Two Treatises 2, Tract 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of Confeſsion and Deprecation.
HVmiliation wrought in the heart, muſt bee expreſſed outwardly both in word & action.2. Outward expreſſing it in word.
In word by his
Confeſſion of ſinne, and
Deprecation.
In Confeſſion conſider
1. Parts.1. In Confeſſion. In it 1. parts which are 2.
2. Manner.
The parts of confeſſion are two. 1. Accuſing of our ſelues. 2. Iudging of our ſelues.
Both theſe are neceſſary duties. For by accuſing 1. Accuſation In which.our ſelues we preuent Sathan; by iudging our ſelues we preuent God. When we hauehave accuſed our ſelues what can Sathan that accuſer of the brethen ſay, which wee hauehave not ſayd before, ſo his mouth is ſtopt: Hee comes too late: wee being Accuſers, God is our Diſcharger, and what then ſhall Sathan be but a Slanderer?
By iudging of our ſelues, doe wee likewiſe put God out of office: for he will ſay, loe how this man iudgeth himſelfe: I will not therefore iudge him. If in Ahabs hypocryticall iudging, ſeeſt thou not 1. Kin. 21. 29how Ahab humbleth himſelfe, I will not therefore humble him, how much more in the ſincere and ſeuere iudging of the Godly. Indeed in iudging of others, Iudge not leaſt ye be iudged; but in iudging Matth. 7. 1.of our ſelues, iudge that ye be not iudged.1. Cor. 11.
Now for the former, namely the accuſing of our Three thingsſelues, there muſt be theſe three things therein.
1. A particularizing of our ſinnes. In an accuſation 1. Particularizing of ſinne.it is not enough to accuſe in generall, but we muſt come to particulars, and charge the accuſed with this or that crime. How can the Phyſitian helpe him that ſaies he is not well, and will not tell him where. Many deale with God in the confeſſion of their ſinnes, as Nebuchadnezar with his Inchanters Dan. 2.about his dreame: that hee had dreamed hee told them, and deſired an interpretation; but what his dreame was he could not tell. So many confeſſe themſelues ſinners, and deſire pardon. But wherein they hauehave ſinned, and what their ſinnes are, they cannot, or will not tell. Generall Confeſſions, and in groſſe, are too too groſſe. No, they muſt be particularly remembred, and ranked, and ſorted together in order.
2. And beeing thus ſet in order, ſome of thy chiefeſt ſinnes muſt be culled out, which hauehave bin 2. Calling out the chiefe.moſt diſhonourable to God, and diſcomfortable to thine owne ſoule. Thus Paul in his confeſſion inſiſts ſpecially in that grand and capitall ſinne of perſecution. I perſecuted the Church of God. And ſo thoſe Iſraelites. Beſides all other our ſinnes, wee hauehave 1. Tim. 1. 13. 1. Sam. 12. 19.ſinned in asking a King. For he that truely and ſeriouſly repents of one ſinne, ſpecially his deereſt and ſweeteſt ſinne, will much more repent of his other leſſer ſinnes. Hee that will ſhake off his greateſt friends, will much more forſake the meaner, and leſſe reſpected. And indeed vſually Repentance is firſt occaſioned by ſome one ſpeciall hainous ſinne layd to heart. The Apoſtles Acts 2. doe ſpecially preſſe the murther of Chriſt vponupon the Iewes, and Acts 17. Ignorance vponupon the Athenians, & Chriſt adultery vponupon the woman of Samaria, calling her to repentance. As in battels, though they fight againſt the whole Army, yet ſpecially againſt the Head and Generall; as Fight neither againſt great, 1. Kin. 22.nor ſmall, but againſt the King of Iſrael: ſo ſpecially we muſt ſet our ſelues in our confeſſion againſt our Maſter ſinnes; the King being caught, the reſt will neuer ſtand out.
