A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 3

A Cabinet of Choice Jewels · Chapter 3

p. 217CHAP. III.

Now in this Chapter I ſhall treat of ſound, ſaving repentance, of repentance unto Life; yea, of that Evangelical repentance that hath the precious Promiſes of remiſsion of ſin and ſalvation running out unto it. My purpoſe at this time is not to handle the doctrine of Repentance at large, but only to ſpeak ſo far of it as may ſpeak it out to be evidential of the goodneſs and happineſs of a Chriſtians ſpiritual and eternal condition.

NOw before I come to open my ſelf more particularly, give me leave to premiſe this in the general, viz. That there is a repentance that does accompany ſalvation, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly ſorrow worketh repentance to ſalvation not to be repented of, but the ſorrow of the world worketh death. Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thy heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved. Acts 11.18. When they heard theſe things, they held their peace, and glorified God, ſaying, Then hath God alſo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Mat. 18.3. And Jeſus ſaid, verily I ſay unto you, except you be converted and become as little children, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord.

Having premiſed thus much in the general, give me now leave to ſay, That there are three parts of true, ſound, ſaving repentance, p. 218unto all which forgiveneſs of ſin is promiſed: And the

1Firſt is contrition or grief of heart for ſins committed. Now this is called ſometimes godly ſorrow, 2 Cor. 7.10. and ſometimes a contrite ſpirit, Iſa. 66.2. and ſometimes a broken and contrite heart, Pſal. 51.17. and ſometimes the afflicting of our ſouls, Levit. 16.29. and ſometimes the humbling of the heart, 2 Chron. 7.14. Lamen. 3.20. and ſometimes a mourning, Zech. 12.10. and ſometimes a weeping, Mark 14.72. All repenting ſinners are mourning ſinners. David repents and waters his couch with his tears, Pſal. 6.6. Hezekiah repents and humbles himſelf for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. 32.26. Ephraim repents, and Ephraim bemoans himſelf and ſmites upon his thigh, and is even confounded, Jer. 31.18, 19. Mary Magdalen repents, and weeps, and waſhes Chriſts feet with her tears, Luke 7.38. The Corinthians repented, and they were made ſorry after a godly manner, 2 Cor. 7.9. Repentance in the Hebrew is called Nacham, an irking of the ſoul; and in Greek Metamelia, after grief; and Metanoia, after wit; and in the Latine, Poenitentia. All which do import, that contrition or ſorrow for ſin, is one part of true repentance. O! the ſighs, the groans, the ſobs, the tears, that are to be found among repenting ſinners,Luth. Tom. 3.457. &c. Luther hit the Mark, when he ſaid, What are all the Palaces of the world, to a contrite heart; yea, heaven and earth, ſeeing it is the ſeat of divine Majeſty?

2Secondly, 'Tis very obſervable, that all mourning perſons for their ſins, are within the compaſs of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins, Zech. 12.11. In that day there ſhall be a great mourning in Jeruſalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, Zech. 13.1. In that day there ſhall be a fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, for ſin and for uncleanneſs, Jer. 31.18. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning of himſelf, &c. Ver. 20. I will ſurely have mercy on him; or as the Hebrew has it, I will having mercy, have mercy on him. As ſoon as Ephraims heart is p. 219troubled for his ſins, Gods bowels are troubled for Ephraim; as ſoon as Ephraim, like a penitent child, falls a weeping at God's foot, God like a tender indulgent father falls a bemoaning of Ephraim. Ephraim could not refrain from tears, and God could not refrain from opening his bowels of mercy towards him. So Iſa. 57.15. And how can the contrite heart be indeed revived and cheered without forgiveneſs of ſins, without a pardon in the boſom? Melancthon makes mention of a godly woman, who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict, and afterwards much comforted, brake out into theſe words: Now, and not till now, did I underſtand the meaning of theſe words, Thy ſins are forgiven. There is no comfort to that which ariſes from the ſenſe of forgiveneſs, Iſa. 40.1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith your God; ſpeak ye comfortably to Jeruſalem, and cry unto her that her iniquities are pardoned. And why is the mourning ſoul pronounced the bleſſed ſoul, (Mat. 5.4. Bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted) but becauſe the mourning ſoul is the pardoned ſoul?

But what is that ſorrow or mourning for ſin, Qu. that is a part of true repentance? The reſolution of this queſtion is very neceſſary for the preventing of all ſoul-deceits and miſtakes, and for the quieting, ſetling and ſatisfying of ſouls truly penitent; and therefore I ſhall give theſe eight following Anſwers to it.

Firſt, It is a ſorrow or grief that is ſpiritual, that is ſupernatural; 1no man is born with godly ſorrow in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. Godly ſorrow is a plant of God's own planting, 'tis a ſeed of his own ſowing, 'tis a flower of his own ſetting, 'tis of a heavenly off-ſpring, 'tis from God, and God alone: The ſpirit of mourning is from above, 'tis from a ſupernatural power and principle; there is nothing that can turn a heart of ſtone into fleſh, but the ſpirit of God, Ezek. 36.25, 26. Godly ſorrow is a p. 220gift from God, Job 23.16. God makes my heart ſoft. No hand but a divine hand can make the heart ſoft and tender under the ſight and ſenſe of ſin. Nature may eaſily work a man to mourn, and melt, and weep, under worldly loſſes, croſſes and miſeries, as it did David's men, 1 Sam. 30.4. But it muſt be grace, it muſt be a ſupernatural principle that muſt work the heart to mourn for ſin.

2Secondly, godly ſorrow is a ſorrow for ſin as ſin, 'tis a mourning rather for ſin than for ſmart; 'tis not ſo much for loſs of goods, lands, wife, child, credit, name, &c. but for that a holy God is offended, a righteous Law violated, Chriſt diſhonoured, the Spirit grieved, and the Goſpel blemiſhed, &c. Peter's ſorrow was godly, but Judas his ſorrow was worldly; Peter mourns over the evil of ſin, but Judas mourns over the evil of puniſhment. David mourns over his ſin, Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, Pſal. 51.4. And ſo 2 Sam. 24.10. And David's heart ſmote him after he had numbred the people; and David ſaid unto the Lord, I have ſinned greatly in that I have done, and now I beſeech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy ſervant, for I have done fooliſhly. David does not cry out, take away the threatned famine, but take away the iniquity of thy ſervant; nor he does not cry out, take away the enemies of thy ſervant, but take away the iniquity of thy ſervant; nor he does not ſay, take away the peſtilence from the Land, but take away the iniquity of thy ſervant. But now when Pharaoh was under judgments, he never cryes to the Lord to take away his ſins, his pride, his hardneſs, his obdurateneſs, his envy, his malice, his hatred, &c. but he cryes out, take away the judgment, take away the judgment, take away the frogs, take away the lice, take away the caterpillars, &c. But under all theſe dreadful and amazing judgments that he was under, ſuch a word as this never fell from his lips, take away my ſin, O Lord, take away my ſins; thy judgments do terrifie me, but my ſins will damn me, and therefore what ever becomes of my life, kingdom and crown, take away my ſins and ſave my ſoul. David ſaw ſin to be a greater evil, than flying before his enemies, p. 221or than famine or peſtilence was; and therefore he deſires rather to be rid of his ſins, than to be rid of the puniſhment that was due to his ſin; but Pharaoh ſaw no ſuch evil in ſin, and therefore he cryes out, take away the plague, take away the plague. And Job upon the dunghil cryes out, I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men? Job Job 7.20.Job 7:20does not cry out, O, I have loſt all my ſubſtance, I am bereaved of all my children, I am ſet as naked upon the dunghil as ever I was born; my friends reproach me, my wife tempts me to curſe my God, which is ten thouſand times worſe than to curſe my ſelf; Satan perſecutes me, and God has not only forſaken me, but is alſo become a ſevere enemy to me, &c. Job cryes out of his ſin, and not of his ſufferings; a deep ſenſe of his ſins ſwallows up as it were, all ſenſe of his ſufferings.

And ſo that great Apoſtle Paul does not cry out, O wretched man that I am, that bonds attend me in every place, and that I have neither houſe nor home to go to, and that I am deſpiſed, ſcorned, reproached and perſecuted, and that I am accounted factious, ſeditious, rebellious, erronious, and that I am lookt upon as the off-ſcouring of the world, &c. O no, but he cryes out of his ſin; O wretched man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7.23, 24.

So the Prophet Micah, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned, Micah 7.9. Though of all burdens the indignation of the Lord be the greateſt burden, yet divine indignation is but a light burden in compariſon of ſin. A gracious ſoul can better ſtand under the burden of God's indignation for ſin, than it can ſtand under the burden of ſin it ſelf, which hath kindled that indignation, &c.

Thirdly, Godly ſorrow is a great ſorrow, 'tis a ſuperlative 3ſorrow, 'tis a ſad and ſerious ſorrow; a ſincere mourning is a deep mourning, it ſprings from ſerious and deep apprehenſions of the great anger and deep diſpleaſure of God, and of the woful nature, demerit, burden, bitterneſs, vileneſs and filthineſs of ſin, &c. The bleſſed Scripture ſeems to make godly ſorrow a ſuperlative ſorrow, calling it a great p. 222mourning, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, and a bitterneſs, as one is in for his firſt-born, Zech. 12.10, 11. And ſo the Church, My bowels are troubled within me, mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievouſly re…elled, Lamen. 1.20. And David watered his couch with his tears, Pſal. 6.6. And Mary Magdalen wept much, as Well as ſhe loved much, Luke 7. And Peter went out and wept bitterly, Mat. 26. ult. Clement obſerves, that all the time that Peter lived after this great fall, he would every night, when he heard the cock crow, fall upon his knees and weep bitterly.Hoſea 7.14.Hos 7:14 Look, as ſhallow brooks make the greateſt noiſe, ſo hypocrites and formaliſts may howl, and roar, and cry, and make more noiſe than the true penitent; but yet the ſorrow of a true penitent is more inward, ſecret, ſolid, ſtill and deep. As you know the deepeſt Rivers run moſt ſilently, and make leaſt noiſe, ſo the deepeſt ſorrow makes leaſt noiſe. The mourning of repenting ſouls,Ezek. 7.16. Iſa. 51.20. Iſa. 59.11.Ezek 7:16Isa 51:20Isa 59:11 under the apprehenſions of their ſins, is like the mourning of Doves; but the mourning of wicked men under the apprehenſion of their ſins, is like the bellowing of Bulls, and roaring of Bears.

