promised to bee our God and we to be his people by which wee have deliverance from our former evill and the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ Now for the second Knowledge to bee examined and that is the speciall Knowledge concerning the nature of the Lords Supper as our Knowledge First What it is Secondly why it is so called Thirdly The causes of it Fourthly The end of it First it concernes every man that comes to Gods Table The Lords Supper described that hee know what the Lords Supper is Namely a Sacrament of our spirituall nourishment and growth by faith in CHRIST to eternall life Secondly why it is called Wâ—y so called the Lords Supper as Because it was ordained Reas 1 by the Lord m 1 Cor. 11. 22. Because it was instituted in remembrance of the Reas 2 Lord this do saith he as yee doe it in remembrance of me n 1 Cor. 11. 25. Because in the primitive Reas 3 Church it was usually received on the day of the Lord o Acts â—0 7. The principall cause Thirdly we must know the causes of it as First The cause principall Secondly the cause instrumentall Thirdly The cause materiall The cause principall is God Because hee onely can Reas give grace and afoord meanes First Commanding to Minister and receive it Secondly Promising that whosoever receiveth and beleeveth shall be saved The Instrumentall cause Cause instrumentall Cause materiall of it is the Minister The Materiall cause twofold 1. The outward signe 2. The inward thing signified The outward signe The outward signe is twofold First The Elements of Bread and Wine Secondly The actions of the Minister and Receiver First the Elements of Bread and Wine And here is a question to be answered Quaes Why the Lord Jesus Why bread Christ did make choyse of Bread and Wine rather than any other elements to bee Signes of the Sacrament of his Body and Blood Resp For good Reasons the Analogy and proportion that is between them shewing the same And thus it holds First Bread is the principall supporter of mans life now as Bread is of naturall life so the Lord Jesus is of our spirituall bread in regard of the strength of it it is called The Staffe of Bread p Lev. 26. 26. Reason Because as the weake and wearied man is stayed up by the staffe so the weake body is strengthned by bread so saith the Psalmist he bringeth forth of the earth bread that strengthens mans heart q Psal 104. 15. S. Aug. upon which words Saint Augustine after his Allegoricall manner of exposition applies it unto Christ saying quem panem What Bread and answers Christum Christ Secondly Bread takes away corporall hunger and as bread takes away corporall hunger so the Lord Jesus takes away spirituall Thirdly Bread profiteth none but such as are hungry it doth no good unto them that are filled and glutted the Lord Jesus profiteth none but those who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Quaes Why Wine Why wine Resp First Wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine the Lord Jesus the most sweetest liquor He is the true Vine his blood is sweete indeed r Ioh. 15. 1 7. Secondly Wine cheereth up the heart of man Å¿ Ps 104. 15 the promises of the Lord Jesus cheere up the soule and revives it Thirdly Wine mundi fies cleanses the wounds of the body the blood of Christ cleanseth the soule Fourthly Wine takes away fearefulnesse and causeth boldnesse the blood of the Lord Jesus by faith assures us of Gods favour eases us of the Curse of the Law makes us constant in the confession of Christ This the Analogie and proportion is so that Wine The Cup no to be denied cannot without great wrong be denied unto the people the Papists doe it who like the false Mother would have the child divided the Lord is the true Mother and cannot indure it what man will indure in his ordinary refreshing to have the Cup taken from him the blood of Christ is the speciall price of our Redemption for we were not redeemed with corruptible things but the blood of the Son of God as a Lamb unspotted and undefiled Our blessed Lord saith t 1 Pet. 1. 18. drink yee all of this u 1 Corin. 11 25. they will not doe it and what is this but to damme up the Fountaine Christ hath set open for Judah and Jerusalem but herein they deale with Christ and his Church as in other matters they account the Scripture not the perfect rule of faith but patch it up with their Traditions they make Christ but halfe a Saviour I perswade my selfe if the people should deale with their Priests in their offerings accondingly it would either coole their devotion or work a reformation Now for the actions of the Minister The Ministers actions represent the actions of God and Receivers First The actions of the Minister these actions are foure and they represent the actions of God First the taking of the Bread and Wine into his hands signifies the pointing out of Christ by