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II. Confider, As there is no fin fo fmall, but it deferves damnation, fo there is no fin fo great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent. 'Tis not the falling into the water, drowns a man, but continuing in it, not getting out again. No fin damnes a man, but as it is accompanied with finall impenitency and unbelief: Therefore the fin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable, beCanfe thofe that commit that fin do never repent, or fie to Chrift for pardon.

III. Look to it, that,thy Repentance, and forrow for thy fins, fpring from Evangelical Motives, (fuch as are before mentioned,) and not meerly from thame or fear of Hell & wrath.

IV. Labour that thy forrow for fin, may bear fome proportion to the greatneffe of thy fins, Every small touch of forrow may not be fufficient: As fin is the greatest of evils, so our forrow for it should be the greatest forrow. Betake thy felf therefore to a more folemn mourning, and renting of heart for the great fins of thy life, refufing to be comforted, with any worldly com fort, till thou haft obtained thy pardon: But remember Godly forrow is not alwaies to be mea fured by plenty of tears, and vehemency of expreffions, but by the weight of it on the heart, by the deep displeasure of the foul against fin: There may be a deep, rational forrow for fin, where there is no fuch outward paffionate expreffions of

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V. Content not thy felf with a general repentance, but know that it is thy duty to endea vour to repent of thy particular fins particularly: Do not flubber over this great duty (which fo much concerns thee) with a flight, formal, generalrepentance, as too many are apt to do. Many fins long ago committed by thee, may still lie at thy door, if not repented of. Review therefore thy life paft. Suffer thy Conscience to speak freely tothee,and to fet thy fins in order before thee,and la bour to be heartily humbled both for the vileness and depravedneffe of thy Nature, and for all the particular actual fins, failings, and miscarriages which thou findeft thy felf any way guilty of. Repent of all fin that lies upon thy Confci

ence.

VI. Let thy forrow for fin be accompanied with a real forfaking of all known fins, and amendment of life: Content not thy self with a partial reformation.

VII. Set upon the practile of this great duty Speedily; now while thou art in health, before fickneffe furprize thee. Without repentance, no hope of pardon, or peace with God here; no hope of Glory hereafter: Now Confider, that by repentance, the Scripture does not mean a fudden fit of confeffion, contrition, and promifing amendment at last caft; (when a man can live no longer in fin, and is now afraid of Judgment) but areal change of the mind, a turning of the heart from the

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love of fin to God, a durable state of new obedience, that bereby and a life of holy walking, which takes up fome about to ir space, length, and continuation of time, giving is the Al- a finner thereby competent opportunity to mortife drive any evil difpofitions and habits, to break off finfall at defpa courfes, to fet up the dominion of Grace within, and 30. ·Show by an holy behaviour in his place and condition of Whatman life, to manifeft the fincerity of his repentance; and by a steddy course of Godlineffe to give fom navy way of proof of his real converfion. To put off repentance therefore to the death-bed, is exceeding dangerous, to fay no more.

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VIII. When thou haft (through the affiftance of the Spirit of God) humbled thy foul, and rePerkara pented ferioufly of all thy fins, do not rest in thy change upon repentance, (as was faid before) but go out of thy La Jelf to Chrift for thy pardon, Reft not on this defer repon fide Chrift; Not thy tears, but his blood only can sance upon cleanse thy Confcience from all guilt. But of this exceeding more in the next Chapter.

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IX. After thou haft laboured (according to thefe directions) to. revoke, reverfe, and unde again all the fins of thy life paft by a serious repentance, then be very watchful, left thou fall knowingly, and deliberatly into any fin again. The true penitent allowes not himself in any finfull courfe, yet through infirmity poffibly he may fall: Sins of infirmity are fuch as a man is overtaken with, contrary to the purpose of his heart, either through ignorance, incogitancy, violence

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of temptation, or fuddenneffe of furprizal: which when he comes to confider, he confeffes, and bemoans, ftrives, and prayes against, and (by Gods Grace) ordinarily gets more and more victo ry over. If therefore, contrary to the fixed purpofe of thy heart, thou doft at any time fin; endeavour feedily to recover thy felf by a ferious #repentance; and be more watchful over thy heart and waies for time to come.

Motives to Repentance.

1. 'Tis highly pleafing to God, EZek.33.11. Say unto them, as I live faith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil waies, for why will ye die, O House of Ifrael?

2. 'Tis the Doctrine Chrift himself first preached, as we read, Mat.4.17. From that time Fefus began to preach, and to say, repent ye, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand. And when he left the world, he declared that repentance and remiffion of fins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Ferufalem, Luke 24.47.

3. The Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the repentance of a finner, Lake 15.10. Likewife I fay unto you, there is joy in the prefence of the Angels of God over one finner that repenteth.

4. Confider who are for thy repentance, and who are against it: God the Father, Son, and

holy Ghost, good Angels, and glorified Saints, all good Minifters, and fincere Chriftians are for it; None but the Devil and his Inftruments are against it. And which of these two parties wilt thou encline unto?

5. Confider, 'tis not onely a Gospel duty, but a Gospel priviledge. The Lam allowes no place for repentance: "Tis an high favour God will pardon us upon our repentance, and Faith in his Son.

6. Confider, All will fooner or later commend true repentance: Be not thou one of them that will commend it, when it is too late.

7. Confider, there is no other remedy. For,

(1. With Gods juftice we should be pardoned; though repentance does not fatis fie his juftice, yet fins unrepented of,& continued in,cannot be pardoned without injustice.

2. With his Mercy: God is very

Without merciful, but 'tis to penitent humRepentace bled fi ners, not obdurate, impenitent tranfgreffours.

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3. With the undertaking of Christ who came to call finners to repent ance, & to feek, & fave those that were loft in their own eies. He was exalted to be a Prince,& a Saviour,to give repentance, & remiffion of fins, Act.5.31.

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