4Fourthly, A ſincere mourning is an extenſive mourning, 'tis an univerſal mourning. Godly ſorrow and grief extends it ſelf, not only to ſome ſins, but to all ſins, great and ſmall. Look, as a holy heart hates all ſin, ſo a holy heart mourns over all ſin that it ſees and knows to be ſin. God hates one ſin as well as another, and he has forbid one ſin as well as another, and he has revealed his wrath from heaven againſt one ſin as well as another, and he is provoked by one ſin as well as another, and Chriſt is crucified by one ſin as well as another, and the Spirit is grieved as well by one ſin as by another, and the Goſpel is reproached by one ſin as well as another, and the conſcience is wounded by one ſin as well as another, and Satan is gratified by one ſin as well as another, and wicked mens mouths are opened by one ſin as well as another, and young comers on in Religion are ſtumbled, grieved and offended by one ſin as well as another, and the ſoul is endangered by one ſin as well as another. An unſound p. 223heart may mourn for great ſins, that make great wounds in his conſcience and credit, and that leave a great blot upon his name, or that waſte or rot his body, or deſtroy his eſtate, or that expoſe him to publick ſcorn and ſhame, &c. Prov. 5.8-14. but for ſins of omiſſion, for wandring thoughts, idle words, deadneſs, coldneſs, ſlightneſs in religious duties and ſervices, unbelief, ſecret pride, ſelf-confidence, and a thouſand more ſuch gnats as theſe he can ſwallow without any remorſe.

But now godly ſorrow is of a general extent, it mourns as well for ſmall ſins as for great. Davids heart ſmote him, as well for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, as it did for killing of Uriah with the ſword. A gracious ſoul weeps over many ſins, that none can charge upon him but God and his own conſcience, Pſal. 19.12. O cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults.

Yea, let me ſay that godly ſorrow and grief extends not only to a man's own ſins, but alſo to the ſins of others as well as his own, Ezek. 9.4, 5. And this you may ſee alſo in David, Pſal. 119.53, 136, 158. And in Jeremiah, Jer. 9.1, 2, 3. And in Paul, Phil. 3.18. And in Lot, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. And if you pleaſe to turn to my Treatiſe on Holineſs, you may ſee ſeven ſpecial arguments for this their practiſe, Page 139 to pag. 145. and therefore a touch in this place may ſuffice.

Fifthly, Godly ſorrow is a laſting ſorrow, 'tis a durable 5ſorrow; as long as a Chriſtian continues ſinning, he can't but continue mourning. David's ſins were alwayes before him, Pſal. 51.3. though his Abſalom nor his Bathſheba were not ever before him. Godly ſorrow will every day follow ſin hard at hells. Look, as a wicked man (in reſpect of his deſire and will to ſin) would ſin for ever, if he ſhould live for ever; ſo I may ſay, if a godly man ſhould live for ever, he would ſorrow for ever. After Paul had been converted many years (ſome think fourteen) you ſhall find him a mourning and lamenting over his ſins, Rom. 7. An ingenious child will never ceaſe mourning, till he ceaſes from offending an indulgent father. Though ſin and godly ſorrow were never p. 224born together, yet whilſt a believer lives in this world, they muſt live together. And indeed holy joy and godly ſorrow are no wayes inconſiſtent, Pſal. 2.11. yea, a godly man's eyes are alwayes fulleſt of tears, when his heart is fulleſt of holy joy, &c. A man may go joying and mourning to his grave, yea to heaven at the ſame time.

But now the ſorrow, the grief of wicked men for ſin, 'tis like a morning cloud, or the early dew, or the crackling of thorns under a pot, or a Poſt that quickly paſſeth by, or a dream that ſoon vaniſheth, or like a tale that is told, &c. their ſorrowful hearts and mournful eyes ſoon dry up together. As you may ſee in Eſau, Ahab, Pharaoh and Judas; but the ſtreams of godly ſorrow will laſt and run, as long as ſin hangs upon us, and dwells in us, 1 Cor. 15.9. I am the leaſt of the Apoſtles, that am not meet to be called an Apoſtle, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God. Pſal. 25.7. Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions. David prayeth to the Lord, not only to forgive but alſo to forget, both the ſins of his youth, and the ſins of his age. David remembred all his faults, both of former and of later times. David was well in years when he defiled himſelf with Bathſheba; and this he remembers and mourns over, Pſal. 51. And 'tis very obſervable, that God charged his people for to remember old ſins, Deut. 9.7. Remember and forget not how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderneſs. Repentance is a grace, and muſt have its daily operation as well as other graces, witneſs the very covenant of grace it ſelf, Ezek. 16.62, 63. I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayeſt remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou haſt done. Certainly a true penitent can no more ſatisfie himſelf with one act of repentance, than he can ſatisfie himſelf with one act of faith, or or with one act of hope, or with one act of love, or with one act of humility, or with one act of patience, or with one act of ſelf-denial. Godly ſorrow is a Goſpel-grace that will live and laſt as well and as long as other graces, 'tis a ſpring that in this life can never be drawn dry.

p. 225Sixthly, Godly ſorrow is a divorcing ſorrow, it divorces 6the heart from ſin, it breaks that ancient league that has been between the heart and ſin;It is an excellent ſaying of Auſtin, He doth truly bewail the ſins he hath committed, who never commits the ſins he hath bewailed. there is a ſtrong firm league between every ſinner and his ſin, Iſa. 28.15, 18. but when godly ſorrow enters, it diſſolves that league, it ſeparates between a ſinner and his ſin, it ſets the ſoul at an everlaſting diſtance from ſin. The union between the root and the branches, the foundation and the building, the head and the members, the father and the child, the husband and the wife, the body and the ſoul are all neer, very neer unions; yet that between a ſinner and his ſin ſeems to be a neerer union. Obſervable is the ſtory of Phaltiel. 2 Sam. 3.14, 15, 16.2 Sam 3:142 Sam 3:152 Sam 3:16You know when David had married Michol, Saul injuriouſly gave her to another; but when David came to the crown, and ſent forth his Royal commands that his wife ſhould be brought to him, her husband dares not but obey, brings her on her journey, and then not without great reluctancy of ſpirit, takes his leave of her. But what was Phaltiel weary of his wife, that he now forſakes her? O no, he was enforced, and though ſhe was gone, yet he had many a ſad thought about parting with her, and he never leaves looking till he ſees her as far as Baharim, weeping and bemoaning her abſence. Juſt thus ſtands the heart of every unregenerate man towards his ſins, as Phaltiel's heart ſtood towards his wife. But when the ſprings of godly ſorrow riſe in the ſoul, the league, the friendſhip, the union that was between the ſinner and his ſins, comes to be diſſolved and broken in pieces, Hoſea 14.8. All godly ſorrow ſets the heart againſt ſin; he that divinely mourns over ſin, can't live in a courſe of ſin; when of all bitters God makes ſin to be the greateſt bitter to the ſoul, then the ſoul bids an everlaſting farewel to ſin; now the ſoul in good earneſt bids adieu to ſin for ever. O Sirs!☜ this is a moſt certain Maxim (to live and die with) that either a mans ſins will make an end of his mourning, or elſe his mourning will make an end of his ſin; for he that holds on ſinning, will certainly leave off mourning (no man can make a trade of ſin, and yet keep his heart in a mourning frame) but he that holds on mourning for ſin, will certainly leave off the trade of ſin, holy grief for ſin, p. 226will ſooner or later break off all leagues and friendſhips with ſin.Iſa. 59.1, 2.Isa 59:1Isa 59:2 As ſin makes a ſeparation between God and a man's ſoul, ſo godly ſorrow makes a ſeparation between a man's ſoul and his ſin. All holy mournings over ſin, will by degrees iſſue in the waſting and weakning of the ſtrength and power of ſin, nothing below the death and deſtruction of ſin will ſatisfie that ſoul that truly mourns over ſin.

But now, though you may find an unſound heart ſometimes a lamenting over his ſins, yet you ſhall never find him a leaving off his ſins. Pharaoh lamented over his ſin, crying out, I have ſinned, Exod. 9.27. & 10.16.Exod 9:27Exod 10:16the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. And again, Then Pharaoh called for Moſes and for Aaron in haſte, and he ſaid, I have ſinned againſt the Lord your God, and againſt you. But though you find him here lamenting and complaining over his ſin, yet you never find him leaving or forſaking of his ſin. So Saul could cry out, he had ſinned, but yet he ſtill continued in his ſin; he acknowledged that he did evil in perſecuting of David, and yet he ſtill held on perſecuting of him. An unſound heart mourns over ſin, and yet he holds on in a courſe of ſin; he ſins and mourns, and mourns and ſins, and commonly all his mourning for ſin does but the more imbolden him in a way of ſin; but the gracious ſoul ſayes with Job, Job 34.32.Job 34:32If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more. He laments over ſin and leaves it, he confeſſes it and forſakes it, and he is as willing to forgo it, as he is willing that God ſhould forgive it.

7Seventhly, All (and if you pleaſe I ſhall give you many things in one) godly ſorrow is the fruit and effect of Evangelical faith, it flows from faith as the ſtream from the fountain, the branch from the root, and the effect from the cauſe, Zech. 12.10. They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and ſhall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only ſon, and ſhall be in bitterneſs for him, as one that is in bitterneſs for his firſt-born. Look, as all legal ſorrow flows from a legal faith, as you may ſee in Ahab's and the Ninevites, ſo all Evangelical ſorrow flows from an Evangelical faith; They ſhall look p. 227upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn. All gracious mourning flows from looking, from believing; nothing breaks the heart of a ſinner like a look of faith; all tears of godly ſorrow drop from the eye of faith; godly ſorrow riſes and falls, as faith riſes and falls; faith and godly ſorrow are like the fountain and the floud, which riſe and fall together. The more a man is able by faith to look upon a pierced Chriſt, the more his heart will mourn over all the diſhonours that he has done to Chriſt; the more deep and wide the wounds are that faith ſhews me in the heart and ſides of Chriſt, the more my heart will be wounded for ſining againſt Chriſt.

