The Truly Blessed Man, Part 3 · Section 1

The Truly Blessed Man · Part 3 · Section 1

p. 189Right Confeſſion, its nature and uſefulneſs.

DOCTRINE.

RIght Confeſſion of ſin, is the proper and neceſſary courſe to be taken, for the relief of a diſtreſſed Conſcience. This way David followed; and as … acquaints us how it ſucceeded, ſo he tells us that he could get no eaſe, till he thus did. We …are here firſt to conſider of the nature of a right Confeſſion, and then ſhew how proper and neceſſary it is in this Caſe.

p. 1901. In our Enquiry into the nature of a right Confeſſion, we need look no farther than th… Text, in which it is fully comprehended, and may be gathered up in ſeveral Propoſitions.

PROPOSITION I.

That which we are to make Confeſſion of, is S… So all the three words in the Text import. Wh… it is to Confeſs Sin is well to be obſerved. S… is defined to be a Tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1 J… 3. 4. Now Sin as ſuch, will come under a double conſideration, viz. Original, and Actual; and bo… of theſe muſt be referred to the Law of ſpeci… Government, under which man was placed by God in his Creation: for nothing can be called Sin, but as it hath a reference to the Law. He…

1. Original Sin hath a double reſpect, Privat… and Poſitive; and both belong to the Nature o… it.

1. Privative; Man in his Natural ſtate is void of Original Righteouſneſs. There was a Moral rec… tude put into the Nature of man at firſt, Eccle. 7. 29 This is that which is moſt directly intended, by the Image of God in which man was made, Gen. 1… 26: It conſiſted in thoſe Graces of Sanctificatio… by which man was fitted for Univerſal Perfe… Obedience to the whole Will of God. Man b… the Fall hath loſt this rectitude, and is Born in… the World without this Image; And this is a Sin… ſtate, for the Law requires it in him, and, as h… was betruſted with it, expects it of him. Th… p. 191…ant of it hath rendred him Impotent as to his Duty, which Impotency is put into the deſcription …f the Sinful ſtate of Fallen man, Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12. And the man cannot anſwer the Law ſo long as …e is without it: and it is a Privation, for man …nce had the habit of it on him, and it was Con…atural to him.

2. Poſitive; Man is in his Natural ſtate filled …ith the evil habits of Unrighteouſneſs. When he …ſt the Image of God, he contracted the Image of … in the room of it, which conſiſts in the Cor…uption of the whole Nature, as the Crooked bias which is in all his Faculties and Powers, forcibly …clining him to Tranſgreſs the Law of God, ſet …orth, Rom. 3. 13. &c. And it hath two things … it.

1. An utter Averſeneſs to that which is Good. i. e. …eologically ſo. Man is a Rational Creature, chu…eth under the notion of Good, and refuſeth un…er an opinion of Evil; but he doth this accord…ng to Corrupt reaſon, and not by the Rule of Re…gion And though ſometimes if it be in the mat…er of it right, yet he doth it not aright: hence …roceeds mens refuſing Obedience, Pſal. 78. 10. … 5 3. And this is upon Choiſe, flowing from Curſed diſpoſition in them, and is Sinful.

2. A violent inclination to that which is Evil. …rue, they call Evil Good, and under that notion …ey crave after it, Iſa. 5. 20. But it is a Corrupt …rinciple in them from whence they ſo do; and …he inſatiable …eaching of their hearts after it, … of the Sinfulneſs of their Nature. And this is p. 192Eminently obſervable in a Gracious Soul, by th… reluctancy of it againſt the better part, of whic… the Apoſtle maketh ſuch complaint, Rom. 7. 19. &c.

2. Actual Sin may alſo come under a double Co… ſideration, viz. the Act, and the Obliquity of it and reſpect is to be had to both in the righ… ſtating of the matter.

1. In reſpect of the Act it ſelf. For though … Act, as it is an Act, is Sin, but hath a natur… Goodneſs; yet actual Sin hath an Act which … the ſubject in which it is, and ſo there can be … Confeſſion of Sin, without acknowledging the Ac… Now in Divinity there are two ſorts of Actions in which Sin is to be obſerved;

1. Commiſſions; which are uſally called Tran… greſſions. When the man doth ſomething tha… ought not to be done: and this properly reſpect the Negative Precepts which do prohibit the doing of them. The Law ſaith, thou ſhalt not Kill, Stea… &c. when men do ſuch things, theſe are Sins … Commiſſion: theſe ought not to be done; the doing of them therefore is ſinful.

2. Omiſſions; which are comings ſhort in duty And are againſt the Affirmative Precepts, which require us to do this or that: when we do it no… it is an Omiſſion. Now though theſe in commo… account are rather a not acting than actings, ye… in Divinity they come under actual ſins, becauſe there is the action of the will in them, which God hath a regard to, and is indeed the principal power in man which the Command hath to do withal: and ſo God chargeth theſe Omiſſons p. 193on willfulneſs, Pſal. 81. 12. Jer. 6. 17. Mat. …3. 37.

