A15010:149
The oil of gladnessThe oyle of gladnesse
The oil of gladness. Or, Comfort for dejected sinners First preached in the parish church of Banbury in certain sermons, and now published in this present treatise. By William Whately minister there.The oyle of gladnesse. Or, Comfort for dejected sinners First preached in the parish church of Banbury in certaine sermons, and now published in this present treatise. By William Whately minister there.
London: printed by G. Miller for George Edwards, 1637
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§ 1.
And these objections arise from the quality of sins committed, either before or after calling. An other troop arise, from those many wants and defects which the soul doth find in it self. ⟨p. 153⟩And first the soul finds fault with it self for want of repentance, reasoning thus against it self. Alas I have no repentance, and therefore I am not pardoned. To which I answer, that it must be confessed for a truth, whosoever hath not repented is not pardoned. But why dost thou say I have not repented? To answer this doubt, inform thy self aright, what repentance is. It is a duty consisting of these four parts: 1. Sorrow for sin. 2. Confession ⟨p. 154⟩of it to God. 3. Earnest calling upon God in the name of Christ for pardon and help. 4. A firm purpose and endeavour of amendment. Consider, hast thou not these things, dost thou not perform these actions, or endeavour to perform them? If thou dost, then thou hast the grace of repentance, as sure as he is a man that hath a soul and body. O but saith the fearful soul, I am not sorry enough for sins, I do not grieve for them so much as I should, nor ⟨p. 155⟩crave pardon of them so earnestly as I should, nor mend them so well as I should. J answer, that is very true, But where hath the Lord said, that he which hath not performed these duties so well as he should, hath not true repentance? This is no where found in Scripture, it is one of thy false conceits, and a very false conceit it is, tending to confound the Law, and the Gospel; for the Law requireth to do all things perfectly, and rejecteth all works which a man doth not ⟨p. 156⟩perform so well as he should, but the Gospel is a doctrine of grace, and accepts endeavours to perform duties, though one fall far short of that measure of duty which he ought to attain. Dost not thou strive and endeavour to do these things more and better, and blame thy self for defects and failings: If so, then dost thou repent as well as thou shouldest, in the language of the Gospel. Yea but J do not lament sin so much as others do, and as the