God for the office of Mediatorship Secondly The blessing and consecrating of these Elements to an holy use signifies the actuall sending of Christ and the holy anoynting of him and setting him apart for that worke Thirdly The breaking of the Bread and the effusion of the Wine signifies the breaking of Christs Body on the Crosse and the shedding of his Blood Fourthly The delivering of these outward Elements to the Receivers signifies Gods offering of Christ unto all that will receive him Secondly The actions of the Receiver these represent the actions of the The receivers actions represent the actions of the soule soule and inward man for as the outward man receives the outward Elements so the inward man receives Christ First The taking of Bread and Wine with the outward hands of the body signifies the taking of Christ with the inward hand of the soule Secondly The eating of the Bread and the drinking of the Wine signifies a peculiar applying of Christ unto our soules that even as Bread and Wine being digested in the stomacks of our bodies is conjoyned to the body and made a part and member of the body so Christ received and digested in the Will and Affections is united to us and we to him he becomes our Head and we his members and as the receiving of outward food doth strengthen the body and makes it fit for naturall actions so the receiving of Christ the spirituall food doth strengthen the inward man and makes it fit for spirituall duties Secondly Now there is the inward thing signified and this whole Christ with all his benefits The last thing wee must The end why it was instituted examine our Knowledge of is concerning the end of the Lords Supper and here the question to be propounded is Quaes Why the Lords Supper was instituted Resp For two ends
examined 29. Generall speciall Knowledge 29. Knowledge concerning God 30. Knowledge concerning Gods nature 30. There is a God 31. God is glorious in nature 33. Jncorporeall 33. Eternall 33. Incomprehensible 34. Immutable 34. Omnipotent 34. Omniscient 35. The summe of the second Sermon THe necessity of this generall Knowledge 3â— The fruits of it 38. God is three in persons 40. One in essence 41. God to be loved alone and above all 42. No other to bee called upon but the Lord. 42. One mediator to be used to him 42. Our knowledge is to be examined concerning Gods Works 43. Gods Worke of Creation 43. The world had a beginning 43. God made it 46. All things had one principle 46. God onely can Create 48. The Creatures to be considered 48. God to be praised 48. All things were made of nothing 49. Gods Power is to be admired 49. God to bee trusted unto 49. All things were made by the Word of God 50. All things were made good 50. God made all things freely 52. All things were made successively 52 Knowledge must bee examined concerning the Providence of God 53. God knowes and takes notice of all things 54. God upholds governes and disposes of all things 55. Gods providence reacheth to all things even the smallest 56. Of all Creatures God takes most care of man 58. God provides great things for man 59. God provides temporall things 61. God provides spirituall 61. God a royall Bridegroome 62. A royall feast-maker 63. A royall generall 63. God provides comforts 63. God provides graces 63. 64. Cleansing 64. Hearing 64. Quickning 64. Directing 65. Protecting 65. Saving 65. God watcheth over us and ours 65. God preserves us from dangers 66. God preserves us in dangers 6. God preserves us by dangers 67. God orders and disposes of all things and all acts for mans good 67. Naturall things shall worke for mans good 68. Artificiall things 68. Necessary things 69. Contingent things 69. Realland imaginary 70. All acts shall be for mans good 70. It is God that doth whatsoever he will 72. Knowledge must be examined concerning our selves 73. Rule of Knowledge concerning God 74 The Rule is the Word of God 74. It s infallible 75. Vnchangeable 75. Vndoubted 75. The summe of the Third Sermon Meanes of knowledge 80. The word must be read and meditated on 81. We must reade wisely 85. Reade with reverence 85. Order is required in reading 85. Judgement requisite 86. Meanes of knowledge the word publickly preached 87. We must heare wisely 88. What must be done before hearing 88. Le ts must be removed and helps used 89. 90. 91. 