2. With reſpect to the Obliquity of the action. And this is it that rendereth it Sin. No Action …an be reckoned ſinful, but as it ſwerves from th… Rule of Obedience given unto man, for where there … no Law, there is no Tranſgreſſion, Rom. 4 15. Had …here been no Law, man could no more have …inned than Beaſts can: but, being put under a …aw ſuited to his Nature, every warping from it, … exceſs or defect, becometh a Sin. Now this …bliquity is conſiderable ſeveral ways, viz.

1. In the matter of the Action: i. e. When the Action it ſelf is repugnant to the Precept When …he Law ſaith this thou ſhalt not do, and the …an doth the very thing forbidden; or this thou …alt do, and he neglecteth it. Hence the deno…ination of Sin is put upon ſuch actions, Jam. 4. …. Which is to be underſtood, not abſolutely as …ey are actions, but relatively as they are actions …hich the Law prohibits: The thing that David …, diſpleaſed the Lord, 2 Sam. 11. ult.

2. In the manner of the Action. There is not …ly a doing, but a ſo doing required by the Law, …nto which if men give not attendance, but in a…y reſpect decline from it, Sin is imputed to … 1 Chron. 15. 13. We ſought not after the due …; Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear.

3. In the principle from whence the action floweth, the heart that is in it. Let the matter be never … right, yet if it be done with a falſe heart, it is …ful; this is remarked, 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did p. 194that which was right, but not with a perfect heart and Pſal. 78. 38. Their heart was not right wi… him. Thus are Hypocrites condemned on account of their Prayers and Alms givings, Matth. … begin. And for this reaſon all the actions of Unregenerate men are obliquities, Prov 21. 4. 28 9.

4. In the many Circumſtances of the Action Hereby the Sin is reputed either greater or leſs and here a great many things might come unde… conſideration; but this would make too great digreſſion: only let us remember that all the… things have their weight and conſideration in right Confeſſion of Sin: and hence to a righ… Confeſſion, four things are requiſite.

1. An Acknowledgment of the Fact. For if … deny the thing it ſelf, we by conſequence de… the Sin. He that ſaith, I have not done this, no… omitted that, doth wholly juſtifie himſelf in th… regard: for if there be not the act, there cann… be the obliquity of it, which is a Law reſpect a… hering to it. When Gehezi ſaid, Thy Servant … no whither, 2 King. 5. 28. He ſought ſo to acqu… himſelf from blame.

2. An acknowledgment of the Sinfulneſs of the Fa… Not only that we have done, but have Sinned … ſo doing; it is one thing to own a fact, anoth… to confeſs a Sin. There is many a man doth miſs, and will not deny what he hath done, b… juſtifieth himſelf, ſtands on his innocency, he ha… done well, and needs not be aſhamed: this not to confeſs ſin. So the Phariſees, Luke 16. 1… …e are they that juſtifie your ſelves; and Ephra… p. 195…. 12. 8. In all my labours they ſhall find no iniqui… in me. We ſhall find a right Confeſſion of Sin … expreſſed, Job 33. 27. Dan. 9. 7.

3. An acknowledgment of the Guilt contracted by be Sin. Guilt is a relation cleaving to Sin, by the Law which ſaith, the Soul that ſinneth ſhall dy: …nd there can be no true confeſſion of ſin without …aking this Guilt upon us: Nor is it enough to …onfeſs it is ſo according to the Law, for the heart …ay have a prejudice againſt the Law on this ac…ount, and think it unjuſt; but there muſt be an …quitting of the Law, as Paul, Rom. 7. 14. The Law is ſpiritual, but I am carnal, ſold under Sin; …nd verſe 12. The Command is holy, juſt, and …od. It muſt be ſuch a Confeſſion as acknow…edgeth our merit, that to us belongeth confuſion of …, Dan. 9. 8. God muſt be cleared in all his …ghteous Severities, his Juſtice vindicated by us, Pſal. 51. 4. That thou mayst be just when tho… …udgeſt.

4. A putting all the aggravations to the Sin in our …knowledgment of it. Not only a ſaying we have …inned, but we muſt lay it open in its circumſtan…es: How doth the Pſalmiſt expreſs himſelf? Pſal. …5. 11. and Moſes, Exod. 32. 31. And that good …an, Ezra. 9. 6. &c. A Pharoah could ſay, I have …ned, pray for me; but we muſt ſee our ſelves …le, and for that end acknowledge what a …arlet and crimſon colour is on our Sins.

p. 196PROPOSITION II.

