1 But this, is a great mistake. Indeed, it is a truth, that repentance will put men upon renouncing their finful joys and pleasures. But thefe are better parted with, than kept. For they are poyfonful and pernicious, both to body and foul. It is therefore no diskindness, but the greatest kindnefs to ourselves, to abandon them wholly and for ever. Mofes chofe afflictions, with God's people, rather than thofe pleafures. Heb. xi. 25.--- And in the room of these pleasures, repentance will afford. us far better pleasures. In the way of repentance, fomething of the joys and pleafures of heaven, are let into the foul. Nay, in the very exercife of repentance itfelf, there is fweet pleafure and delight. A truly penitent foul finds itself eafed and refreshed, when it melts down into tears before the gracious and merciful God. A load and burden is thereupon removed from the foul, and it finds reft; according to that promife of Chrift, Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you reft. This peace and joy, which it finds in the practice of repentance, it would not exchange, for all the former delights and fatisfactions, which it found in the ways of fin.---Let none of us then believe the falfe reprefentations of repentance, made unto us by Satan. He would deter us from repentance by fears of fadnefs; when his defign is, to rob us of the greatest joys. 2 USE 3. Of Exhortation to repenting finners, to bless God for their deliverance out of fpiritual captivity. This is a juft matter for thanksgiving and praife. Pfal. cvii. 1, 2. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good. Let the redeemed of the Lord Jay fo, whom he bath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Thus the apoftle gives thanks to God for the deliverance of the Romans from their fervitude to fin. Rom. vi. 17. Thanks be to God, ye were the fervants of fin; but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered to you. To excite you unto praifing God, confider thefe following things. Mot. Mot. 1. Confider what kind of deliverance this is. If we take a view of it distinctly, we shall see what causes there are for thanksgivings. 1. It is, of all deliverances, the greatest. No deliverance is comparable to this. Deliverance from bodily captivity, is accounted a great mercy. Poor captives that are at the will and disposal of their barbarous enemies, are oftentimes imprifoned, and cruelly ufed, and put to all manner of drudgery. This was the cafe of the people of God in their Egyptian bondage. Their yoke was exceeding heavy, and their deliverance out of that houfe of bondage was a wonderful favour, for which they praised God. Exod. xv. 13. Thou in thy mercy baft led forth thy people, which thou haft redeemed." Thus alfo when they were afterwards redeemed out of their Babylonian captivity, they praifed God with joyful lips. Pfal. cxxvi. 3. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Yet how great foever thefe deliverances were in themfelves, they were but small, compared with this deliverance out of fpiritual captivity. The fubject of this deliverance is the foul of man, which is of far more worth and excellency, than the body. The evils, which it is delivered from, do far exceed all bodily evils. It is delivered from the curfe of God, from the power of Satan, from the dominion of fin, and from the damnation of hell. How inconfiderable are all bodily, temporal calamities, unto fuch evils as thefe? There is therefore infinitely more caufe to blefs God for deliverance out of this fpiritual bondage, than out of the moft grievous bodily bondage. How thankful do men feem to be, if they are refcued out of Turkish, or Indian captivity! But how much more thankful fhould they be for this far better deliverance, from fpiritual captivity? . 2. This deliverance fhall be abfolutely perfect. It is now only begun, and in part; but it hall in due time be confummated, and brought to full perfection. Thus it will be after death, in the other world. The foul, at its departure out of the body, fhall perfectly be be delivered from the tempting power of Satan. It fhall go to Chrift in glory, where it will be out of the reach of all vexing temptations from that wicked one. The foul fhall then alfo be perfectly delivered from fin. No fin fhall be remaining in it in the least degree. It fhall be made perfectly finlefs.--And at the day of the refurrection, both foul and body in conjunction, shall be compleatly delivered from the power of all enemies. It is therefore called by way of eminency the day of our redemption. Eph. iv. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit, whereby ye are fealed unto the day of redemption; even the final and compleat redemption of the purchafed pofIfeffion. Eph. i. 14. In that day, they fhall be fully redeemed from all fin and mifery, and be made compleatly happy. And that day is especially called the day of the redemption of our body. Rom. viii. 23. For in that day the bodies of believers fhall be redeemed and freed from the power of death, the last enemy. In that day they fhall triumph over death and the grave, faying, O death, where is thy fting? O.grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. xv. 55. So that the begun deliverance of believers in this world, fhall be perfected in the world to come.