ternal. Let us wait, let us watch, let us Ser. 10, ftand fast a while, a little while and the Day will break in upon us, a Day that will chase away all forrow, and fill us with Joy and Glory; a Day wherein we shall complain no more either of the infirmities of the Body, or defects of the Mind, wherein we fhall grapple and fight no more either with Temptations or Evils, but shall be equal to the Angels of God, as in the Perfections of Hor linefs, fo in the perfection of Pleasure too; Being made like them impeccable and in(corruptible. And therefore entirely and confummately Blessed,

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Vol. I.

Repentance, and the Mo tives to it.

EZEK. xxxiii. 11.

Say unto them, As I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked, but that the Wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will ye die, 0 Houfe of Ifrael?

N thefe and the foregoing Words of

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this Chapter, God inftructs the Prophet Ezekiel in the nature and defign of his Office. If he faw the Sword coming upon the Land, that is, if he difcerned by manifeft Prefages, divine Vengeance ftanding as it were at the door, and ready to break in upon them; he should then blow the Trumpet and give Warning, .e. he fhould lay before them their Rebellions and Provocations, and denounce against them, the wrath and indignation of Heaven; but if they fhould fay unto him, our Tranfgreffions and our Sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we

then

then live, verf. 10. that is, if he found Ser. 11 them broken and dejected under the Confcience of their guilt, and prone to defpair of deliverance from thofe Judgments, which they were convinced were but too juftly due to them; then he was to change bis Style, and reprefent to them the Goodness and Gracioufnefs of God, and to affure them of his readiness to pardon and receive them into favour upon Repentance; Say unto them, As I live, faith the Lord God, &c.

The Doctrine of Repentance is always necessary, always feasonable, but furely never more than now, when there are fo many dark and ominous tokens of impending Judgments, clear and obvious to every Obferver. Such are the Noife and Alarms of the execution of God's Wrath upon neighbouring Nations; our own Ingratitude and Contempt of Mercies, the increafe and multiplication of our Sins, our incorrigiblenefs and degeneracy under Chaftilements our uncu rable Animofities and Divifions, the Contempt of God's Minifters, and the Death of fuch as by their Example and Authority were most likely to counte nance and encourage Vertue, and give a ftop to Vice. Thefe and the like are the general Fore-runners of fome dreadful Judgment,

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Vol. I. Judgment, and caufe, I doubt not, much folicitude and affliction of Soul, to fuch amongst us as are of tender Spirits, and impreffed with a deep Senfe of the Holinefs and Juftice of God. They feem continually to hear the bellowings and murmurings, to fee the blackness and lowring of thofe Storms which are ready to break upon us, of thofe Earthquakes which are ready to open and fwallow us up, and to fee God, an incenfed God, in the Language of the Pfalmift, whetting and brandishing his Sword, bending his Bow, and preparing for us the inftruments of Death. Is not this then a day to call all to Repentance, and to exhort every one in particular, to fave himfelf from this wicked Generation.

I will therefore from thefe Words, 1. Shew you briefly what that Repentance is which will not only free us from the Wrath to come, but procure us Life and Happiness. 2. I will exhort and prefs you to it by the two great Arguments contained in my Text, .e. Firft, The Vengeance that will one time or other overtake the obftinate Sinner. Secondly, The readiness of God to pardon the Penitent.

As to thofe two Circumftances the Solemn Oath or Affeveration of God, as

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I Live, faith the Lord God, and the near Ser. 11. Relation between God and Ifrael infinuated in that tender melting Expoftulation, Why will ye die, O Houfe of Ifrael? They add I confefs much Force and Edge to the Exhortation; yet I can't treat of 'em diftinctly, but only as they fhall fall in with fome part or other of my Difcourse.

1. Then, what that Repentance is, which will avert the Difpleafure and procure the Favour of God. This is not difficult to be refolved. The Scripture does constantly teach us, and fo does Reason too, That true Repentance is a Change of Life, a Change either from Notorious Wickedness into Holiness, or from a form of Godliness into the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 5. 'Tis in the Language of the Prophet Ifaiah, to ceafe to do evil, and learn to do well, Ifai. 6. or in that of St. Paul, To deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live righteously, foberly and godly in this prefent World, Tit. 2. 12. 'Tis being fanctsfied throughout in Spirit, Soul and Body, I Thef. 5.23. i. e. 'Tis Light in the Understanding, Purity in the Affections, and in all Actions of the Body a Conformity to the Will of God. This is that Repentance which all the Defcriptions of it in the Old Testament, and the New, and al the Examples of true Penitents in both recommend