Doct. 3. True repentance for sin, doth in divers respects kill a man, it strikes him dead: to repent, is to be a dead man; not only in respect of the world which casts off a man, that will not run in the excesses of the time, as a dead man indeed, Col. 3.3. but in respect of themselves. For first, by the assize a man must keep upon himself, he will be found dead by sentence, when he judgeth himself before the Lord: he stands as a man condemned in the flesh: He sentenceth himself to eternal death for his deserts, by confessing what he meriteth, 1. Pet. 4.6. Now, a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law. Secondly, Repentance destroys the senses, and affections, and conceits, and reason, that were wont to be alive in men. It dissolves the very frame of the old conversation. The word rendered,1 dead, signifies to undo what was done about the life of men, to unmake him, as I may say; so as all the old things pass away and all becomes new, 2. Cor. 5.17. Rom. 6.6. 1. John 3.8. In the new Convert there is not left the savour, sent, lust, or affections after sin, and the sinful profits and pleasures of the world: He doth not find that inflammation, or enticement he was wont to feel from evil example, or the glory of the world, or evil company, or the things before he most esteemed, and delighted in. Thus he is dead to himself, because he denies himself: and could be well contented to forget, that ever he had been such as he was before. Thirdly, in some of Gods children, their repentance is performed with such grief and sorrow, as brings their life almost ⟨p. 848⟩to the buriers, as is noted, Job 33.19, 20, 21. Fourthly, they may be said to be dead in repenting, because repentance is never fully finished, till their natural death, sin sticks so fast, as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree, and it will never be gotten wholly out, till they be in deed dead men, though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance, as if it were perfect.
Doct. 3. True repentance for sinne, doth in diuers respects kill a man, it strikes him dead: to repent, is to bee a dead man; not onely in respect of the world which casts off a man, that will not run in the excesses of the time, as a dead man indeed, Col. 3.3. but in respect of themselues. For first, by the assise a man must keepe vpon himself, he will be found dead by sentence, when he iudgeth himselfe before the Lord: he stands as a man condemned in the flesh: He sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts, by confessing what hee meriteth, 1. Pet. 4.6. Now, a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law. Secondly, Repentance destroies the sences, and affections, and conceites, and reason, that were wont to bee aliue in men. It dissolues the very frame of the old conuersation. The word rendred,1 dead, signifies to vndoe what was done about the life of men, to vnmake him, as I may say; so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new, 2. Cor. 5.17. Rom. 6.6. 1. Iohn 3.8. In the new Conuert there is not left the sauour, sent, lust, or affections after sinne, and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world: Hee doth not find that inflammation, or inticement he was wont to feele from euill example, or the glory of the world, or euill company, or the things before hee most esteemed, and delighted in. Thus hee is dead to himselfe, because he denies himselfe: and could bee well contented to forget, that euer hee had beene such as hee was before. Thirdly, in some of Gods children, their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow, as brings their life almost ⟨p. 848⟩to the buriers, as is noted, Iob 33.19, 20, 21. Fourthly, they may bee said to bee dead in repenting, because repentance is neuer fully finished, till their naturall death, sinne sticks so fast, as they haue dayly cause of mortification in some degree, and it will neuer bee gotten wholly out, till they bee in deed dead men, though in the meane time God accepts of their first repentance, as if it were perfect.
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