6S Of Repentance. SE R M. other account, than as they are means in III, order to the end which he certainly approves, the bettering of their hearts, and reforming, their converfations ; and therefore we mull: cònclude, that the repentance which God accepts is not confummated, nor principally confifts, in forrow for fin. Secondly, The fame judgment is to be made of confeilion, in which our penitence muff not rat, nor will God approve it unlefs it end in the forfaking of fin ; which Solomon comprehends in the condition of our obtain- ing mercy. Prov. xxviii. 13. He that co- vereth his fin, (hall not profiler, but whofo coi f e. th and f orfiketh 'hall have mercy. I do not fpeak here only of a formal acknow- ledgment in words, which without the fin - cere and ingenuous contrition of the heart, cannot be pleating to God, for it is hypo - crify ; but, let us fuppofe it ever fo ferious, and accompanied with the deepeft remorfe and feif- abafement, it is only fo far valuable as it terminates in holinefs of heart and life. Confider how we would judge in a parallel cafe of our own. Suppofe a child, a fer- vant, a friend, or a neighbour, is guilty of a trefpafs, and makes profeffion of grief for it; humanity and chriftian charity require us to forgive,
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