The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

1. He cannot repent and be humbled for sin, unless Christ give him strength. Without me ye can do nothing. The branch separated from the tree hath no moisture, no juice in it, John 15. Thus a man without Christ hath [Greek or Hebrew], an hard heart, a withered heart, an heart without any moisture, any softness, so then Christ is here implied.

1. He cannot repent and be humbled for sinne, unlesse Christ give him strength. Without me ye can do nothing. The branch separated from the tree hath no moisture, no juyce in it, John 15. Thus a man without Christ hath 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an hard heart, a withered heart, an heart without any moisture, any softnesse, so then Christ is here implied.

2. Repentance cannot be Evangelical and filial, without Gods love in Christ. Judas did repent, the Scripture calls it so, but because there was only gall in it, and no honey, only horror and terrors, and no faith to allay those waves; Therefore his very repenting and despairing was a grievous sin. So then to preach such a repentance as driveth from God, filleth the heart with cursed horrors, ⟨p. 155⟩and hated of God, and thereby to run to hills and mountains to cover us from God: Or to put a man upon such penal and afflicting labours to the flesh, that may satisfy and appease God: This is to bid men bring wild and sour grapes for sweet: This is to preach from Christ, not to preach Christ. But repentance truly preached is to have our sorrow for sin, accompanied with faith in the promises, and a resting upon tht blood of Christ. Thus as it is in repentance, so in every grace. When we preach it, we preach Christ, because by him we only have ability to do it, and through him only have acceptation, and as we said, though the Ministers in every exhortation do not thus name Christ, yet this is to be supposed.