Confidence towards God, explained. 327 men, but by fpecial favour, an extraordi- S E x M. nary meffenger was fent from heaven to XIII. affure him of it, 45!s x. 3. An angel of the . -Y^^+ Lord find unto him, thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God; and as a farther token of the divine appro- bation, telleth him how he fhould be fur - ther inftruded in his duty: Whereupon the apoftle Peter, taught by the fpirit of God, and having a very clear example before him, tnaketh this excellent declaration, ver. 34, 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no re- Jjeëler of perins ; but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteoufnefs (fo far as human infirmity can attain, that is, not without fome failings) is accepted with him. Secondly, Not only is there fuch a merci- ful allowance for fins of infirmity properly fo called, failings into which fincere perfns fall through ignorance, old inadvertency and furprize, which in the whole are unavoid- able, fo that they do not defiroy our hope towards God ; but God is alto gracioufly pleafed to accept of repentance, that is, a thorough and fincere converfion from evil difpofitions, vicious habits, and wicked prac- tices, to good ; from impiety, to godlinefs ; Y 4 from 3p r.
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