93. Reverence is required in the act of hearing 95 Attention required 96. Submission 96. Feare 97. Cheerefull alacrity 98. Conference a meanes of knowledge 101. Prayer a meanes 102. Prayer must be sent to God in the mediation of Christ 103. Pray with feare 103. Our gesture in prayer must be reverent 104. Prayer must be fervent 104. We must pray alwayes 104. Pray in the spirit 105. Motives to knowledge 108. The excellency of it 108. It doth good to us 109. It will make us doe good to others 110. It is the end of our being to know God 110. Knowledge must be examined concerning our state of innocency 111. God made man after his Jmage 111 What this consisted in 112 The time when man was made 112 The place man was put in 112 The manner of making him 112 The necessity of this knowledge 113 Mans fall 115 The summe of the Fourth Sermon KNowledge must bee examined concerning the Curse due to man by reason of his fall 121 What the Curse is in this life 121 What it is in the end of this life 123 What it is after this life is ended 123 What this knowledge will bring Christians unto 127 What the Lords Supper is 131 Why it is so called 131 The cause of it 132 The outward signe of it 133 Why he tooke bread 134 Why wine 135 The Cup not to be denied 137 The actions of the Minister represent the actions of God 138 The actions of the Receiver represent the actions of the soule and inward man 140 The inward thing signified 141 The end why it was instituted 141 Faith must bee examined 143 Degrees in faith 145 A desire of faith a token of faith 146 Reasons why faith must be examined 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155. Objections answered 155 156 157 The summe of the Fifth Sermon FAith described 162 God workes it 163 God works it of his meere good will 166 Gods end in working faith 166 What the knowledge of this will bring us unto 167 Meanes to get this faith 167 The Word a meanes 168 The Word read 168 The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching 169 The inward meanes the Spirit of God 171 How the Gospell works faith 172 Repentance must be examined 178 179 What it is 180 Repentance act 181 Repentance turnes wholly 182 Continually 183 Repentance time 184 True Repentance lookes at God 185 At man 186 At others 187 Aâ— sinne 188 What this knowledge workes 189 Motives to repent 192 Dangers of delay 193 The summe of the sixth Sermon DIfficulties 203 Doubts 204 Repentance tearmes 205 The object of Repentance all sin 206. 207. 208. 209 Not sufficient to abstaine from sinne outwardly 210 Not sufficient to lop and cut off some sinne 211 Reasons why Repentance sets it selfe against all sin 212 The penitent sinner sets himselfe against the sins of others 213 Sets against sin sincerely 214 True repentance turnes to all good 215 Repentance is the gift of God 217 God is the worker men the instruments 219 No man can repent when hee will 220 The glory of conversion must be ascribed to God 223 Meanes of grace not to be neglected 224 God must be served freely 227 The summe of the Seventh Sermon OBedience must bee examined 232 Obedience described 232 Obedience Rules 233 True obedience is universall 234 Man able to keep the Commandements 236 True obedience is cheerefull 237 Sincere 239 Inpreaching the heart must be looked to 241 Heare with the heart 242 Pray with it 242 Sing with it 242 Hypocrisie in the best 243 Hypocriticall obedience not regarded 244 Constrained sincerity nothing 246 True obedience is constant 247 Objections answered 248. 249 The godly performe good duties of conscience though not alway with the like cheerefulnesse 250 The godly goe on and persevere 251 The godly feare falling 252 The godly desire the continuance of meanes 252 Motives to obedience 253. 254. 255 Love must be examined 257 God commands Love 258 God loves us 258 Loves commodity 260 Love ingenders love 262 Love as strong as death 262 How God is to be loved 263 What it is to love God with the heart 263 God must be loved with all the heart 264 All owe this debt to God 263 Mans love to God cold and dead 263 Love stands in keeping the Commandements 264 An honourable thing to love God 266 Nothing can give rest to the soule out God 266 God is to be loved for himselfe 267 The summe of the Eighth Sermon REasons why love must be examined 274. 275 Kindes of Love 279. 280. 281 Our love must be Christian 283 Loves properties 287 Christ came to save sinners 309 Love is the fulfilling of the Law 291 Love is beneficiall 292 The estate of those that doe not love miserable 292 The selfe examiner must be a receiver 295 Often receiving no more then needs 298 Often receiving without profit a signe we are not good 300 To forbeare comming wil make men worse 301 It s one thing to have grace another thing to feele grace 301 Every man must with conscience submit to Gods Ordinance 301 No man was ever made better by not comming 301 It s a dangerous thing to limit God 301. 340 Imperfections must not hinder us 305 Feeling a want of grace with greife is grace 306 We Tempiation of Satan dangerous concerning the want of grace 307 Christ came to save sinners 309 The end of the Table
