1

in the face of Nature, under the guilt of all my fins, with the wrath of God abiding on me? Iffo, is this a Condition to be rested in?

Let me advise thee,' as chou lovest thy soul, to deal faithfully, and in good sadnesfe with thy self: Let me advise thee to review, and seriously to reflect upon the whole course of thy life past; And (besides thy nacural vilenesse) Confider, how many actual sins, failings, milcarriages, and violations of Gods righteous Law, omiffions of good, commissions of vil, thou hast been guilty of, in the feveral parts of thy life, and in the several places where thou hast lived. Believe it, few people do reckon up one fin

of ten that they are guilty of. Allow thy Copscience therefore, a liberty co speak free'y ro thee, and to set thy fins in order before chee. And if thou findest chy self for the presenc in a bad condition, and chat the case is not with thee as it Thould be consider whether it will not be an extream fo'ly and madnesse, to go on in chat course, noć minding, nor regarding speedily-co curn to God, and to seccle the great affairs of thy soul, while thou hast time: O Remember, remember, thou hast a precious and immortal soul, chat must be shortly either in Heaven, or Hell; either in unconceiveable Joyes, or in endlesse, easeleffe, and remedilesse torments. Doch ic nor therefore concern three to confider, and cast about, how to Chap! Chap.z.

of Confideration.

of Repentance; the one, and escape the other ? Di V.5. For every man fhall bear hiso ehoove thee to look to the securing Pfal.77.6

. I call to remembrance > Chance, and to deliver thy self fie

night

, I commune with mine own ch to come! Believe it, noching und

my spirit made diligent search. more, than want of due and fein Rom.14.12, Sochen every one of racion; chan want of frequent exar

count of himself to God. estate of their consciences, and of Ezra 8,11.-The hand of our God is a g and thinking of their everlata

. us

for good that seek him: but his pos ar ath is against all them that for saki

ments.

,

CHAP. II.

of Repentance. Aving seriously examined thy and impartially considered thy

God; The nexe ducy I would advise

--5. Examine your felves, whether y
.5
Faith,

prove your owne selves; kur
ar oto re felves, bow that Fesses Chri:
except ye be Reprobates ?
59. I thought on my waies; andien

HA #slotby Testimonies. made haft, and delaied not to kege course of life, and the state of thy fc

l Ihe Oxe knoweth his owner, updthing the alistance of the Spirit of C= andements. Eers Crib, but Israel dith not know," upon the speedy pra&tiseof; is true Poth not consider. 29. Oibat they were wise, that they "shis, that they would Consider their

, Consider your waies. - Let us search and try in to the Lord. -Let every man prove his omne sa ball he have rejoycing in himpelt, osher.

oss

, and simfeigned repentance.

I shall cherefore for chy benefic, the nature of crue repentance. 2.C directions about it. 3. Some motives

Repentance unto . Wrought in the soul by the Spirit of G And the parts of ic are these fix,

V.5. For every man fhall bear his owne burden. Psal. 77.6. I call to remembrance my song in the

night, I commune with mine own heart, and

my Spirit made diligent search. Rom.14.12. Sothen cvery one of us shall give ac«

count of himself to God. Ezra 8.22.- The hand of our God is upon all them

for good that seek him: but his power, and his 107 Aih is against all them that forsake him.

CHAP. II.

of Repentance. Hand

Aving seriously examined thy Conscience,

and impartially considered thy waies, and course of life, and the state of thy soul cowards God; The nexe duty I would advise thee (beging the assistance of the Spiric of God) to set upon the speedy practise of; is true, and seri, 0146, and unfeigned repentance.

Í shall therefore for thy benefic, 1. Open the nature of true repentance. 2. Give some directions aboue ic. 3. Some motives to it.

Repentance unto life is an Evangelical Grace
Wroughc in the soul by the Spirit of God.
And che parts of it are these fix,

1. Conviction.
2. Cuntrition.
3. Hating and loathing sin.

L

4. Confession of fin.
5. Forsaking fin.

6. Conversion, and turning the bent of
the heart towards God.
First, Conviction. The Spirit of God first o-
pens a finners eies, before he breaks a finner's heart.
The soul of a crue penitent is convinced, and
made apprehensive of these three things,

1. The evil, odiousnesse, and filthines of fin.

2. The danger, defert, and mischievous effects and consequents of it:

3. Its own deep guiltinesse, both of Original and Actual fin.

1. The evil of fin appears in these seven particulars ;

1. ’lis contrary to Gods holy Nature.
2. To his righteous Lawes.

3. It robs and deprives the foul of Gods Image, confifting in knowledge, righteonfresse, and holinejle.

4. It depraves, disorders, distempers the foul, weakens the powers of it, disables it for holy operations, and brings a corrupt disposition into it.

5. It defiles the foul, and leaves such a blot, and stair spon it, that nothing but ibe blood of Christ can wash out.

6 It enslaves the soul to the devil.

7. It makes the foul like unto the devil. Holineffe is Gods Nature: Sin and wickednesle is the dcvils, 'Twas sin that at first, curn'd An

gels

gels of light into devils of darknesse: And if we could separace sin from them, they would cease to be devils, and clear up again inco Angels of light.

II. The great danger of fin appears in that i brings such a guilt upon the soul, as makes liable to Gods wrath and curse, and to punilla-, ments.

1. Temporal: Sicknes, pais, vexation, milery, death: which to the wicked are traly punishments, and fruits of Gods vindicative juftice, and have cheir sting still in them.

2. Spiritual. 1. Losle of the favour of God, and communion with him. 2. The immediate Arokes of his anger on the soul, wounds of Conscience, drops of his wrath, horrour of mind, despair. 3. Hardmeffe of heart, a Spirit of Number, blindweß of mind, a reprobate sense, to be given over to vile affections, and to Sathan. These are most fearful judgements.

3. Eternal. Such as concern the foules immortal condition after this life. And they

are eithec punishments of loß or pain. 1. Of loß, in being for ever banished from the presence of the Lord, and the joyes of Heaven, 2 Thes, 2.9. being punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the Glory of his power, 2. of pain, come fifting in those exquisite and unconceivable forments, which shall be inflicted on the dimned; sec forch in Scriprure by everlasting fore, utter dark

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nese,