That all kinds and degrees of Sin are to come with in this Confeſſion. The three words uſed in our Text, Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion, and Sin comprehend all; not only bold and daring Sins, and ſuch a… are more ſcandalous in the eyes of men, but whatſoever hath the leaſt obliquity in it: if it be but a warping from the Rule of obedience, it is to be acknowledged. As there is no ſin ſo great, but a true confeſſion of it may profit us, ſo there is none ſo little, but we are in danger if we confeſs it not; and indeed there is the ſame reaſon for confeſſing one or another. For,

1. Every Sin is a Tranſgreſſion of the Law of God. For nothing elſe can give it that denomination; and truly this puts a black character upon it. It cannot be a light matter, which the great God put ſo much weight upon, as to inſert it in that Law by which he Governs men to an everlaſting ſtate of Happineſs or miſery; and yet thi… reſpect hath every ſin.

2 Hence every ſin brings men under the Guilt of Death. Though there be degrees in it, yet there is but one kind of puniſhment put into the threatning for Sin, and that is death, which i… the wages of ſin, Rom. 6. 23. So that the ma… is obnoxious, if it be but a vain thought, or an id… word, or whatever in the leaſt falls ſhort of the perfect Obedience required: he is laid under the Sentence, and held faſt by it.

p. 1973. Hence if that ſin be not forgiven, he is undone for ever. The leaſt ſin unpardoned, will as certainly bring the man to everlaſting deſtruction, as all the vile and abominable tranſgreſſions that the greateſt monſters of iniquity have committed. The Juſtice of God requires it, the voice of the Law, which is the Rule of Relative Juſtice in Gods proceeding with men, declares this man to be a dead man, Ezek. 18. 4. If the Guilt be not removed by a pardon, one ſin of the ſmalleſt magnitude, will caſt him at the Bar, and he cannot eſcape.

4. If we hope for a pardon, we muſt go to Chriſt for it. It is through him alone that we come to have forgiveneſs of ſins, Col. 1. 14. He was authorized by God for this, Acts 5. 31. And he expects that ſuch as find a want of it, do come to him for it: we muſt ask pardon, if we hope to have it.

5. If we would obtain pardon of him for any ſin, we muſt confeſs it. That he expecteth it of us, is evident both by the precept and the examples left on Scripture record. If we confeſs, he is faithful and juſt to forgive, 1 Joh 1. 9. And if the ſmalleſt needs forgiveneſs, it cannot be exempted from our Confeſſion: Our Confeſſion then muſt comprehend in it;

1. Adams first Tranſgreſſion. For, though that Sin, as to the act of it, determined in our Firſt Parents, they only did perſonally commit it, yet it is in truth the Sin of the whole World, and all mankind, and every individual, have their ſhare in p. 198it. The whole ſpecies was comprehended i… them. Adam repreſented and tranſacted for h… Poſterity, and ſo that one ſin in which he vio… ted the Covenant of Works, became theirs by … holy and righteous Imputation; that Sin, and th… Guilt of it is to be acknowledged by us all. W… are aſſured of our intereſt in it, Rom. 5. 12. 1 Cor… 15. 22. And God expects to be juſtified in thi… regard.

2. Original Sin alſo cometh within it. That Si… which hath pervaded our nature, and polluted it… We muſt confeſs that we have it in us, & brough… it into the World; that we were born with it, ſo he, Pſal. 51. 5. That it cleaves to us, and we are made by it polluted things, Iſa. 64. 6. That it emptied us of Original Goodneſs, Rom. 7. 18. That i… hath made us unable for ſo much as one good though… 2 Cor. 3. 5. That it is a Law in our Members, hu… rying us violently into actual ſin, Rom. 7. 23. And not only that it is there, but that it is ſin in us, and hath rendred us Guilty before God, and that there is enough in it, if there were no more, to bring us under the Execution of the Sentence of Death: Infants that never ſinned actually, die for it, Rom. 5. 14. And we muſt ſubſcribe to the equity of it. We are Children of wrath by nature, Eph. 2. 3. And we muſt acknowledge it.

3. The ſins of Thought. Many are ready to ſay, that though they have had and entertained thoughts of ſin, yet if they have kept them from breaking out into deeds; they are innocent: but how awfully are they miſtaken on this account? we read, p. 199Prov. 24. 9. The thought of fooliſhneſs is ſin; hence that advice, Chap. 30. 32. If thou haſt thought evil, …lay thine hand on thy mouth; and though it be ſo …ar well, that we have not accompliſhed the thought, yet it is ſo far evil that we have thought it, and yet more if it hath been with any delight or deliberation. A good thought though not accompliſhed, is acceptable to God, I King. 8. 18. And an evil thought, though ſtifled and defeated, is diſpleaſing to him, Iſa. 59. 7. A thought may render a man extreamly Guilty, as his, Acts 8. 20. And God muſt be asked forgiveneſs for it, Verſe 22. And there is but an if poſſibly neither; and in order to forgiveneſs there muſt be Confeſſion.

