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the forgiveness of sins we are freed and delivered from that punishment to which we were before obnoxious.

Q. Is repentance the valuable consideration for which God bestows upon us forgiveness of sins?

A. The Scriptures are clear that our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ laid down his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world; that by his death he reconciled us to God, and by the merit of his sufferings made full satisfaction for us; so that it is for the sake of what Christ endured, that God was pleased to take off our obligation to eternal punishment; but yet this reconciliation, that is made by the death of Christ between God and man, is not absolute, but upon conditions. We must repent to make us capable of that pardon he hath purchased for us; for our Saviour hath joined these two together in his commission to the Apostles, saying, That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name throughout all nations. g

Q. How do men delude themselves in this necessary duty of repentance?

A. By delaying it for the present, and deferring it to some future opportunity; either till the heat of youth is over, or till sickness, old age, or death overtakes them. But as it is the greatest folly imaginable to venture a matter of such consequence upon such an uncertainty as future time, which we can never be sure of, and to defer a necessary work to the most unfitting season of performing it; so it is highly wicked, in that we abuse God's patience, who gives us time and opportunity for it at present, and prefer the slavery of sin before his service; it is a contempt of his laws, and of that wrath which is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness; and we may justly fear that such a procedure may

Luke xxiv. 47.

provoke God to withdraw that grace which will then be necessary for the exercise of our repentance, though he should give us time and opportunity.

Q. Is a death-bed repentance therefore absolutely impossible?

A. It is certain, that, without a particular grace of God, no man will be able to repent upon his death-bed; and it is no ways reasonable to expect these extraordinary influences, when the ordinary means of grace have been neglected all along in life; and therefore I believe it very rarely takes effect: but I cannot think it absolutely impossible, because the nature of repentance consisting in the change of our minds, and the change in our lives being the only necessary effect of that inward change when it is sincere, it is possible, by the extraordinary grace of God, (which the gospel gives us no encouragement to hope for) that the change of our hearts may be true, full, and sufficient, and yet we may want time and opportunity to shew the effect of it in our actions. And when God sees it thus, he may take the inward will and choice for the outward service and performance; because he foresees that if time had been allowed, obedience would certainly have followed. Besides, we find that the resolutions of a sick-bed, though very rarely, yet sometimes have been effectual, which is sufficient to prove the thing possible; and if divines thought otherwise, it would be in vain for them to exhort persons in such circumstances to repent and turn to God.

Q. Wherein consists the danger of a death-bed repentance? And how is the case of such dying penitents deplorable?

A. Considering the difficulty of a thorough change, and the disadvantageous circumstances of a sick-bed, it is highly probable, that whosoever defers it till that time,

will never repent at all; or, if he does, his penitential resolutions, being founded upon such temporary principles as the fear of death, and the absence of temptation, they will seldom prove strong and vigorous enough to produce a thorough reformation; as is plain in the case of those that recover, among whom there are very few that are true and constant to those purposes of amendment, which they formed upon the prospect of approaching death. But supposing their penitential purposes be rightly qualified, considering the fickleness and mutability of our nature, nothing but the fruits and effects of repentance can create in us an assurance that we are inwardly changed; and consequently they must needs die very uncomfortably, and in great doubt and anxiety of mind what will be their fate and doom to all eternity.

THE PRAYERS.

FOR CONTRITION.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; create and make in me a new and contrite heart, that I, worthily lamenting my sins, and acknowledging my wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR PARDON UPON OUR CONFESSION.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, and judge of all men; I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and wickedness, which I from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majesty,

provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against me. I do earnestly repent, and am heartily sorry for these my misdoings: the remembrance of them is grievous unto me, the burthen of them is intolerable: have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive me all that is past; and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR THE RENEWAL OF OUR MINDS.

HAVING thus utterly renounced my sins, O Holy Father! I desire above all things to partake of thy righteousness; having utterly defaced and corrupted myself, I would gladly be new made by thee; having hitherto miscarried whilst I would be in my own hands, I desire now to be altogether in thine. I loath myself, O my dear God! whilst I am without thee, and whatever else I lose, my earnest prayer is, that I may recover thy likeness, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

FOR A SPIRIT OF TRUE HOLINESS.

I KNOW, O gracious Lord! that I cannot receive

this but from thyself; therefore be thou the blessed giver, and the gift. I know also, alas! that I am utterly unworthy to have thy divine image stamped upon my soul; but I extremely need it, and I extremely value it; and such thou art pleased to account worthy of it. And I heartily love thee, O my God, or else I should not be thus desirous to be like thee. And thou lovest to communicate thy goodness; and whom shouldest thou imprint and display it upon, but on those who love thee,

and are earnestly desirous of the same! Hear me, therefore, O my God, and breathe into my heart that spirit, which renews me after thine own image, in righteousness and true holiness. O thou! who seekest out sinners to make them good, do not reject me now, when I seek thee out to make me better. I am poor and naked, O fill me with thy righteousness! my good thoughts are inconstant and changeable; O fix them by thy grace. Set up thy kingdom, O Jesu, in my heart! for to become thy faithful servant is more to me than to have the empire of this world: keep me stedfast, O Lord, in serving thee, till thou takest me finally to enjoy thee, through Jesus Christ, my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

FOR UNIVERSAL OBEDIENCE.

LORD, grant that at all times I may account my sins, yea, all my sins, to my shame; and make thy laws, yea, all thy laws, to be my rule; and thy blessed will to be in every thing my choice and satisfaction. Let thy promises be my hope, thy providence my guard, thy grace, my strength, and thy blessed self my portion, both now and in the end, through Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

CHAP. III.

EMBER-DAYS IN LENT.

Q. What are Ember-Days?

A. Certain days set apart for consecrating to God the four seasons of the year, and for the imploring of his blessings by fasting and prayer upon the ordinations performed in the church at such times. And this in con

Acts. xiii. 3.

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