Again, godly ſorrow is not an enemy, but a friend to holy joy. I have read of a holy man, who lying upon his ſick bed, and being askt which were his joyfulleſt dayes that ever he had, cryed out, O give me my mourning dayes, give me my mourning dayes again, for they were the joyfulleſt dayes that ever I had. The higher the ſprings of godly ſorrow riſe, the higher the tydes of holy joy riſe; his graces will flouriſh moſt, who Evangelically mourns moſt. Grace alwayes thrives beſt in that garden (that heart) that is watered moſt with the tears of godly ſorrow. He that grieves moſt for ſin, will rejoyce moſt in God; and he that rejoyces moſt in God, will grieve moſt for ſin.

Again, the more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the love of Chriſt; and the more a man taſtes and is aſſured of the love of the Father, and of the love of the Son, the more that perſon will grieve and mourn, that he has offended, provoked and grieved ſuch a Father, and ſuch a Son. Remember this, as a man's aſſurance of peace and reconciliation with God riſes, ſo his grief for ſin riſes; the more clear and certain evidences a man has of the love and favour of God to his ſoul, the more that man will grieve and mourn for ſinning againſt ſuch a God. There is nothing that thaws and melts the heart, that ſoftens and breaks the heart, like the warm beams of divine love; as you may ſee in the p. 228caſe of Mary Magdalen, Luk. 7. ſhe loved much, and ſhe wept much, for much was forgiven her; a ſight of the free grace and love of Chriſt towards her, in an act of forgiveneſs, broke her heart all in pieces. A man can't ſtand under the ſhinings of divine love with a frozen heart, nor yet with dry eyes; the more a man ſees of the love of Chriſt, and the more a man taſtes and enjoys of the love of Chriſt, the more that man will grieve and mourn for all the diſhonours that he has done to Chriſt. The more an ingenious child ſees, and taſtes, and enjoys of his fathers love, the more he grieves and mourns that ever he ſhould offend ſuch a father, or provoke ſuch a father, who has been ſo loving and indulgent towards him. Injuries done to a friend cut deep, and the more near, and dear, and beloved a man's friend is to him, the more a man is afflicted and troubled for any wrongs or injuries that are done to him; and juſt ſo 'tis between God and a gracious ſoul.

The free love and favour of God, and his unſpeakable goodneſs and mercy manifeſted in Jeſus Chriſt to poor ſinners, is the very ſpring and fountain of all Evangelical ſorrow; nothing breaks the heart of a poor ſinner like the ſight of God's free love in a Redeemer. A man can't ſeriouſly look upon the firſtneſs, the freeneſs, the greatneſs, the unchangeableneſs, the everlaſtingneſs, and the matchleſsneſs of God's free favour and love in Chriſt, with a hard heart, or with dry eyes, Ezek. 36.31. compared with verſ. 25, 26. O! who is there that has but one ſpark of ingenuity, that can read over that heart-breaking Scripture with dry eyes? Iſa. 43.22, 23, 24.See Iſa. 57.17, 18, 19.Isa 57:17Isa 57:18Isa 57:19 But thou haſt not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou haſt been weary of me, O Iſrael; thou haſt not brought me the ſmall cattel of thy burnt offerings, neither haſt thou honoured me with thy ſacrifices, I have not cauſed thee to ſerve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incenſe; thou haſt bought me no ſweet cane with money, neither haſt thou filled me with the fat of thy ſacrifices, but thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities, Now a man would think, after all this horrid abuſe put upon God, this would certainly follow: Therefore I will plague and puniſh thee, therefore my wrath ſhall ſmoak againſt thee, therefore my ſoul ſhall abhor thee, therefore I will ſhut up my loving kindneſs in diſpleaſure againſt thee, therefore I will ſhew no more mercy towards thee, therefore I will hide my face for ever from thee, therefore I will take vengeance on thee, therefore I will rain hell out of heaven upon thee, &c. O! but read and wonder, read and admire, read and ſtand amazed and aſtoniſhed, read and refrain from tears if thou canſt, ver. 25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. The Prophets expreſſion in that, Zech. 12.10. is very obſervable; They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him, as one that mourneth for his only ſon. Now 'tis obſervable in a fathers mourning for an only ſon, there is nothing but pure love, ſincere love, hearty love; but in a ſons mourning for his father, there may be and often is a great deal of ſelf-love, ſelf-reſpect, becauſe the child may run and read in his father's death, his own loſs, his own ruin, his own undoing; but in the father's mourning for an only ſon, a man may run and read the integrity, purity, and ingenuity of the father's love; and 'tis only ſuch a love as this as ſets the ſoul a mourning and a lamenting over a crucified Chriſt. The thoughts and fears of wrath, of hell, and of condemnation, works unſound hearts to mourn; but 'tis the ſight of a bleeding, dying Saviour that ſets ingenious, gracious ſouls a mourning.

Eighthly and laſtly, Godly ſorrow, grief or mourning, 8may be known by the inſeparable concomitants or companions that attend it and wait on it,2 Cor. 7.11.2 Cor 7:11 and they are theſe ſeven.

Firſt, What carefulneſs or ſtudy;foreign. 1. Concomitant of godly ſorrow. the word notes the ſerious intention of the mind, and the diligence and dexterity of the ſoul in ſhunning and avoiding ſin, and arming of the ſoul againſt all occaſions and temptations thereunto. The great care of the repenting ſoul is to leave all ſin, to ſhake off all ſin, to avoid all ſin, and to weaken, and ſubdue, and p. 230bring under all ſin. O! the care, the caution, the circumſpection, the vigilancy, the ſtrivings and the ſtrugglings of the repenting ſoul againſt temptations and corruptions.

2. Concomitant of godly ſorrow.Secondly, Yea what clearing of your ſelves, foreign, Apology or defence; which is not done either by denying of ſin, or by excuſing of ſin committed, but by confeſſion of ſin,As the child makes his defence and apology to his father, not by denying or defending his faults, but by confeſſing and diſclaiming of them; ſo does the penitent ſoul carry it towards God. and diſliking of ſin, and bewailing of ſin, and by walking quite croſs and contrary to the ſin confeſſed, diſliked and bewailed; as Zacheus did, Luke 19.8. and as the Jailor did, Acts 16.33. The true penitent has no ways to cleer himſelf, but by arraigning, judging and condemning of himſelf, 1 Cor. 11.31. For if we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged. When men judge themſelves, and condemn themſelves, God is prevented, and the Devil defeated, as having nothing to ſay againſt them but what they have ſaid before;☞ when men acknowledge their ſins, and aggravate their ſins, and paſs the ſentence of condemnation upon themſelves for their ſins, they ſhall find their acquittance from them fairly drawn in the bloud of Chriſt. Repentance for ſin takes off the guilt of ſin, and ſin bewailed is as if it had never been committed; and this becomes the ſoul's Apology, Ezek. 18.21, 22.

3. Concomitant of godly ſorrow.Thirdly, Yea what indignation or ſtomack, foreign, wrath unto grief; it notes the very riſing of the ſtomack with rage, and a being angry unto fretting, fuming and ſickneſs. Again, it notes the very heighth of anger and rage. The true penitent is not ſo exceeding angry with himſelf for any thing, as he is angry with himſelf for his ſins. Indignation here imports the turning of all the paſſions of the ſoul wholly againſt ſin. There are no men in the world ſo hot and angry againſt themſelves for their ſins,Iſa. 2.20.Isa 2:20 as penitents are; witneſs thoſe that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed, Iſa. 30.22. witneſs David, Pſal. 73.22. witneſs Ephraim, Hoſea 14.8. and witneſs Paul, Rom. 7.22, 23. There are none that fret, and fume, and chafe at themſelves for ſin, as penitent ſouls do; there are none that loath themſelves, that p. 231abhor themſelves, and that are weary of themſelves, upon the account of their ſins, like penitent ſouls. 'Tis not this thing, nor that, nor this enemy, nor that, nor this party, nor that, nor this deſign, nor that; but ſin that is the main, the grand object of a penitents hatred, ſcorn, wrath, rage, reproach, diſgrace and contempt, &c. He that would be angry and ſin not, muſt be angry at nothing but ſin. If ſome men would but ſpend more of their anger and indignation againſt their ſins, they would not be ſo angry as they are with their brethren, that in diſputable things differ from them.

Fourthly, Yea what fear of God's diſpleaſure,4. Concomitant of godly ſorrow. and of doing any more ſo wickedly before the Lord. Penitent ſouls are of all ſouls the moſt trembling ſouls, the moſt timerous ſouls, Prov. 28.14. Bleſſed is the man that feareth alwayes. The penitent Chriſtian has ſtill a jealous eye upon his own heart, words and wayes; he is very apt to ſuſpect a ſnake under every flower, and to fear a ſnare in every creature-comfort. The burnt child dreads the fire; he that has been once ſtung hates a ſnake, he that has been in danger of drowning, trembles at the thoughts of going by water; and he that has once broke his leg, rides and walks with a fear of diligence and vigilancy all his life after. I have read of the Dove, that ſhe is afraid of every feather that hath grown upon a Hawk; the very ſight of any of the Hawks feathers, brings as much terror upon her, as if ſhe ſaw the Hawk her ſelf; ſuch a native dread is (it ſeems) implanted in her, that it deteſts and abhors the very ſight of any ſuch feather. In every penitent God implants ſuch a holy fear, ſuch a filial fear, ſuch a reverential fear, ſuch a fear of diligence and vigilancy, that the penitent Chriſtians heart riſes, deteſts and abhors, not only groſs ſins, but the leaſt motions, inclinations and temptations to ſin. They that have paid dear for paſt guilt, that have known what an aking heart, a wounded conſcience, and a bleeding ſoul means, that have experienced what the frowns of God, the threatnings of God, and the wrath of God means, will certainly beware of ſin, watch and war againſt it, and fear to fall into it.

p. 2325. Concomitant of godly ſorrow.Fifthly, Yea what vehement deſire, foreign, it ſignifies ſuch a deſire of fervency, that can admit of no delay; it notes ſuch a deſire as produces diligence, activity, and induſtry. The true penitent is full of fervent and vehement deſires to be rid of his ſins; Rachel was never more vehement and fervent in her deſires after children, nor David after the water of the well Bethlehem, nor the hunted Hart after the water-brooks, nor the betrothed Virgin for her marriage day, nor the Apprentice for his freedom, nor the Captive for his ranſom, nor the Soldier for the conqueſt, nor the ſick Man for his cure, nor the condemned Man for his pardon, than the true penitent is vehement and fervent in his deſires to have his luſts ſubdued,Rom. 7.22, 23, 24Rom 7:22Rom 7:23Rom 7:24 mortified and deſtroyed. Many a day have I ſought death with tears (ſaid bleſſed Cowper) not out of diſtruſt, impatience or perturbation, but becauſe I am weary of ſin, and fearful of falling into it. If you ask the penitent, why do you hear, pray, read, and apply your ſelf ſo ſeriouſly, ſo frequently, ſo unweariedly, and ſo conſtantly to all ſin-ſubduing adminiſtrations? he will tell you, 'tis out of a vehement and fervent deſire that he has to he rid of his ſins. If you ask him again, why he is ſo much in complaining againſt ſin, in mourning over ſin, and in warring againſt ſin? &c. he will tell you, out of a vehement and earneſt deſire that he has to be fully and finally delivered from ſin.

