Sermons and Discourses Volume 8, Sermon 1
SERMON I.Serm. 1. The Neceſſity of Repentance and Faith.
Acts XX.21.
Teſtifying both to the Jews, and alſo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
TO have ſeen St. Paul in the Pulpit, was one of thoſe three things which St. Auguſtine thought worth the wiſhing for. And ſure it were very deſirable to have ſeen this glorious Inſtrument of God, who did ſuch wonders in the World, to have heard that plain and powerful Eloquence of his, which was ſo mighty through God, for the caſting down of ſtrong holds, Vol. 8.and the ſubduing of men to the obedience of the Goſpel; to have beheld the zeal of this holy man, who was all on fire for God, with what ardency of affection, and earneſtneſs of expreſſion, he perſuaded men to come in to Chriſt, and entertain the Goſpel. This were very deſirable; but ſeeing it is a thing we cannot hope for, it ſhould be ſome ſatisfaction to our curioſity, to know what St. Paul preached, what was the main Subject of his Sermons, whither he refer'd all his Diſcourſes, and what they tended to. This he tells us in the words that I have read to you, that the main ſubſtance of all his Sermons was repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
The Occaſion of the words was briefly this. St. Paul being in his Journy to Jeruſalem, and intending to be there by the day of Pentecoſt, that he might not be hindred in his Journy, he reſolves to paſs by Epheſus, and only to call to him the Elders of the Church to charge them with their duty, and the care of the Church; and to engage them hereto, he tells them how he had carried and demeaned himſelf among them, v. 18. with what diligence and vigilance he had watched over them, with what affection and earneſtneſs he had preached to them, v. 19, 20. And here in the Text he tells them, what had been the ſum of his Doctrine, and the ſubſtance of thoſe many Sermons he had preached among them, and what was the End and Deſign of all his Diſcourſes, viz. To perſwade men to repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Teſtifying both to the Jews and Greeks, &c.
I ſhall explain the words a little, and then fix upon the Obſervations which I intend to ſpeak to, becauſe I deſign this only as a Preface to ſome larger Diſcourſes of Faith and Repentance.
For explication. Teſtifying, the word is foreign, which ſignifies to teſtifie, to prove a thing by teſtimony; ſo 'tis uſed, Heb. 2.6. But one in a certain place teſtifyeth, ſaying. In heathen Writers the word is often uſed in a Law ſenſe, for conteſting by Law, and pleading in a Cauſe; and from hence it ſignifies, earneſtly to contend or perſuade by arguments and threatnings. In the uſe of the LXX. it ſignifies to proteſt, to convince, to preſs earneſtly, to perſwade. It is uſed moſt frequently by St. Luke in a very intenſe ſignification, and is ſometimes joyned with Exhorting, which is an earneſt perſwading to a thing, Acts 2.40. And with many other words did he teſtifie and exhort, ſaying, ſave your ſelves from this untoward generation; and with Preaching, Acts 8.25. And when they had teſtified and preached the word of the Lord; and ſo Acts 18.5. Being preſſed in ſpirit, he teſtified to the Jews, that Jeſus was the Chriſt. Being preſſed in ſpirit, ſignifies intention and vehemency in teſtifying to them, that he did vehemently endeavour to convince them; it ſeems to be equivalent to the expreſſion, v. 28. where it is ſaid, Apollos did mightily convince the Jews that Jeſus was the Chriſt; that is, did uſe ſuch Perſuaſions and Arguments as were ſufficient to convince; and to mention no more, Acts 28.23. He expounded and teſtified the Kingdom of God, perſwading them concerning Jeſus.
St Paul in his Epiſtle to Timothy uſeth this word in a moſt vehement ſenſe, for giving a ſolemn charge, 1 Tim. 5.21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the word is foreign; and ſo 2 Tim. 2.14. charging them before the Lord, that they ſtrive not about words; and ſo 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and here in the Text the word ſeems to be of a very high and intenſe ſignification becauſe of the circumſtances mentioned before and after; he tells us before, that he taught them at all ſeaſons, v. 18. publickly and from houſe to houſe, v. 20. and afterwards at the 31. v. that he warned them day and night with tears; ſo that teſtifying to the Jews Repentance and Faith, muſt ſignifie his preſſing and perſwading of them with the greateſt vehemency, to turn from their ſins, and believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; his charging on them theſe things as their duty, his pleading with them the neceſſity of Faith and Repentance, and earneſtly endeavouring to convince them thereof.
