38o OfDiligence in our general Vo1.11. Bence, and carefully to obferve and govern all the inclinations andmotions of our Souls, and to order our whole converfation aright; in a word, to do God all the fervice, and Men all the good that pofftbly we can, while we are in this World. This is the fir/f. 2. Andbecaufe in many things we offend all, and there h no man that finneth not, another part of our work and care is, in cafe of tranfgreffion and mifcarríage in any part of our Duty, to exercife Repentance for it, that fo we may be recon- ciled to God, and at peace withhim. And this is abfolutely neceffary, becaufe our Life and Happinefs depends upon it, and except we repent we mull perifb, and be miferable for ever. It cannot be denied but that this work ofRepentance is very harth and unpleafant, like the ta- king of Phyfick and fearching into aWound ; but becaufe it tends to our health and fafety, and is theneceffary way and means to a better condition, this feverity muft be fubmitted to, if we delire to be cured, and have a mind to he well and the fooner we make ufe of this remedy the better, we (hall find fo much the lefs difficulty and pain in the cure. And there is great reafon why we fhould frequently exercife and renewour Re- pentance, becaufe our filings are frequent, and in one kind or other we offend and provoke God every day; efpecially when we are coining to the Holy Sacrament, in which we folemnly renew our Covenant with God, and promife him better obedience for the future ; we fhould examine our lives more ftri&ly, and call our fins more particularly to remembrance, and exercifea moft folemn and deep Re- pentance for them; this is the way to keep our accounts in a good méafure even. And this furely is greatWifdom, to provide that we may have no long account to make up, no great fcores to wipe off, when we come to be overtaken by ficknefs, and to lie uponour death-bed; that innumerable tranfgrefons unrepented of; may not then compafs us about, and flare us in the face, and fill our Souls with fear and confufion, with horror and amazement ina dyinghour; that an infupportable load of guilt may not then lie upon our minds, and opprefs our Confciences, when we are leaftable to bear it, and moft unfit to deal with it, when we may not have time to call our fins particularly to remembrance, and to exercife a particular Re- pentancefor them, and yet perhaps a general Repentance may not be fufficient, and available with God, for the pardon and forgivenefs of them. Therefore we fhould exercife our felves much in this work of Repentance in the days of our health, when we are fitteft for it, and when it will be molt ac- ceptable toGod, and when the fincerity of it will be molt evident and comfort- able to us, when we may know it to be true by the real and certain effeds of it, in the change and amendment of our lives. Whereas a death-bed Repentance is infinitely hazardous, becaufe we may not perhaps have time and opportunity for the exercife of it; or if we fhould have that, yet hardly can we have opportunity for the tryal of it, whether it be fincere or not, and confequently mutt needs die very uncomfortably, and in great doubt and anxiety of mind, what will be our fate and doom in another World. So that it is a great work which lies upon our hands, and equally concerns e- very one of us. The bufinefs of Religion, which confrfts in the ítrid care of our duty to God and Man, and in the frequent exercife of Repentancefor the fins and mifcarriages of our Lives; and we may confequently judge how great a care and diligence a work of fo much difficulty, and of fo great moment and importance does require and call for at our hands. But befides this, we muft:in the II. Place likewife be diligent inour particular Calling and Charge, in that pro- vince and Station which God hath appointed us, whatever it be; whether it confifts in the labour of our hands, or in the improvement of our minds , in order to the gainingof knowledge for our own pleafure and fatisfa&ion; and for the ufe and benefit of others; whether it lie in the fki11 of Govern- ment, and the administration of . publick Juftice; or in the management of a great Eftate, of an honourable rank and quality above others, to the belt advan- tage, for the honour of God, and the benefit and advantage of men, fo as by the 4 influence
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