4. The moſt ſecret ſins that men have been guilty of, muſt be confeſſed. Not only the open and notorious, which others ſee, and are witneſſes of; but ſecret ſins, thoſe committed in the dark, are as much ſins as thoſe perpetrated in the ſight of the Sun, and they ſtand as clear in the light of Gods Countenance, ſee Ezek. 8 12. Jer. 29. 23. 2 Sam. 12. 12. Eccleſ. 12. 14. David prays, in Pſal. 19. 12. Cleanſe me from ſecret faults, and that includeth a Confeſſion of them; and if men will not now confeſs them, they may look look that God will one day manifeſt them to their Conſuſion.

5. Thoſe ſins that we have committed through miſtake and ignorance muſt be confeſſed. Though we did not know them to be ſins when we committed them, and would not have done them if we had known it: nay, though we thought them to be lawful for us to do yea poſſibly to have been p. 200our duty; yet on Conviction it was otherwiſe they require our acknowledgment; for though it be an aggravation of Sin, when it is againſt ligh… and knowledge, yet the nature of Sin is in that i… is againſt the Law; ignorance and error do no… excuſe from puniſhment, Luk. 12. 48. Beſides ou… ignorance and errour proceed from Original Si… and on that account render us Guilty, and ſo cannot take off the Guilt from the ſins ſo committed. There was a Sacrifice for ſins of ignorance.

6. Thoſe very ſins of others, to which we have been acceſſaries, are ſo far to be confeſſed by us. Though it be their Guilt that they have committed ſuch ſins, yet it is ours that we have been acceſſary to their committing of them, and God will certainly charge it upon us: we find how cloſely he chargeth upon David, 2 Sam. 12. 9. Thou haſt k… led Uriah with the Sword; and David acknowledgeth his Blood guiltineſs, and earneſtly begs forgiveneſs for it, Pſal. 51. 14. And if theſe muſt be confeſſed, we may well argue thence to all other that carry more of boldneſs with them.

PROPOSITION III.

That we muſt be very free and deliberate in the confeſſing of our ſins. The Pſalmiſt tells us of his purpoſe to do it, I ſaid I will confeſs: and how did he ſay this, but in his heart? he did it upon mature conſideration it was neither an enforced, nor an inconſiderate action, done in haſte, raſhly. Here then,

p. 2011. It muſt be free, ingenuous, volantary. There …uſt firſt be a reſolution, and then a practice up…n it, and without this it cannot be right or ſin…ere. There is no Religious duty done accepta…ly to God, but what hath the heart in it, the …ill determined about it; there are many forced …onfeſſions, that men are driven to in diſtreſs, …hen Gods hand is upon them, and Conſcience …undereth againſt them, that maketh them to …omit up their indigeſted morſels, and make a great …oiſe, as thoſe that are extreamly ſick of Sin; but is not kindly, nor will it end well. Pharaoh …id thus when Gods hand was heavy on him; & …e Children of Iſrael did ſo in times of diſtreſſing …udgments: but what came it to? What a remark …oth God make on it? Pſal. 78. 37 God indeed …equently uſeth afflictive Providences as means, …nd Conſcience as an inſtrument for the bringing …f men to a ſincere confeſſion, ſuch as Ephraims …as, Jer. 31. 18, 19. But he cauſeth it to work …o on the heart, as to make the man truly affect…d with his. Sin, and with ſelf abhorrence to con…eſs it.

2. It muſt be deliberate. Firſt purpoſed before …t is put in Execution; & there is a rational weigh…ng of things proper to this purpoſe, which brings …t to this reſolve in the mind: hence there are …ome things preparatory to this Confeſſion, that make way for it, viz.

1. A well and through Conviction of the ſin. The word uſed for Confeſſing in our Text, firſtly ſignif…eth, to know? and it is obſervable, that the p. 202Hebrew Language hath one word for knowin… and acknowledging, intimating that no ſoun… confeſſion can be made, till we know the thing… Now the knowledge of Sin is not meerly ſpecul… tive, but practical, and belongs to the Conſcience … it is done by reflection; Conſcience tells the ma… that he hath done the thing, and how he hath done it, and ſhews him the Law which he hath broken, and the Righteouſneſs of that Law, an… the penalty that he hath incurred hereby, and i… realizeth all this to and in him: and this is pro… perly the Conviction of Sin, this is the Spirit… work, Joh. 16. 8. And he uſeth the means for it… Thus God treated David by the Prophet, 2 Sam… 12. begin. And all to prepare him for a kindly Confeſſion; he therefore ſaith, Pſal. 51. 3. … know my tranſgreſſions, and my ſin is ever befor… me.