Repentance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: What is the Reaſon of this appropriation of Repentance and Faith, the one as properly reſpecting God, and the other our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? I anſwer. Repentance doth properly reſpect God, becauſe he is the party offended, and to whom we are to be reconciled; the Faith of the Goſpel doth properly refer to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the chief and principal Object of it; ſo that by teſtifying to them repentance towards God, &c. we are to underſtand that the Apoſtle did earneſtly preſs and perſwade them to repent of their ſins, whereby they had offended God, and to believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the Meſſias, the perſon that was ordained of God, and ſent to be the Saviour of the world.
From the Words thus explained, this is the Obſervation that doth naturally ariſe,
That Repentance and Faith are the ſum and ſubſtance of the Goſpel; and that Miniſters ought with all earneſtneſs and vehemency to preſs people to repent and believe, to charge them with theſe, as their duty, and by all means to endeavour to convince them of the neceſſity of them.
In the handling of this, I ſhall do theſe Two things.
Firſt, Shew you what is included in Repentance and Faith, that you may ſee that they are the ſum of the Goſpel. And,
Secondly, Shew you the neceſſity of them.
Firſt, What is included in theſe.
I. Repentance; this properly ſignifies a change of mind, a conviction that we have done amiſs, ſo as to be truly ſorry for what we have done, and heartily to wiſh that we had not done it. To repent, is to alter our mind, to have other apprehenſions of things than we had, to look upon that now as evil, which we did not before; from whence follows ſorrow for what we have done, and a reſolution of mind for the future not to do again that which appears now to us to be ſo evil, that we are aſhamed of it, and troubled for it, and wiſh we had never done it. So that repentance implies a conviction that we have done ſomething that is evil and ſinful, contrary to the Law we are under, and thoſe Obligations of duty and gratitude that lie upon us, whereby God is highly provoked and incenſed againſt us, and we in danger of his wrath, and the ſad effects of his diſpleaſure; upon which we are troubled, and grieved, and aſhamed for what we have done, and wiſh we had been wiſer, and had done otherwiſe; hereupon we reſolve never to do any thing that is ſinful, that is contrary to our duty and obligations to God, and by which we may provoke him againſt us. Theſe two things are contained in a true repentance, a deep ſenſe of, and ſorrow for the evils that are paſt, and the ſins that we have committed; and a firm purpoſe and reſolution of obedience for the future, of abſtaining from all ſin, and doing what ever is our duty; the true effect of which Reſolution, is the breaking off the practice of ſin and the courſe of a wicked life, and a conſtant courſe of obedience.
II. Faith in Chriſt is an effectual believing the Revelation of the Goſpel, the Hiſtory and the Doctrine of it; the Hiſtory of it, that there was ſuch a perſon as Jeſus Chriſt, that he was the true Meſſias, propheſied of and promiſed in the Old Teſtament, that he was born and lived and preached, and wrought the Miracles that are recorded, that he was crucified, and roſe again, and aſcended into Heaven, that he was the Son of God, and ſent by him into the world, by his Doctrine to inſtruct, and by the Example of his life to go before us in the way to happineſs, and by the Merit and Satisfaction of his death and ſufferings, to appeaſe and reconcile God to us, and to purchaſe for us the pardon of our ſins and eternal life, upon the Conditions of Faith and Repentance and ſincere Obedience; and that to enable us to the performance of theſe Conditions, he promiſed and afterward ſent his holy Spirit, to accompany the preaching of his Goſpel, and to aſſiſt all Chriſtians to the doing of that which God requires of them; this is the Hiſtory of the Goſpel.
