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such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardo without it. 8

IV. As there is no sin so small but it deserves damna tion; so there is no sio so great, that it can bring damna tion upon those who truly repent.

V. Men ought not to content themselves with a genera repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavour to re pent of his particular sins particularly k

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;' upon redemption that is in Christ Jesus. you clean, put away the evil of your Eph. i 7. In whom we have redemp. doings from before mine eyes; cease tion through his blood, the forgiveness to do evil. Ver. 18. Come now, and of sins, according to the riches of his let us reason together, saith the Lord : grace.

though your sins be as scarlet, they 8 Luke xiii. 3. I tell you, Nay: shall be as white as snow; though but, except ye repent, ye shall all like they be red like crimson, they shall be wise perish. Ver. 5. I tell you, Nay: 23 wool. but, except ye repent, ye shall ail like. V. & Psal. xix. 13. Keep back ihy wise perish. Acts xvii. 30. And the servant also from presumptuous sins, times of this ignorance God winked let them not have dominion over me: at : but now commandeth all men evs. then shall I be upright, and I shall be Ty where to repent: Ver. 31, Because innocent from the great transgression. he hath appointed a day, in the which Luke xix. 8. And Zaccheus stood, he will judge the world in righteouse and said unto the l.ord, Behold, Lord, ness by that man whom he ha: h or- the half of my goods I give to the dained ; whereof he hath given assu- 'poor : and if I have taken any thing rance unto ail men, in that he hath from any man by false accusation, I raised him from the dead.

restore him fourfold. 1 Tim. i. 13. IV. b Rom. vi. 23. For the wages Who was before a blasphemer, and a of sin is deaih: but the gift of God is persecutor, and injurious. But I obeternal life, through Jesus Christ our tained mercy, because I did it igno. Lord. Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by ran:ly, in unbelief. Ver. 15. This is one man sin entered into the world, a faithful saying, and worthy of all and death by sin ; and so death pass- acceptation, that Christ Jesus came ed upon all men, for that all have sin- into the world to save sinners; of ned. Matth. xii. 36 But I say unto

whom I am chief. you, That every idle word that men VI. I Psal. li. 4. Against thee, thee shall speak, they shall give account only, have I sinned, and done this evil thereof in the day of judgment. in thy sight : that thou mightest be

i Isa. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forsake justified when thou speakest, and be his way, and the unrighteous man his clear when thou judgest. Ver. 5. Be. thoughts : and let him return unto the hold, I was shapen in iniquity : and Lord, and he will have mercy upon in sin did my mother conceive me. him, and to our God, for he will abun- Ver. 7. Purge me with hyssop, and I dantly pardon. Rom. viii. 1. There shall be clean: wash me, and I shall is therefore now no condemnation to be whiter than snow. Ver. 9. Hide them which are in Christ Jesus, who thy face from my sins; and blot out walk not after the Aesh, but after the all mine iniquities. Ver. 14. Deliver Spirit. Isæ. i. 16. Wash you, make me from blood-guiltiness, O God, chou

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i which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy ";

so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or publick confession and sorrow for his sin; to declare his repentance to those that are offended"; who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him o.

CHAP. XVI. Of Good Works.

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his holy word a, and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention God of my salvation : and my tongue thou hast done, hide it not from me. shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. [Psal. li. throughout.] Psal. xxxii. 5. I acknowledged my sin

o 2 Cor. ii. 8. Wherefore I beseech unto thee, and mine iniquity have I you, that ye would confirm your love not hid: I said, I will confess , my towards him. transgressions' unto the Lord :) and I. a Micah vi. 8. He hath thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Shewed thee, O man, what is good ; Selah.. Ver. 6. For this shall every and what doth the Lord require of one that is godly pray unto thee in a thee, but to do justly, and to love mertime when thou mayest be found; cy, and to walk humbly with thy God? surely in the foods of great waters they Rom. xii. 2. And be not conformed shalt not come nigh unto him.

to this world :.but.be ye transformed in Prov. xxviii. 13. He that cover. by the renewing of your mind, that ye eth his sins shall not prosper: but who may prove what is that good, and acso confesseth and forsaketh them shall ceptable, and perfect will of God. have mercy. 1 John i. 9. If we con- Heb. xiii. 21. Make you perfect in fess our sins, he is faithful and just every good work, to do his will, workto forgive us our sins, and to cleanse ing in you that which is well-pleasing us from all unrighteousness.