2. A deep ſorrow and bitterneſs of heart by reaſo… of the ſin. It muſt be a mournful Confeſſio… elſe it will not be an ingenious one, Ezek. 16… 31. And this is a genuine fruit of the forme Conviction. When the man hath a right ap… prehenſion of his Sin on him, it appears in ſuc… colours as amaze him, and make him look … himſelf as the vileſt creature living, and th… embittereth Sin to him, and ſo diſpoſeth hi… to a free and full confeſſion of it; God ther… fore bids them to know and ſee that it is av… and bitter, Jer. 2. 19. And this cometh in upo… ſerious muſing on his Sins, and comparing i… wi…h the holy Law of God.

p. 2033. A ſelf judging, and ſelf condemning for his ſin. Conſcience ſits as a Judge, it calls the man to an account, putteth him on trial, examineth the whole caſe, and finally paſſeth a ſentence upon him, that he hath done very fooliſhly, and cannot juſtiſie himſelf; that he hath injured the declarative Glory of God, that his name hath in…uriouſly ſuffered by him; and that there is all reaſon that he acknowledge it to him, and give him glory in confeſſing to him; and that it is the leaſt thing he can poſſibly do, if ever he hopeth to obtain mercy of him, and be forgiven, ſo David, Pſal. 51:

4. A full purpoſe to renounce and reject the ſin, for having any more to do with it. Right confeſſion of ſin, belongs to true Repentance, at leaſt as a proper adjunct of it; if therefore it be ſincere, it will be followed with a forſaking; theſe are therefore connected, Prov. 28. 13. He that confeſſeth and forſaketh, ſhall find mercy. For a man to think by confeſſing to quit ſcores, and ſo run the more ſecurely on new arrears, is abominable wickedneſs; it is to do as that Strange Woman, Prov. 7. 14, 15. And though through the ſinfulneſs of the corrupt part, he may be afterward overtaken, yet that man who doth not confeſs his ſins with ſuch a …al purpoſe, by the help of God for ever after to avoid ſuch a ſin, is a diſſembler, and may not expect to find acceptance.

p. 204PROPOSITION IV.

That we muſt confeſs our ſins fully, without any li… ding or reſerves. The Pſalmiſt contents not himſelf with ſaying, that he reſolved to confeſs his ſin… and that he did actually acknowledge his tranſgreſſion and his ſin; but he adds, that he had not… hidden it. Though there was a time when he… kept ſinful ſilence, yet when he was brought to confeſs, he did it plumply, he made a through work of it, and it was his tranſgreſſions, not this… or that, but all: And there are two things poin… ted at in it.

1. That we muſt confeſs all without any reſerves.

2. We muſt confeſs them to the height, without any extenuation.

1. We muſt confeſs all our ſins without any reſerve… That there is no ſort or degree exempted, hath been already obſerved; but there are alſo individuals in theſe kinds, which we ſhould have a regard to in our acknowledgment; and though i… be not poſſible for us to come at all, yet we ſhould be as particular as we may. Compare, Pſal 19. 12. with Job 34. 32. But that which I more ſpecially here aim at, is that when the Spirit of God convinceth us of, and humbleth us for any one Sin… and puts us upon confeſſing it, we ought not … tarry there, but amplify our Confeſſions fartlier Here obſerve,

1. That the Spirit of God frequently begins a Con… viction p. 205at ſome one ſin, which the man hath been guilty of. If in an Afflictive Providence he awakeneth Conſcience, there is ſome remarkable ſin is brought …o remembrance, as in Joſephs Brethren: if in an Ordinance he ſmices the man with a word, it moſt commonly lays ſome particular thing to his charge, and ſaith, Thou art the man, as to David.

2. The burdened Conſcience is now driven to ſeek eaſe by confeſſion of the ſin from which its trouble proceeds. And this a natural Conſcience doth more eaſily put men upon: Pharaoh once and again is driven ſo far, as to confeſs he had Sinned in refuſing to let the people of God go. And men muſt be grown to a prodigious hardneſs of heart, if they ſuppreſs the confeſſion of a Sin ſo circumſtanced:

3. When the Spirit of God deſigns the man ſaving good. This Conviction is but an introduction to farther diſcoveries; he will ſhow the man to himſelf in his true colours before he hath done with him; by this he opens the door, and leads the man into the chambers of his heart, and calls him to conſider his ways, Hag. 1. 5. And this is to bring him to a ſight and ſenſe of all his ſins, in order to the drawing out a full confeſſion of them all: it is then our duty not to reſt at one, but to trace it up as far as we can. And here,

1. There are often a great many ſins that attend the conſummation of that one; which he ought to ſee diſtinctly, and confeſs ſeverally. There were ſins that gave occaſion to the temptation; though Satan tempts, yet our corruption moſtly giveth him the advantage; and that is to be lamented. David on p. 206the houſe top ſuffers his eye to wander, and it … ſurprized. There were Sins in the entertainin… of the temptation, ſome luſt or other not guard… againſt, but neglected, if not indulged, and tha… received the ſparks, and the heart took fire by i… the ſin conceived in it: when Achan ſaw the wedg… of Gold, he coveted it, Joſh. 7. 21. There are ſins tha… accompany the act it ſelf, beſides that the man doth the thing, he uſeth much fraud in doing it yea, and he breaks a great many commands in that one act; yea, there are many vile acts in on… work of Sin to the finiſhing of it: and there are Sins that adhere to or follow it when it is done: … leads to more in the covering, and keeping … from taking air: how many did David run himſelf into upon his Adultery? and as all theſe are ſo many Sins, ſo they require a particular obſervation and acknowledgment of them.