Now the Doctrine of it contains the Precepts and Promiſes and Threatnings of it, and Faith in Chriſt includes a firm belief of all theſe; of the Precepts of the Goſpel as the matter of our duty, and the Rule of our life; and of the Promiſes and Threatnings of the Goſpel, as arguments to our duty, to encourage our Obedience, and deter us from ſin. So that he that believes the Lord Jeſus, believes him to be the great Guide and Teacher ſent from God, to bring and conduct men to eternal happineſs, and that therefore we ought to hearken to him and follow him; this is to believe his Prophetical Office. He believes that he is the Author of ſalvation, and hath purchaſed for us forgiveneſs of ſins, ranſom from hell, and eternal life and bleſſedneſs upon the Conditions before mentioned, and therefore that we ought to rely upon him only for ſalvation, to own him for our Saviour, and to beg of him his holy Spirit, which he hath promiſed to us, to enable us to perform the Conditions required on our part; this is to believe his Prieſtly Office. And laſtly, He believes that the Precepts of the Goſpel, being delivered to us by the Son of God, ought to have the authority of Laws upon us, and that we are bound to be obedient to them; and for our encouragement if we be ſo, that there is a glorious and eternal Reward promiſed to us; and for our terror if we be not, there are terrible and eternal Puniſhments threatned to us; to which Rewards, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt at the day of Judgment, will ſentence men, as the great Judge of the world; and this is to believe the Kingly Office of Chriſt. And this is the ſum of that which is meant by Faith towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which the Apoſtle ſaith was one Subject of his preaching.
And the proper and genuine effect of this Faith, is to live as we believe, to conform our lives to the Doctrine, to the truth whereof we aſſent. Hence it is that true Chriſtians, that is, thoſe who faſhioned their lives according to the Goſpel, are call'd believers; and the whole of Chriſtianity is many times contained in this word believing, which is the great Principle of a Chriſtian life. As in the Old Teſtament all Religion is expreſs'd by the fear of God; ſo in the New, by Faith in Chriſt.
And now you ſee what is included in Repentance and Faith, you may eaſily judge whether theſe be not the ſum of the Goſpel, that men would forſake their ſins and turn to God, and believe the revelation of the Goſpel concerning Jeſus Chriſt, that is, heartily entertain it and ſubmit to it. What did Chriſt preach to the Jews, but that they would repent of their ſins, and believe on him as the Meſſias? And what did the Apoſtles preach, but to the ſame purpoſe? When St. Peter preached to the Jews, Acts 2. the effect of his Sermon and the ſcope of it was to perſwade them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jeſus, that is, to profeſs their belief in him, v. 38. And ſo Acts 3.19. This is the concluſion of his diſcourſe, repent therefore and be converted; and then he propounded Chriſt to them as the Object of their Faith, being the great Prophet that was Propheſied of by Moſes, who ſhould be raiſed up among them, v. 22. So likewiſe St. Paul when he preached to the Jews and Gentiles, theſe were his great Subjects, Acts 17.30. This is the concluſion of his Sermon to the Athenians, to perſwade them to repent, by the conſideration of a future Judgment; and to perſwade them to believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was to be the Judge of the world, from the Miracle of his Reſurrection; But now he commands all men every where to repent, becauſe he hath appointed a day, &c. whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that he hath raiſed him from the dead. So that you ſee that theſe are the great Doctrines of the Goſpel, and were the ſum of the Apoſtles preaching; all their Sermons were perſwaſives to theſe two Duties of Repentance and Faith.
Secondly, For the Neceſſity of theſe Doctrines. They are neceſſary for the eſcaping of eternal miſery, and attaining of everlaſting happineſs. And this will appear, by conſidering the Nature of them, and the Relation they have to both theſe.
For the avoiding of eternal puniſhment, 'tis neceſſary that guilt ſhould be removed, which is an obligation to puniſhment, and that cannot be but by pardon; and ſure we cannot imagine that God will ever pardon us without repentance; he will never remit to us the puniſhment of ſin, ſo long as we tell him we are not at all troubled for what we have done, and we are of the ſame mind ſtill, and will do the ſame again; and till we repent, we tell God this, and we may be ſure God will not caſt away his Pardons upon thoſe that deſpiſe them; ſo that Repentance is neceſſary to the eſcaping of Hell.
And Faith in Chriſt is neceſſary to it; for if this be the method of God's grace, not to pardon ſin without Satisfaction, and Jeſus Chriſt hath made Satisfaction for ſin by the merit of his Sufferings, and if it be neceſſary that we ſhould believe this, that the benefit hereof may redound to us; then Faith in Chriſt is neceſſary to the obtaining of the pardon of ſin, by which the guilt of ſin is removed, that is, our obligation to eternal puniſhment.