3. Though we muſt ſpecially dwell vponupon ſome of our moſt ſpeciall ſinnes, yet the reſt muſt not be 3. Yet not neglecting the reſt.neglected: for as Confeſsion muſt be particular, ſo alſo muſt it be full. And our more greeuous offences muſt bring the reſt to our remembrance. As Dauids murther and adultery brought euen his birth-ſinne to his minde. And that ſin of ſtrange Pſal. 51.wiues many other ſinnes to Eſraes minde. As we in correcting our children for one fault thereupon Eſr. 9.remember them of, and reckon with them for many other before; and as in accuſation, when a man is endited of ſome ſpeciall crime, his enemies vponupon that occaſion bring in whatſoeuer elſe they can get againſt him, further to diſgrace him: ſo heere in accuſing our ſelues nothing willingly muſt bee omitted. Take wee heede of ſpirituall guile in hiding ought. Thou mayeſt hide God from thy ſelfe, thy ſelfe from God thou canſt not. To the Phyſician thou wilt diſcouer euen thy moſt ſhamefull diſeaſes, the fruites of thy filthy wickedneſſe. If thou ſhouldeſt conceale but one circumſtance of ſuch a diſeaſe, it might kill thee. And ſixe theeues being entred into thy houſe, if thou ſhouldeſt let but one of them alone vnſearched, and vndiſcouered, hee would ſerue the turne to cut thy throat, and ſteale thy treaſure. Thou muſt then powre out thy whole heart as water, as the Prophet Lam. 2. 19. opened.ſpeaketh: which ſome of the Ancient hauehave interpreted of a full confeſſion, when nothing is left out. As in powring out of water eueryevery drop goes out, not ſo in powring out of oyle.
Yet in ſome caſes the omiſſion of ſome perticular ſinnes is excuſable. As firſt, in want of knowledge and memorie. Heere to cry out with Dauid; Pſal. 19.Who knoweth the errors of his life? Clenſe me from my ſecret ſinnes, ſhall be accepted. Secondly, in want of leyſure; as when a man is ſuddenly preuented by the hand of God, as the theefe on the croſſe, or by extreame and violent ſickneſſe. Heere to remember thy chiefe ſinnes, as he his ſtealing, and for the reſt to confeſſe generally is accepted in mercy of the Lord.
The ſecond part of confeſſion is the iudging of 2. Iudging our ſelues. Iob. 39. 37. Prou. 30. 2. 2. Sam. 24.our ſelues. Firſt, for the nature, or quality of our ſinnes; wherein wee muſt bee moſt ſeuere againſt our ſelues, ſo was Iob. I am vile; Agar. I am not a man, I hauehave not the vnderſtanding of a man in me; Dauid. I hauehave done exceeding fooliſhly. Though before he thought he had done exceeding wiſely. So Paul iudges himſelfe the head of ſinners, the leaſt of the 1. Tim. 1. 15. 1. Cor. 15 9.Apoſtles, yea of Saints, yea leſſe then the leaſt. He giues himſelfe the higheſt place among ſinners, the loweſt among Saints. Secondly, for the deſert of our ſinnes. Heere wee muſt paſſe the ſentence of the Law, adiudging our ſelues to death, & ſo ſtand before Gods tribunall as guilty perſons with ropes about our necks. Ezech. 36. 31. Then ſhall ye iudge your ſelues worthy to bee cut off. Daniel. 9. Shame belongs to vsus. Luk. 15. I am not woorthy to be called thy ſonne.
Theſe be the parts of Confeſſion: the manner followes; 2. Manner of it in 6. things.wherein ſixe things are required.
1. Confeſſion muſt be in Faith of Gods mercy, 1 In Faith.for forgiueneſſe of, and helpe againſt the ſinne confeſſed. Wee muſt confeſſe, not as the conuicted malefactor to the Iudge, as Achan to Ioſhua, who aſſures himſelfe of certaine death, and lookes for no fauour; but as the ſicke man to the Phiſition, that hath hope to be cured by him. And here our faith is ſurer a great deale. For we cannot ſo aſſure our ſelues eyther of the will, or skill of the Phyſitian to heale vsus as of Gods: neither that in the matter of ſhame he will be ſo faithfull to vsus, as God. Wicked men confeſſe as Iudas, I hauehave ſinned, but deſpaire ſwallows them vp. When they acknowledge their fault, they ſeeke not Gods merciemercy; as the Prophet excellently bringeth in God coupling theſe Hoſ. 5. 15.two together, Till they acknowledge their fault, and ſeeke mee. So did Daniel, yet there is mercy and forgiueneſſe: Dan 9. Ezr. 10. 2.And Shecaniah, wee hauehave ſinned: yet there is hope in Iſrael concerning this.