know the estate of the flocks and will looke well to the heards p Prov. 27. 23. a wise Christian will bee as diligent to finde out the estate of his soule hee will search and try his wayes q Lament 3. 40. Wee may reade how that a stranger to the common-wealth of Israell might not eate of the holy things in the time of the Law r Lev. 22. 10. and surely a stranger to the life of grace ought not to taste of the holy things in the Sacrament in the time of the Gospell The Lord was strict concerning them who were to appeare before him at Mount Sinai in so much that if the beast did but touch the Mountaine hee must be stoned to death Å¿ Exod. 19. 13. If the Lord was thus strict concerning those O what shall become of those who dare approach into Christs presence and come to his Table with beastly affections shall not the y be lyable to judgment if the Chamber was trimmed wherein the Passe-over was celebrated and the Supper instituted t Mark 14 15. how should the Chambers of our Soules bee cleansed from prophanesse and adorned with grace The Disciples feet were washed before they did eat and shall not our hearts If the Lord did thus expostulate with a wicked man for taking his Word into his mouth saying What hast thou to doe to take my Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed u Psal 50. 16. will hee not be angry with those who take his body and blood into their polluted mouthes 3. Good reason there is why we must examine Reasons for examination our selves before wee come First because we are R. 1 so carefull to prepare our selves to come to the table of great men here on Earth w Pro 23. 1. more carefull ought we to bee of coming unto the Table of the Lord. Secondly because God R. 2 will examine us if we will not examine our selves He that came without his wedding garment was examined how he came x Math. 22 11 12. he saith not as S. Crysost well observed how satest thou downe but howcommest thou so that it must bee looked unto before-hand according to that of Solomon looke to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of the Lord y Eccle. 5. 1. Thirdly because the curse R. 3 of God shal be to those that doe his Worke negligently Now to come unpreparedly is to doe his Work negligently therefore dangerous Fourthly because R. 4 the Lord hath commanded us to examine our selvs it is the Apostles charge from the Lord let a man examine himselfe a Cor. 11. 18. O thae there were in us such harts to feare God and doe what he commandeth then should it bee well with us and with ours for ever b Deut 5. 29. Fifthly if wee come without examination we come unworthily and so are Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord IESVS c 1 Cor. 11 27. To bee guilty of death or the shedding of the blood of an innocent man is a greivous sinne therefore David when hee had killed Vriah prayed deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O Lord d Psal 51. 14. O then what is it to bee guilty of the Blood of the Sonne of God Sixtly because whosoever come without examination Eate and drinke damnation to themselves not discerning the Lords Body e 1 Cor. 11 29. Now it is a fearefull thing to be damned to have no communion with God no participation in any of the blessings of God f 2 Thess 1. 9. Now for application If it be so that whosoever would come worthily must come preparedly then conclude wee may that the estate of many is lamentable and their condition miserable many adventure to come without preparation and what is this but to eate condemnation to themselves That all men are bound to know the Word of God and to bee skillfull in the Scriptures that therby they may bee made able to try their hearts and to examine themselves g Ioh 5 29 especially there is required of us knowledge in the doctrine of the Law not onely to be able like children to rehearse the words but to know the end and meaning of them h Rom. 3. 20. That many are debarred Vse 4 from comming to the Table Who are debarred from the Table of the Lord. of the Lord. 1. Children Infants who understand not what the Spirit speaketh what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what Faith receiveth what it is to eate spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually 2. All Naturalls and mad men so continuing 3. All such as are come to yeares and have the common use of naturall gifts yet if they neither have the knowledg of God nor of themselves nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacrament these are not to be admitted 4. All such as have knowledge yet if they remaine prophane ungodly and malicious such are not to bee admitted untill exhorted and perswaded to amendment 5. All such are excluded who are without God in the world all Atheists Infidels Turkes That all must examine Vse 5 Great things cannot bee done without care and indeavour In humane things of any importancy nothing is attempted or atchieved without some preparation more or Iesse before wee eate or drinke walke or talke sleepe something is done and shall we doe nothing before wee receive heare what is said in the Scripture kill the Passe-over and sanctifie your selves and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the Word of the Lord i 2 Chro. 35. 