ao6 Of god's Government, SECT. XX. What Repentance for particular Sins is necef frry to pardon. 292. But the very A6t of Repentance hath fuch various degrees, that thofe alfo here deferve our confederation. For he that bath the habit ofholinefs nodoubt bath fomedegree ofRepentancefecretly flirting in himbefore it cometh to deep repentance, and open confefrion g I do not think that Davidwas. without allremorfeand repentance till Nathan fpake to him, thoughhis Repentancewas not fuch as thequality ofhis fin re- quired. And it is not every remorfenor every degree ofRepentance which is fufficient to prove a Soul fanítified, that is, habitually poffeffed with that love of cod , and the hatred ofSin. And filch at feat the aët mutt be. 293. In grofs known Sin, Repentance is not true unlefs it contain a Refolution prefently toforfake it. He that is unrefolved, though he have much remorfe and trouble ofmind, is not trulypenitent : Nor he that is refolved only to forfake it fometimehereafter, orwhen he hath finned once more, but not at the prefent. 294. Andasthis is true ofactual Repentance, fo a true Habit mutt be fuch as is the Habit of filchaílr: even a habitual love toprefent holinef, and a habitual hatredtoprefent sing which inthe courfeofour lives doth a&ually refolve us and preferve us , however a violent temptation do interrupt that courfe. 295. But whether everyknown Sinof thefmallett fort in it felf, have always fuch Refolutions of prefent forfaking it in all that are truly peni- tent, is a harder qqueftion. Many a godly man. is frequently angry fin- fully, andfluggifh finfully, and dailyufeth fome idle words, and un- governed and idle thoughts, and is finfully remits in the degrees ofevery duty, . and knowethall this tobe Sin : And if he refolvedprefently todo Whenreravius out of fo no more, he would not do foagain fo frequently as he doth. In *sin. Eleneb. Tber. vin- incha cafe it is exceeding hard to judgeofa man's repentance : And yet centinguifhetp. regia& alas, whofe cafe is it not ? we have a diflike of the Sin, and a with that a cnlpa , and faith that we were delivered from it :- But that is butadefire that we loved it lefi, lbuy, jinnttgw ñ an and hatedit more ; and proveth not that our hatred is fuf icient. For equivocal or analogical many a manthat liveth in grofsSin, doth with that his heart were turned fence of Pennant And from it, and did not love it, when it is, not fo turned. And why will his citation of Aa alone there is upon a minter the fame with then ferveabout leffer Sins ? And yet ifprefent Refolution Rpretation may whiic the againfi every (mall Sin be neceffary to pardon (evenof knownSins) alas, ceive. who is pardoned ? 296. And if the cafemutt be refolved by the material magnitude or fmallnefi of the Sin, what bounds (hall weever be able to affign , and what underftanding is able todiftinguith between the Sinfo great which muff beprefently refolved againft ex necefritate medii to pardon, and the sin fofmall as may be pardoned without fuch Refolution ? whether in fpeech every idleword be fuch ? Ifnot, whetherevery idle jeaft, or everylafcivious word ? or pafiìonate word ? or backbitingword (the ordinary Sin ofmany ftri t Pzofeffors) orevery finful Oath, or Curie, or Slander ? who can fay, it is this, and not that? And foinall commif- fions and omit ions ? 297. And
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