Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

The Scripture describes Repentance by a sincere Change and Renovation ⟨p. 272⟩of the Mind, the leading Faculty; by the entire turning of the Heart from the love of Sin to the love of Holiness; by the active lively Passions, Sorrow, Fear, Shame, Indignation, Zeal, that are principal Ingredients in it; and by the Fruits worthy of Repentance, and Works meet for Repentance. 'Tis called Repentance from dead Works, and Repentance unto Life. Now Men are willingly deceived with an insincere and ineffective Repentance: either with a mere mental Change, or with broken Resolutions instead of the entire Heart; or with the leaving some Sins, and retaining others that are suitable to their Humours and Lusts. They confess their Sins, and condemn themselves for them: sometimes they have flashing Thoughts, melting Affections, good Purposes to forsake Sin, this they think to be sincere Repentance: but when a Temptation ⟨p. 273⟩appears, they are easily overcome, and live in the habitual Practice of their provoking Sins. This Conceit of their being true Penitents, is as unreasonable, as if one that has a returning Ague, should think himself freed from his Disease in the intervals of his Fits. Now to quiet Conscience, they readily apply to themselves the words of the Apostle, What I do, I allow not. And since the best Saints, while they are in sympathy with frail Flesh cannot be perfect, but many Sins they unwarily and unwillingly commit, which are Infirmities lamented by them, and graciously forgiven by their Heavenly Father; therefore indulgent Sinners take shelter under this Pretence, that their Relapses are mere unavoidable Infirmities. But what Weakness can be pretended for wilful habitual Sins? Such Excuses do not cover their Guilt, but ⟨p. 274⟩discover their strong Affections to their Lusts: They have not the Excuse of Ignorance: to pretend the Flesh and the World are omnipotent Enemies that cannot be resisted, is to blaspheme the Grace of the holy Spirit. In short, a new Life is inseparable from Repentance in its Reality. Sad and serious Thoughts, Sighs and Tears, the sorrowful Confession of Sins, and good Purposes against them, are the Blossoms of Repentance, ineffective without the substantial Fruits of it in a reformed Conversation. 'Tis one of the Arts of Satan to join things together that are inconsistent: