56 Of Repentance. S E R M. the tempers and manners of men, when, III. from a doleful depravity, wherein reafon and confcience, and all the belt fentiments and affections of human nature, feem to he loft or afleep, and all the defigns and purfuits of men are directed by felfifh inferior appetites, or contracted vitious propenfities, when, I fay from this wretched degeneracy they are re- covered to the love and practice of the things that are pure, and true, and jufl, and vene- rable, and virtuous ; to feek the things that are above, to approve the good and acceptable, and pefel will of God, and to walk in new - nefs of life. Thefe reprefentations Phew the efficacy of the gofpel and the grace of God, for effecting fuch a change in men ; but as it is all a voluntary change, wherein their own natural powers actively exert themfelves, the whole is comprehended under the duty of Repentance. Still it is to be remember'd, thlt the effence of repenting, confifts in pre- vailing good inclinations, contrary to the evil ones which had the afcendant before, and good works directly oppofite to thofe wicked ones of which (inners had beth guilty. Thus, yohn Baptifi who firft de- clared the coining of God's kingdom, and taught the dottrine of repentance for the remifíion of fins, when, having in general, exhorted
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