* Turpatida eft facies ( inquit Paula) quart + contra 'Dei prxceprum .. } purpuriſſs, ceruffa} & © 3 ybio ſxpe depinxi, 'at* | *Þ fi:ogendum. eſt | obepus 2 quod multis vacavit de- 7 litiis 4 mollia & ſara pretiofiſſima aſperitare co nmutanda, Herom. in equs Epitaph;
[ ad
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i = | —_ *.. <4 *, q We” "IE ODT. a i _ = we” DoGria' of 132 .
Magick (as it is in the Syriack) when oncethey repented, brought their Books, and by way of revenge burned them, A@. 19.19. Theſe are the bleſſed fruits and produds of Repentance3 and if we can find theſe in our ſouls, we have arrived | at that Repentance which 1s #ever- fo be . repeated; | | Js
CHAP. XI. Fa
A neceſſary Cantion inſerted.
' 4, © abi
ALlch as have ſolemnly repented of their fins, let me ſpeak to them,
I. I. By way of Caxtion. Though Re- pentance be ſo neceſlary and excellent as you have heard, yet take heed that you
donot aſcribe too much to Repentance.
The Papiſts are guilty of a double errour;
| *$eows T, They make Repentance a Sacrament *
LH Chriſt never made it ſo; and who may -
qu.2, Ger- inſtitute Sacraments, but he who can give *|
ſoa. vertue to them? Repentance can be no | Sacrament, becauſe it wants an qQutward {Þ}
ſign. A Sacrament cannot properly be '$
without a ſign. 2. . The Papiſts make Repentance . PCrTOrions :
Ve
. % TS s 6;
4 * .
ws LN
' The Dodrine of Repentance. 133
eritoriows : they ſay it doth ex congruo _ 'merit pardon *; this is a groſs errour. , {de . 'merit par on *; this is a groſs Li
Indeed Repentance fits us for mercy, As the Plough when it breaks up the ground, fits it for the ſeed : So when the heart is broken up by Repentance, it Is fitted for remiſſion, but it doth not merit it *, God will not ſave us without Re- * # 5 w«- pentance, . nor yet for it. Repentance ,;,7 15 a gvalification, not a cauſe, I grant Ie- #xb7a;
ting tears are precious; they are, as Cho. Gregory faith, the fat of the ſacrifice, And as Bafil faith, the medicine of the ſoul. And as , Bernard,,. the wine of Angels * ; but yet. ——_ tears are not ſatisfatory for ſin. We cencium drop ſin'with our tears, therefore they pobaug coppeyatiebe. Auſtin (aith well, I have mn read of Peters tears, but no man eyer read Serm. 30. of Peters {atisfaction. Chriſts blood only — can merit -pardon'*. We pleaſe God by quam refie Repentance, but we do not ſatisfie him PRs by it. To truſt to ourRepentance, is tO eurceuſam make it a Saviour. Though Repentance fabe in helps to purge out the filth of tin, yet it ——_—_ is Chriſts blood waſheth away the guilt przftid. of fin *; therefore do not idolize Repen- #4
cont. Crels .
tance: Do not reſt upon this, that yaur tun. | * Layar
| noz lachrymarum imber, mag aurem lavar aqua illa precioſa quz
ge Fopre Pieraris, i. & lacere Chriſti emanavic, Bern, in dedicar. Eccic/. KR 3 heart
The DoFrine of Repent ance. heart hath been wounded for fin, but ra-
134
ther,that your Saviour hath been wound-. - :
edfor fin. When you have wept, ſay as :- Lord Teſus, waſh my tears in thy Domine blood . | lachrymas meas. appy——y—_ » 5 oy __ _ —
CHAP. XII.
Comfort to the Repenting Sinner.
2; 2. ET meinthenext Place ſpeak by way of comfort.Chriitian,hath God oiyen thee a repenting heart, know theſe three things for thy everlaſting com-
Led fort. 3 x Comfort. 1. Thy ſins are pardoned. Pardon of fin circumfcribes blefſecnels within it, Fſal. 32. 1. Whom God pardons, he crowns, Pal. 403.4. Who forgiveth thy iniquities, who crowneth thee with loving kindneſs, A repenting condition is a pardoned condition. Chriſt faid to that weeping woman,. Thy ſins which are many are forgiven, Luk. 7.47. Pardons are ſeal- ed upon ſoft hearts: O thou whole head hath been a fountain to weep for in, .. Chrifts fide will be a fountain to waſh away lin,Zach.13.F. Haſt thou rept
The Do@rg ye of Repentance. God looks upon thee as if thou hadſt not offended ;* he becomes a friend, a fa- ther ; he will now bring forth the beſt Robe, and put it on thee: God is paci- hed towards thee, and will with the Father of the Prodigal, fall upon #hy week and, ifs thee, Sin in Scripture is com- pared to a cloud, Tja. 44.22.” No ſooner 1s. this cloud ſcattered by Repentance, but gardening love ſhines forth. Paul,af- 4 1s Repentance, obtained mercy, i. 1, 16, 425i, T was all beftrowed
with mercy. When a ſpring of Repen-
tance is open in the heart, a' ſpring of mercy 1s openin Heaven.
2, God will paſs an Act of Oblivion; 2 Combare, ;
he ſo forgives lin.as he forgets, Jer.3 1.34. Twill remember their ſi in no more. Hait thou been penicentially humbled ? the Lord will-never upbraid thee withthy former [ins. After Peter wept, we never read that Chriſt upbraidcd him with his de- ntal of him. God hath caſt thy ſins into the depth of the Sea, Micah 7. 19. How? not as Cork, but as Lead. TheLord will rever in a judicial way account for them. God when he pardons, doth as a Creditor that blots the debt out of his
a} i 1h tron,