7o The Natare and Necefjìty Vol. II. tance. So that among all the A&ions of a Mans Life, there is none that Both more neceffarily require an exprefs Purpofe, than Repentance does. And that herein Repentancedoth chiefly confifl, I (hall endeavour to make e- vident from Scripture, and from the common apprehenfions of Mankind concer- ning Repentance. The Scripture, befides the leverai defcriptions of Repentance, ufeth two words to exprefs it to us, t.i.k=pPtc42. and prrrrivora. The former properly lignifies the inward trouble anddifpleafure which men conceiveagainfl themfelves, for having done amifs; which if if it be eg.7r2 CO, 2n i, agodly forrow, it worketh fetus ,444,o124, ri,ws7n1.ì rzov, as St. Paul calls it, a Repentance not to be repented of that is, fuch a change of our Minds, which as we (hall have no Caufe tobetroubled at, fono Reafon to alter afterwards. And what is this but a firm, fledfafl, and unalterable Refolution. The Scripture likewife ufeth feveral Phrafes of the like importance to defcribe Repentance by ; as forfaking and turning from fin, and conver%son and turning to God. Partaking and turning from fin. Hence it is call'd Repentance from dead works, Heb. 6. t. and turning to God, A&s 26. 20. I have fhewed to theGentiles, that they Jbould repent and turn to God, that is, from the worfhip of Idols. to the true God. And we have both thefe together in the defcription which the Pro- phet gives of Repentance, Ifa. ;ç. 7. Let the wicked forfake his ways, and the unrighteous Matt his thoughts, and let,him returnunto the Lord. Now this change begins in the (inners Refolutionof doing this; and theunrighteous Man'sforfaking his thoughts, is nothing elfebut changing the purpofeof his Mind, and refolving upon a better Courfe. And thusLaí#antius defcribes it: Agere autem penitenti- am nihil aliud eft, quam aftrmare d9° profiteri fe non amplios peceaturom. To repent is nothing elfe, but for a Man to declare andprofefsthat he willfin no more. This is Iepentance before Men. And Repentance before God, is a Refolution anfwe- table to this Profefiìon. And elfewhere faith the fame Author, The Greeks do malt filly exprefs Repentance by the word p.7dvoia, becasrfe he that repents recovers hir mind from his former folly, and is troubled at it; & confirmat animam foam ad re&ius vivendum, and confirms his mind for a better coorfe. And how is this done but by Refolution ? And that this is the natural and true notion of Repentance appears, in that the Heathens did content and agree in it. Geniusgives this defcription of it. Poe- nitere tum dicere folemus, cooqua ipf fecimus, ea nobis poft incipiunt difplicere, fen- tentiamgroe in its noftram demutamus. We arefaid then to repent, when thofe things whichwe have done beginafterwards todifpleafe us, and wechange our Refolution about them. And fo likewife one of the Philofophers defcribes it; Repentance is the beginningofPbilofophy, a flying from foolifhwords and anions, r, 711; zMA7au016-8 CC..);.( l 7fefirril 7*u n5ziO, and the firfi preparation of a life not to be repeated of It is true indeed, Repentance fuppofeth the entire change of our Lives and Aûions, and a continued ftate, as the proper confequence of it : but Repentance it but the beginning of this change, which takes its rife from the Purpofe and Refolution of our Minds; and if it be fincereand firm, it will certainly have this effe&, to changeour Lives; and if it be not fo, it is not Repentance. For tho' in the Nature of the thing it be poffible, that a Manmay fincerely refolve upon a thing, and yet let fall his Refolution afterwards, before it come into A&: yet in the Pbrafe of Scripture, nothing is eall'd Repentance, but fuch a Refolution as takes effe&, fo foon as there is opportunity for it. If we change our Refo- lotion, and repent of our Repentance, this is not that whichSt. Paul calls Repen- tance untoSalvation.' So that no Man that readsand confidersthe Bible, can im- pole upon himfelf fo gro(ly, as to conceit himfelf a true Penitent, and conle- quently to be in a (fate of Salvation, who bath been troubled for his Sins, and bath taken up a Refolution to leave them, if he do not purfue this Refolution, and a& according to it. V. I fhall in the next place propound force Arguments and Confiderations to perfwade men to this holy Refolution, and then to keep them firm and fiedfaft to it, fo as never to change it after they haveonce taken it up. Firft,
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