And then for attaining Salvation. Chriſt having in the Goſpel revealed to us the way and means to eternal happineſs, it is neceſſary that we ſhould believe this Revelation of the Goſpel by Jeſus Chriſt, in order to this end. So that you ſee the neceſſity of Faith and Repentance, becauſe without theſe we can neither eſcape Miſery, nor attain to Happineſs.
I ſhould now come to draw ſome Inferences from this Diſcourſe, but I will firſt give ſatisfaction to a Query or two, to which this Diſcourſe ſeems to have given occaſion.
1. Query. You will ſay, why do I call Repentance a Doctrine of the Goſpel? It is a Doctrine of Nature. Natural Religion tells us, that when we have offended God, we ought to be ſorry for it, and reſolve to amend and reform.
Anſ. I do not make the Doctrine of Repentance proper to the Goſpel, as if it had not been revealed to the world before; but becauſe it is a Doctrine which the Goſpel very much preſſeth and perſwadeth men to, and becauſe the great Motives and Enforcements of it, are peculiar to the Goſpel. So that the Doctrine of Repentance, conſidered with thoſe powerful Reaſons and Arguments to it, which the Goſpel furniſheth us withal, is in this ſenſe proper to the Goſpel, and not known to the world before.
There are two Motives and Enforcements to Repentance which the Goſpel furniſheth us with.
1. Aſſurance of Pardon and Remiſſion of ſins in caſe of repentance, which is a great encouragement to repentance, and which, before the Goſpel, the world had never any firm and clear aſſurance of.
2. Aſſurance of eternal Rewards and Puniſhments after this life, which is a ſtrong Argument to perſwade men to change their lives, that they may avoid the miſery that is threatned to impenitent ſinners, and be qualified for the Happineſs which it promiſeth to Repentance and Obedience. And this the Apoſtle tells us in the forementioned place, Acts 17.30, 31. is that which doth as it were make Repentance to be a new Doctrine that did come with the Goſpel into the world, becauſe it was never before enforced with this powerful Argument; the time's of that ignorance God winked at; but now he calls upon all men every where to repent; becauſe, &c. When the world was in ignorance, and had not ſuch aſſurance of a future ſtate, of eternal Rewards and Puniſhments after this life, the Arguments to Repentance were weak and feeble in compariſon of what they now are, the neceſſity of this Duty was not ſo evident. But now God hath aſſur'd us of a future Judgment, now Exhortations to Repentance have a commanding power and influence upon men; ſo that Repentance, both as it is that which is very much preſt and inculcated in the Goſpel, and as it hath its chief Motives and Enforcements from the Goſpel, may be ſaid to be one of the great Doctrines of the Goſpel.
Query 2. Whether the preaching of Faith in Chriſt, among thoſe who are already Chriſtians, be at all neceſſary? Becauſe it ſeems very improper, to preſs thoſe to believe in Chriſt, who are already perſwaded that he is the Meſſias, and do entertain the Hiſtory and Doctrine of the Goſpel.
Anſ. The Faith which the Apoſtle here means, and which he would perſwade men to, is an effectual belief of the Goſpel; ſuch a Faith as hath real effects upon men, and makes them to live as they believe; ſuch a Faith as perſwades them of the need of theſe Bleſſings that the Goſpel offers, and makes them to deſire to be partakers of them, and in order thereto to be willing to ſubmit to thoſe Terms and Conditions of Holineſs and Obedience, which the Goſpel requires. This is the Faith we would perſwade men to, and there is nothing more neceſſary to be preſt upon the greateſt part of Chriſtians than this; for how few are there among thoſe who profeſs to believe the Goſpel, who believe it in this effectual manner, ſo as to conform themſelves to it? The Faith which moſt Chriſtians pretend to, is meerly negative; they do not disbelieve the Goſpel, they do not conſider it, nor trouble themſelves about it, they do not care nor are concerned whether it be true or not; but they have not a poſitive belief of it, they are not poſſeſt with a firm perſwaſion of the truth of thoſe matters which are contained in it; if they were, ſuch a perſwaſion would produce real and poſitive effects. Every man naturally deſires Happineſs, and 'tis impoſſible that any man that is poſſeſt with this belief, that in order to Happineſs it is neceſſary for him to do ſuch and ſuch things, and that if he omit or neglect them, he is unavoidably miſerable, that he ſhould not do them. Men ſay they believe this or that, but you may ſee in their lives, what it is they believe. So that the preaching of this Faith in Chriſt, which is the only true Faith, is ſtill neceſſary.
