SERMON CXIX. The Danger of Impenitence, where the Gofpel is preach'd. MATTII. XI. 2I, 22. Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethfaida ! for if the mighty works which were done inyou, hadbeen done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in factcloth andajhes. But I fay unto you, It 'hall be more tolerable for Tyre and-Sidonat the day of Judg- ment, than for you. AFter ourSleffed Saviour had inftru&ed, and fent forth his Difciples, he him- felf went abroad to preachunto the Cities of Ifrael; particularly he fpent much time in the Cities ofGalilee, Chorazin, and Bethfaida, and Capernaum, prea- ching the Gofpel to them, and working many and great Miracles among them; but with little or no fuccefs: which was the caufe of his denouncing this terrible Woe again(t them, ver. zo. Then began he to upbraid the Cities.:vhereinmoll of his mighty Works were done, becaufe they repented not. Woe unto theeCharazin, &c. In which words our Saviour declares the fad and miferable Condition of thofe twoCities, ChorazinandBethfaida, which had negleaed fuch an opportunity, and refitted and withftood fuch means of Repentance, as would have effeaually re- claimed the molt wicked Cities and People that can be inftanced in anyAge, Tyre and Sidon and Sodom ; and therefore he tells them, that their Conditionwas much worfe, and that they fhould fall under a heavier Sentence at the day of Judgment, than the Peopleofthofe Cities, whom they had always look'd upon as the greateft Sinners thatever were in the World. This is the plain meaning of the words in general; but yet there are Lome difficulties in them, which I (hall endeavour to clear, and then proceed to raife fuch Obfervations from them, as may be inftru- aive and ufeful to us. The Difficulties are thefe: I. What Repentance is here fpoken of; whether an external Repentance, in Phew and appearance only, or an inward and real and fincere Repentance. H. In what fence it is Paid, that Tyre and Sidon would have repented. HI. What is meant by their would have repented long ago. IV. How this Affertion of our Saviour's that Miracles would have converted lyre and Sidon, is reconcilable with that other Saying ofhis, Luke 16. 3r. in the Parable of the rich Man and Lazarus, that thofe who believed not Mofes and the Prophets, neither would they beperfuaded, tho one rufe from the dead. I. What Repentance is here fpoken of; whether a mere external and hypocri- tical Repentance in (hew and appearance only, or an inward and real and fin- cere Repentance. The reafon of this Doubt depends upon the different Theories of Divines, a- bout the fufficiency of Grace accompanying the outward Means of Repentance, and whether an irrefitîible degree of God's Grace be neceiThry to Repentance: for they who deny fufficient Grace to accompany the outwardMeans of Repentance, and a(fert an irrefiftible degree of Gods Grace neceffary to Repentance, are forced to fay that our Saviour herefpeaks of a mere external Repentance: becaufe if he fpake'of an inward and liucere Repentance, then it muff be granted, that futfici- ent inward Grace did accompany the Miracles that were wrought in Chorazin and Bethfaida, to bring men to Repentance; becaufe what was afforded to them, svouid iii,
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