in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to * James v. 16. Confess your faults whom be glory for ever and ever. one to another, and pray one for ano. Amen. ther, that ye may be healed: The ef. 6 Matt. xv. 9. But in vain they do fectual fervent prayer of a righteous worship me, teaching for doctrines the man availeth much. Luke xvii. 3: commandments of men. Isa. xxix. 13. Take heed to yourselves: If thy bro- Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch ther trespass against thee, rebuke him; as this people draw near me with their and if he repent, forgive him: Ver. 4. mouth, and with their lips do honour And if he trespass agaiøst thee seven me, but have remoyed their heart far times in a day, and seven times in á from me, and their fear towards me day turn again to thee, saying, I re. is taught by the precept of men, 1 pent; thou shalt forgive him. Josh. Perfi. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that vii. 19. And Joshua said unto Achan, ye were not redeemed with corrupti. My son, give; I pray thee, glory to the ble things, as silver and gold, from Lord God of Israel, and make confesó from your vain conversation received sion unto him; and tell rae now what by tradition from your fathers. Rom.

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II. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulnessd, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel 6, stop the mouths of the X. 2. For I bear them record, that they i. 5. And besides this, giving all dilihave a zeal of God, but not according gence, add to your faith, virtue; and to knowledge. John xvi. 2. They shall to virtue, knowledge ; Ver. 6. And to put you out of the synagogues ; yea, knowledge, temperance; and to temthe time cometh, that whosoever kill- perance, patience ; and to patience, eth you will think that he doeth God godliness : Ver. 7. And to godliness, service. 1 Sam. xv. 21. But the peo. brotherly kindness; and to brotherly ple took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, kindness, charity. Ver. 8. For if these the chief of the things which should things be in you, and abound, they have been utterly destroyed, to sacri- make you that ye shall neither be barfice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. ren nor unfruitful in the knowledge Ver. 22 And Samuel said, Hath the of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 9. But Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings he that lacketh these things is blind, and sacrifices as in obeying the voice and cannot see far off, and hath forof the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better gotten that he was purged from his than sacrifice ; and to hearken than old sins. Ver. 10. Wherefore the rathe fat of rams. Ver. 23. For rebellion ther, brethren, give diligence to make is as the sin of 'witchcraft, and stub- your calling and election sure: for if bornness is as iniquity and idolatry: ye do these things, ye shall never fall. because thou hast rejected the word. f 2 Cor. ix. 2. For I know the for of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee wardness of your mind, for which I from being king.

boast of you to them of Macedonia, II, c James ii. 18. Yea, a man may that Achaia was ready a year ago ; say, Thou hast faith, and I have and your zeal hath provoked very works: shew 'me thy, faith without many. Matt. v. 16. Let your light so thy works, and I will shew thee my shine before men, that they may see faith by my works. Ver. 22. Seest your good works, and glorify your thou how faith wrought with his Father which is in heaven. works, and by works was faith made 8 Tit. ii. 5. To be discreet, chaste, perfect?

keepers at home, good, obedient to d Psal. cxvi. 12. What shall I ren- their own husbands, that the word der unto the Lord for all his benefits of God be not blasphemed. Ver. 9. towards me? Ver. 13. I will take the Exhort servants to be obedient unto cup of salvation, and call upon the their own masters, and to please them name of the Lord. 1 Pet. ii. 9. But well in all things; not answering ye are a chosen generation, a royal again; Ver. 10. Not purloining, but priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar shewing all good fidelity; that they people ; that ye should shew forth the may adorn the doctrine of God our praises of him who hath called you Saviour in all things. Ver. 11. For out of darkness into his marvellous the grace of God that bringeth salvalight

tion hath appeared to all men; Ver. e 1 John ii. 3. And hereby we do 12. Teaching us, that, denying ungod. know that we know him, if we keep liness and worldly lusts, we should his commandments. Ver. 5. But who live soberly, righteously, and godly, so keepeth his word, in him verily is in this present world. 1 Tim. vi. 1. the love of God perfected: Hereby Let as many servants as are under know we that we are in him. 2 Pet. the yoke count their own masters

adversaries, and glorify God', whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereuntok; that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end eternal life'.

III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ m. And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure : yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perforin any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them,

worthy of all honour ; that the name gather them, and cast them into the of God and his doctrine be not blas- fire, and they are burned. Ezek. xxxvi. phemed.