2. It muſt be in ſhame, with annihilated, deiected and confounded ſpirits, as Eſra. O my God I am aſhamed, 2. In ſhame. Ezra. 9.and confounded to lift vp mine eies to Heauen: for though faith bee confident, yet not impudent. Though Eſra had faith, and called God his God, yet was hee aſhamed with his ſinne, though not with the ſhame of a condemned malefactor, yet of a good Sonne or Subiect offending his Father, or Soueraigne. The wickeds preſumptuous faith is a ſhameleſſe faith; it makes them ſhameleſſe in ſinning: and their ſhame is a faithleſſe and deſperate ſhame; They cannot in their ſhame call God their God with Ezra: But both theſe muſt goe together. Many in confeſſing begge mercy with the Publicane, but their eyes are not caſt downe in godly ſhame as his were. They are not touched with any ſerious ſenſe of their owne vileneſſe, to thinke with Iob, duſt and aſhes good enough for them. I hauehave ſinned ſaith Saul, yet I pray thee honour mee in the ſight of the people. Lo a proud and high mind in 1. Sam. 15. 30.confeſſion, where our intent principally ſhould be to ſhame and abaſe our ſelues.
3. In ſorrow with a bleeding and melting hart, 3. In ſorrow.as Dauid, Pſalm. 51. In confeſſing, eueryevery ſinne confeſſed ſhould be felt as a dagger pricking vsus at the heart. Elſe the confeſſion of ſinne is worſe then the ſinne confeſſed, the remedy is worſe then the diſeaſe; and after ſuch confeſſions, wee had need to reconfeſſe our ſelues for our confeſſions. It would more anger vsus to ſee thoſe that hauehave wronged vsus confeſſe their wrong with an impudent forehead without relenting, then the wrong it ſelfe did which they confeſſe.
4. With a free-heart; not extorted by the paine 4. With a free heart.of the wracke as Pharaohs was, who when hee was of the wracke, bit in his confeſſion againe, and recanted; not wrung nor wreſted from vsus by the dint of argument, as Sauls was by the force of Samuels reaſons. Our owne hearts muſt ſmite vsus with Dauid, before Gad the ſeer come to ſmite vsus, and they 2. Sam. 24.muſt vrge vsus out of louelove to our God offended, to come and confeſſe. God loues a cheerefull confeſſor; who needs not to bee laboured vponupon by his miniſter, friends, or neighbours, nor to be haled and pulled to confeſſion by ſickneſſe, or ſuch like extremity: for the vileſt hypocrite will ſtoope then. Balaam when hee ſaw the Angells naked ſword could ſay then I hauehave ſinned.Num 22. 34. 5. With an angry heart.
5. With an angrie and impatient heart againſt ſin, and our ſelues for ſinne. The repenting ſinner though hee bee the moſt patient to God, yet the moſt impatient to himſelfe, and full of indignation to his ſinnes. Thus was it with Dauid befooling himſelfe in his confeſſion, 1. Sam. 24. 10. and calling himſelfe beast, in confeſſing his diſtruſt in Gods prouidence. Thus was it with Iob, abhorring himſelfe Iob. 42. 6.in his confeſſion, and with the Publican knocking himſelfe, ſhewing what mind he carried to his ſinne, euen to doe the like to it, and with Ephraim Ier. 31. 9.in anger ſmiting himſelfe on the thigh. This is the way to fall in with God, to fall out with our ſelues; to bee friends with God, to bee enemies with our ſelues.
6. It muſt be with an honeſt heart, in confeſſing 6. With an honeſt heart.of ſinne, forſaking the ſinne confeſſed. He that confeſſeth, and forſaketh his ſinne, &c. Confeſsion and confuſion Prou. 28.of ſinne muſt goe together. Heere many errors in Confeſſion are diſcouered.
Firſt many confeſſe their ſinnes in a brauery, as Paul did his religion: I confeſſe, ſaith hee, that after Acts 24. 14.the way they call hereſie, ſo worſhip I the God of my Fathers. So many graceleſſe men there are, that doe ioy to make long and large accounts of their leaudneſſe, feeding their delights with their liues paſt, as the dogge returneth to ſmell of his caſt gorge, and the horſe to his doung: yea when by Confeſsion they hauehave diſgorged their ſinne, they preſently with the dogge licke vp their vomit againe. Others there are that are fully ſet vponupon ſinne in confeſſing, As thoſe Iſraelites that ſaid, we hauehave ſinned: we will goe vp. As much as to ſay, wee hauehave Deut. 1 41.ſinned: we will ſinne; for God forbad them flatly to goe vp. Others there are that, as the Papiſts, preſume to ſinne becauſe of confeſsion, thinking by it to bee eaſed, as the drunkard by vomiting. And though ſome in their good moodes may ſeeme in confeſſion verily to purpoſe amendment, yet theſe are no ſound, no ſettled, no ſincere and honeſt purpoſes, but ſudden flaſhings conceiued by their deceitfull hearts rather to auoyd the iudgements felt or feared, then truely to pleaſe God. But wee in our confeſſion muſt imitate that good Shecaniah, who in confeſſing ſinne entred into Couenant Ezra. 10. 2. 3.with the Lord againſt the ſinne confeſſed. We hauehave ſinned: now therefore let vsus enter into couenant with the Lord. Otherwiſe confeſſion the remedy againſt ſin is turned into ſin. The remedy encreaſeth the diſeaſe. Some of the Heathen in the daies of ſacrifice to their Idols for health, did riotouſly banquet to the preiudice of their health. So to too many of vsus in the very ſelfe ſame dayes we confeſſe our ſins wee runne afreſh to our ſinnes. And God in his iuſt iudgement puniſhes hypocriticall confeſſion with a further greedineſſe of ſinning. When the heart is not rent with the garments, the rending of the garments ſowes the ſinne faſter together: when the heart and conſcience is not knocked together with the breſt, that knocking will neuer batter ſin, but conſolidate and compact it more firmely together, Tundens pertus, & non corrigens vitia, ea conſolidat. Aug.it will be as the knocking of a naile, which driues it further in.