2. There is a Fountain of Corruption within, from whence every actual Sin doth ſtream; and we ought to follow it up thither, and make Confeſſion of that. There is an Evil root of Bitterneſs to be diſcerned in every departure from God; and when the Spirit of God Convinceth us of any Sin, we ſhould ask our own hearts, whence cometh this? And on enquiry we ſhall find an undeniable Fountain. Mark 7. 21, 22. Jer. 6. 7. This then muſt be Confeſſed, hither David follows his, Pſal 51. 5 and Paul his, Rom. 7. 23, 24. And here we ſee a vile Nature, full of all abominations, the well head of every Iniquity, which affords matter of large and deep Confeſſion. And let it be re…rked, p. 207that that Sin is not rightly Confeſſed by us, which we are not led from the Act to the Original, …d do not acknowledge the Sin it iſſued from, as well … the Sin it ſelf.

3. There are a Multitude of other Sins the man …th been Guilty of; and it is now a proper ſeaſon … reflect on, and make Confeſſion of them. Now … his Evil ways and doings that have not been good, …ght to come into conſideration. This Sin tells show terrible it is to have any Sin ſtand out un…rdoned; and that will put us upon calling our …lves to an account, to enquire what we have …een and done, and what hath been done in or…er to obtaining a remiſſion: and it is uſual …hat old Sins do now procure new trouble to the …ind, which maketh us to ſpread them before God: David runs up to the very Sins of his youth, Pſal. 25. 7.

2. We muſt confeſs them to the height, without … extenuation. Covering and Confeſſing are oppo…ed, Prov. 28. 13. Negatives in Scripture language …clude and intend affirmatives; when the Pſal. …ſt; ſaith he did not hide, he intends, that he …aid it open, and was very plain and full in his …onfeſſion. And here,

1. We muſt not hide the matter of fact by any …ful Concealment. David had attempted this be…re, and greatly encreaſed his Sin thereby; but …ow he will do ſo no more. There is a Concealment from men, and Concealment from God; which men are apt to Endeavour: as to the …ter, as it is vain, for God knows us better p. 208than we do our ſelves, 1 Joh. 3. 20. So it is ſinfu… When men think to be ſafe by keeping ſilenc… and ſo do not freely lay themſelves open befo… him, this is an Atheistical thought that God ſh… not know it, and muſt be withſtood. In refe… ence to the former; how far confeſſion is to … made to men, will be after conſidered; only o… ſerve, that if we cannot keep our ſin from takin… air, and coming to light, but by ſome other ſi… in the hiding of it, we ought not to ſuppreſs it for this is but to add ſin to ſin; and ſometim… more nefandous ſins than the firſt that we woul… hide: if David had ſo done, he had not adde… Murder to Adultery. The telling a ly to kee… a ſin ſecret by a flat denial of it, is contrary … ſincerity of heart: and if we confeſs our … affectionately to God, yet if we ly to men at … ſame time, our confeſſion will not profit us.

2. We muſt not hide the ſinfulneſs of the fact … any unjuſt pretences or excuſes. It is not enoug… to ſay we have done the thing, and ſinned … it, if we mince the matter, and ſeek to make it a excuſable as we can. Here obſerve,

1. We muſt not go about to make any ſin litt… when we are confeſſing it. I did not do well, might have done better, I was not ſo care… as I ought; but it was but a circumſtance or … conſiderable matter, I hope it will not be imp… ted; this is a vain confeſſion. All ſins inde… are not alike; but to confeſs any ſo dimin… tively, is to trifle: this is next to ſaying, ſp… it, it is a little one: It ſaith we are not convinced … the malignity there is in all ſin.

p. 2092. We muſt not put the blame of it from our ſelves …o others, and ſo make our fault the leſs. We did …ot well indeed, we ſhould have been more watch…ul; but we were provoked, allured, the temptati…n was great; and theſe or thoſe are to blame for …, but for whom I had never done it; thus our …irſt Parents, Gen. 3 Thus Aaron, Exod. 32. 22, …. It is very common, and men think they eaſe …hemſelves much with it; not conſidering that …thers may tempt us, but if they prevail it is with …ur conſent.

3. We muſt not throw the blame upon God. Some…mes it is ſo: there was a tacit reflection in that, …. 3. 12. The Woman thou gavest me, &c And …ow ready are we to ſay, What would you have …e to do? I have no ſtrength of mine own, and …od left me, how ſhould I reſiſt? I am ſorry, but could do no better: againſt this we are caution…, Jam. 1. 13. In a word, all that belongs to ſin…l ſilence is to be avoided, and the contrary pra…iſed, if we would ſo confeſs as to obtain mercy.

PROPOSITION V.

