54 Of Repentance. S ER M. deeds of the body, and to be renewed in the l fpirit of our minds, that is to repent. And that future judgment which God has appoint- ed, and the declaration and affurance of which is a peculiar glory of the gofpel, ftrongly enforces the fame exhortation. Thefe confederations will, I hope, engage your at- tention to that firft and great inftruftion which our Saviour gave to the world. The original word which is generally ufed in the New Teftament for repentance, does properly fignify a change of mind, and very agreeable it is to the nature of the thing ; for that religious repentance which God injoins, and peremptorily infifts on as the condition of forgivenefs, and our obtain- ing his favour, is a change of our difpofitions from evil to good, and as the genuine fruit of it, the amendment of our lives. The gofpel fuppofes men to have univerfally finned and come Jhort of the glory of God, nay, it declares that thofe to whom the great falvation was firft offered, both Jews and Gentiles, were very corrupt. Among the Jews religion had degenerated into empty form, and trifling ceremonies were fubil-ituted in the place of fubftantial god- linefs and virtue. Under a fpecious íhew of outward fandity was covered reigning impiety,
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