A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 3 · Answer 1
Firſt Anſwer.
Anſ. 1 Firſt, That turning from ſin, which brings a man within the compaſs of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſin, is a cordial turning from ſin, Joel 2.12. Turn ye, even to me, with all your heart. 2 Chron. 6.38. If they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their ſoul. Ver. 39. Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their ſupplication, and forgive their ſins. Deut. 30.10. If thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, &c. Jer. 3.10. And yet for all this, her treacherous ſiſter Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, ſaith the Lord. Chap. 24.7. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God; for they ſhall return unto me with their whole heart. Wicked men are ſerious and cordial in their ſinning, and they muſt be as ſerious and cordial in their returning, or they are loſt and undone for ever. The true penitent turns from ſin with his heart, with all his heart, and with all his ſoul; he is turned in good earneſt from his ſins, whoſe heart is turned from his ſins; if the heart turns not, all is naught, all is ſtark naught; he that turns from ſin, but not with his heart, turns but feignedly, partially, hypocritically, deceifully. God is a juſt and a jealous God, and he will never endure corrivals or copartners in the throne, the heart of man; a holy God will never divide with an unholy Devil. The true God is a righteous God, and he will never ſhare his glory with another; the true God muſt be ſerved truly, heartily, he loves neither halting nor halving. Such as divide the rooms of their ſouls betwixt God and ſin, God and Satan, God and the world, that ſwear by God and Malcham, that ſometimes pray devoutly, and at other times curſe moſt hideouſly; that halt betwixt God and Baal, are meer Heteroclites in Religion, and ſuch whom God abhors. When a man's heart gives a bill of divorce to his ſins, when his heart breaks the league with ſin, when his heart caſts it off, and caſts it out as an abominable thing, then the heart is turned from ſin really, effectually, &c. If notwithſtanding all the profeſſions that a man makes againſt his ſins, his heart ſtill loves them, and delights in them, and he will ſtill retain them, and welcom them, and cleave to them, and make proviſion for them, &c. his repentance is feigned and not real, &c. But,