CHAP. X. Concerning REPENTANCE. 'G In GENERAL.* OD commandeth all Men, every where, to repent; and to turn to him, and to do Works meet for Repentance. b God requireth that which is paft; therefore let every Man repent him of his Wickedness ; faying, What have I done? Our Tranfgreffions are multiplied before God, and our Sins teftify against us; yea, the very best of our Works are not found perfect before God: Let us be zealous therefore, and repent. d Stand not in an evil thing. Wash thine Heart from Wickedness, that thou mayeft be faved: How long fhall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee? e Return unto the Lord with all your Hearts: For the Lord is not willing that any should perish; but that all should come to Repentance. f Return unto me (faith the Lord;) for I have redeemed you: Return unto me, and I will return unto you. a A&ts 17. 30. Acts 26. 20. O 4 b Eccl. 3. 15. Jer. 8. 6. a Eccl. 8. 3. Jer. 4. 14. f If 44. 22. Mal.. 3. 7. a Repent a Because Iniquity fhall abound, the Love of many fhall wax cold: But he that fhall endure unto the end, the fame fhall be faved. b When the Righteous turneth away from his Righteoufnefs, and committeth Iniquity, and doth according to all the Abominations that the wicked Man doth, all his Righteoufnefs that he hath done fhall not be mentioned; in his Trespafs that he hath trefpaffed, and in his Sin that he hath finned, in them fhall he die. If they that had efcaped the Pollutions of the World, through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, are again intangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worfe with them than the beginning: For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteoufnefs, than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered un-. to them. d As ye have therefore received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him: Holding Faith, and a good Confcience; and continuing in the Love of Chrift; that when he fhall appear ye may have Confidence, and not be afhamed before him at his coming. e The hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteousness. a Mat. 24. 12, 13. 20, 21. r John 2. 28. b Ezek. 18. 24. € 2 Pet. 2. á Col. 2. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 19. John 15. 9. that thou mayeft find out all thy Iniquities, whereby thou haft finned, and whereby thou haft tranfgreffed against the Lord. a Let every Man prove his own Work; and then fhall he have rejoicing in himself. b A wicked Man hardneth his Face: but as for the upright, he directeth his Way. Every one of us fhall give account of himfelf to God; and every. Man fhall bear his own Burthen: Therefore let us judge our felves, fo fhall we not be judged. d If our Heart condemn us not, then have w Confidence towards God. But let us take heed that we be not deceived in the Fudgment we make of our felves: For the Heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked; who can know it? eLet us judge truly whether we have lived in all good Confcience before God; whether we have finned ignorantly in Unbelief; or whether we be of thofe that rebel against the Light; who knowing the Judgment of God, that they which commit fuch things as we have committed are worthy of Death, not only do the fame, but have pleasure in them that do them. f There are certain which truft in themselves, that they are righteous, Prefumption and defpife others; and yet are they full of Hypocrify and Iniquity. Jer. 33. 8. & Gal. 6. 4. b Prov. 21. 29. Rom. 14. 12. Gal. 6. 5. Cor. 11. 31. 41 John 3. 21. Gal. 6. 7. Jer. 17. 9. Aas 23. I. I Tim. r. 13. Job 24, 13. Rom. 1. 32. a There is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes, and yet is not washed from their Filthiness. b Wherefore have we fafted, fay they, and thou feeft not? Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul, and thou takeft no Knowledge? Despair. Let us not fay, as fome have faid, There is no Hope, but we will walk after our own Devices; and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart: For if our Heart condemn us, God is greater than our Heart, and knoweth all things CONFESSION. d Acknowledge thine Iniquity, that thou haft tranfgreffed against the Lord thy God. Confefs thy Tranfgreffions unto the Lords and hide not the Iniquity of thy Sin. e Take with you Words, and turn to the Lord fay unto him, We have finned against thee, O Lord; we have finned, and have done perverfly; we have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the Commandments, nor the Statutes, nor the Judgments which thou commandedft; we would not walk in thy Ways, .. neither were we obedient unto thy Law. f I acknowledge my Tranfgreffion, and my Sin is ever before me. I have finned; what fhall: I do unto thee, O thou Preferver of Men? a Prov. 30. 12. b If. 58. 3. с Jer. 18. 12 1 John 3. 20, d Jer. 3. 13. Pf. 32. 5. Neh. 1. 7. Jí, 42, 24. a If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive our felves, and the Truth is not in us: But, if we confess our Sins, God is faithful and juft to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteousness. b Who can understand his Errors? Cleanse thou me, O Lord, from fecret Faults. Keep back thy Servant alfo from prefumptuous Sins; let them not have Dominion over me. Thus prayed unto the Lord God, and made my Confeffion. c Cover not thy Tranfgreffions as Adam; by hiding thine Iniquity in thy Bofom. d He that covereth his Sins fhall not profper: But whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them, fhall have Mercy. e Woe to the rebellious Children, faith the Lord, that cover with a Covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may add Sin to Sin. f There are that hold faft Deceit, and refuse to return unto the Lord. Who, when they have committed Abomination, are not at all afhamed, neither can they blufh. The fhew of their Countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their Sin, as Sodom; they hide it not: Woe unto their Soul; for they have rewarded Evil unto themfelves. g Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou faidft, My Righteoufness is more than God's? How fhould Man be juft with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of |
