Of Repentance. 85 inducements to our obeying the eternal and S E R Nt; immutable laws of God ; but Rill the firfl IVY confideration which takes fart hold on the minds of men, is, that the things which thofe laws injoin are excellent and right things, moft becoming a reafonable nature, and tending to its perfefion, and its higheft felf enjoyment. Now, I think it will appear to every at- tentive perfon very rational and fit, that we fhould undo what we have done amifs ; that if we have gone into any wrong courfe, we fhould not perfevere in it, but upon con - vi Zion abandon it; that we fhould renounce our errors, and if we have done iniquity, refolve that we will; do it no more ; that is, that we fhould repent. It is true, indeed, that repentance is not diretly contained in the original obligation of the law of nature, for it primarily injoins what is good without fuppofing the cafe of a departure from it ; but in the event of fin, it imports a plain confequential obligation to forfake it, and return to our duty, as being that only which we can reafonably do in fuch circumflances, and whereby we can only have hope to- wards God, or be approved by ourfelves. G 3 But
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