SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMPORT. 41$ of his Son on those that feel not their absolute necessity of it, 'and that they are undone without it. But it was never thus with me to this day.' 4nsw. 1. You must distinguishcarefully between repentance as it is in the mind and will, and as it shows itself in the passion of sorrow. All that have saving interest in Christ, have their judg- ments and wills so far changed, that they kpow that they are sin- ners, and that there is no way to the. obtainingof pardon and salva- tion but by Christ, and the free mercy of God in him ; and there- upon they are convinced that ifthey remain without the grace of Christ, they are undone forever. Whereupon they, understanding that Christ and mercy is offered to them in the gospel, do heartily and thankfully accept the offer, and would not be without Christ, or change their hopes ofhisgrace, for all the world, and do resolve to wait upon him for the further discovery of his mercy, and the workings of his Spirit,.in a constant and conscionable use of his means, "and to be ruled by him, to their power. Is it not thus with you ? If it be,_ here is the.life and substance of repentance, which consisted] in this change of the mind and heart, and you have no cause to doubt of the truth of it, for want of more deep and passionate humiliation. 2. I have told you before, how uncer- tain and inconstant the passionate effects of graceare, and how un- fit to judge by, and given you several reasons ,. of it. Yet I doubt not but some work upon the affections there is, as well as on the will and understanding; but with so great diversity of manner and degrees, that it is not safe judging by it only or chiefly. Is there no degree of sorrow or trouble that bath touched your heart for your sin or misery? If your affections were no whit stirred, you would hardly be moved to action, to use means, or avoid iniquity, much less would you so oft complain as you do. 3. IfGod prevent- ed those heinous sins in the timeof your unregeneracy, which those usually are guilty of who are called to so deep a degree of sorrow, you should rather be thankful that your wound wasnot deeper, than troubled that the cure cost you no dearer. Lookwell whether the cure be wrought in the change of your heart and life from the world to God by. Christ, . and then you need not be troubled that it was wrought so easily. 4. Were you not acquainted with the evil of sin, and danger and miseryof sinners, in your very childhood, and also of the necessity of a Savior, and that Clirist died to save all sinners, that will believe and repent ?. And hath not this fasten- ed on your heart, and been working inyou by degrees ever since ? If it be so, then you cannot expect that you should have such deep terrors as those that never hear ofsin and Christ till the news come upon them suddenly in the ripeness of theirsin. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the conversion ofa Jew, or any other in-
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