Senn. CIX. An Argument for Repentance. Not but that I do heartily own and lament the great Corruptionand Degenera- cy of our Nature, and the thong Propenfions which appear fo early in us to that which is Evil : but God hath provided a Remedy and Cure for all this: For fince the GraceofGod which brings Salvation unto all men hath appeared, un- der the influence and through the affìtlance of that Grace, which is offered to them by the Gofpel, Men may deny ungodlinefs and worldly lulls, and live foberly, righteoufly, andgodly in this prefent World. For I make no doubt, but fince God bath enter'd into a newCovenant of Grace withMankind, and offered newTerms of Life and Salvation to us, I fay, I doubt not, but his Grace is ready at hand, to enable us to perform all thofe Conditions which he requires of us, if we be not wantingto our felves. There was a way of Salvation eflablifhed, before the Gofpe! was clearly re- veal'd to the World; and they who under that Difpenfation, whether lewd or Gentiles, fincerely endeavour'd to do the Will of God, fo far as they knew it, were not utterly deflitute of Divine Grace and Afliltance: But now there is a more plentiful Effufion of God's Grace and Holy Spirit; fo that whoever under the Gape] fins deliberately, fins wilfully, and is wicked, not for want ofPower but of Will to do otherwife. And this is that which makes Sin fo fhameful a thing, and fo very reproachful to us, that we deftroy our felves by our own fol- ly and negle& of our felves, and become miferable by our own choice, and when the Grace of God bath put it into our Power to be wife and to be happy. I fhould now have proceeded to the Second thing I propofed, which was to confider Sin in relation to God, and to thew th.it it is no lkfs fhameful in that re- fpeft, than I have [hewn it to be with regard to ourfelves : But this I (hall refer to another opportunity. 39. SERMON CX- The Shamefulnefs of Sin, an Argument for Repentance. ROM. VI. 2I, 22. What fruit hadye then in thofe things, whereof ye are now afbamed ? ne fec,nd For the end of thole things is Death. But now being made free from hJ Iext fin, and become Servants to God, ye have )our fruit unto Holinefs, and the end Everlafling Life. IN thefe Words the Apoftle makes a comparifon, between an Holy and Virtu- ous, and a Sinful and Vicious courfeof Life, and fets before us a perfeâ enu- meration of themanifeft Inconveniences of the one, and the manifold Advanta- ges of the other. I began with the Firfl of thefe, viz. toChew the manifelt Inconveniencesofa finful and vicious courfe. I am upon the Second Inconvenience ofa finfulcourfe, viz. That the refleftion upon it afterwards is caufe of great Shame and Confufzon offace to us; and that Fir11, In Relation to our felves. Which I have difpatch'd, and proceed now in the Second
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