I. Inference. If Repentance towards God, and Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, be the ſum and ſubſtance of the Goſpel, then from hence we may infer the Excellency of the Chriſtian Religion, which inſiſts only upon theſe things which do tend to our Perfection and our Happineſs. Repentance tends to our recovery, and the bringing of us back as near as may be to innocence. Primus innocentiae graedus eſt non peccaſſe; ſecundus, penitentia: and then Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, tho it be very comprehenſive, and contains many things in it, yet nothing but what is eminently for our advantage, and doth very much conduce to our happineſs. The Hiſtorical part of the Goſpel acquaints us with the Perſon and Actions of our Saviour, which conduceth very much to our underſtanding of the Author and Means of our Salvation. The Doctrinal part of the Goſpel contains what God requires on our part, and the Encouragements and Arguments to our Duty, from the conſideration of the Recompence and Rewards of the next life. The Precepts of Chriſts Doctrine are ſuch as tend exceedingly to the Perfection of our nature, being all founded in Reaſon, in the nature of God, and of a Reaſonable Creature; I except only thoſe poſitive Inſtitutions of the Chriſtian Religion, the two Sacraments, which are not burthenſome, and are of excellent uſe. This is the firſt.
II. we may learn from hence what is to be the ſum and end of our Preaching, to bring men to Repentance and a firm belief of the Goſpel; but then it is to be conſidered, that we preach Repentance, ſo often as we preach either againſt ſin in general, or any particular ſin or vice; and ſo often as we perſwade to holineſs in general, or to the performance of any particular Duty of Religion, or to the exerciſe of any particular Grace; for Repentance includes the forſaking of ſin, and a ſincere reſolution and endeavour of reformation and obedience. And we preach Repentance ſo often as we inſiſt upon ſuch Conſiderations and Arguments, as may be powerful to deter men from ſin, and to engage them to holineſs. And we preach Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſo often as we declare the grounds of the Chriſtian Religion, and inſiſt upon ſuch Arguments as tend to make it credible, and are proper to convince men of the Truth and Reaſonableneſs of it; ſo often as we explain the Myſtery of Chriſt's incarnation, the Hiſtory of his Life, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, and Interceſſion, and the proper Ends and Uſe of theſe; ſo often as we open the Method of God's Grace for the ſalvation of ſinners, the Nature of the Covenant between God and us, and the Conditions of it, and the way how a ſinner is juſtified and hath his ſins pardoned, the Nature and Neceſſity of Regeneration and Sanctification; ſo often as we explain the Precepts of the Goſpel, and the Promiſes and Threatnings of it, and endeavour to convince men of the Equity of Chriſt's Commands, and to aſſure them of the Certainty of the Eternal Happineſs which the Goſpel promiſes to them that obey it, and of the Eternal Miſery which the Goſpel threatens to thoſe that are diſobedient; all this is preaching Faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
III. This may correct the irregular humor and itch in many people, who are not contented with this plain and wholſom food, but muſt be gratified with ſublime Notions and unintelligible Myſteries, with pleaſant paſſages of Wit, and artificial ſtrains of Rhetorick, with nice and unprofitable Diſputes, with bold interpretations of dark Prophecies, and peremptory Determinations of what will happen next year, and a punctual ſtating of the time when Anti-Chriſt ſhall be thrown down, and Babylon ſhall fall, and who ſhall be employed in this Work. Or if their humor lies another way, you muſt apply your ſelf to it, by making ſharp Reflections upon matters in preſent controverſie and debate, you muſt dip your ſtile in Gall and Vinegar, and be all Satyr and Invective againſt thoſe that differ from you, and teach people to hate one another, and to fall together by the ears; and this men call Goſpel preaching, and ſpeaking of Seaſonable Truths.
