Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5037 .F46 1651

tedreivfie SAINTS. thou beeít but a dead branch, thou haft no communion with Chrifl at all, though thou becft in the body. Fourthly, for Hope ; it may be thou haft hope that thou art a good Chriflian,that thou haft a part in the redemption of the world by Jefu; Chrift, thou haft a hope of the heavenly inheritance, that thou !halt be faved in that day ; now if thy hope be a' dead hope, if it doe not quicken thee up to trample on the world, to beat down thy worldly lulls, to time thee up to a gracious Ide more and mere, to carry thee on through thick and thin, this is not a gracious hope ; no, no ; the grace of hope isalively hope, as theApolle f ¡esker. Blefed be God, and father of-vier Le -d lefas Chriff, which according to his abundant mercy, loath begotten us again, to a lively hope, i Pet.' .3. This grace of hope it quickens up all them that have it, it is not a dead hope, that lyes fluggiflily and block - ifhly in the foule, and does not flirre it up every day ; no it revives him towards God it makes him eager after the heft things ; if thy hope be a dead hope, that lyes like a careafe in thy heart, to little or no purpofe, it is no good hope through grace, but a hope in a dreame. Fifthly, for Repentance ; what ever thou haft to fry for repentance, canfl¢thou plead a thoufmd changes and reforma- tions, yet if thou haft not gotten out of a dead temper,thou art yet under a impenitent heart. That repentance that is the gate of heaven, the Evangchfl cals it, Repentance unto life, Adl. ii. i8. True repentance it rends the heart, it flicvves finite to be the greaten evill, and it rowzes a man up daily CO take heed ofit ; ifmakes us fee what a God we have dtlisonoured ; and therefore it awakens the foule to be earneft to pleafe him in all things for the time to come ; the foule was dead and carelefl'e, and drowzie, and neble &full of obedience, good - nef'e, holineffe, humility, pareneffe, ftridlneffe, precifeneffe of walking, it cared not for thefe things afore, but when true re- pentance comes in, it wheeles about the life of the foule to- wards God, now the cares Chaff be to inns , now the endea- vours make after him ; paines, labours,cautions,watchfulneffe, E e3 cohC I 213 4.

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