ſolute way, whether they repent or no. It ever Chriſt bring men to Heaven, it ſhall be thorow Hell gates, Act. 5.31. . Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and ng par- dons Rebels, not if they perfiſt in- open defiance, but if they relent, and yield themſelves tothe mercy of their Prince. 4. There 1s agreat deal of equity, in it, that we ſhould repent. We have by fin wronged God; we have ecclipſed his honour; we have infringed his Law, and 200d reaſon we {ſhould make him ſome re-
paration. By Repentance we humble.and
judge our ſelves for fin ; we ſet to our
ſeal [that God is righteous if he ſhould
deſtroy us : and thus we give glory to God, and do what in us lyes to repair his honour. | | . $. If God ſhould fave men without Re- ntance, making no diſcrimination,then y this Rule he muſt fave all; not only men, but Devils, as Origen once held; and ſo conſequently the decrees of Ele-
tion and Reprobation muſt fall to the
ground 3
& CG + ” |
Ld
.
.
The Dottrine of Repent ance. | | 77 | "Y Loround; which how diametrically op- | polite it is to ſacred writ, let all judge.
i. —_— ——_—
CHAP. VI.
| Shewing that it will be harder for ſome to | repent, than others,
'" Here are two ſorts of perſons who "| will find it harder to repent than others. 120 | BE Yb 15 7 OA .. 4 Such as have fate agreat while un- 3 der the droppings of Gods Ordinances, - _-but-grow no better. The earth which
/ 'drinketh in the Rain, yet beareth thorns
- and briars, is nigh unto curſing, Heb. 6. 8.
' The metal which hach lain long icthe fire, but 1s not melted and refined, there 1s little hope of ir. - When God hath ſent bis Miniſters one after another, exhort-
+ ing and perlwading men to.leave their
*K fins, but they ſettleupon thelees of for-
| mality, and can fit and fleep under aSer-
mon 3 1t will be hard for theſe ever to be brought to Repentance; they may fear teſt Chriſt ſhould ſay to them as once to the Fig-tree, Never fruit grow on thee”
D a, They
HY iv .
v5
78 The. Dofrine of Repentance.
2. They will find itharder to repent, | who have ſinned frequently againlit the / 7 convictions of the Word, the checks of | -»* Mala conſcience *, and the motions of the Spi: Y
= —_— rit. Conſcience hath ſtood as the Angel, ” fea witha flaming ſwordinits hand 5 it-bath 4 maunquam ſ{ajd, :Dg #0t this great evel 5, but (Rees f a. regatd not the voice of conſcience, but. march on reſolvedly under the Devils?
colours :.theſe will not.find. it eaſje-t6 pent, Job ef L3- Thor 40810 rebel againſt the Li th ſin for waut of punt and: another { co fin agatgit light. Herethe unpaxges able fin takes its riſe; firſt men ſin agate the light of epaſcienoy, and ſo proceed gradually to. the 4aſpich ting the
hy” grace.
at A—— a AA
CHap. VII
Cooling 4 reprehenſion to the Impenitent.
"RST, then it ſerves ſharply to re- prove. all unrepenting ſinners, whole | Fe. 64 ſeem to be hewn ont of aRock, and are hike, the {tony ground i in the Na- roble which warted moiſture. This daſs
I fear
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Ou Dodletee of Repentane 70 Fear is epidemical, Jer. 8, 6. No man Yreperted him of bis wickedneſs. Mens kearts are marbled into hardneſs, Zach. 7.12. _Y 94 made their beart as an
ant *, They are not at all * L-pis hic duriflimug eſt, qui refpuir ſcalpra
J4iflolved into a penitential & tugtees Guin & ip frame. It hath been a received ſos diſru .
Lopinion , that Witches *never FM ſcil. 7 weep: Sure lam, fuch as have *- Fodin- jp his demon. y | For {ins are ſpiritually lib. 4. cap. I, ut | dewite hy Satan, We read, Gs when
| Gra Carmete/Jernfalemheapbraided thens
| becane. yepented not, Matth. 1. 20. "4 Agdmay he: not upbraid many now for 3 wii mpenitency.?. Though Gods heart + + + © 2
zbroken/ with: their ſins, yet their, ., heaFts are not broken : They ſay as Iſreel, Fe85, 22.5 .T have loved ſtrangers, and after | ther mill 1go, The jultice of God, like fr hen gel, ſtands. with adrawn ſword i IN mrs ue ready,to {trike, but finners have | | notlogodd eyes 2s Baleams, Aſs, to fee +. | the ſword, God ſmites on mens backs, but they ſmite not with Ephraize upon e- | theirthigh*. It was a fad complaint the + Jer. 3x. ©; ſe} Prophet took up, Fer. 5. 3. Thox haſt ip. Þ k. | Sticker them, but they have not grieved. = a- F That ſure is reprobate filver which con- (e jo hardneſs i in the furnace, 2 Chrox. ar 28. 22.
,,
80 The Doftrine of Repentance. - 7 28, 22, Inthe time of his diſtreſs, did he © treſpaſs yet more againſt the Lord ;, this is _ that King Ahaz.-An*hard heart is a recep-** tacle for Satan. As God hath two places - he dwells in, Heaven and an humble heart : ſo the Devil hath two- places he dwells in, Hell and an hard heart. Tis ; not falling into the water drowns, but" «7 lying in it: *'Tis not falling into. fits | + _ damns, but lying-in'1t withour -
* 6383705 73 <ucerd- Repentance *."" Hardneſs 'of Y
DO Loris, ine Neart brings" at-laſt to ſeaved> |