6. Commune with your owne heart saith the Prophet David k Psal 4. 4. Let the profit that will come unto you move you to examine Let the First Comfort Secondly Fruit. Thirdly Benefit The Comfort is great the Fruit that is excellent the benefit unspeakeable they receive Christ remission of sinnes assurance of eternall life and if the profit will not move you let the danger terrifie you least ye be guilty of the body and blood of Christ k 1 Corin. 11. 27 29. Quest Seeing then that examination is so necessary what is it that every man must examine himself of Answ There are five What must be examinâ—d things every Receiver must examine himselfe of First Knowledg Secondly Faith Thirdly Repentance Fourthly Obedience Fifthly Love 1. The first thing the Receiver must examine himselfe of is of his knowledg Now knowledge to bee examined is two-fold First Generall knowledg Secondly Special knowledg The Generall knowledg to bee examined is threefold First Concerning God Secondly Concerning our selves Thirdly Concerning the Covenant of grace The first generall knowledg to bee examined is concerning God And this knowledg is either First Concerning Gods nature or Secondly Concerning Gods works First he must examin his knowledg concerning the nature of God and that thus First whether hee know that God is Secondly Whether hee know that this
we may come to the knowledge of God is Reading and Meditating of the word in private Reading the Word an Gods word must bee read excellent meanes for knowledge This is the Rule of a Christians knowledge therefore must needs be a meanes true it is that there are many lets and impediments that hinder us as First The Divell Secondly The Papists Thirdly Parents who will not teach it their children hence it is that many children have so often said if my Parents had thought it so necessary they would have made us acquainted with it Fourthly Spenders of time in vaine bookes more than Scripture Fifthly Evill company many though they can reade yet they suffer evill comapny to draw them from it But many will say Ob. Ob. We cannot reade Ans Ans Thou mayst get others to reade unto thee hee that is blind will have another to leade him hee that is lame will have a crutch to helpe him Ob. I was neglected when I was young now I am old and it is too late Ans Though thy Parents or others neglected thee thou must not therefore neglect thy selfe and thou art not so old but thou mayst begin to learne Ob. Many can reade and will not Answ True it is too many therefore for such I will propound two things First The matter of the Scriptures heavenly mysteries Secondly the Author of the Scriptures the Lord himselfe who is blessed for evermore hee that is the fountaine of all knowledge Ob. Wee are great and have many imployments and have no time to spare Answ Was not David great a King yet did hee spend much time in the Scriptures Thy law is my delight it is my meditation continually Theodosius the Emperour could not take his fill of these in the day but when all were gone from him he would have his candle burning and reading the Word and though thou hast many imployments thou mayst spare some time to reade Ob. Many doe reade the Scriptures often and yet they know not God as they should Answ True they doe so and the fault is in themselves they reade not as they should reade Quest Where is the fault Answ They reade not wisely Quest What must bee done that wee may reade wisely Wee must reade wisely Answ To wise reading three things is required First Reverence Secondly Order Thirdly Judgement First there is required Reverence and that because 1 Reverence First of the matter heavenly indeed Secondly of the Author the most glorious God Secondly there is required Order and Method 2 Order because of the profit Whatsoever booke wee take in hand we must begin at the beginning of it and continue untill we come to the end of it so shall wee carry the summe and drift before us againe we must begin with the easiest and plainest books first Thirdly Judgment and 3 Iudgment discretion is required to wise reading and that in respect First Of the time All time is not to bee 1 Time for Reading spent this way wee have callings and these must be followed yet they that feare the Lord they will so divide the time as that once a day at least they will read the Word of God Secondly of the sense 2 Sense and meaning and meaning that so the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost may the better be understood Thirdly of the end and 3 The end of reading use of reading this will cause us to make the best use of our reading even turne reading into working The second meanes to bring us to the knowledge of God is the Wee must heare the word preached Word publikely preached the hearing of it for this end the Lord himselfe ordained it Now the Divell strives to keepe men off this way as the other he knowes that this brings ruine to his Kingdome Hence it is that so many cry out against preaching the Divell would not have this weapon to fight against him but for all the barking of the enemy the Ministers of God must cry aloud they must not spare they must lift up their voice like a trumpet n Isa 1. 