6. Concomitant of godly ſorrow.Sixthly, Yea what zeal. Zeal is an extream heat of all the affections ſet againſt ſin, and working ſtrongly towards God. David's zeal did eat up his ſin as well as himſelf. And Paul was as zealous in propagating the Goſpel, as he had been furious in perſecuting of it. Many mens zeal is hot and burning, when ſcorns and reproaches are caſt upon them; but the penitent man's zeal is moſt hot and burning, when Religion is ſcorned, Saints perſecuted, truth endangered, and the great and dreadful name of God blaſphemed, &c. The zeal of a true penitent will carry him on in a courſe of godlineſs, and in a courſe of mortification, in ſpight of all the diverſions and oppoſitions that the world, the fleſh, and p. 233the devil can make. Holy zeal is a fire that will make its way through all things, that ſtands between God and the ſoul. The true penitent is unchangably reſolved to be hid of his ſins what ever it coſt him; who ever eſcapes, who ever lives, he is fully determined his luſts ſhall die for it; only remember this, though zeal ſhould eat up our ſins, yet it muſt not eat up our wiſdom, no more than policy ſhould eat up our zeal.

Seventhly, Yea what revenge. The true penitent revenges himſelf upon himſelf for his ſins,7. Concomitant of godly ſorrow. not by whips and ſcourges as the Papiſts do;1 Cor. 9.27. A penitent ſinner loaths the very ſcars of his ſins after they are healed, Nazian.1 Cor 9:27 but by buffetting the fleſh, and bringing it into ſubjection by faſting and prayer, and by croſſing of his luſts, and loading of them with chains, and by di…ding the ſword of mortification againſt them, and by with-holding from them that fuel that might feed them, and by the uſe of all other holy exerciſes, whereby the old man, the body of ſin and death may be ſubdued to the obedience and diſcipline of the Spirit of God. Holy revenge will ſhew it ſelf by contradicting of corrupt ſelf, and by a ſevere chaſtiſing and puniſhing of all thoſe inſtruments that have been ſervants to the fleſh; as you may ſee by the daughters of Iſrael in dedicating their looking-glaſſes, by which they had offended,Exod. 38.8.Exod 38:8 to the ſervice of the Sanctuary;Acts 19.19.Acts 19:19 and as you may ſee by the Epheſians burning of their coſtly and curious books before all men;Luke 7.Luke 7 and by M…ry Magdalens wiping of Chriſt's feet with her hair, wherewith formerly her fond and fooliſh lovers were inticed and intangled. And the ſame ſpirit you may ſee working in Zacheus, Luke 19.8, 9. and in the Jailor, Acts 16.23, 24, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34. And ſo bleſſed Cranmer thruſt his right hand firſt into the fire, that being the hand by which he ſubſcribed the Popiſh Articles, revengfully crying out, This unworthy right hand, this unworthy right hand, as long as he could ſpeak. The common language of holy revenge is this; Lord, pour out all thy wrath, and all thy fierce anger, and all thy fiery indignation, upon this luſt, and that luſt; Lord, bend thy bow, and ſhoot all the arrows of thy diſpleaſure, into the very heart of my ſtrong corruptions; Lord, p. 234when wilt thou rain hell out of heaven upon this proud heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this worldly heart, this froward heart, this treacherous heart of mine, &c. I have read of Hannibal, that when he ſaw a pit full of the bloud of his enemies, he cryed out with much content and delight, O, beautiful ſight! So when a penitent Chriſtian ſees his ſpiritual enemies, his ſtrong corruptions, all in a goar bloud. O! how delightfully and rejoycingly does he cry out, O, beautiful ſight! O, bleſſed ſight, that ever I have ſeen!Exod. 15.Exod 15 When the children of Iſrael ſaw the Egyptians dead upon the Sea-ſhore, then they ſang a ſong of praiſe; the Application is eaſie. O Sirs! let no man deceive his own immortal ſoul; for 'tis moſt certain, that repentance to life hath all theſe lively companions attending of it. Sound repentance, and the companions of it, are born together, and will live and continue together till the penitent ſoul changes earth for heaven, grace for glory. And let thus much ſuffice for the firſt part of true repentance, &c.

The ſecond part of true repentance lyes in confeſſion of ſin, which flows out of a contrite heart; I mean, not a bare, formal, empty confeſſion (ſuch as is common amongſt the worſt of ſinners, as that we are all ſinners, and ſtand in need of a Saviour, God help us, God be merciful unto us, &c.) but of ſuch a confeſſion of ſin as ariſeth from a true ſight and full ſenſe of ſin, and from the due apprehenſions of a righteous Law that is tranſgreſſed, and a holy God that is provoked, &c. When tongue and heart goes together, when the tongue ſpeaks out of the abundance of the heart, when the tongue is the faithful interpreter of the heart, freely, ingenuouſly and humbly acknowledging iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin; and the penitent judging himſelf worthy of death, of wrath, of hell, and unworthy of the leaſt mercy and favour from God, &c.

Now ſuch a confeſſion as this is you ſhall find in repenting ſinners; and if you look again, you ſhall find thoſe perſons p. 235ſo confeſſing to be under the capacity of the promiſe of the forgiveneſs of their ſins, &c.

Firſt, You ſhall find repenting ſinners confeſſing their 1ſins, Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am aſhamed and bluſh to lift up my face unto thee, my God; for our iniquities are increaſed over our head, and our treſpaſs is grown up unto the heavens. Repenting ſinners confeſs their ſins, &c.Ver. 10. And now, O our God, what ſhall we ſay after this? for we have forſaken thy commandements, &c. Pſal. 51.3. I acknowledge my tranſgreſſions, and my ſin is ever before me. Ver. 4. Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, Dan. 9.4, 5. I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confeſſion, and ſaid, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, &c. We have ſinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments, &c. Ver. 8. O Lord, righteouſneſs belongeth unto thee, but unto us confuſion of face, as at this day. Luke 15.18. I will ariſe and go to my father, and will ſay unto him, father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee. Ver. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy ſon, &c. 1 Cor. 15.9. For I am the leaſt of all the Apoſtles, that am not meet to be called an Apoſtle, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God, 1 Tim. 1.13. Who was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecuter, and injurious, &c. Iſa. 53.6. All we like ſheep have gone aſtray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. I might eaſily produce a hundred other Scriptures to prove that repenting ſinners are confeſſing ſinners, but let theſe ſuffice, &c.

Secondly, If you pleaſe to caſt your eyes upon other Scriptures, you ſhall find theſe penitent confeſſing ſinners to be expreſly under the promiſes of the forgiveneſs of ſins,Confeſſing penitents are under the promiſes of forgiveneſs, &c. Turn to that, Job 33.27, 28. and ponder upon it. Prov. 28.13. He that covers his ſins, ſhall not proſper; but he that confeſſeth and forſaketh, ſhall have mercy. &c.Job 33:27Job 33:28Prov 28:13 1 John 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins. Pſal. 22.5. I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and then forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin, Se…ah. Levit. 26.40, 41, 42. If they ſhall confeſs their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their treſpaſs which then treſpaſſed againſt me, and that alſo they have walked contrary unto me; and p. 236that I alſo have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumciſed hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the puniſhment of their iniquity: This will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and alſo my covenant with Iſaac, and alſo my covenant with Abraham will I remember. Jer. 3.12, 13. Return thou backſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, ſaith the Lord; only acknowledge thine iniquity. And obſervable is that prayer of Solomon, 1 King. 8.47-50. If they ſhall bethink themſelves, and repent and make ſupplications to thee, ſaying, we have ſinned, and have done perverſly, we have committed wickedneſs; then hear thou their prayer, and forgive thy people that have ſinned againſt thee.

Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of true penitential confeſſion of ſin?

Anſ. They are theſe eight that follow.

1Firſt, 'Tis free, 'tis voluntary, not forc'd, not extorted. Nehemiah, Ezra, Job, David, Daniel, Paul, Acts 26.10, 11. Ezra 9.9. Neh. 9. Daniel 9. Pſal. 5. Job 49.4, 5.Acts 26:10Acts 26:11Ezra 9:9Neh 9Dan 9Ps 5&c. were free and voluntary in the confeſſion of their ſins, as all know that have but read the Scripture. The true penitent confeſſes his ſins with much candour, ingenuity and freedom of ſpirit; he is as free in his confeſſion of ſin, as he has been free in the commiſſion of ſin; his confeſſions are like water which runs out of a ſpring with a voluntary freeneſs, but the confeſſions of wicked men are like water that is forced out of a ſtill with fire; their confeſſions are forced and extracted meerly from ſence of pain and ſmart, or from fear of puniſhments, &c. Pharaoh never confeſt his ſin till God brought him to the rack,Exod. 10.16. 1 Sam. 15.24. Num. 22.23-35. Mat. 27.3, 4, 5.Exod 10:161 Sam 15:24Num 22:23–35Matt 27:3Matt 27:4Matt 27:5 nor Saul till he was in danger of loſing his Crown and Kingdom, nor Balaam till he ſees the Angel ſtand with his drawn ſword ready to ſlay him, nor Judas till horror of conſcience and the pangs of hell had ſurprized him, and taken faſt hold on him. Wicked men caſt out their ſins by confeſſion, as Mariners do their wares in a ſtorm, wiſhing for them again in a calm; the confeſſions of wicked men p. 237are commonly extorted or ſqueezed out, either by ſome outward trouble, or by ſome inward diſtreſs; but penitential confeſſion is free and ingenuous, ariſing from an inward deteſtation of ſin, and from the contrariety of the heart to ſin; and therefore were there no rod, no rack, ho wrath, no hell, the true penitent would very freely and readily confeſs his ſins; when God is moſt free in beſtowing of mercies, then are they moſt free in confeſſing their iniquities, Hoſ. 14.1, 2, 3, 4. Look, as that is the beſt wine that flows from the grape with leaſt preſſing, and as that is the beſt honey which drops from the honey-comb without cruſhing; ſo thoſe are the beſt confeſſions that flow, that drop freely, voluntarily from the ſoul, &c.

