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but gets the victory 1; growing up in many to the attainment of a full affurance through Chrift m, who is both the author and finisher of our faith n.

CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life.

Epentance unto life is an evangelical grace a, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minifter of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Chrift b. II. By

ftaggered not at the promife of God through unbelief; but was ftrong in faith, giving glory to God. Matth. vi. 30. Wherefore if God fo clothe the grafs of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is caft into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matth. viii. 10. When Jefus heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them that followed, Verily I fay unto you, I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael.

/ Luke xxii. 31. And the Lord faid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath defired to have you, that he may fift you as wheat: v. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. Eph. vi. 16. Above all, taking the fhield of faith, wherewith ye fhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. John v. 4. For whatfoever is born of God, overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. v. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of God?

m Heb. vi. 11. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end: v, 12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience

inherit the promises. Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Col. ii. 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all / riches of the full affurance of underftanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Chrift.

n Heb. xii. 2. Looking unto Jefus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was fet before him, endured the crofs, defpifing the fhame, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I. a Zech. xii. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace and of fupplications, and they fhall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they fhall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only fon, and shall be in bitternefs for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. Acts xi. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, faying, Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

b Luke xxiv. 47. And that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name, among all

nations,

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II. By it a finner, out of the fight and sense, not only of the danger, but alfo of the filthinefs and odioufnefs of his fins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehenfion of his mercy in Chrift to fuch as are penitent; fo grieves for and hates his fins, as to turn from them all unto God c, purpofing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments d.

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nations, beginning at Jerufalem. Mark. i. 15. And faying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gofpel. Acts xx. 21. Teftifying both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrift. II. Ezek. xviii. 30. Therefore I will judge you, O houfe of Ifrael, every one according to his ways, faith the Lord God: repent, and turn yourselves from all your tranfgreffions; fo iniquity fhall not be your ruin. v. 31. Caft away from you all your tranfgreffions, whereby ye have tranfgreffed, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit; for why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael? Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. If. xxx. 22. Ye fhall defile alfo the covering of thy graven images of filver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt caft them away as a menftruous cloth; thou fhalt fay unto it, Get thee hence. Pfal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight that thou mightest be juftified when thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judgeft. Jer. xxxi. 18. I have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou haft chaftifed me, and I was chaftiled, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:

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III. Alturn thou me, and I fhall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. v.19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instruct-. ed, I fmote upon my thigh: I was afhamed, yea, even confounded, becaufe I did bear the reproach of my youth. Joel ii. 12. Therefore also, now, faith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fafting, and with weeping, and with mourning. V 13. And rent your heart and not your garments, and turp unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Amos v. 15. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate. it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Jofeph. Pfal. cxix. 128. Therefore I efteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every falfe way. 2 Cor. vii. 11. For behold, this felf fame thing that ye forrowed after a godly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourfelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea what zeal, yea, what revenge! in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

d Pfal. cxix. 6. Then fhall I not be afhamed, when I have refpect unto all thy commandments. v. 59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies. v. 106.

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III. Although repentance be not to be refted in, as any fatisfaction for fin, or any cause of the pardon thereof e, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ ƒ; yet is it of fuch neceffity to all finners, that none may expect pardon without it g.

IV. As there is no fin fo fmall but it deferves damnation b; fo there is no fin fo great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent i.

I have fworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. Luke i. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blamelefs. 2 Kings xxiii. 25. And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his foul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Mofes; neither after him arofe there any like him.

III. e Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. v. 32. Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be afhamed and confounded for your own ways, O houfe of Ifrael. Ezek, xvi. 61. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be afhamed, when thou fhalt receive thy fifters, thine elder and thy younger; and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. v. .62.And I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou fhalt know that I am the Lord: v. 63. That thou mayeft remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more becaufe of thy fhame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou haft done, faith the Lord God.

f Hof. xiv. 2. Take with you Words, and turn to the Lord, fay un

V. Men

to him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us gracioufly: fo will we render the calves of our lips. v. 4. I will heal their backfliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger iş turned away from him. Rom.iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the riches of his grace.

g Luke xiii. 3. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye thall all likewife perith. v. 5. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewife perifh. Acts xvii. 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: v.31. Becaufe he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given affurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

IV. Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned. Matth. xii. 36. But I fay unto you, that every idle word that men fhall speak, they fhall give account thereof in the day of judg

ment.

i if. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forfake

V. Men ought not to content themfelves with a gene ral repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavou to repent of his particular fins particularly k.

VI. As every man is bound to make private confeffion of his fins to God, praying for the pardon thereof 7; upon which, and the forfaking of them, he fhall find mercy m fo he that fcandalizeth his brother, or the church of Chrift, ought to be willing, by a private or public confeffion and forrow for his fin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended n; who are thereupon

his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the fleh, but after the Spirit. If. i. 16. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil.. v. 18, Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord: though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they fhall be as wool.

V. k Pfal. xix. 13. Keep back thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins, let them not have dominion over me: then fhall I be upright, and I fhall be innocent from the great tranfgreffion. Luke xix. 8. And Zaccheus flood, and laid unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: and if I have taken any thing from any man by falle accufation, I reftore him fourfold. 1 Tim. i. 13. Who was before a blafphemer, and a perfecutor, and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. v. 15. This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners; of whom I

am chief.

VI. / Pfal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be juftified when thou fpeakelt, and be clear when thou judgeft. v. 5. Bc. hold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in fin did my mother conceive me. v. 7. Purge me with hyffop, and I fhall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than fnow. V. 9. Hide thy face from my fins; and blot out all mine iniquities. v. 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltinefs, O God, thou God of my falvation: and my tongue fhall fing aloud of thy righ teoufnefs. Pfal. xxxii. 5. I acknowledged my fin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffions unto the Lord and thou forgaveft the iniquity of my fin. Selah. this fhall every one that is godly,pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayeft be found; furely in the floods of great waters, they fhall not come nigh unto him.

v. 6. For

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upon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him o.

CHA P. XVI. Of Good Works.

YOOD works are only fuch as God hath commanded

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in his holy word a, and not fuch as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention b.

II. Thefe good works done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true

V.

effectual fervent prayer of a righte-
ous man availeth much. Luke xvii.
3. Take heed to yourselves: if thy
brother trefpass against thee, rebuke
him;
and if he repent, forgive him.
4. And if he trespass against thee
feven times in a day, and feven times
in a day turn again to thee, faying,
I repent; thou fhalt forgive him.
Jofh. vii. 19. And Joshua faid unto
Achan, My fon, give, I pray thee,
glory to the Lord God of Ifrael, and
make confeffion unto him; and tell
me now what thou haft done, hide
it not from me. (Pfal. li. through-
out.)

• 2 Cor. ii. 8. Wherefore I be feech you, that ye would confirm your love towards him.

I. a Micah vi. 8. He hath fhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Rom. xii. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Heb, xiii. 21. Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

and

b Matth. xv. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. If. xxix. 13.. Wherefore the Lord faid, Forafmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men. 1 Pet. i. 18. Forafmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold, from your vain converfation received by tradition from your fathers. Rom. x. 2. For 1 bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. John xvi. 2. They fhall put you out of the fynagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, will think that he doth God fervice. I Sam. XV. 21. But the people took of the fpoil, fheep and oxen, the chief of the things which fhould have been utterly destroyed, to facrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. v 22. And Samuel faid, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and facrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is. better than facrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams. v. 23. For rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft, and stubbornnefs is as iniquity and

idolatry:

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