Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

Evangelical Repentance., 251 roved ! we are apt to love our firft-borne: and though Le gal repentance does not alwaies go before the work of the Gofpel ; (for what legal work was there inMatthew before he did come toChrift? or what Legal workwas there in Za- chew beforehe came toChrifi?) yet often times it does: I fay yet often times it does : and this being the firft-bornofour foul, wego to God with both our Repentances Legal, and Evangelical : and we fay, Lord, lay the hand, Oh! lay the right.handof thybleffing uponmy firft-born, oh ! let that inherite : But theLord deals here, as old 7acob did, when ofeph brought his two Children before him to be bleft : Jacobcroft his hands, and for Yofiph' s fake he laid the Wei; ling upon the younger. Sonow does God do ; you would have me to lay my bleffing(faies-God)upon your ftrft-born, upon your Elder, upon your Legal Repentance. No, faies God, I have laid, The Elder fnal ferve the Younger, & I wil crofs my hands; and for ,yofepb's fake,becaule there is more ofChrift in thisyounger, therforehere will Hay the hand ofmybleffing. Beloved! the heart ofa Chriftian, a gra- cious man, is never more drawn out in greif than upon the apprenfion of love injured-: Th egreater love, and thegrea- ter injury is prefented, thegreater is thegreif: When the Kingdom of Heaven comes unto a pourfoul , there is the greateft love prefented; finagainft that is thegreateit in- jury : when therefore- a man is fenfible ofhis fin under that notion, then is his heart molt affeeted and drawn forthin godly forrow. Surely therefore, The approaching, and the drawingneer of theKingdom-of Heaven, is thegreateft motive,& argument under Heavenunto true Repentance By way of Application: Ifthefe things bell) What a fad condition are tholein, whom thekingdclitt ofHeaven, the word of the kingdom, the Doarineof free-retniffion hath come unto, and yet they are not flied, normoved for to turn toGod,or to repent ? It may be,hereis borne Drun- kard, borne Swearer, borne notorious Sabhath-breaker, , fomewanton that is gotten into the Congregation : I will not fay to thee, Friend, how cameft thou in hither ? Ah, Vfe, I. Poor:

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