In the next place to Confeſsion wee muſt ioyne 2. In Deprecation.Deprecation, with ſtrong cries crauing pardon, euen as the poore hunger-bitten begger does an almes, or as the caſt malefactour pleads for his life at the barre before the Iudge; Thus did Dauid, HaueHave mercy vponupon me ô Lord, according to the multitude of thy compaſsions, Pſal. 51.&c. And Daniel, O Lord heare, ô Lord Dan. 9.forgiue, againe, and againe repeating his cries.
In theſe penitentiall prayers we may note theſe two things: Firſt, that they be deepely ſerious: the guilty theefe pleading for his life, goes not about to entertaine the Iudges eares with quaint phraſes and fine words, but he ſtudies to ſhew the paſſion and affection of his heart. There are ſome luſty beggars, that in begging will keepe a flouriſhing in their Rhetoricke, ſuch as it is. A wiſe man will neuer be moued to compaſſionate them: Hee will thinke they are not throughly hungerbitten, they would vſe another kind of dialect then, and leaue their fooleries, and fall to humble and pittiful complaints and groanes. As Salomon ſaies, The poore man ſpeaketh ſupplications; ſo the repenting ſinner Prou. 18.beeing poore in ſpirit, ſpeakes ſupplications. The beſt flowers he can garniſh his prayers with, are his ſighes, his ſobbes, his groanes, his cries. This is the Rhetoricke of repentance in prayer. The affectation of carnall eloquence in prayer, ſhewes there is little repentance in ſuch praiers.
2 That oftentimes affection in them is ſo ſtrong that wordes faile, Rom. 8. 26. Dauid when Nathan had wounded him cryed out, I hauehave ſinned. Why, will ſome ſay, did he not go on and craue pardon? his inward griefe was ſuch that hee could not in wordes: in deſire of heart hee did: his heart was full, and the ſeedes of the 51. Pſalme were then in his breaſt. So the Publicane ſaid no more but Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner, yet there was affection & Luke 18.meditation enough to hauehave ſpent a whole day in prayer, and not onelyonly to furniſh that one ſhort ſentence, Lord be mercifull. Some hauehave more words then matter in their prayers: but humbled repentants hauehave more matter then wordes: and ſo are ſtreighted, as great throngs of people preſſing out at ſome narrow paſſage ſticke faſt, and cannot goe forward but very ſlowly. Some are very ſhort in praier for want of matter and affection: but repenting ſinners are ſhort, becauſe of the aboundance of matter and affection; being as full veſſells that doe not runne preſently at the firſt piercing, or as the fleſh that in deeper wounds bleeds not preſently. Thus was it with the repenting prodigall: he purpoſed to ſpeake thus, and thus to his Father, Luc. 15.Namely, Father I hauehave ſinned, &c. make mee but as one of thy hired ſeruants. Now this laſt clauſe he leaues out when he comes to his Father, by reaſon his heart was ſo ſurcharged with griefe; his paſſions drunke vp his ſpeech, as wee ſee how Chriſts teares made his ſpeech broken and imperfect, Luk. 19 41. And fit it is indeede there ſhould bee this ſweete harmony betwixt the repenting ſinners heart and tongue, his broken heart, and his broken prayers.