85. Preach we must bee instant in season and out of season o 2 Tim. 4. 1. Quest Doe all that heare Sermons know God as they ought Answ They doe not and the fault is not in the word Wee must heare wisely but in them that heare the word they heare not wisely Quest What must wee doe to heare wisely Answ Two things must be looked unto First Something before we heare Secondly Something when we are hearing First Something must Wee must prepare before wee heare be done before wee heare now this is preparation and this consists First In removing lets and impediments that hinder from hearing Secondly In using helps and meanes that may further us It concernes every man Le ts to bee removed that would heare as hee ought to remove the lets that hinder from hearing as First Intemperance in eating and drinking and pampering of the body It is the Lords advise Take heed of surfeting and drunkennesse which oppresse the heart A full body hath oftentimes a fowle soule and the body at such a time is more apt to sleepe than to heare Secondly Pride and selfe-conceitednesse It is ordinary for men to say they know as much as the Preacher this is to be wise in their owne conceits and the Wise-man tells us those are fooles p Pro. 26. 12. Admit many know as much as the Minister yet so long as hee puts it not in practise they must still heare Thirdly Prejudice against the person of the teacher If we love not the person of the teacher wee will not relish his doctrine q 1 King 22. 8. Fourthly Prejudicate opinions The second thing to heare well is use of helpes and meanes that may further us in hearing the meanes is Vse of meanes to helpe our hearing First Meditation Secondly Prayer First meanes is meditation There is not any businesse 1 Meditation that we goe about but we wil premeditate before much more in this great matter meditation is to be used First Let us meditate of the place whither wee are to goe saying with Jacob how fearefull is this place it is no other than the house of God this is the gate of Heaven r Gen. 28 17 Secondly Meditate wee must of the person into whose presence wee are to go even the presence of the Lord of Hostes Thirdly Of the Word we are to heare into Gods presence we come to heare Gods Word Fourthly Of the great neede wee stand of the Word Our hearts are like parched and dry grounds barren of all good fruit naked and stripped of all beauty and therefore have need of the dew of Heaven to fall upon us we all stand guilty in Adam before God of eternall death and therefore have need of the Charter of Salvation to set us free and what is that but faith and how come wee
The Divels are sin ners and yet they cannot have a saving faith and the reason is because they have no saving promise Secondly Reprobates are sinners and they have it not because it belongs only to the elect By sinners then understand such as know and beleeve themselves to bee sinners and have neede of Christ and Gods mercy such as use all meanes to have Christ that are undone without him these are they in whose hearts the Lord is pleased to work this grace Thirdly it is said whereby a sinner trusts in the Lord Iesus that is rests relies builds upon him cast himself upon the Lord for salvation the sinner owes a debt which must be paid now Christ hath promised to pay it he beleeves it and trusts in him knowing whosoever trusts in him shall be saved Lastly it is said for eternal blessednes Which consists in our deliverance from all hellish and eternall torments and the injoying of everlasting happinesse for soule and body it is called blessednesse because it comprehends all that can make a man perfectly blessed Eternall because it never shall have an end Thus much for faith The third thing that wee are to Repentance to be examined examine before we come to the Table of the Lord is Repentance Now the Reason is because there is a Repentance A false Repentance in the World like true re-Repentance but is not all is not gold that glisters First There is a Repentance which causes a kinde of remorse this was in Saul he lift up his voyce and wept f 1 Sam. 24 15. 16. 17. Secondly There is a Repentance which confesseth sinne this was in Iudas I have sinned saith he g Mat. 27. 3. in Pharaoh I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked h Exod. 9. 