G•l. s. 6 P[al. 16. ; 1]obn.3. '4 ill.r. S· 44 Heb. 1r.24 !JobS. 4, S ]l.om. ·s:t All< S· 4i 2 Tim. 1,12 R,.m.8. :8 1 Per. I. 7 Chap. •3.Sea.8· great myfieries of godlineffe; if thew ill _be bent with the' bell: things; if the memory be a ll:ore-houfe of heavenly treafures; tf the fiream of our affe<.'bons be turnde from the world towards Gods glory and good caufes; if the heart be weaned from lulls, an:! fain in love with eternal p!eafures and heavenly things; if the conlcicnce be watchful to difcover, and fcnfible to fed the approach and prickings of the !call fin, &c. 6. If it work..by lo7Je, firt1 towards God and Chrifl:, in that all his fins are remitted and he is eternally beloved of God in Chriil: Secondly, towards Chrifhans in rha; the faving graces of Gods Spirit fhine in them: Thirdly towards himfelf, 'with 're– lation unto God, and refervation of his Glory: Fourthly, towards kindred, friends, not fo much becaufe they arc of the f3me blood, as b~caufc of the mutual interc/l they have in the blood of Chnfl:: Ftfthly, towards enemtes, becaufe of the precious Com– mand of Chri.ft. 7· If it caufe a forfaking the world: No man can do this (if it be his fweetfin)untill his foul have received by the hand of faith from the Spirit of Gvd, an affurance of an immortal Crown in the heavens, fealea unto him by the blood of Chrill: but then how willingly cloth he bid the world farewell how refoiutely doth he cafl: out of his affections all greedy thoughts, and exceffive defires of earth and earthly treafures? 8. Ifit fpeak comfort in diflrefs, j•y in tribuiarion,glo;ying m aJ!liEtion: Faith teachern that God cafl:es us in the fire, not to burn us, but to refine us, and make us more oriont in his fight: This is the beaten path to hea7Jen (crys Faith) whi<-h all rbe stortot" SaintJ have trodden before tts. - 9· If it will maintain a Chrifl:ian in fome meafure of fufficiet)CY and contentment in all efl:ates : The ju(tJhallli7Je byfaith,not by friends, money, earthly·hopes, or helps &c. if it makes a man !'ay hold on Gods promifes, and work an it.lwarcl trufl: in God; never failing providence, fo as he will leave the fucceffe.ofall his ln.bours to the Lord. SECT. 8. Examination of Repentance. A Third grace which every worthy Receiver mufllinde in himfclf, is Repentance. and by fuch markes as thefe he may try whether his Repemance be a found and lincere Repentance. r. If it be afoamed offin: not as a Thiefis afhamcd, which fhame arifeth from the Jer. w 19 effect offin, as punifhment or difgrace ; but as a Son is afhamed (\\I hence it is called a E,ei;:,J6.6J,63 filial-jlwm) out of a fight of the filth and loathforn,nefs of fin; the impenitent glory in ~''~· 9 • 6 5 their fhame, but the truly penitent are afhamcd of fuch glorying, as of every fin. 1:!. 6. 3 ; s··· 2. Ifit mourn for fin: Thus Da7Jid mourned (not for the punifhrnent, he is trilling 8. 12 to bear it, but) for fin, as tt was fin. I deny not but forrow may be godly, even for P/al. St•3,~ Judgements, and then our trya! will be,if we can mourn rather fqr Spiritual J udgernents, 2 Sam. 2 4 than for Temporal; and efpecially ifwe can feel nnd bewail hardneffi •f /mmmourning, ~~~~:742.J bccaufe we cannot mourn ~s we ought. : l[a. 6J. 17 3. Ifit caufe a great mourning, at leaf!, fo great as our mourning wotJld Gc for out· ward loffes: Thus Zachary inflanceth, the Spirit of 0"od fhould caufe them to mourn, Zech 12 • 10 > 11 as in the family one would mottrnfor thelojfc oftheir onety Son, or as in the Common· wealth the Subjects would mourn for the lofs of a moft worthy Prince. 4· If it refl: not without cleanneffc: True Repentance is not water, but wajl.•ing, not wery w"fhing, but fuch as maketh clean; could a man weep his eyes out, yet if he weep not his fins out, what is he better? Sorrowing after a godly fort, what carrf~<lnefs, what cleering bath it wrought? If I ha7Je done iniquity, !will do it no more. 1[d. '· 16 J ob34 3' 2 Cor.7. II M.r. ;:8 A8s26. 20 Jfa. 61. J 5. If it bri"g forth fmits meetfor Repentana; this was the fum, as of Johm, foof Pauls preaching, that Jew and Gentile jhould repent, and t:trn to God, and do wori{j worthy 11mendment of life: nay tt IS the very fumme ofthe Gofpel, To ,nourn, to be comforted, that they may b.c called Trees ofRigheeoufs«Jfe, the planting ofthe Lord, that he might be glorified. · 6. If it be fl:irrcd up by the fen re of Gods goodneffe: So that r.othing more lire~ a man to nbafe himfelf in the fcnfe of his own vilenefs, than to feel and finde the gracious goodnefs and rcadinefs of God in Chrifl:, to fhew him mercy ; He feareth rhe Lordand his goodnefs. . . . . . 7· If the fame fpiritual means affwage tt, that firfl: rl!fed tt 111 the heart: Repentance th~t can be healed by fports, merry company, &c. wus never found; it is the voyce . ~
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