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neß, the worm that never dies, the fire that is not quenched,chains of darkness, the blackness of darknefs for ever, the lake of fire and brimstone,&c. As therfore, the nature of fin is out of measure finful, fo the punishments are out of measure fearful. III. The foules deep guiltineffe appears by confidering,

1. Its Original fin. In which three things are to be noted: 1. The guilt of Adams particular tranfgreffion in eating the forbidden fruit, imputed

to us. He was the head and common Father of mankind and we were legally parties in that covenant which was at first made with him; For God eftablished his covenant with Adam principally, in refpect of his Nature, and not so much in refpect of his Perfon: fo that by confequence it muft follow, that all who are partakers of that Nature, are bound by that Covenant. And therefore we cannot but expect to be liable unto the guilt which followed upon the breach and violation of it, Rom. 5. 12. &c. 2. A want of original righteousneffe, Rom.3.23. All have finned, and come short of the Glory of God; that is, of the glorious Image of God, which was at first ftamped upon man. 3. A corrupt difpofition in mans nature, in place of original righteoufneffe; These two latter being the fad effects of Adams fin. Now this depravedneffe of nature, this great averfeneffe to good, and proneneffe to evil, is call'd the old man, and the body of fin, Rom.6.6.

The

The fin that dwelleth in us, Rom.7.17. The body of death, Rom.7.24. The flesh, as oppofite to the Spirit, and Grace, Rom. 7. 18,25. The Lam of the members, Rom7.23. Col.3.5. A mans own luft, Jam.1.14. where 'tis exprefly distinguifhed from actual fin, as being the procreant cause of it.

2. Its Actual tranfgreffions, where are to be confidered,

1. Omiffions of good, and the duties required, that might and ought to have been done. 2. Commiffions of evil:

Against the Law, even both

Offending Tables of it.

Against the Gospel.

3. Doing that which was goed in an evil manner, flight, and undue performance of holy duties.

4. The aggravations of these fins, in regard First, of the greatneffe of many of them, Every one has fome black daies in his Calender, fome more high and great offences, whereof he hath been guilty, and for which he is to be more deeply humbled. Secondly, The number of them, if we confider, 1. Wicked thoughts. 2. Inordinate Affections. 3. Sinful words. 4. Evil actions. Thirdly, That many of them have been committed, 1. Against mercies. 2. Against judgments. 3. Against promifes and vowes of better obedience.

L 3

Secondly,

Secondly, Contrition, Godly forrow, brokenneß of heart for fin. To be forry for what we have done amiffe, is fomething towards repentance, but it is not the whole of it. Gracious bu. miliation, is a deep and hearty grieving for all our fins, and that upon thefe Gospel Motives.

1. Because we have by our fins highly difpicafed and offended our gracious God, whom we had all the reafon in the world to have ftudied to pleafe. The displeasure and offence of God is that which fets the foul a bleeding and mourning evangelically. Confider therefore, what is the Spring of thy forrow. If the punishment or fhame of thy fins touch thee nearer than the offence of God, 'tis a fign thy forrow is not right.

2. Because our fins pierced our dear Lord and Saviour, and put him to fuch grievous, painful, and fhameful fufferings.

3. Because by our fins we have brought a horrible defilement, and stain on our fouls.

4. Because we have made our felves liable to the wrath and curfe of God, and deferve to be separated from the Lord, and to be punished! among devils, and damned fiends for ever. This (in conjunction with the former) is an Evangelical motive. I confeffe, to weep, and howl, and grieve, meerly for the wrath and pu nifhment fin has brought upon the foul, is fuch a forrow, as Fudas had his share in; and the damned

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138 damned in Hell exceed in it. But this forrow

does not use to leave the foul in a better difpofiti_ on for obedience in time to come, as godly forrow doth, 2 Cor.7.10. Godly forrow worketh repentance unto life, And take notice by the way, this Godly forrow, is not a flower that growes in the Garden of nature. A hard heart is Adams Legacy: There may be a flexible nature, where there is a hard heart, that knowes not how to mourn and grieve for fin in a right manner. Godly ferrow is voluntary. The foul is active in it, prayes for fuch a melting frame, is thankful for it, is best pleased when the heart is foft and tender, and deeply affected for its fins and offences against God. 'Tis not fo in worldly forrow; in that we are meerly paffive, It comes upon us without fending for, or being bidden welcome by us.

for

Thirdly, Hating, and Loathing fin. The Spirit of fanctification works a fecret antipathy, an irreconcileable hatred in the foul against fin. The true penitent hates fin, as fin: As David said, Pfal.119.128. I hate every falfe way, True hatred is to the whole kind. When we hate fio, as fin, we hate all fin. Now the reason why there is fuch an univerfal hatred, in the true peni-, tent against all fin, is

1. Because his judgment is altered, his mind is changed; he fees with other eies than he did before He fees the evil and danger of fin in L 4 thofe

thofe particulars before mentioned. He fees plainly that fin is but like a cup of sweet wine, that hath rank poifon in it.

2. His heart and affections are turned against it. He hath a new heart put into him. It God fhould offer him his choice of these two things, either a liberty to go on in fin, or power, and Grace, and firength against it, he would readily clofe with the latter. The remembrance of fin is bitter, and grievous to him; not fo, the remembrance of affliction; he bleffes God for afflictions, that have weaned his heart from fin. He is fick of fin, weary of it, 'tis a burden to him, his heart rifes against it, he had rather God should exercise him with any affliction, than give him up to a hardned course in fin.

Fourthly,Confeffion of fin. Every true penitent is bound to make private confeffion of his fins to God, praying earnestly for the pardon of the For

1. By this meanes the foul is brought into a dislike of fin. Confeffion 'tis an act of mortification: 'Tis the fpiritual vomit of the foul; it breeds a diflike of the fweet morfels of fin, when they are thus caft up again with loathing. Sin though fweet in commission, is bitter in remembrance, and confeffion.

2. By a free ingenuous confeffion of fin, we accufe our lelves unto God; take fhame to our flves, judge and condemn our felves before him, humbly acknowledging we are worthy of all his curfes,

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