Surely St. Paul was a Goſpel Preacher, and ſuch an one as may be a Patern to all others; and yet he did none of theſe; he preached what men might underſtand, and what they ought to believe and practice, in a plain and unaffected and convincing manner; he taught ſuch things as made for peace, and whereby he might edifie and build up men in their holy Faith. The Doctrines that he preached will never be unſeaſonable, that men ſhould leave their ſins, and believe the Goſpel, and live accordingly.
And if men muſt needs be gratified with Diſputes and Controverſies, there are theſe great Controverſies between God and the ſinner to be ſtated and determined; Whether this be Religion, to follow our own luſts and inclinations, or to endeavour to be like God, and to be conformed to him, in Goodneſs, and Mercy, and Righteouſneſs, and Truth, and Faithfulneſs? Whether Jeſus Chriſt be not the Meſſias and Saviour of the world? Whether Faith and Repentance and Sincere Obedience be not the Terms of Salvation, and the neceſſary Conditions of Happineſs? Whether there ſhall be a future Judgment, when all men ſhall be ſentenced according to their works? Whether there be a Heaven and Hell? Whether good men ſhall be eternally and unſpeakably happy, and wicked men extreamly and everlaſtingly miſerable? Theſe are the great Controverſies of Religion, upon which we are to diſpute on God's behalf againſt ſinners. God aſſerts, and ſinners deny theſe things, not in Words, but which is more emphatical and ſignificant, in their Lives and Actions. Theſe are practical Controverſies of Faith, and it concerns every man to be reſolved and determined about them, that he may frame his life accordingly.
And ſo for Repentance; God ſays, Repentance is a forſaking of ſin, and a through change and amendment of life; the ſinner ſays that it is only a formal Confeſſion, and a ſlight asking of God forgiveneſs: God calls upon us ſpeedily and forthwith to repent; the ſinner ſaith 'tis time enough, and it may ſafely be defer'd to ſickneſs or death; theſe are important Controverſies and matters of moment. But men do not affect common Truths; whereas theſe are moſt neceſſary: And indeed whatever is generally uſeful and beneficial, ought to be common, and not to be the leſs valued, but the more eſteemed for being ſo.
And as theſe Doctrines of Faith and Repentance are never unſeaſonable, ſo are they more peculiarly proper when we celebrate the Holy Sacrament, which was inſtituted for a ſolemn and ſtanding Memorial of the Chriſtian Religion, and is one of the moſt powerful Arguments and Perſwaſives to repentance and a good life.
The Faith of the Goſpel doth more particularly reſpect the death of Chriſt; and therefore it is call'd Faith in his Blood, becauſe that is more eſpecially the Object of our Faith; the Blood of Chriſt, as it was a Seal of the truth of his Doctrine, ſo it is alſo a Confirmation of all the Bleſſings and Benefits of the New Covenant.
And it is one of the greateſt Arguments in the world to repentance. In the Blood of Chriſt we may ſee our own guilt, and in the dreadful Sufferings of the Son of God, the juſt deſert of our ſins; for he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities; therefore the Commemoration of his Sufferings ſhould call our ſins to remembrance, the Repreſentation of his Body broken, ſhould melt our hearts; and ſo often as we remember that his blood was ſhed for us, our eyes ſhould run down with rivers of tears; ſo often as we look upon him whom we have pierced, we ſhould mourn over him. When the Son of God ſuffered, the rocks were rent in ſunder; and ſhall not the conſideration of thoſe ſufferings be effectual to break the moſt ſtony and obdurate heart?
What can be more proper when we come to this Sacrament, than the renewing of our Repentance? When we partake of this Paſſover, we ſhould eat it with bitter herbs. The moſt ſolemn Expreſſions of our Repentance fall ſhort of thoſe Sufferings which our bleſſed Saviour underwent for our ſins; if our head were waters, and our eyes fountains of tears, we could never ſufficiently lament the curſed Effects and Conſequences of thoſe provocations which were ſo fatal to the Son of God.
And that our Repentance may be real, it muſt be accompanied with the Reſolution of a better life; for if we return to our ſins again, we trample under foot the Son of God, and profane the Blood of the Covenant, and out of the Cup of Salvation we drink our own damnation, and turn that which ſhould ſave us into an inſtrument and Seal of our own ruin.