In our Confeſſion, they muſt be our own ſins, and we …ſt charge them home upon our ſelves. There are …o things in this.

1. They must be our own ſins. The Pſalmiſt puts … title of property of his Sin four times in this …ſe; and ſee 2 Chron 6. 29. Ezek. 7 16. We … indeed called to confeſs the Sins of others on …ouble account;

1. As we are concerned with them. We have not p. 210only our Perſonal, but our Relative concern too about Sin. Confeſſion is a proper adjunct of Prayer, and muſt accompany the petitions in which we ſeek mercy of God, and the averting of his Judgments. Now there is the conſideration of a people as one body, in which every perſon is a Member; and there are the Sins of others, which we have avoided, that ly upon the Land, and the whole is obnoxious by them: ſuch wa… Achan's ſin, Joſh. 22. 20. There are the Sins of Rulers, which have great influence, ſuch was that of Saul, 2 Sam. 21. begin. and of David, Chap. 2… begin and of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32. 25. Theſe are to be confeſſed by every one, Dan. 9. 4, 5, 6. And this belongs to that mourning commended, Ezek 9. 3. There are Sins committed in Churches by ſome, which make God angry with ſuch Societies; when God indicts Jeruſalem, he ſaid there are theſe and thoſe in thee, Ezek. 22. 7. &c. … Rev. 2. 14. And upon it he calls the whole to Repentance, verſe 16. And there are thoſe Sins … Families that expoſe them to ſpecial Tokens of Devine Diſpleaſure: God ſometimes deviſeth E… againſt a particular Family for the provocation … ſome in it, as in Eli's caſe, all therefore in it, … pecially the Governours ought to confeſs their Family Sins; thus did Job, Chap. 1. 5. and a ſuſpi… on of it moved him to that. Yea, there are p… vate Sins of others to which we may be acceſſar… and ought therefore to confeſs them, leſt we a… ſuffer with them, for we are not innocent.

2. As we are concerned for them. There i… p. 211duty of love that we owe to our Neighbour, and among other ways in which we are to expreſs it, one is to pray for them. and particularly that their Sins may be forgiven, Jam. 5. 16. We ſhould deſire their Salvation, and as long as they ly in ſin, and are not converted and healed, they are far from it; it may be they are Kard hearted, and do not ſee or confeſs their own ſins; we ſhould do it for them, and beg that God would give them an heart to ſee, bewail, and acknowledge them to him. So did Moſes on the account of them, Exod. …2. 31. But our firſt and great buſineſs is about our own Sins, ſuch as we have contracted Guilt to our ſelves by; for,

1. It is our own Salvation that we are nextly and principally concerned about. We ought indeed to ſeek the Salvation of others, but nextly our own. Our love to our ſelves is the Rule of our love to others; and the firſt thing we have to do, is to ſee that the peace be made between God and us; …ow they are only our own ſins that ſtand in the way of our Salvation: and if they be forgiven us, the Sins of other men ſhall not ruin us; and if we be reconciled to God, we ſhall certainly be ſaved; that is conſolation enough, Mat. 9. …. Thy Sins are forgiven thee.

2. They are our own Sins that we ſhall be called an account for in the Day of Judgment. We ſhall …ot anſwer for other mens Sins, farther than they were ours, Rom. 14. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Great judgment will be perſonal, and God will pro…ed with all individuals as they ſhall be found. p. 212Our buſineſs is, that we may ſtand in the Judgment; that we may hold up our heads with comfort in that day; that none of our Sins may then riſe up againſt us.

3. We cannot cordially confeſs other's ſins, if we a… not firſt confeſs our own. If we hide them, we do not ſincerely lay open others: There is not … greater ſign of an Hypocrite, than to be buiſy about other mens Sins, and careleſs of our own. Mat. 7. begin. If our own Sins do not humble us, we cannot be graciouſly affected with the Sins of other men: The High prieſt was to offer firſt for his own Sins, Heb. 7. 27. Lev. 9. 7. If we pray for others, being our ſelves under Guilt, God will not hear us.

2. We muſt charge them home upon our ſelves. There is a word in our Text omitted by Tranſlators generally as redundant, which yet ſeems to have Emphaſis in it, and is to be read, I will confeſs upon my ſins; or againſt; hence ſome read it, againſt my ſelf; or againſt my ſins. Now we the… properly confeſs againſt our Sins, when we lay all we can to their charge, to render them vil… and odious; we not only confeſs that we have done the thing, and tranſgreſſed the Law by it: But,

1. We take the whole blame of it home to our ſelves. It is I that have done it, it was m… wickedneſs, my vile heart, my woful corruption; God is clear, Pſal 51. 4. What though the Devil ſuggeſted, curſed companions tempted the World was a ſnare to me? Yet it was my p. 213naughty heart that complied, or I had not done it. Thus Paul chargeth on ſin dwelling in him, Rom. 7. 20. That ſhall have the blame, and it ſhall not be put off elſewhere.

