Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

1. The business of this Grace, or that about which it is conversant, is the mortifying of Sin, and quickening of Grace: rising out of Sin, is a rejecting, relinquishing, casting it off, which is done in mortification. Sin claims the power of a Prince in a natural man, commands him, Reigns over him, Rom. 6. 12. ⟨p. 278⟩It must therefore be vanquished, its dominion cast off, by such as rise out of it: Sin so dwells in us, that it is no more left than it is mortified: returning to God, is an exciting of Grace, a quickening of it, it is an exerting of faith in him, and love to him, in these Repentance consists, Rom. 6. 11.

2. That which is to be done in this business, is,

1. To be using all means to strengthen hatred of Sin: the more we hate Sin, the more we are gone from it; he whose heart most abhors it is gotten furthest off from it: Hence, there is an using such helps as may make it loathsome: which are a viewing the evil nature of it as discovered in the Word of God, viz. its pollution, its contrariety to God, the wrong it doth the Soul: and also the cross of Christ, on which we should crucify the World and its Lusts, Gal. 6. 14.

1. To be using all means to strengthen hatred of Sin: the more we hate Sin, the more we are gone from it; he whose heart most abhors it is gotten furthest off from it: Hence, there is an using such helps as may make it loathsome: which are a viewing the evil nature of it as discovered in the Word of God, viz. its pollution, its contrariety to God, the wrong it doth the Soul: and also the cross of Christ, on which we should crucifie the World and its Lusts,