26. A new heart also will I give you, b 1 Pet. ii. 15. For so is the will of and a new spirit will I put within you; God, that with well-doing ye may put and I will take away the stony heart 10 silence the ignorance of foolish men. out of your flesh, and I will gi yot?

i 1 Pet. ii. 12. Having your con- an heart of flesh. Ver. 27. And I will versation honest among the Gentiles: put my Spirit within you, and cause that whereas they speak against you you to walk in my statutes, and ye asevil-doers, they may, by your good shall keep my judgments, and do works which they shall behold, glori. them. fy God in the day of visitation. Phil. n Phil. ii. 13. For it is God which i. 11. Being filled with the fruits of workeih in you, both to will and to do righteousness, which arc by Jesus of his good pleasure. Phil. iv. 13. I Christ unto the glory and praise of can do all things through Christ, God. John sy. 8. Herein is my Fa- which strengtheneth me. 2. Cor. iii. ther glorified, that ye bear much fruit, 5. Not that we are suficient of our. so shall ye be any disciples.

selves to think any thing as of ourk Eph. ii. 10. For we are his work. selves: but our sufficiency is of God. manship, created in Christ Jesus unto o Phil

. ii. 12. Wherefore, my begood works, which God hath before loved, as ye have always obeyed, not orciained, that we should walk in as in my presence only, but now much them.

more in my absence ; work out your | Rom. vi. 22. But now being made own salvation, with fear and tremfree from sin, and become servants to bling. Heb. vi. 11. And we desire that God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, every one of you do shew the same and the end everlasting life.

diligence, to the full assurance of hope III. m John xv. 4. Abide in me, unto the end : Ver. 12. That ye be and I in you. As the branch cannot not slothful, but followers of then, bear fruit of itself, except it abide in who, through faith and patience, inthe vine; no more can ye, except ye herit the promises. 2 Pet. i. 3. ACabide in me. Ver. 5. I am the vine, cording as his divine power hath giren ye are the branches: he that abideth unto us all things that pertain unio life in me, and I in him, the same bring- and godliness, through the knowledge eth forth much fruit; for without me of him that hath called us to glory and ye can do nothing. Ver. 6. If a man virtue. Ver. 5. And besides i his, givabide not in me, he is cast forth as a ing all diligence, add to your faith; branch, and is withered; and men 11 fue; and to virtue, knowledge. Ver.

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IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.”

V. We cannot, by our best works, merit pardon of sin, or eternal life, at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins9; but when we have done all we can, we have 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, me according to the greatness of thy give diligence to make your calling and mercy. Job ix. 2. I know it is so of a election sure ; for if you do these truth: but how should man be just things, ye shall never fall : Ver. 11. with God ? Ver. 3. If he will contend For so an entrance shall be ministered with him, he cannot answer him one unto you abundantly into the everlast- of a thousand. Gal. v. 17. For the ing kingdom of our Lord and Saviour filesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Jesus Christ. Isa. Ixiv. 7. And there Spirit against the flesh : and these are is none that calleth upon thy name, contrary the one to the other; so that that stirreth up himself to take hold ye cannot do the things that ye would. of thee: for thou hast hid thy face V. q Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by from us, and hast consumed us, be- the deeds of the law there shall no cause of our iniquities. 2 Tim. i. 6. fresh be justified in his sight: for by Wherefore I put ihee in remembrance, the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. that thou stir up the gift of God which iv. 2. For if Abraham were justified is in thee, by the putting on of my by works, he hath whereof to glory, hands. Acts xxvi. 6. And now I stand, but not before God. Ver. 4. Now, to and am judged for the hope of the him that worketh is the reward not promise made of God into our fa- reckoned of grace, but of debt. Ver. thers : Ver. 7. Unto which pronise 6. Even as David also describeth the our twelve tribes, instantly serving blessedness of the man unto whom God day and night, hope to come; for God imputeth righteousness without which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I works. Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are am accused of the Jews. Jude, ver. 20. ye saved, through faith ; and that not But ye, beloved, building "p yourof yourselves; it is the gift of God. selves on your most holy faith, pray- Ver. 9. Not of works, lest any man ing in the Holy Ghost, Ver. 21. Keep should boast. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works yourselves in the love of God, looking of righteousness which we have done, for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ but according to his mercy he saved unto eternal life.

us, by the washing of regeneration, IV. p Luke xvii. 10. So likewise and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Ver.

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shall have done all those 6. Which he shed on us abundantly, things which are commanded you, say, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: We are unprofitable servants: we have Ver. 7. That, being justified by his done that which was our duty to do. grace, we should be made heirs acNeh. xii. 22. And I commanded the cording to the hope of eternal life. Levites, that they should cleanse · Rom. viii. 18. For I reckon that the themselves, and that they should come sufferings of this present time are not and keep the gaics, to sanctify the worthy to be compared with the glory sabbath-day. Remember me, my which shall be revealed in us. Psal. Gou, concerning this also, and språre xvi. 2. O my soul, thou hast said un

ye, when