fome; Men that are in Love with Mischief, that Live without God, that mind only Earthly and Wicked things, and that wallow in Senfualities and Uncleannefs; whither can we fuppofe fuch Devilish Tempers fit to go, but to the Company of Devils and Spirits like unto themfelves? It requires a great deal of care and pains, to mend a Man's Nature, to rectifie and regulate his Temper, fo as to dispose him for the Enjoyment of God, and to make him receptive and capable of the Felicities of Heaven. It is an exellent Expreffion that of St. Paul's, Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light; ingvwoarlı üμās, that hath made us fit for a Portion of that Inheritance; that hath fo wrought upon our Hearts, that we are Prepared and Qualified, rightly Fitted and Condition'd for the Enjoyment of Heaven. NOW all this is done by a fincere and hearty Repentance ; when a Man reflecting upon the Love of God, and upon the Folly, Turpitude, and Heinousness of his own Sins, is broken in Heart through a deep Sense of them, and from that hour vows and refolves upon entire Obedience to the Divine Will. Accordingly he enters presently upon a New State of Life, govern governing his Defires with a strong hand, checking his former Inclinations, keeping his Lufts and Affections under command, and ftedfastly refifting those Temptations which Betray'd him before into the hands of the Destroyer. By this means he extirpates by degrees those vitious habits, which once were not only his Life, but his Plague too, and by' ufing himself to a course of Virtue and Religion (which he finds to be infinitely more eafie and delightful as well as fafe) he foon comes to be out of Love with Sin, and is so renewed in the Spirit of his Mind, that the great care and employment of his Life, is to Reform himself Univerfally, and to yield up his Members as the Servants and Inftruments of Righteousness. THIS is briefly the Nature of Repentance, a perfect and total change; and they are very dangerously mistaken who are taught to believe, that if they find in themselves fome Remorfe of Confcience, fome trouble of Mind, together with general and imperfect purpofes of amendment, their Penitence is fufficient, as long as they have the Prieft's Absolution. Alas! all this comes vaftly fhort of Reformation; without which all the reft are Unprofitable: For all the Abfolutions in the World will do no good, without an utter deteftation and forfaking of Sin in the Penitent : nor nor will all his Fears, all his Remorse, all his Confeffions avail him, if when he goes for Abfolution, he looks with a kind and friendly Eye upon his Vices, and cherisheth that Uncleannefs in his Bofom, which by the Laws of God he is bound to caft away. For it is no eafie'matter for any to lead a Lewd Life, without fome trouble and unquietness of Mind; and for a Man first to Sin, and then Confefs, and then Sin again, is nothing elfe, but to drive a circular Trade of Hypocrifie; for all this is very confiftent with a Wicked Life: Because after this rate, there is no neceffity of entire and univerfal Holiness, without which, St. Paul faith, there is no feeing of God) but People may give themselves up all their days to all manner of Wickedness and Villany, and may think to be Saved nevertheless. What a smooth and pleasant way would this be into the Kingdom of God, were it but true? How easily after this rate is the Sinner and the Saint reconciled? But what a Scandal is it to Chriftianity, and what a fatal prejudice is it to a good Life, when Men are taught fuch an Artificial Method, how to Save their Souls, and their Sins too? For who will undertake that troublesom and painful task, of Mortifying his Lufts, of parting with a right Eye, of cutting off a right hand, and and of being Crucifyed to the World, if he be perfwaded that he cannot poffibly mifcarry, as long as he hath at hand fuch a present and easie Remedy as this is, Confefs and be Abfolved. Be not therefore deceived in a cafe of fuch huge moment and weight. True Repentance is not a thing of fuch quick and fuperficial dispatch, it must reach to the very Heart and Marrow; it must alter and transform the whole Man, it must bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance; it muft exprefs it felf by an Univerfal Obedience to the Precepts of the Gospel, it must have that good effect upon Mens Spirits, as to make them follow whatsoever things are Juft, and Honest, and Pure, and Lovely, and of good Report. 2. THE Nature of Repentance being thus Explained, I fhall not need to spend much time upon the next point, touching thofe Special Grounds and Reasons, which render Repentance neceffary, before we go to the Communion. For every Man's Conscience cannot but tell him, that he ought to come to fo Sacred a Mystery with clean Hands, and a very pure Heart. However, that Difcourfes of this kind may not feem fantaftical and groundless, the Neceffity of this thing will plainly appear from thefe following Confiderations. 1. From that Analogy which this Evange lical Chriftian Feaft beareth unto those In Sacrificiis rite celebrandis majorem nullam ceremoniam confcire, bonos ac pios effe. Gyfuiffe videmus, quam nil fibi rald. Hift. deor. fynt. 17. and by their dejected Countenances, and Id. ibid. modeft Behaviour, to express their, great Sorrows for what was paft. They would wafh their Bodies in Rivers, and prefent themselves at the Altars of their Gods in pure and clean Apparel, with washen Hands, and nåked Feet, as fignifications of the Purity of their Minds; and when the Solemnity began, as the Prieft asked with a loud voice, is de who is here? So the People anfwered, πολλοί καγαθός many Men and Good; efteeming Sanctity and Goodness to be abfolutely neceffary. in such as were to Feaft before their Deities. Among the Jews it, was cuftomary to use several Ritual ways of Sanctification (such as the cleanfing of their Bodies, and the fcowring of their very Cloaths) before they presented their Oblations unto God, or durft to feed upon the remains of their |