Secondly, True penitential confeſſion is full as well as free. 2That confeſſion is not ſincere that is not full;Lam. 1.18, 19.Lam 1:18Lam 1:19 God loves neither halting nor mincing confeſſions. Theſe undid the Phariſee, Luke 18.11. As penitential confeſſions are not extorted, ſo they are not ſtraitned; ſin muſt be confeſt in its particular ſpecies and parts, all known ſins muſt be confeſt fully, plainly, particularly, as you may ſee by turning to theſe Scriptures, Lev. 26.40, 41, 42. & 19.21. Judg. 10.10. Pſal. 51. 1 Sam. 12.19. 1 Tim. 1.13. Acts 26.10, 11. Dan. 9.5, 6, 7, 8-17. Lev. 16.21, 22, &c. Some there be that deny their ſins with the Harlot, Prov. 30.20. Such is the way of an adulterous woman, ſhe eateth and wipeth her mouth, and ſaith, I have done no wickedneſs. And others there be that father their ſins on others, as Adam did, Gen. 3.12. and as Eve did, ver. 13. and as Aaron did, Exod. 32.22. and as Saul did, 1 Sam. 15.22. And many there are that hide their wickedneſs, that conceal their wickedneſs, as that proud Phariſee did, Luk. 18.11, 12. That expreſſion of the Prophet Hoſea, Hoſea 10.13.Hos 10:13You have plowed wickedneſs, is rendred by the Septuagint, You have concealed wickedneſs, and indeed there is nothing more common to a wicked heart, than to keep cloſs his ſin, than to cover and hide his tranſgreſſions. And certainly, this is that ſore diſeaſe, that our firſt parents were ſick to death of, almoſt ſix thouſand years ago; and therefore 'tis no wonder if p. 238we are all infected with it.Job 31.33. We are but fleſh and bloud ſayes one, it is my nature ſayes a ſecond, I cannot help it ſayes a third, I am not the firſt ſayes a fourth, 'twas bad company drew me ſayes a fifth, if it be a ſin I am ſorry for it ſays a ſixth, if it be naught I cry God mercy ſayes a ſeventh. And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confeſſions as they are in their profeſſions, &c.Job 31:33 Man by nature is a vain glorious creature, apt to boaſt and brag of the ſins that he is free of, but unwilling to confeſs the ſins that he is guilty of. There are no men ſo prone to conceal their own wickedneſs, as thoſe that are moſt forward to proclaim their own goodneſs. There are many that are not aſhamed to act ſin, who yet are aſhamed to confeſs ſin; but certainly of all ſhame, that is the moſt ſhameful ſhame, that leads a man to hide his ſins. But now the true penitent he makes conſcience of confeſſing ſmall ſins as well as great ſins, ſecret ſins as well as open ſins, Pſal. 90.8 Pſal. 19.12. David confeſſes not only his great ſins of murder and adultery, but he confeſſes alſo his ſelf-revenge intended againſt Nabal, and of his knife being ſo neer Sauls throat, when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment. A true Penitent is much in confeſſing and lamenting over that ſecret pride, that ſecret fleſhlineſs, that ſecret worldlineſs, that ſecret hypocriſie, that ſecret vain glory, &c. that is only obvious to God and his own ſoul. But 'tis quite otherwiſe with wicked men; for they confeſs their groſſer ſins, but never obſerve their leſſer ſins; they confeſs their open ſins, but never lay open their ſecret ſins. Cain confeſſes his murdering of his brother, but never confeſſes his ſecret enmity that put him upon waſhing his hands in his brother's bloud. Pharoah confeſſes his oppreſſion of the children of Iſrael, but he does not confeſs the pride of his heart, nor the hardneſs of his heart. Judas confeſſes his betraying of innocent blood, but he never confeſſes his covetouſneſs, that put him upon betraying of the Lord of glory. And others have confeſt their Apoſtacy, who have never confeſt their hypocriſie that hath led them to Apoſtacy, &c. Well, this is certain, that thoſe little ſins, thoſe ſecret ſins, that never break a ſinners ſleep, do often break a believers heart.

3Thirdly, As true penitential confeſſion is full, ſo 'tis ſincere, 'tis cordial; 'tis not a feigned, nor a formal, nor a meer verbal confeſſion, but an affectionate confeſſion; 'tis a confeſſion that has the mind, the heart, the ſoul as well as the p. 239lip in it.Pſal. 51.31. Jer. 18.19, 20. Iſa. 26.8, 9. Ezra 9.6. Pſal. 38.4. Job 42.6 Luke 18.13.Ps 51:31Jer 18:19Jer 18:20Isa 26:8Isa 26:9Ezra 9:6Ps 38:4Job 42:6Luke 18:13 The penitent man's confeſſion ſprings from inward impreſſions of grace upon his ſoul, he heels what he confeſſes, and his affections go along with his confeſſions. The poor Publican ſmote upon his breaſt and confeſſed. Look, as the ſick man opens his diſeaſe to his Phyſician, feelingly, affectionately; and as the Client opens his caſe to his Lawyer, feelingly, affectionately; ſo the penitent opens his caſe, his heart to God, feelingly, affectionately; cold, careleſs, verbal, formal, cuſtomary confeſſions are no ſmall abominations in the eye of God, Jer. 12.2. Such mens confeſſions will be their condemnations at laſt, their tongues will one day cut their throats; though confeſſion to men is a work of the voice, yet confeſſion to God muſt be the voice of the heart. Sometimes the heart alone is ſufficient without the voice, as you may ſee in Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.13, 14, 15. but the voice is never ſufficient without the heart, as you may ſee in that, Iſa. 29.13. Such who make confeſſion of ſin to be only a lip-labour, ſuch inſtead of offering the calves of their lips (as the Prophet requires, Hoſea 14.2.) do but offer the lips of calves. Heart-confeſſions (without words) ſhall be effectual with God, and carry the day in heaven, when all formal, verbal confeſſions, though they are never ſo eloquent or excellent, ſhall be caſt as dung in ſinners faces, Iſa. 1.12-16. Mary Magdalen weeps, and ſighs, and ſobs,Luke 7.38.Luke 7:38 but ſpeaks neve… a word; and yet by her heart-confeſſions ſhe carries it with Chriſt, as is evident by his anſwer to her, Luke 7.48. H… ſaid unto her, thy ſins are forgiven thee. Penitent ſouls confeſs ſin feelingly, but wicked mens confeſsions make no impreſſions upon them, their confeſsions run through them as wate… runs through a pipe, without leaving any impreſsion at al upon the pipe. Wicked men do no more taſte nor reliſh the evil of ſin, the poyſon of ſin, the bitterneſs of ſin in any of their confeſſions, than the pipe does taſte or reliſh the water that runs through it. Such who confeſs ſin formally, or rhetorically, and yet love ſin dearly, heartily, ſhall never get good by their confeſsions; certainly ſuch confeſsions will never reach the heart of God, that do not reach our own hearts; nor ſuch confeſsions will never affect the heart of p. 240God, th…t do not firſt affect our own hearts. Such as ſpeak very ill of ſin with their tongues, and yet ſecretly wiſh well to ſin in their hearts, will be found at laſt, of all men the moſt miſerableſt. But,

4Fourthly, As penitential confeſsion is ſincere and cordial,Ezra 10.3.Ezra 10:3 ſo 'tis diſtinct and not confuſed. The true penitent has his particular and ſpecial bills of indictment, he knows his ſins of omiſsion, and his ſins of commiſsion; he remembers the ſins that he hath moſt rejoyced and delighted in, he can't forget the ſins that have had moſt of his eye, his ear, his head, his hand, his heart; the by-paths in which he has moſt walked, and the tranſgreſsions by which God has been moſt diſhonoured, his conſcience moſt wounded, and his corrupt nature moſt pleaſed & gratified,Pſal. 51.3.Ps 51:3 are always before him. An implicite confeſsion is almoſt as bad as an implicite faith; wicked men c…mmonly confeſs their ſins by whole-ſale, we are all ſinners; but the true penitent confeſſes his ſins by retail. Though it cant't be denied but that in ſome caſes a general confeſsion may be penitent,Luke 18.13.Luke 18:13 as you ſee in the Publican, God be merciful to me a ſinner; yet it muſt be granted, that a true penitent can't content nor ſatisfie himſelf with a general confeſsion. And therefore David confeſſes his particular ſins of adultery and bloud-guiltineſs,1 Tim. 1.13.1 Tim 1:13 and Paul particularizeth his ſins of blaſphemy, and perſecution, and injuriouſneſs againſt the Saints. And more you have of this in that, Act. 26.10, 11. Which thing I alſo did in Jeruſalem, and many of the Saints did I ſhut up in priſon, having received authority from the chief Prieſts; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice againſt them; and I puniſhed them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaſpheme; and being exceedingly mad againſt them, I perſecuted them even unto ſtrange Cities. So Judg. 10.10. And the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, ſaying, we have ſinned againſt thee, both becauſe we have forſaken our God, and alſo ſerved Balaam. We have ſinned, there is their general confeſsion; we have forſaken our God, and alſo ſerved Balaam, there is their diſtinct and particular confeſsion, both of their Apoſtacy and Idolatry. And ſo 1 Sam. 12.19. And all the people ſaid unto Samuel, pray p. 241for thy ſervants unto the Lord thy God, that we dye not, for we have added unto all our ſins this evil, to ask us a King. They were diſcontented with that government that the Lord had ſet over them, and they would need; be governed by a King, after the mode of other Nations; and this ſin they confeſs diſtinctly and particularly before the Lord and Samuel. And ſo David in that, 1 Chron. 21.17. And David ſaid unto God, is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred? even I it is that have ſinned and done evil indeed; but as for theſe ſheep, what have they done? Thus that princely Prophet confeſſes that particular ſin that he then lay under the guilt of. And ſo Zacheus makes a particular confeſsion, he does as it were point with his finger at that wrong and injuſtice that he had been guilty of; Behold Lord, half my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man, by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him fourfold. Thus you ſee that true penitents make a particular confeſsion of their right eye ſins, and of their right hand ſins; and indeed, what is confeſsion of ſin, but a ſetting our ſins in order before the Lord? and how can this be done but by a diſtinct and particular enumeration of them? But to prevent miſtakes, this muſt be taken with a grain of ſalt, this muſt be underſtood with this limitation; we are to confeſs our ſins diſtinctly, particularly, ſo far as we know them, ſo far as we are acquainted with them. There are many thouſand ſins which we commit, that we know not to be ſins, and there are many thouſand ſins committed by us, that can't be remembred by us. Now certainly it is impoſsible for us to recount or confeſs thoſe ſins that we know not, that we remember not; ſo that our particular confeſsions can only reach to known ſins, ſo far as we can call them to mind; for indeed our particular acts of ſin are innumerable, they are more in number than the hairs of our head; and indeed, we are as well able to tell the ſtairs of heaven, and to number the ſands of the Sea, and to recount all the ſparing mercies, the pitying mercies, the preventing mercies, the ſuccouring mercies, the ſupporting mercies, and the delivering mercies of God, as we are able to tell, to number, to recount, the individual particular acts of ſin that we are guilty of; yet ſo far p. 242as the knowledge and memory of a penitent Chriſtian reaches, ſo far his confeſsion reaches. But now, wicked men confeſs ſin in the general, in the lump; as Tharaoh, I have ſinned; and their con…eſsions are commonly confuſed, and at random. When and where do you find wicked men confeſſing their ſins diſtinctly or particularly before God or man? this is none of the leaſt of their miſeries, that they have not a clear, diſtinct, particular view of their own corruptions and abominations. But,

