Words whereby we may be saved. By Thomas Vincent, sometime minister of Maudlins milk-street,…

Direction 3. You must turn from sin, if you would be saved; see Psal. 7. 11, 12, 13. God is angry with the wicked every day; if he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath prepared for him the instruments of death. And God threateneth, Psal. 88. 21. that he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses: Therefore men must turn from all their transgressions, otherwise iniquity will be their ruin, Ezek. 18. 30. They must cast away their sins as a menstruous cloth, saying unto them, get ye hence, if they would be received into favour, Isa. 30. 22. They must not only confess their sins, but also forsake them, if they would find mercy, Prov. 28. 13. The wicked must forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn to ⟨p. 49⟩the Lord, and then he shall have pardoning mercy abundantly, Isa. 55. 7. When men cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then, though their sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool, Isa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Sinners, turn from your evil ways, you have done iniquity, do so no more; you have gone on hitherto in a way of sin, proceed no further, it is the way to Hell, turn out of it: Let him that hath stolen, steal no more; and him that hath been filthy, be filthy no more; and him that hath been unjust, be unjust no more: Drunkards, forbear your drinking; swearers, refrain swearing; liars, teach your tongues to speak truth: Break off your course of sin; turn from all gross sins as to the practice, and turn from all sins as to the affection.