3o The Unprofita6lenefs of Sin in this Life, Vol. II. tion of it, but only want of time and opportunity for it when the Repentance is fìncere, and the Refolution real, but the Man is cut off between the a &ual Refor- mation which he intended, and which God, who fees things certainly in their Caufes, knows would have followed, if the Man had lived to give Demonftrati- on of it. But this is nothing to thofe who have the opportunity to make good their Refolution, and do not :.for, becaufe the refolution which would have been perform'd, had there been time and opportunity, is reckon'd tor a true Re- pentance, and accepted of God as if it had been done;. therefore the Refolution which was not brought to effe& when there was time and opportunity for it, hath not the natureof true Repentance, nor will it be accepted of God. I will add but one thing more upon this Head, becaufe I doubt it is not always fuf&ciently confidered ; and that is this, That a fincere Refolutionof a better courfe, does imply a Refolution ofthe means, as well as of the end ; he that is truly refolved againff any fin, is likewife refolvedagain(t theoccafions and temp- tations that would lead and draw him ro it ; otherwife he hath taken up a rath and foolifh Refolution, which he is not like to keep, becaufe he did not refolve upon that whip ,was neceffary to the keeping of it. So he that refolves upon a- ny part of , his Duty, mufk likewife refolve upon themeans which are necefläry to the difcharge'md performanceof it ; he that is refolved to be jell in bis dealing, and to payhis debts, mutt be diligent in his Calling, and mind his bulnefs, be- carafe with. t this he cannot do the other ; for nothing can be more vain and fond, than for a Man ro pretend that he is refolved upon doing his Duty, when he negleas anv thing that is neceffary to put hire into a cap .city, and to further him in the difcharge of it. This is, as ii a.Man fhould refolve to be well, and yet never take-Phyuck, or be carelefs in obferving the rules which are prefcribed in order to his health. So fora Man to refolve ,gainht Drunkennefs, and . et to runhimfelf upon the temptations which naturally lead to it, by frequenting the Company oflewd and intemperate Perlons, this is, as if a Man fhould refolve a- gain(t the Plague, run intothe Peft-hhofe. Whatever can reafonably move a Man to be refolved upon any End, will, if his Refolution be wife and honett, determine him as ftrongly to cafe the Means which are proper and neceffary to that End. . Thefe arc the common Miftakes about this matter, which Men are the more willing to run into, becaufe they are loath to be brought to a true Repentance ; the Nature whereof is not difficult to be underftood, (for nothing in the World is plainer ; ) only Men are always flow to underftand what they have no mind to put in pra&ice.' But . II. Betides thefe Miftakes about Repentance, there is another great Mifcarriage in this matter, and that is the delay of Repentance Men are loth to fet about it, and therefore they put it upon the l.dt hazard, and refolve then to huddle it up as well as they can : but this certainly is great folly, to be Bill making more work for Repentance, becaufe it is to create fo much needlefs trouble and vexation to our (elves; 'lis to go on Bill in playing a foolì(h part, in hopes to retrieve all by anafter -game ; this is extreamly dangerous, becaufe we may certainly fin, but it is not certain we (hall repent, our Repentance maybe prevented, and we may be gut off in our fins; but if we fhould have fpace for it, Repentance may in procefs of time grow an hundred timesmore difficult than it is at prefent. :But if it were much morecertain, and more eafie than it is, if it were nothing but a heartySorrow andShame for our Sins, and an asking God forgivenefs for them, without zing, put to the trouble of reforming our wicked lives, yet this were great- folly, to do thofe things which will certainly grieveus after we have done them, and put us to (name, and to ask forgivenefs for them. It was well Paid of eld-Caso, nai toflnitur es homuncio, qui mulie veniant precari, pans non pee- pare t tbou art a foolifb-man indeed, whochrsfe0È rather to ask forgivenefs, than not to &fend. At the belt, Repentance impliesa fault ; it is an after-Wifdom, which fuppo- feth a Manfrft to-have plaid the fool ; it is but the belt end of a bad bufinefs ; a hard fhift, and a-defperate.hhazard, which a Man that had a&ed prudently' would never
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