5Fifthly, The true penitent does not only diſtinctly and particularly confeſs his ſins, but he does very highly aggravate his ſins,Pſal. 32.5. Levit. 16.21.Ps 32:5Lev 16:21 by confeſsing not only the kinds and acts (ſo far as he knows and remembers them) but the circumſtances of them alſo. There are (ſometimes) ſome circumſtances that may ſomewhat leſſen a penitent mans ſins; now theſe he readily and eaſily paſſes over, but then there are other circumſtances which do exceedingly heighten and aggravate his ſins, and that makes them more hainous and dangerous; and theſe he carefully and faithfully acknowledges. The penitential confeſsions recorded in the old and new Teſtament, are full of exaggerating expreſsions, as is evident in theſe inſtances. Ezra at once heightens and aggravates their ſins by this circumſtance, that they had been committed againſt manifold experiments that they had had, both of the ſeverity, and alſo of the mercy of the Lord, Ezra 9. and ſo does Nehemiah alſo, Neh. 9. The like inſtance you have in Daniel, Chap. 9. 5, 6. We have ſinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments: neither have we hearkened unto thy ſervants the Prophets which ſpake in thy Name, to our Kings, our Princes and our Fathers, and to all the people of the Land. In theſe words you have ſeven circumſtances that Daniel uſeth in confeſsing of his and the peoples ſins, and all to heighten and to aggravate them. Firſt, We have ſinned. Secondly, We have committed iniquity. Thirdly, We have done wickedly. Fourthly, We have rebelled againſt thee. Fifthly, We have departed from thy percepts. Sixthly, We have not hearkened unto thy ſervants. p. 243Seventhly, Nor our Princes, nor all the people of the Land. Theſe ſeven aggravations which Daniel reckons up in his confeſſion, are worthy of our moſt ſerious conſideration. The ſame ſpirit you may find working in Peter, Mark 14.72. When he thought thereon be wept; or neerer the Original; When he caſt all theſe things one upon another, he wept. Ah wretch! that ever I was born, that ever I ſhould deny the Lord that bought me; that ever I ſhould deny him who hath, not only externally, but alſo internally called me; that ever I ſhould deny him that made me an Apoſtle, that fed me at his table, that beautified me with his grace, and that in the Mount ſhew'd me ſome glimpſes of his glory; that ever I ſhould deny him who has brought me out of a ſtate of death and wrath, into a ſtate of life and love; that ever I ſhould deny him that has been the beſt, the wiſeſt, the holieſt, the tendereſt, the faithfulleſt, and the nobleſt Maſter that ever man ſerved. Ah, wretch that I am! he forewarned me of this ſin before-hand, that I might be not only cautioned but armed againſt it, and yet I denied him; I promiſed him beforehand, that I would never deny him, that I would never forſake him, that I would never turn my back upon him, and yet like a baſe coward, I have denied the captain of my ſalvation; yea, this very night, and no longer ago, did I ſay again and again, that I would not deny him, and yet now, even now, I have moſt ſhamefully denied him; yea, I told him, that though all others, ſhould deny him, yet would not I deny him, and yet in all the world there is not ſuch another to be found, that has ſo ſadly, ſo deſperately denied him, as I have denied him, and that before a ſilly Maid; nay, more beaſt that I am to my denying of him. I have added a moſt incredible lye, ſaying, I know not the man, when there was not a man in all the world that I was ſo well acquainted with as I was with Chriſt, feeding conſtantly at his table,There was ſcarce any Jew, which knew not Chriſt by ſight, he being very famous for the many miracles that were wrote by him. and drinking conſtantly of his cup, and living conſtantly upon his purſe, and waiting conſtantly upon his perſon, and being a conſtant eye-witneſs of all the famous miracles that were wrought by him; nay, yet more monſter that I am, I did not only lye, but I alſo bound that lye with an hideous Oath, I p. 244did not only ſay that I knew not the man, but I alſo ſwore I knew not the man; nay, yet more than all this, I did not only baſely deny him, I did not only tell an incredible lye againſt my own light and conſcience, I did not only bind a fearful lye with a hideous oath, but I alſo fell a curſing and damning of my ſelf, for ſo much the Greek word foreign imports; I wiſht that the curſe, the wrath or vengeance of God might fall upon me if I knew the man, I wiſht my ſelf ſeparated from the preſence and glory of God if I knew the man: And wo and alas to me, all this I did when my Lord and Maſter was neer me, yea when he was upon his trial; yea, and yet more, when all the world had forſaken him, yea, and yet more, when I had the greateſt and loudeſt call that ever I had to have ſtood by him, and to have given my teſtimony for him! And thus Peter caſting up all theſe circumſtances and aggravations together, and meditating ſeriouſly on them, he went out and wept bitterly. Another famous inſtance of this you have in Paul, Act. 26.10, 11. In theſe two verſes the Apoſtle layes down no leſs than eight aggravations of his ſins, and all to greaten and heighten them, that his ſoul might be the more aſhamed and humbled in him, &c.

1Firſt, That they were not the worſt, but the beſt of men, viz. Saints; that they were not ſinners but Saints, that they were not drunkards, ſwearers; adulterers, murderers, oppreſſors, Sabbath-breakers, but Saints; Saints by calling, Saints by their high & holy calling, Saints by profeſſion, Saints by a Goſpel-converſation. The Saints have I caſt into priſon.

2Secondly, To caſt a man into priſon for theft, for murder for perjury, is no iniquity; I but ſayes he, many have I caſt into priſon for profeſsing the name of Jeſus of Nazareth. O! 'tis dreadful to perſecute men meerly for profeſſing of Chriſt, and yet this I did; though their profeſsion and practiſe went together, though they lived as they profeſt, though I had nothing againſt them, but in the matters of their God, yet upon that very ſingle account did I perſecute them.

p. 245Thirdly, If it had been but one, or two, or three, or five, 3or ten Saints that I had perſecuted, the matter had not been much. O, but they were a great number; many of the Saints did I caſt into priſon. I have been a cruel ravening wolf, that have ſuckt the bloud not of a few, but of many of the precious lambs of Chriſt; I have neither ſpared nor pitied any ſex, but have broken into every houſe, haling and dragging both men and women to priſon, Act. 8.3. As for Saul, he made havock of the Church, entring into every houſe, and haling men and women, committed them to priſon.

Fourthly, Though he had caſt them into priſon, yet if he 4had given them but ſome liberty in a priſon, as Joſeph had,Act. 9.1, 2.Acts 9:1Acts 9:2 and as others have had, and as himſelf once had when he begot Oneſimus in his bonds, Philemon v. 10. and when Oneſiphorus oft refreſhed him, and was not aſhamed of his chain, 2 Tim. 1.16, &c. or as the primitive Chriſtians had, the matter had not been ſo great. O, but I kept them cloſs priſoners; Many of the Saints did I ſhut up in priſon. I ſhut them up from friends, from relations, and from all comfortable accommodations; and thus he further aggravates his ſin.

Fifthly, If he had reſted there, if he had proceeded no 5further, the matter had not been ſo bad; O, But I gave my voice againſt them to put them to death. My heart and my hand was not only againſt them, but my tongue alſo; if I could not kill them with my hand, I was ready and willing to kill them with my tongue; if the caſting voice fell upon me, I would be ſure to give it againſt them; I never wanted a word to do them a miſchief; if they wanted a word, inſtead of a knife to cut their throats, I would be ſure to lend them one.

Sixthly, He riſes yet higher; for he does not only ſeverely 6puniſh their bodies, but he does what he can to damn their ſouls; I compelled them to blaſpheme, like that Italian, who firſt made his enemy deny God, and then ſtabb'd him, and ſo at once murdered both body and ſoul. As there is no love to ſoul love, ſo there is no cruelty to ſoul cruelty; and as there p. 246is no miſchief to ſoul miſchief, ſo there is no murder to ſoul murder, and yet in this murder had Paul a hand. 'Tis ſad to compel a man to bear a burden beyond his ſtrength, to lye in chains, to forſake his own countrey, &c. but 'tis infinitely more ſad, to compel a man to ſin, to the leaſt ſin; but ſaddeſt of all to compel a man to blaſpheme, And yet this I did, ſ…yes Paul, &c.

7Seventhly, He yet further aggravates his ſin by his madneſs, by his exceeding madneſs againſt the Saints, in thoſe words; And I was exceedingly mad againſt them. He was mad with rage and wrath, he was exceedingly mad with paſsion and fury againſt the dear Saints of God; mad men think madly, and mad men ſpeak madly, and mad men act madly againſt thoſe they are mad with; and ſo did he againſt the Saints. The Alcoran ſaith, That God created the Angels of light, and the Devils of the flame. Certainly, as God's children are children of the light, ſo Satan's children are furious children, wrathful children, children of the flame, children of madneſs; and ſuch a one was Paul, &c.

