinced, that this doctrine is not only fcriptural, but reasonable, For God enjoins us no duty in Scriptúre, which, truly confidered, is not equally enjoined by reafon: for the fame God is the author both of reafon and Scripture.

Now, as heaven is a place where only the kind affections prevail, anger, malice and revenge can, of course, have no existence there. As the Chriftian religion therefore is meant to prepare us for heaven, it forms in our minds fuch difpofitions, and gives us fuch directions as are suited to that bleffed

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bleffed place. It is certainly therefore as reasonable that we should exercise ourselves in those things which are to fit us for heaven, as that a man fhould learn the arts of husbandry, before he attempt to till the ground; or study the law, before he can practise it: for a man who has been bred in one business cannot be more difqualified for another, than he who indulges the paffions of anger, and hatred, and malice, can be prepared for the happiness of heaven.-The forgiveness of injuries is likewise a reasonable duty, as it tends to calm the mind, by ridding it of those boisterous paffions, which, above all other things, disturb it.

The next duty which may be confidered as a neceffary part of repentance, is reftitution. By restitution is meant, reftoring again to another whatever we may have taken from him by any fraudulent or violent means. This muft furely appear neceffary, as otherwife a man muft live in the conftant practice, if I may fo call it, of the crime he has committed.

Now a particular stress is laid upon reftitution, because the nature of injustice is somewhat different from that of other fins. Such fins as are committed

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merely

merely against God admit no reftitution. You fwear-you blafpheme--you prophane the Sabbath: all these are offences against God. But they admit no reftitution. All you can do, is to repent. To God you can make no other reftitution. But acts of injuftice to your neighbour may be farther atoned for. The damage may be repaired, and therefore certainly ought.

In the Jewish law reftitution was ftrictly required, even with the addition of a fifth part*. And though in the New Teftament fo much ftrefs is not laid upon it, as on many other things; yet it is only because it is one of those first principles of juftice, which needs not to be infifted on. -When it is cafually mentioned in the New Teftament, it is mentioned only as the first step of repentance, and that too in great finners.

We have a remarkable inftance in the case of Zaccheus.

This man had been bred to the bufinefs of a publican; that is, a collector of the Roman tribute;which was thought one of the moft difreputable of all employments. It was a business full of temptation; and, of course, of knavery: and it appears that Zaccheus had given into many of the temptations of his profeffion; *See Levit. vi. 5.

: and

and feems indeed to have been a very ordinary man*. On hearing, however, of Jesus-the doctrines which he preached, and the miracles which he wrought; this mifled publican was fomewhat staggered in the enjoyment of his difhoneft gains, and began to confider in earnest the danger of the wicked life he had spent. Full of these thoughts, he longed much for an opportunity to fee Jefus, and converse with him. At length his inclination was gratified. He converfed with his Saviour, and became a new man.-On his converfion, we find the first step he took, was to stand forth, and make open confeffion of his wicked life; and to promife, by way of atonement for the many acts of injuftice he had been guilty of, not only to make reftitution, but to restore four-fold.-Now this cafe of Zaccheus is no way particularly commended in Scripture; but is rather confidered as a thing of courfe, on his refolution to become a real Chriftian.

Another great finner, who ftands recorded in Scripture for making reftitution is Judas Iscariot.

Some people think his character was good; but the whole tenor of the narration, I think, makes it otherwife the people immediately faid, Jefus was gone to be a guest with a finner. And our Saviour fays, This day is falvation come to his houfe, and that the Son of Man was come to feek and to fave that which was loft.

He had long lived in the habit of cheating his blessed Master and his fellow-difciples of the little stock they had for their daily expences. He was a thief, and carried the bag, and took out for his own ufe (for so it should be tranflated) what was put therein. These thefts, however, did not touch his hardened confcience. At least, we meet with no account of his reftitution. But when, from these steps he went on to greater-when he carried his wicked love of money to fo dreadful a height as to betray his blessed master, for the fake of thirty pieces of filver; though it is the common opinion of divines that he carried his repentance no farther than horror and defpair, yet he furely carried it far enough to make reftitution. Hel brought again the thirty pieces of filver, and threw them down in the temple, as unjuft gains. So that, you fee, reftitution is confidered here as no fuch mighty matter. When you have made rfteitution, you have yet gone only as far as Judas Iscariot went.

Upon the whole, reftitution appears to be fo much a part of repentance, that we may venture to say, no repentance can be truly fincere without it, when it is in our power to make it.-Perhaps you may fay, your whole fortune, in a manner,

has