viii. 8. Christ feeds four thousand with seven loaves.

John ii. 8. Christ turns water into wine.

See Contentment, Submission, and Resignation.

Ver. 8. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

Ver. 10. The axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

iv. 17. Jesus began to preach, and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

ix. 13. Jesus said, I came to call sinners to repentance. Mark ii. 17.

Mark vi. 12. The disciples being sent forth by Christ, preached that men should repent. Ver. 7.

Acts xx. 21. Paul said, I taught, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

xxvi. 20. I shewed first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. See above,

Matt. iii. 8.

II. The duty of repentance enforced by threatenings in the New Testament. Matt. xi. 20-22. Then began Jesus to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But

xii. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Luke xi. 32. Compare Jonah iii. 5.

xxi. 31, 32. The publicans and harlots. go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and harlots believed him; and ye repented not.

Acts xvii. 30. The times of ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent.

Rev. ii. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent; or I will come and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. See ver. 16. 21, 22. Ch. iii. 3.-ix. 20.xvi. 9.

by promises in the New Testament. Luke III. The duty of repentance encouraged xxiv. 46. It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.

Acts ii. 38. Repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost.

iii. 19. Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.

viii. 22. Repent of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

IV. Promises to those that return to God. Deut. iv. 30, 31. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shall be obedient to his voice, he will not forsake thee. Ch. xxx. 1 to 10. 2 Chron. xv. 4.

1 Sam. vii. 3. If ye return unto the Lord with all your hearts, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, he will deliver you. 1 Kings viii. 33 to 38. 48, 49. 2 Chron. vi. 37. Neh. ix. 33. Ps. cvi. 6. Dan. ix. 5. 15. Job xxii. 23. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up.

Isa. lv. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jer. iii. 12. Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you. (Ver. 1. 10. 14.) Ver. 22. Return and I will heal your backslidings, Ch. iv. 1.

-xv. 19.

xviii. 7, 8. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it: If that nation turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto

them. Ch. xxvi. 2, 3.-xxxvi. 3.

Ezek. xviii. 21-23. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. They shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live? Ver. 27, 28.

Ver. 30. 32. Repent, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn and

live.

xxxiii. 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ver. 14. 19. 2 Pet. iii. 9.

Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. Lam. iii. 40.

xiv. 1, 2. O Israel, return unto the Lord; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity; take with you words, and say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.-Ver. 7. I will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely, saith the Lord. Ch. xii. 6.

Joel ii. 12, 13. Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Zech. i. 3. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Turn ye unto me, and I will turn unto you. Mal. iii. 7.

ix. 12. Turn to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope.

ix. 28.

inquired early after God.-Ver. 38. He Ps. lxxiv. 34. They returned, and forgave their iniquity.

testimonies.-Ver. 65. Thou hast dealt cxix. 59. I turned my feet unto thy well with thy servant, according to thy word. 2 Kings xxiii. 25.

Jonah iii. 10. God saw the works of their evil way: and God repented him the Ninevites, that they turned from of the evil that he had said he would do unto them, and he did it not.

xii. 41.

Matt.

VI. Turning to God enjoined by commands, and enforced by threatenings against those who turn not from sin. 2 Kings xvii. 13, 14. The Lord testified against Israel and Judah, by the prophets and seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways.

But they would not hear.Ver. 18. The Lord was angry, and removed them out of his sight. Jer. xliv. 4, 5, 6.

Neh. ix. 26, 27. They slew the prophets, which testified against them, to turn them to thee. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their

Ver. 35. They have not served thee, in thy great goodness, neither turned from their wickedness.-Ver. 36. Behold, we are servants this day, &c. Ver. 37.

Job xxxvi. 10-12. He openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasure. If they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and die without knowledge.

Ps. vii. 12, 13. If the wicked turn not, God will whet his sword: he hath bent his bow and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death.

Isa. xxxi. 6. Turn ye to him from whom the children of Israel have,deeply revolted.