8Eighthly and laſtly, I did perſecute them to ſtrange Cities; them I did not kill I did ſcatter, I forced them to leave both houſe and home; them whom God had joyned together, I put aſunder; I made the husband run one way, and the wife and children another way, and all of them glad to hide their heads in a corner. And thus you ſee, that true penitents in the confeſsion of their ſins, do cloath their ſins with the higheſt aggravations imaginable. A penitent in his confeſsion of ſin cryes out, O! the ſparing mercies, the preventing mercies, the ſuccouring mercies, the ſupporting mercies, the renewed mercies, the delivering mercies that I have with a high hand ſinned againſt. O, that clear light! O, that free love! O, that Goſpel grace! O, thoſe bowels of mercy that I have ſinned againſt! O, the fatherly corrections, the dreadful warnings, the high reſolutions, the ſerious proteſtations, the frequent vows and promiſes that I have deſperately ſinned againſt! O, the checks of conſcience, the rebukes of conſcience, p. 247the laſhes of conſcience, the wounds of conſcience, and the frequent motions of the ſpirit, and ſtrivings of the ſpirit, that I have ſinned againſt! &c. But now wicked men confeſs their ſins ſlightly, careleſly, triflingly; they are careful and skilful to hide their ſins, to cloak their ſins, and to extenuate and leſſen their ſins; and with the unjuſt Steward, for an hundred to ſet down fifty.Luke 16.6.Luke 16:6 All wicked men do commonly flatter themſelves, that either their ſins are not ſins when indeed they are, or that they are not great and grievous ſins when indeed they are, or that they are not ſo great and grievous as other mens ſins are when indeed they are more grievous and hainous than other mens ſins are, ſo far are they from aggravating of their ſins; the truth is, wicked men are ſo far from aggravating of their ſins, that they are ſtill extenuating of them, and that by fathering of them, ſometimes upon their conſtitutions, ſometimes upon bad company, ſometimes upon their callings, ſometimes upon Satan, and ſometimes upon chance, as they call it, &c. But no more of this, enough is as good as a feaſt.

Sixthly, The true penitent confeſſes his ſins humbly, ſorrowfully. 6In his confeſſions he appears before the Lord with ropes about his neck (as Benhadad's ſervants) and with tears in his eyes; his confeſsions ſavour of contrition of heart, and not of oſtentation of ſpirit; contrition of heart,Levit. 23.27.28.Lev 23:27Lev 23:28 and confuſion of face, is the common reſult of a penitential confeſsion. David waters his couch with his tears, (Pſal. 6.6. and he mingles his meat with his tears (Pſal. 42.3.) and Ezra and Daniel confeſs their ſins with wet eyes and bluſhing cheeks. Confeſsion without contrition,Ezra 9. Dan. 9.Ezra 9Dan 9 neither pleaſeth God nor profiteth man; confeſsion is the language of the tongue, contrition is the language of the heart, and God looks for both.Luke 18.13.Luke 18:13 The Publican does not only confeſs his ſins, but he ſmites alſo upon his breaſt, as a man full of grief and ſorrow; lying in the duſt, and renting of garments, and putting on ſackcloath and aſhes were of old required of thoſe that confeſt their iniquities. The ſpirit of repentance is a p. 248ſpirit of mourning. Penitential confeſsions are commonly attended with grief in the heart,Compare theſe Scriptures together, Pſal. 51.17. Iſa. 61.1. & 57.15 Job 16.20. Pſal. 119.136. Jer. 9.1. Jer. 31.18, 19.Ps 51:17Isa 61:1Isa 57:15Job 16:20Ps 119:136Jer 9:1Jer 31:18Jer 31:19 and with ſhame in the face, Pſal. 38.18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be ſorry for my ſin. He tels you not only that he will declare his iniquity, but he tells you alſo, that he will be ſorry for his ſin. The ſame ſpirit you may find working in Jacob, Hoſea 12.4. yea, he had power over the Angel and prevailed, he wept and made ſupplication unto him. The people of God in the day of their confeſsion, do not only ſay we have ſinned, but they alſo draw water and pour it out before the Lord in token of contrition, 1 Sam. 7.6. Every ſin is as a ſword in a penitent mans boſom, and therefore whilſt confeſsions are in his mouth, you ſhall moſtly find, either tears in his eyes, or ſorrow in his heart. And indeed, true confeſsion of ſin is many times rather a voice of mourning, than a voice of words; ſometimes a penitent man's eyes will in ſome ſort tell what his tongue can in no ſort utter; many times the penitent is better at weeping than he is at ſpeaking, Pſal. 39.12. Hold not thy peace at my tears. Tears have a voice (as well as bloud hath) and are very prevalent Orators with God, Pſal. 6.8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. Penitent tears are undeniable Ambaſſadors, and they never return from the throne of grace without an anſwer of grace. Tears are a kind of ſilent prayers, which though they ſay nothing, yet they obtain pardon, they prevail for mercy, and they carry the day with God, as you may ſee in that great and clear inſtance of Peter; he ſaid nothing, he confeſt nothing that we read of, but went out and wept bitterly, and obtained mercy. That preſcription that God gave to the Leper in the Law, is worthy of your moſt ſerious conſideration; 'tis in that, Levit. 13.45. And the Leper in whom the plague is, his cloaths ſhall be rent, and his bead bare, and he ſhall put a covering upon his upper lip, and ſhall cry, unclean, unclean. In theſe words the Leper ſtands charged with four things; 1. To go in rent or torn garments, to note that there muſt be brokenneſs and ſorrow of heart joyned with confeſsion of ſin. 2. To go bare-headed, and that partly that men might not miſtake him, but mainly to ſhew his humility under his preſent p. 249miſery. 3. To put a covering upon his upper lip. (Some read it, upon his Mouchaches) The Jews in their mournings uſed this Ceremony among the reſt, of covering their chin, mouth, Mouchaches, all under the noſe. Now the uſe of this Ceremony in the Leper, was partly to preſerve others from being infected by his loathſom breath, and partly to ſhew that God takes no pleaſure nor delight in the breathings, the prayers of ſpiritual Lepers, of wicked men. God loves not to hear good words drop from an ill mouth, and partly to note that ſhame that muſt be mingled with his ſorrow. 4. Twice to proclaim his own uncleanneſs, unclean, unclean. And thus you ſee that there was to be a cloſs connexion between the Lepers confeſsion and his contrition; and thus 'tis with the true penitent; he does not only cry out, unclean, unclean, but he alſo rents and tears his garments, that is, he joyns contrition to his confeſsion.

But to prevent miſtakes, and that I may not ſhoot an arrow, inſtead of giving a cordial, to the weak and weary ſoul; let me only give you this ſhort hint, viz. That when the true penitent can't pour out his ſoul in heart-melting confeſsions before the Lord, yet then he can mourn over his own hardneſs of heart; when he is at worſt he can grieve that he cannot grieve, and mourn that he cannot mourn, and melt that he cannot melt, and break that he cannot break; and he can bleſs God for every rod, and every ſtroak, and every word, and every work, and every Ordinance, and every frown, and every reproof, and every croſs, and every comfort, that has the leaſt tendency to the melting and mollifying of his ſoul. The true penitent alwayes ſets a very high price and value upon a broken heart, though he has not the happineſs alwayes to have his heart broken. I know that ſometimes the penitent ſoul is ſo ſhut up, that if he might have all the world he cannot mourn, he can only ſit down, and ſigh, and groan; nay, if all the joys and delights of heaven were to be bought for one ſingle tear, he can't ſhed it; and yet all this time he can grieve that he cannot grieve for ſin, and he can be ſorry p. 250that he cannot be ſorry for ſin; and without all peradventure this is in a meaſure true godly Goſpel-ſorrow for ſin, &c.

But now wicked men confeſs their ſins, but they never grieve for their ſins; they confeſs their ſins, but they are not aſhamed of their ſins,Compare theſe Scriptures together, Jer. 6.15. & 8.12. Zeph. 3.5. Iſa. 3.9. Iſa. 42.23. Heb. 6.6. Caligula uſed to ſay of himſelf, that he loved nothing better in himſelf, than that he could not be aſham…d, &c. Aug. confeſ. lib. 2. cap. 3.Jer 6:15Jer 8:12Zeph 3:5Isa 3:9Isa 42:23Heb 6:6 they confeſs their ſins, but they can't bluſh for their ſins. Though men of good names, and of good natures, would be aſhamed to be found doing of baſe things, things that are below them, that are not worthy of them, yet the generality of ſinners are ſo bold and baſe, ſo ignorant, arrogant and impudent, ſo frontleſs and graceleſs, &c. that they are no wayes aſhamed, no not of thoſe very ſins that has put Chriſt to an open ſhame; yea, that has put the Sun and Moon to a bluſh. Moſt ſinners in theſe dayes have brows of braſs, and whores foreheads that cannot bluſh; they are ſo far from being aſhamed of their ſins, that they think it a ſhame and diſgrace not to ſin, not to ſwear, and whore, and curſe, and be drunk, and prophane Sabbaths, and diſpiſe Ordinances; yea, there are many that are ſo far from being aſhamed of their abominations, that they even glory in them, like thoſe in that, Phil. 3.19. They ſhew their ſins as Sodom, they make both a ſport of acting, and a jeſt of confeſſing their ſins. Thus Auſtin confeſſeth that it was ſometimes with himſelf, before the Lord wrought upon him; I was ſtricken with ſuch blindneſs, as that I thought it a ſhame unto me to be leſs vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boaſt of their leudneſs, and glory ſo much the more, by how much they were the more filthy; therefore (ſaith he) leſt I ſhould be of no account, I was the more vicious; and when I could not otherwiſe match others, I would feign that I had done thoſe things which I never did, leſt I ſhould ſeem ſo much the more abject, by how much I was the more innocent; and ſo much the more vile, by how much I was the more chaſt. But for a cloſe remember this, The true penitent knows, that the more God has been diſpleaſed with the blackneſs of ſin, the better he will be pleaſed with the bluſhing of the ſinner; and therefore he can't but bluſh when either he looks upon ſin within him, or God above him. But,