--And what abundant caufe of thanksgiving to God is there, for this deliverance, which hall most affuredly have fuch a glorious iffue? When God fhall bring it unto its full perfection, believers will then call upon their fouls and all that is within them, to biefs his holy name. : 3. This deliverance will be eternal. When the people of Ifrael were delivered out of their Egyptian bondage, they did not always abide in a ftate of freedom. They were after that carried into captivity again, by the king of Affyria, and the king of Babylon. And after they returned from their Babylonian captivity, they were again fubdued by the Romans, and are to this day a people feattered abroad in the earth, and in a kind of fervitude to the oppreffing powers over them. But now, as for this fpiritual deliverance from captivity, which repenting finners are the fubjects of, it will be everlasting. Repenting SINNERS brought out of BONDAGE, everlasting. They fhall never any more be brought into captivity by their fpiritual enemies. Sin and Satan fhall no more have dominion over them. But as their redemption will be perfect, fo it will be eternal. It will laft, not for a time only, but to all eternity. The redemption which Jefus Chrift has obtained for them, is eternal redemption. Heb. ix. 12. Thus we fee, that the deliverance of penitent finners out of their fpiritual captivity, is exceeding great, perfect, and everlafting. And furely, fuch deliverance, calls for the greateft, moft perfect, and eternal praises to God. Thus for the first thing. Mot. 2. Confider, in what way this deliverance is brought about. If we attentively confider bow this glo- . rious deliverance is effected, we fhall fee yet further caufe for praising God for it. The manner of its accomplishment, is a great inducement unto thanksgivings to God. Particularly, 1. It is brought about by almighty power. The deliverance of the people of Ifrael out of their Egyptian bondage, was an effect of the glorious power of God, His omnipotency was moft wonderfully difplayed in the accomplishment of it. Deut. v. 15. Remember, that thou waft a fervant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm. Thus alfo does God deliver out of Spiritual captivity by a mighty band. Yea, deliverance out of the hands of fpiritual enemies is a far greater work of power, than deliverance out of the hands of Egyptians. The Devil and his infernal hoft are far more potent, than Pharaoh and his hoft. The Prince of the power of the air, is of greater might than any earthly prince. And therefore it is a more fignal manifeftation of divine power, to take away the captive from this mighty one, and to deliver the prev from this terrible foe. The arm of the Lord is made bare, in overcoming this strong man armed, and taking away his goods.But yet further, the lufts of finners, which hold them in captivity, are far more invincible, than than any external human force. Those that have conquered nations, could not conquer their own lufts; but abode flaves unto them. Nothing fhort of infinite power, can fubdue thefe lufts in the hearts of finners. Mic. vii. 19. He will fubdue our iniquities. 'Tis God, by the power of his holy Spirit, that mortifies our lufts for us. Rom. viii. 13. If ye through the fpirit mortify the deeds of the body, Thus we fee what glorious power has been difplayed in effecting this deliverance for us. And fuch manifeftation of divine power for the refcuing us out of such a wretched condition, calls for our hearty praises.---- But, 2. This deliverance is brought about, by the payment of a great price. 'Tis not effected by meer might, but alfo by rich purchase. 1 Cor. vi. 20. Te are bought with a price. The chief captain told Paul, that he obtained his freedom of Rome with a great fum. Act. xxii. 28.. But by a far greater fum is our fpiritual freedom obtained. The price given for it, exceeded all the wealth of the world, yea, was of infinitely greater value. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Forafmuch as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold,----but with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb without blemish and without pot. This blood, was the blood of him that was God, as well as man; and fo was of infinite worth and excellency. Act. xx. 28. Act. xx. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchafed with his own blood, not the blood of brutal facrifices, but his own proper blood. Jefus Chrift, who is true God, gave his life a ransom for us, to redeem us out of our captivity. Matth. xx. 28. This life was the life of the Man Jefus, who was allo God the Son. 1 Joh. iii. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God (even the Son) because he laid down his life for us. This fingle life, was of far greater dignity and worth, than the lives of all men and angels. And yet this life was parted with, to redeem us from the wrath of God, from death, and from hell.O then what caufe have we to praife God, for appointing Jefus Chrift thus to die for our redemption; and to praife Jefus Chrift, for |