Jer. v. 3, 4. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor, they are foolish.-Ver. 6. A lion out of the forest shall slay them, &c.

viii. 5, 6. Why is this people slidden back with a perpetual backsliding? they refuse to return. No man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Hos. xi. 5.

xv. 7. I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.

xviii. 11. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. Ch.

xxxv. 15.

xxiii. 14, 15. The false prophets strengthen the hands of evil doers, that no man doth return from his wickedness. Therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, concerning the prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall. Ezek. xiii. 22.

xxv. 4, 5. The Lord sent unto you his servants the prophets. They said, Turn ye every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land, &c.-Ver. 7. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord. See threats to ver. 12. Ch. xxvi. 3.--xxxvi. 3. 7.

Ezek. iii. 19. If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Ch. xxxiii. 9.

Dan. ix. 13, 14. All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us. Zech. i. 4. 6.

Hos. v. 3, 4. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me. They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God.-Ver. 14. I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah; I will tear, and I will take away, and none shall rescue.

vii. 9, 10. Grey hairs are here and there upon Ephraim, and he knoweth it not. The pride of Israel doth testify to his face, and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this-Ver. 13. Woe unto them, destruction unto them, they return but not to the Most High. Ch. xi. 5.

xv. 1. O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Amos iv. 6. I have given you cleanness of teeth, and want of bread; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Ver. 8, 9, 10, 11.

Jer. iv. 3, 4. Thus saith the Lord, to them of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground; and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts; lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it. Hos. x. 12.

Matt. xviii. 3. Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of

heaven.

VII. The cause and means of repentance and conversion. God the cause: this implied in prayers made to God for it, and other expressions ascribing it to God as his gift. Ps. lxxx. 3. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Ver. 7. 19.

lxxxv. 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger towards us to cease.

Song i. 4. Draw me, I will run after thee.

Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. After that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed,

I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed; yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Lam. v. 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned.

Acts xi. 18. They said, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Ver. 21. The hand of the Lord was with the disciples, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Rom. ii. 4. The goodness of God leadeth to repentance.

2 Tim. ii. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledgment of the

truth.

VIII. Jesus Christ giveth repentance. Acts iii. 26. God having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

v. 31. Him hath God exalted, a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

IX. God's law a mean of converting sinners. Ps. xix. 4. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

Luke xvi. 30. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. -Ver. 31. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

X. The ministry a mean of converting

sinners. Ezek. iii. 19. If thou warn the

wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Ch. xxxiii.

9.

to

Dan. xii. 3. They that turn many righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. James v. 19. Prov. xi. 30.

Luke i. 16. Many of the children of Israel shall John Baptist turn to the Lord their God. Ch. xxii. 32.

Acts xxvi. 17. The Lord said to Paul, I send thee to open men's eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among all them that are sanctified, by faith that is in me.

XI. Repentance promised. Ps. xxii. 27. All the ends of the world shall remem

ber, and turn to the Lord. Ps. li. 3.cx. 3.

Isa. i. 27. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

x. 21. The remnant shall return unto the mighty God. Mic. v. 3.

lx. 5. The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, and the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Ch. lv. 7.

Jer. xxiv. 7. They shall return unto me with their whole heart.

Hos. ii. 7. The church shall say, I will return unto my first husband.

xiv. 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine.

XII. Self-examination needful to repentance. 1 Kings viii. 38. Know every man the plague of his own heart.

Ps. iv. 4. Commune with your own heart on your bed, and be still." lxxvii. 6. My spirit made diligent

search.

cxix. 59. I thought upon my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. Lam. iii. 40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. 1 Cor. xi. 28. Let a man examine himself.

2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourselves, prove your own selves.

Gal. vi. 4. Let every man prove his own works.

XIII. Considerations needful to repentance. Deut. iv. 39. Consider in thine

heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

1 Sam. xii. 24. Consider how great things the Lord hath done for thee.

Job xxiii. 15. When I consider him, I am afraid.

Ps. cxix. 95. I will consider thy testimonies.

Eccl. vii. 14. In the day of adversity, consider.

Isa. xli. 20. Consider that the hand of the Lord hath done this.

Ezek. xii. 3. It may be they will con

sider, though they be a rebellious house.

Ch. xviii. 14.

Hag. i. 5. Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways.

2 Tim. ii. 7. Consider, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. For considering God's works, see Job xxxvii. 14. Ps. viii. 3.-lxiv. 9. Eccl. vii. 13. Isa. lii. 15. Jer. xxx. 24.