p. 251Seventhly, Penitential confeſſion 'tis believing and fiducial, 7'tis mixt with ſome faith,Hoſea 14.….Hos 14 though not alwayes with a ſtrong faith; 'tis not like the confeſſion of a Malefactor to the Judge, but like the confeſſion of a child to his father, or like the confeſſion of a ſick man to his Phyſician. As a penitent man has one eye of ſorrow upon his ſin, ſo he has another eye of hope upon pardoning grace. Thus David, Pſal. 51.Ps 51though he had ſinned greatly, yet he hangs upon free mercy, and begs his pardon believingly. Thus Daniel, Dan. 9.9.Dan 9:9To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgiveneſſes, though we have rebelled againſt him. Thus Sechaniah, Ezra 10.2.Ezra 10.2.Ezra 10:2 And Sechaniah the ſon of Jehiel, one of the ſons of Elam, anſwered and ſaid unto Ezra, we have treſpaſſed againſt our God, and have taken ſtrange wives of the people of the Land, yet now there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing. If it were not for hope the heart would break; there was hope among them that Iſrael would repent, and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance. And the ſame ſpirit was working in the Prodigal; I will ariſe and go to my father, and will ſay unto him, father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee. Luke 18.18.Luke 18:18Though he was a Prodigal, yet he would go to God as to a father, who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child. When confeſſions of ſin are mingled with hopes of mercy, and the ſoul draws neer to God as a father, then the heart breaks moſt, and melts and mourns moſt. That confeſſion of ſin that is not mixt with ſome hope of pardon, and with ſome faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but deſperate. Cain in ſome ſort confeſſes,Gen. 4.16.Gen 4:16 but then he flies into the Land of Nod, and there he falls a building and planting, partly in contempt of the dreadful doom God had paſt upon him, and partly to drown the noiſe of his conſcience, and deſpairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world,2 Cor. 5.1, 2.2 Cor 5:12 Cor 5:2 or enjoying a houſe not made with hands in another world. Judas likewiſe confeſſes his moſt hainous ſin; I have ſinned in betraying innocent bloud; but having no hope of pardon,Mat. 27.3, 4.Matt 27:3Matt 27:4 no faith in that innocent blood he had ſhed, he goes out and hangs himſelf. Judas had no faith to mingle with his confeſſion, he confeſſes deſpairingly not believingly, and ſo goes forth and ſtrangles p. 252himſelf. Since Adam fell in paradiſe, there has not been one wicked man in the world (continuing in that ſtate) that has ever mixt faith with his ſorrows, believing with his confeſſing; 'tis only the penitent man that confeſſeth ſin believingly, and that is pardoned graciouſly, The confeſſing penitent reaſons thus with God; Lord, though I am a ſinful creature, yet thou art a merciful God; though I am unworthy of mercy, yet thou forgiveſt ſins freely; though my ſins reach as high as heaven, yet thy mercies teach above the heavens; I am here ready and willing to accuſe and condemn my ſelf, and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to abſolve me, and forgive me. O Lord, though my ſins are very many, yet thy mercies are exceeding more; though I have multiplied my ſins, yet thou canſt multiply thy pardons; though I am a ſinner, a very great ſinner, yet there is mercy with thee, that thou mayeſt be feared and loved, ſerved and truſted; and therefore in the face of all my ſins, provocations and unworthineſs, I will look up for mercy, and wait for mercy. But,

8Eighthly and laſtly, True penitential confeſſion is joyned with reformation. That confeſſion of ſin that carries forgivneſs of ſin with it,Pſal. 51.10.Ps 51:10 is attended with ſerious deſires and earneſt endeavours of reformation; therefore forſaking of ſin is annext to confeſſion of ſin, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his ſins ſhall not proſper, but whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them ſhall have mercy. Confeſſion of ſin muſt be joyned with confuſion of ſin, or all's loſt; God will never croſs the book, he will never draw the red lines of Chriſt's bloud over the black lines of our tranſgreſſions, except confeſſing and forſaking go hand in hand. He that does not …orſake his ſin, as well as confeſs it, forſakes the benefit of his confeſſion. And indeed, there is no real confeſſion of ſin, where there is no real forſaking of ſin; 'tis not enough for us to confeſs the ſins we have committed, but we muſt peremptorily reſolve againſt the committing again the ſins we have confeſt; we muſt deſire as freely to forgo our ſins, as we do deſire God to forgive us our ſins. Confeſſion of ſin is a ſpiritual vomit; now you know, a man that is burdened in his ſtomack, is heartily willing p. 253to be rid of that …oad on his ſtomack that doth oppreſs nature; and ſo a man that is real in his confeſſion of ſin, is as heartily willing to be rid of his ſin, that lyes as a lo…d upon his conſcience, as any ſick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his ſtomack. The penitential confeſſor doth as heartily deſire to be delivered from the power of his ſins, as he does deſire to be delivered from the ſting and puniſhment of his ſins. This is obſervable in the confeſſion of good Sechaniah, Ezra 10.2, 3. We have treſpaſſed againſt our God, and taken ſtrange wives of the people of the Land: Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and ſuch as are born of them, according to the counſel of my Lord, and thoſe that tremble at the commandement of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. And this was the former practiſe of the children of Iſrael, who joyned reformation with their confeſſion, as you may ſee in that, Judg. 10.15. We have ſinned. Ver. 16. And they put away the ſtrange Gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord, and his ſoul was grieved for the miſery of Iſrael. That, Job. 34.31, 32. is obſervable; Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more; that which I ſee not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. And the ſame ſpirit you may find working in thoſe that were once given up to ſorcery and witchcraft, Act. 18. And many that believed came and confeſſed, and ſhewed their deeds. Ver. 19. Many alſo of them which uſed curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men. Penitential confeſſion leaves a holy awe and dread on the ſoul, to take heed of committing ſins confeſt. Though a godly man may (in an hour of temptation, or in a day of deſertion, or in a ſeaſon of God's with-holding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his ſoul) commit a ſin which he has ſeriouſly confeſt and ſadly bewailed, yet he retains in his courſe and practiſe, ſuch a holy fear and awe upon his heart, as in ſome meaſure proves armour of proof againſt future commiſſions of ſin. But now wicked men are very ready, bold, and venturous to commit the ſame ſins they have confeſt, as you may ſee in Saul, one while you ſhall have him confeſſing his ſinful injuries p. 254againſt David with tears; and ſoon after you ſhall find him purſuing of him in the wilderneſs of Zaph with three thouſand choſen men at his heels.Compare 1 Sam. 24.16, 17. with Chap. 26.2, 3, 4 Exod. 9 27, 34.1 Sam 24:161 Sam 24:17Exod 9:27Exod 9:34 The ſame evil ſpirit was predominant in Pharaoh, one day you ſhall have him confeſſing his ſin, and promiſing to let Iſrael go, and the next day you ſhall find his heart hardned, and he peremptorily reſolved that Iſrael ſhall not go. And ſo the Harlot made the confeſſion of her ſin,Prov. 7.14.Prov 7:14 to be but a provocation to more ſin. The wicked ſometimes confeſs their ſins, but they never forſake their ſins;2 Pet. 2. ult.2 Pet 2 after confe…ſion they commonly return with the dog to his vomit; as Fulgentius Fulgent. de Rem. peccat. l. 1. c. 12.hath worthily obſerved. Many (ſaith he) being pricked in conſcience, confeſs that they have done ill, and yet put no end to their ill deeds; they humbly accuſe themſelves in God's ſight of the ſins which oppreſs them, and yet with a perverſe heart rebelliouſly heap up thoſe ſins whereof they accuſe themſelves. The very pardon which they beg with mournful-ſighs, they impede with their wicked actions; they ask help of the Phyſician, and ſtill miniſter matter to the diſeaſe, thus in vain indeavouring to appeaſe him with penitent words, whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent courſe. Well remember this, real confeſſion of ſin is alwayes attended with real endeavours of turning from ſin. Look, as the Patient layes open his diſeaſes to the Phyſician for this very purpoſe, that he may be cured and healed; ſo the penitent ſoul confeſſes his ſins to the Phyſician of ſouls on purpoſe to be cured and healed. The daily language of the penitent ſoul is this; Lord, when wilt thou heal the maladies of my ſoul? when wilt thou heal my un…elief, and heal my pride, and heal my vain glory, and heal my hypocriſie, and heal my impurity, and heal my hard heartedneſs, and heal my carnalneſs, and heal my worldlineſs, and heal my ſelfiſhneſs? &c. Lord, I do as earneſtly beg grace to heal my ſoul, as I do mercy to pardon my ſoul. And let thus much ſuffice for the ſecond part of true Evangelical repentance.

The third part of true Repentance… lyes in turning from p. 255all ſin to God. That great and precious promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſin is made over to repenting and …ning from ſin; all who truly repent of their ſins, and turn from their ſins, ſhall receive the forgiveneſs of their ſins; pardon of ſin is for that man, and that man is for pardon of ſin, who truly repents and returns from his ſin. Four things ſpeak out this, &c.

Firſt, Scripture exhortations to repent, that ſo our ſins 1may be forgiven, Ezek. 18.30. Repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine. Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of your ſins. Acts 3.19. Repent and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, &c.

Secondly, Expreſs promiſes that our ſins ſhall be forgiven 2upon our repentance, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my people ſhall turn from their evil way, then will I forgive their ſin. Prov. 28.13. Whoſe confeſſeth and f…rſaketh his ſin, ſhall find mercy. Ezek. 18.21. If the wicked will turn from all his ſins which he hath committed, and do that which is lawful and right, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die. Ver. 22. All his tranſgreſſions which he hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned unto him.

Thirdly, A moſt certain aſſurance of the forgiveneſs of 3ſins upon repentance, though they have been never ſo great and hainous, Iſa. 1.16, 17, 18. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well: Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord; though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be re… like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.

Fourthly, Expreſs records and inſtances of forgiveneſs 4unto ſuch as have repented and turned from their ſins, 2 Sam. 12.13. And David ſaid unto Nathan, I have ſinned againſt the Lord; and Nathan ſaid to David, the Lord hath alſo put away thy ſin. Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf; turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, &c. Surely p. 256after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was inſtructed, I ſ…ote upon my thigh, I was aſhamed, yea even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? …s he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I do remember him ſtill; therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. Luke 7.38. And ſhee ſtood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to waſh his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kiſſed his feet and anointed them with ointment. Ver. 47. Wherefore I ſay, her ſins which were many are forgiven. Chap. 15.18, 19, 20. I will ariſe and go to my father, and will ſay to him, father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon▪ And he aroſe and came to his father; but when he was yet a great way off; his father ſaw him, and had compaſſion, and ran and fell upon his neck and kiſſed him.

Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of that right turning from ſin, which brings poor ſinners within the compaſs of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins? Now to this great queſtion I ſhall give theſe four following Anſwers.