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while it is called To-day, but still harden SERM. their Hearts; should not tremble, left they IIL be made like him in Condemnation; be ftruck with spiritual Death, irrecoverable, before the natural, if that be delay'd.

The Conclufion is, that a Period may be fixed in the Divine Judgment, beyond which no Grace, no Place of Repentance fhall be found; that though Vengeance be not then immediately executed, yet after Mens Iniquities are full, they may remain feal'd up against the Time of it, after the Example of the Doom of Jerufalem, declar'd by our Lord, which well deferves a Recital on this Occafion; If thou badft known, even thou, at least in this thy Day, the Things which belong unto thy Peace! but now they are hid from thy Eyes. For the Days fhall come upon thee, that thine Enemies fhall caft a Trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every Side, and shall lay thee even with the Ground, and thy Children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one Stone upon another. Now attend to the Reason that clofes all this; Because thou knewest not the Time of thy Vifitation.

Upon

SERM. Upon the whole Matter, let us apply III. therefore to ourselves that of the Apostle,

Behold, Now is the accepted Time; behold, now is the Day of Salvation: Let us feek Wisdom early, left it foon prove too late to find her. And for thofe, who are still for delaying to keep the Commandments; let them at least hear the farcaftick and menacing Conceffion of the Angel in the Revelation; The Time is at Hand: He that is unjust, let him be unjust ftill: and be which is filthy, let him be filthy fill.

SERMON IV.

SERMON

IV.

Of Repentance, and its proper

Fruits.

PART I

MATTH iii. 8.

Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance.

EPENTANCE fignifies at SERM, large, our Change of Sen- IV. timents, together with that

R

Regret, whereby we dif

approve what was before freely done, or fpoken, or permitted by us; or reject any Defign that we had embrac'd to be put in Practice hereafter: And it is the fame, where it condemns the Neglect of Forbearance VOL. I H

SERM. of acting, fpeaking, allowing, or refolIV. ving. Agreeably to which, when it is apply'd to the Matter of Religion, it fignifies the Grief of Soul, and Resolution of contrary Conduct, entertained by a Sinner, with regard to his Breaches of God's Law, either omitting what it requir'd, or committing what it prohibited. Then, (because as foon as a Man is convinced of, and detefts the Evil of his Ways, and fo refolves upon a new Course; if he does fhew himself a Man, and act rationally; he pursues that Course, and keeps clear of his former Miscarriages ;) this Word, Repentance, is often put for the Amendment itself, as well as the Refolution of it. Many fuch Places are found in the Scripture; as where Repentance is the fole Condition mentioned of our escaping Destruction, or attaining Divine Favour and Salvation. And this inlarg'd Senfe of the Word in those Paffages, fome Men, (loth finally to part with their Corruptions,), will not fee; but would fain perfuade themselves, that a tranfient Sorrow, a Confeffion of Words, and Promises without Performance, may find Acceptance with the God of Truth.

and

and Righteoufnefs. Neither is there any SERM Excufe for fo abfurd a Conceit from the IV. Darkness of that Way of fpeaking: Since all confidering Men muft allow it to be ordinary, as well in the Scripture, as in common Difcourfe, to ufe the Names of the Difpofitions and Habits of our Mind to exprefs alfo their juft and natural Confe quences. Thus we find Faith, Love, Knowledge, Ignorance, put for the Life and the Actions, which they should in all Reafon produce. And when those fail, and the contrary appear; he that knows is reproached as ignorant; he that loves, as bating; and the Believer, as deftitute of Faith. Now when we fay, if fuch a one would but believe his Friends, or repent of his Follies, or open his Eyes, he would be fafe, or happy; there is no body but underftands our Meaning perfectly well, How then is it, that many mistake the Scripture Expreffions ; and put any

Confidence in the Faith of a Chriftian with the Life of an Infidel; or in that Repentance (to our Purpofe) which bears no other Fruit but new Repentance ? 'Tis enough to fay, that few could judge fo ftrangely,

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