27. Thirdly There is a Repentance also which causes praying and fasting this was in Ahab Fourthly There is a Repentance which commeth to restitution Iudas brought againe the silver i Mat. 27. 34. Now all this may bee and yet no true Repentance so that wee may bee deceived and take that for true Repentance that is not true Repentance that changeth the heart Where there is true Repentance there is an aptnesse to ascend the affections are set on heaven and heavenly things k Col. 3. 2. if there were neither heaven nor hell such would be holy it is meate and drinke to them to doe their Fathers Will they will grow in grace and in Knowledge But seeing that there is a false Repentance like true Repentance let us see what true Repentance is Repentance may thus bee described Repentance descrâ—bed to be A present turning from all evill to all good wrought by God in the hearts of all that shall be saved In which description we may spend time in examining of many things as First In examining our Knowledge concerning the Act of Repentance Secondly The time of Repentance Thirdly The termes of Repentance Fourthly The Author of Repentance Fiftly The subject of Repentance First concerning Repentance Repentance Act is turning Act. Now the Act of Repentance or forme of it is turning Obs True Repentance is a turning By the sinne of our nature and practice wee have turned our selves away from God and cannot see his face and favour towards us now it is Repentance that turnes us back againe let us search and try our wayes saith the Prophet and turne againe unto the Lord l La. 3. 40. It is not onely a turning but is more First It is a whole turning Repentance turnes wholly Secondly It is a continuall turning First it is a whole turning the whole man turnes Reason because the Reas whole man is turned away from God and naturally and wholly evill m Gen. 6. The imaginations of his heart are evill all the imaginations of it are evill Secondly as it is a whole turning so it is a continuall Turnes continually turning True Repentance is a continued act of turning a Repentance never to be repented of a turning never to turne againe to folly if this were not the remedy would be short of the disease for the whole man is turned from God by sinne and Repentance must turne the whole man back againe Now the knowledg of this will teach us two things First That man hath ever something within him to turne from a flesh still resisting the Spirit many temptations of Satan many wicked fashions of the World Secondly That he can never get neare enough to God in this life nor ever turne so neare him as once he was and therefore he must proceede on till he doe attaine The second thing to Repentance time to day examine our Knowledge of concerning Repentance is the time Repentance time Now the time of Repentance is present so that Obs True Repentance is speedy Repentance hee that repents truly repents speedily to day whilst it is called to day The first thing the godly-man will set about is to repent he lookes First At God Secondly At himselfe Thirdly At othes Fourthly At his sinnes First hee lookes at GOD True Repentance looks at God First Commanding to day to heare his voyce m Psal 95. 7. First to seeke the Kingdome of God n Math. 6. 33. Secondly Grieving sinne greives his blessed spirit now the godly will greive God no more I as his Spirit to morrow will bee more grieved so his patience will bee more abused and his wrath increased Secondly as Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at mens selves at God so also at a mans selfe and so begins betimes Reas 1. Because before Repentance wee can neither pray nor heare nor receive the Sacrament to our comfort whosoever will have any thing to doe with God or expects any thing from God must wash and make cleane so saith the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before my eyes n Isa 1 61 17 18. Then come let us reason together then come and pray come and heare come and receive Reas 2. Because to morrow wee shall bee more unfit qui non est hodie Cras minus aptus erit To morrow First The heart will bee more hardned Secondly The conscience more seared Thirdly The will more crooked Fourthly Corruption more rooted Thirdly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at others at others That they might bee brought into the way That so there might bee one Sheepe-fold and one Shepheard the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at sinne at sinne And sees it is good to begin betimes the longer it is before wee repent the more sinnes wee have to repent of First More in number Secondly More in strength Sinne is still ingendring and groweth more fruitfull The godly man therefore will not procrastinate It is Satan that tempts men with a delay he dares not say that Repentance is not needfull onely to deceive the simple he