A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

Thomas Watson, d. 1686 • SECTION 33

120

← The Doctrine of Repentance

The DoFrine of Repentance. RY "Oo 7 The time is not yet come, .No man almoſt isſo bad, but purpoleth he will amend, but he adjourns and prorogues 10 long, till at Jaſt all his purpoſes prove abor. , tive *, Many are now in Hell that pur- oa; =, poſed to repent. Satan doth what he — can to keep men from Repentance : when ,,, —_— he ſees they begin. to take up ſerious thoughts of reformation, he bids them ſtay a while longer. If this traitor fin muſt die (ſaith Saran) let it not die yet ; gw So the Devil, gets a reprieve for in, it be ſhall not dic this Seffions: at laſt men put off ſo long, that death ſeizeth on them, and their work is not done. Let me therefore lay down ſome co- gent Arguments to per{ſwade to ſpeedy Repentance. | 2. Now i the ſeaion of Repentance, arg, x, 40d*e ching is be{t done in its ſeaſon, 2 Cor. 6.2, Now is the accepted time *, Now God hath a mind y to ſhew mercy to the penitent, CD Ines lauſu he is, on the giving hand. Kings & miricxulcagone fuſ- | | ory « let, apart daies for healing. Now: FIa9e > arg pa 1s the healing day for our ſouls; Te now God hangs torth the white flag, and Is willing to parley with {inners. A Prince at his coronation as an Afftof Royalty, : Sf g1ves

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gives money, proclaims pardons, fills the

” who was once my tempter, is now +be-

Is the cafe of this man, he is in Hell before -.1.. «Nis time,] bur you who'repent betithes of

for 5 nay, let me tell you, you will have

The DoFrine of Repentance.

conduits with wine : Now God pro- claims'pardons to penitent finners 3 now the conduit of the Goſpel runs wine ow 7s the accepted time: therefore now come in and make your'peace with God 3 now break off your iniquities by Repen- tance : 'tis wiidom to take the ſeaſon. The Huſbandman takes the ſeaſon for fowing his feed: now 1s the ſeed-time for our ſouls. KK

2. The ſooner you repent, the fewer fins you will have to aniwer for. Were you at the death-bed vf an old finner, when conſcience begins to bg awakened, and ſhould hear him crying out , here are all my old fins come about me, haunt- ing my death+bed as ſo-many evil ſpirits, and ] have »o diſcharge; here is Satan

come my accuſer, and | have #o Adve- cate; 1 am now going to bedragg'd be- fore Gods judgement-ſeat, where F muſt receivemy final doom. © Oh how diſmal

your finful courſes, this is your privi- ledge, you will haye the lets to anſwer

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nothing

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The DoBrime of Repertance.'

nothing 'to anſwer for, Chriſt will ag- -fwer-for you 3 your Judge will be your Advocateyr Fob.3.4. Father,will Chriſt fay, hore: one that hath been a great ſinner, yet a broken-hearted finner, it he owes any thing to thy juſtice, ſet it or

my ſcore. | ©; 31 The-{ooner we repent, the more

| glory wemay bring to God. *Tis the end of our ling; ito beuſetul inour genera-

ttQn:: better-laſe our lives, than the end

of ur living . Late converts who have fon many years taken pay on the Devils

tide, arenot in a capacity of doing fo much.work 1n the Vineyard. -The thief on the Croſs could not do that ſervice

'for/God as St. Paul did. But when we do -betimes turn from fin, then we give God .the —_ of our lives 3 we jpend and

are ſpent for Chriſt.. The more work we do tor God, the more willing we ſhall be

-toidie, and rhe {weeter death will be. He .that:hath wrought hard at his day-la- -boury is willing-to go toreſt:at night.

Such. as have been honouring God all their lives, how {weetly will they ſleep ih the grave! The more work we do

He whole pound had gained ten pounds, ft I4 Chriſt

Arg. 3.

for: God, the greater will our reward be. -

120

* Eſto ex primis proceribus Regnimei. * Brugenſ.

Arg. 4»

© « *Dulce ye-

nenum, Beyx.

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The Dofirine of Repentance, Chriſt did not only commend Him, but ad- vance him,Zxk, 19. 17 . Have thou autho- rity over ten Cities * By late Repentanice,

though we'do not-loſe our Crown, yet we make it lighter. = | Tanquam ftella / ſublimipr fulge. Bede. 0

4. It 1s of dangerous conſequence to put off Repentance longer. | — Mora trabit periculum--Tt 1s dangerous,

If we conſider what fin is. Sin isa poi- lon * ; jt is dangerous to let poiſon lye

long in the body. . Sin 1s: a bruiſe *; if a

bruiſe be not- toon: cured, it gangrenes

and kills : If fin be cot loon cured by Re-

pentance, it feſters the conſcience; and damns. Why ſhould any love to. dwell in the texts of wickedneſs ? They are

underite power of Saturn, AF.26. 18; Ad

2.

It 1s dangerous to ſtay long in the-ene- IMIES QUATTEFS. + RIAL It 1s dangerous to procraſtinate Re- pentance 5 becauie, the Jongerany go on in {iv, the harder they will tind therwork

*,v7» 2e- Of Repentance. Delay ſtrengthens ſin,and 7 gv7i% hardens the heart, and gives the Devil

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fuller poſleftion. A plant at firſt may tbe ealily plucked up *, but: when 1t” hath ſpreadits rogts deep in the earth, a whole bo ES ot - " rea

Public-domain historical work by Thomas Watson, d. 1686. OCR from an original historical scan hosted by Internet Archive; OCR may contain recognition errors.

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