So my brethren, when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance, there should be a diligent inquisition for sin, for Sin in Scripture is compared to Leaven; thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart, in any of the faculties of thy soul, what sin there is in thy thoughts, in thy Conscience, in thy understanding, in thy will, in any of thy affections, what sin there hath been in thy life, what family sins, what personal sins. Thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whither there be not some Leaven, some evil in thy heart; and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart, there must be a casting of it out; that is, thy soul must be set against it to oppose it with all thy might; whatever beloved sin, whatever gainful sin, whatsoever become of thee, thy soul must renounce that sin of thine; yea and in a kind of execration of thy self; that's thus, Lord, as ever I expect to receive any good by this body and blood of Christ, that I come now to receive, so Lord, here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart; I desire to find out all, and profess ⟨p. 250⟩against all, and renounce all, and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soul fully, from every known or beloved sin; oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart; this must be the disposition of the soul coming hither, and it must needs be thus or else we cannot sanctify Gods name, because there is nothing more suitable then this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament; for we come here to profess that we do acknowledge that sin did cost so much as it did, that it cost the blood of the Son of God; now this cannot choose but cause the heart to renounce sin; If indeed I do believe that sin hath cost the blood of Christ, that it cost him so dear as it did, that it did trouble Heaven and earth, that there must be such a mighty wonderful way of satisfaction to God for my sin committed against him, certainly sin hath a dreadful evil in it; oh, let me never have to do with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Saviour, that did shed his blood. If so be that thou sawest a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child, would not thy heart rise against that knife?
So my brethren, when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance, there should be a diligent inquisition for sin, for Sin in Scripture is compared to Leaven; thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart, in any of the faculties of thy soule, what sinne there is in thy thoughts, in thy Conscience, in thy understanding, in thy will, in any of thy affections, what sinne there hath been in thy life, what family sins, what personall sins. Thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whither there be not some Leaven, some evill in thy heart; and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart, there must be a casting of it out; that is, thy soule must be set against it to oppose it with all thy might; whatever beloved sin, whatever gainefull sin, whatsoever become of thee, thy soule must renounce that sinne of thine; yea and in a kind of execration of thy selfe; thats thus, Lord, as ever I expect to receive any good by this body and blood of Christ, that I come now to receive, so Lord, here I professe against every sin that I have found out in my heart; I desire to find out all, and professe ⟨p. 250⟩against all, and renounce all, and would doe to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soule fully, from every knowne or beloved sin; oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart; this must be the disposition of the soule comming hither, and it must needs be thus or else we cannot sanctifie Gods name, because there is nothing more sutable then this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament; for we come here to professe that we doe acknowledge that sinne did cost so much as it did, that it cost the blood of the Sonne of God; now this cannot chuse but cause the heart to renounce sinne; If indeed I doe beleeve that sinne hath cost the bloud of Christ, that it cost him so deare as it did, that it did trouble Heaven and earth, that there must be such a mighty wonderfull way of satisfaction to God for my sinne committed against him, certainly sinne hath a dreadfull evill in it; oh, let me never have to doe with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Saviour, that did shed his blood. If so be that thou sawest a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child, would not thy heart rise against that knife?
