Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

D A S `IepentanCe. prayers of them that did defire to feare him : This is the very Chaiaóerof a Saint The naturall con - fcience, if there were no hell, would finne, love ir, and ufe it ; but inwardly to delre holineffe for it felfe is an infallible figne ; fo that were there no heaven nor hell, yet he would choofe holineife, and could doe no otherwife, when it is his meat and drinke (as our Saviour fpeaketh) to doe Gods will. Now a man foundly an hungry, will eate though not hired ; fo would he doe the works of holineife though there were no reward. I f you have this dif- pofition, fure I am you have truly repented ; if you have not, feare, and labour after it. Secondly, the naturali confcicnce tells us this fhould bee done, urgeth it,and blames if it bee not done ; and hence arifeth hearty refolution and pur- pofes, but it never enables to doe it, therefore hee never performes what hee purpofeth; but a heart truly changed enables us to doe it . As Paul faith, I can doe alithings through _chrift : not force, but all ; whereas the naturali man cannot but finne,becaufe (as Saint Peter fayes) the will is not ftirred nor changed ; therefore although much may be done, yet it will downe againe ; as a ftone, if not changed into fire, though it be lifted up,yet is wi).1#'all downe againe.: Now the naturali confcience cannot change the will, therefore cannot he refill finne ; but the true Convert can fay, he can be ch aft, he can refill hafts, and the like ; the other fay (and fay truly) they cannot but finne, for the naturall confcience' cannot change, and therefor; they grow weary of E 3: it

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