Of Repentance. 53 the world in righteoufnefs by that man, whom S E x M. he bath ordained ; whereof he bath given aft"- II1. rance unto all men, in that he bath railed him"--v-""P from the dead. This is that kingdom of heaven which our lord fays in my text was then at hand, it was begun to be erected, and the model of it would foon be compleated ; and that men might be the qualified approved fubjects of it, and entitled to the great falvation it pro - pofes, he exhorts them to repent. I (hall at this time, fart, confider the duty of repen- tance, and then, lay before you fome motives to the practice of it. Surely, this, if any thing in chriftianity, is of importance to men. The whole ftrain of the New Tef- tament (hews it to be of abfolute neceffity. The molt important confequences depend up- on it. The great author of our religion has told us that* except we repent we (hall perifh. Af- ter the refurredion of Chrift, the apoftles filled with the holy ghoft, preffed it upon men in this manner, repent and be converted, that your fans may be blotted cut, Alts iii. 19. The great doctrines of chriftianity, which are declared to be of its very effence, do all point to it as their proper improvement. The death of Chrift is reprefented as calling upon us to be crucified with him, to mortify the * Luke xiii. 3. E 3 deeds
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