Of Repentance. 69 forgive the wrong; but it is Always taken for S E R M. granted, that the injurious (hall not relapfe III. into his former offences, but that his future conduct shall be juft, refpeEtful, and obli- ging ; when it happens otherwife, and the conduct continues uninfluenced, and as bad as before; a repetition in that cafe of fuch fruitlefs profeflions is in itfelf offenfive, and rather ferves to heighten the provocation; and, if it be fo, we cannot but imagine that God will count it an indignity, if his finful creatures treat him after the fame manner ; if after many provocations, they, in order to obtain his favour, only make a confeflion of their guilt, and inftead of forfaking their evil ways, return to them again. And, in the laß place, the difpofitions and purpofes of the mind will be unavail- able, and are not true repentance unlefs they are followed with a fuitable practice. Let us judge in this cafe as we do in all others concerning the abilities the qualities, the ac- complifhments, natural and moral, of the human foul. Reafon itfelf, the diftinguifhing excellence of our nature, is difcovered only by our conduct ; if a creature in human fhape fhould fhow by its actions no other faculties than thofe which belong to the brutal kind, it cóuld not be acknQwledgQd 3 1:4
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