The vſe. Seeing the practiſe of true humiliation conſiſteth in theſe exerciſes of Confeſsion and deprecation, let vsus in Gods feare buckle to the ſerious practiſe of them. Haſt thou ſinned? Suffer not ſinne to lye vponupon thy conſcience; Caſt vp thy confeſſion ſuffer not the impoſtumation any longer to paine thee with the ſwelling, but giuegive a vent to the humor and ſo get eaſe. Dauid profeſſeth that neither in ſilence, nor in roaring hee could finde any eaſe, till he came to confeſſion. But I thought I would confeſſe and then thou forgaueſt: Among men indeede Pſal. 32 Deo peccatum dicere ſufficit, et ſolicitur. In hominibus vero contrarium peni…us cum peccatores confeſſi fuerint tunc magis puniūtur. Chryſoſt. ad pop. Ant. hom. 3. 1. Iohn 1. 2. Sam. 24.in their Courts confeſſion brings no ſuch priuilege, there, confeſſe and bee hanged; after confeſſion followes condemnation: but here confeſſion and iuſtification goe together: If we confeſſe, God is faithfull to forgiue; it muſt needs be ſome ſpecial ſeruice which God promiſeth ſo great a reward vntounto. Dauid after his ſinne of numbring the people, proueth himſelfe to be Gods ſeruant, becauſe he confeſſed it, Take away the treſpaſſe of thy ſeruant: yea but how dareſt thou call thy ſelfe Gods ſeruant, who haſt ſo lately and ſo grieuouſly ſinned? He anſwers, for I hauehave done fooliſhly. Though I am not his ſeruant in playing the foole, yet in confeſſing my folly I am his ſeruant. Iob among many fruits of obedience, as Iuſtice, Mercy, Chaſtity, whereby hee would proue himſelfe Gods ſeruant, reckons alſo this of Iob 31.confeſſion: If I hauehave hid my ſinne as did Adam, equalling the confeſſion of his ſinnes with the beſt of his vertues. For as hee onelyonly can tell his dreame that is awakened out of his dreame; ſo he only can confeſſe his ſinne, that is truely and throughly awakened out of his ſinne by the ſpirit of God: farre are they from repentance, who in ſtead of a free and childlike confeſſion after their ſinne are ready to vſe ſhifts, excuſes, extenuations, minſings, mittigations, daubings with vntempered mortar; nay that do ſow cuſhions vnderunder their elbowes, and lay pillowes vnderunder their heads, that thy may ſleepe ſecurely in their ſinnes. A pittifull thing it is, that whereas God hath giuen ſhame to ſinne, & boldneſſe to confeſſion, the matter ſhould bee ſo inuerted, Pudorem, et vere undiam Deus dedit peccat…: Confeſſioni fidutiam. Inuertit rem Diabolus, et peccato fiduciam praebet, confeſſioni pudorem. Non pudet peccare poeuitere pudet. Chryſ. Ioſh. 7. 19. Dan 9.that men ſhould be impudently bold in ſinning and yet aſhamed to confeſſe when they hauehave ſinned. Well in concealing thy ſinne thou doeſt but keepe the Diuells counſell, his ſecretary thou art, whoſe pollicie it is thus to ouerthrow thee. Hee knowes right well the next way for vsus to get glory from God, is to glorifie God. And then doe wee glorifie him, when by confeſſion wee ſhame our ſelues. According to that of Ioſhua to Achan, My ſonne giuegive glory vntounto God, and of Daniel, Glory to thee O Lord, ſhame to vsus. When man will not glorifie God by ſhaming himſelfe, God will glorifie himſelfe by ſhaming man. When man will not open his mouth to pleade againſt himſelfe, and his ſinnes, God will ſtop his mouth when hee would faine plead for himſelfe before his iudgement ſeat, and ſtrike him dumbe that hee ſhall not hauehave one word to ſay in his own defence. It is deceit enough that the Diuell ſhould bring vsus to ſinne: tis double deceit to make vsus hide and excuſe our ſinnes, and ſo to preuent vsus of that mercy which is promiſed to ſimple and ingenious confeſſion. Hauing ſinned therefore, lay not in the way of Gods mercy the Noli opponere obicem defenſionis ſed aperi ſinum confeſſionis Aug. Pſal. 51. 1. 2. 3.ſtumbling blocke of thine owne iuſtification, but open the lap of thy confeſſion to receiue it; as Dauid doth, HaueHave mercy vponupon mee, &c. but why? for I know, or acknowledge my iniquity. Well may hee open his lap to receiue Gods mercy, that opens his mouth to confeſſe his owne miſery. Open thy mouth Pſal. 81.wide, in hearty prayer and confeſſion, and I will fill it with the ſenſe of fauour and mercy.