2. We put all the circumſtances we can to it, to aggravate it. We do not mince our Teſtimony againſt it, but tell the whole truth as near as we can; we do not favour our Sin at all, or hide the ſhame of it, but put it to the greateſt ſhame that may be, 2 Sam. 24. 10. Pſal. 73. 22. And how large is he on this account? Dan. 9. We not only did the thing, but againſt light, againſt conſcience, againſt means, againſt mercies, againſt counſels and warnings, &c. We lay all open, that it may appear exceeding ſinful.

3. Hence we confeſs our ſins with an earneſt deſire to have them put to death and deſtroyed; Our Text may be an alluſion to the Sacrifice on the head whereof the man was to lay his hands, and confeſs his Sins over it, and then it was to be Slain: So he brings his Sins with a deſign to have his luſts mortifyed, and ſo confeſſeth upon them; or as Junius renders it, I will confeſs concerning my ſins, i. e. I will tell all I know about them, to forward their Condemnation; and this alſo is requiſite in a right Confeſſion.

PROPOSITION VI.

That we are to make this Confeſſion to the Lord. To Jehovah. He is the proper object of this duty; and all Sin is to be confeſſed to him, p. 214though not always to him only: There is ſome times a Confeſſion to be made to men; but in no caſe will that ſuffice without bringing it to God; and to ſtate this aright: Let us obſerve,

1. That we are not abſolutely bound to confeſs to men, thoſe Sins which Gods Providence hath kept ſecret from them. In ſome caſe we ought, as anon, but in it ſelf it is not a poſitive duty; they are between God and us, and we have only to do with him. God hath not enjoyned us to expoſe our ſelves either in our name or life by publiſhing them to the world, if he will bring us forth, it is juſt; but if he will let them ſo ly hid, our buſineſs is to ſee that all be right between him and us.

2. That a verbal Confeſſion to men of the wrongs we have done them, is not always requiſite. There is a reſtoration of wrongs by reſtitution that is due, but this may be done, though they know no… who wronged them, nor is it neceſſary that they ſhould. In ſome places theſe are Capital; a man by confeſſing expoſeth his life, and the wrong… may be repaired by another hand, and the Sin confeſſed to God, and forgiveneſs obtained.

3. Sins known to others, and by which there is … ſcandal are to be confeſſed to men, for removing the ſcandal. If it be private, and but few know of i… it ſufficeth to confeſs it to them, Mat. 18. 15. I… we have given them a proof of our Repentance we have removed the ſcandal ſo far as we gave it; but if the ſcandal be open and notorious, and many are grieved by it, the Confeſſion ought to p. 215hold in proportion; 1 Tim. 5. 20. Them that Sin rebuke before all, i. e. If they ſin publickly: for this doth not croſs our Saviours Rule about private offences: and the reaſon for ſuch a Confeſſion is, becauſe the Glory of God is concerned in it, and as we have diſhonoured him by ſuch Sins, ſo we have no other way to give him Glory, but by ſuch Confeſſion, Joſh. 7. 19.

4. If God by his Providence brings our ſecret ſins to light, we are to make a free Confeſſion of them. There are many ways in which God doth this. Men think their ſins ſhall never be known, being contrived ſo privately, and acted ſo ſecretly, but God revealeth them, and then it is vain for us to hide them: thus God dealt by David, 2 Sam. 12. and he hath left his ſorrowful Confeſſion on record, Pſal. 51.

5. Hence ſometimes it is requiſite to make a publick Confeſſion, when the Sin cannot be legally proved againſt us: Viz. When Gods Providence giveth ſo much light, as our profeſſion is ſcandalized among men, though there be not a full proof. When there are ſuch circumſtances of diſcovery, as give a moral certainty to men, and there are ſeveral things known, that render us juſtly ſuſpected: as when there is a common fame, and ſuch things as make the moſt charitable ſuſpicious of us, and force an enquity to be made: Now we are either innocent or guilty, and the honour of God requires that we either aſſert our innocency, or acknowledge our Guilt; the Apoſtle reproved the Corinthians on a common report, 1 Cor. 5. 1. p. 216And he commends their earneſtneſs in clearing themſelves, 2 Cor. 7. 10.

6. There may be ſuch a diſtreſs on Conſcience for ſome ſins, as will neceſſitate a Confeſſion to men. God ſometimes lays the burden heavy on the man, and though he confeſs to God, he findeth no eaſe; it is now proper to make uſe of ſome or other, to unburden our minds unto: which may be peculiarly intended in, Jam. 5. 16. Confeſs your faults one to another. God hath appointed his Children to be helpful each to other; only great caution is to be uſed here; we ſhould chuſe ſuch to diſcover our ſelves to, as will be faithful, and ſecret, and are capable of giving us counſel and relief; the proper deſign of it being for the eaſing of our Conſciences. But our great buſineſs is to make our Confeſſions to God, and this we muſt never forget, and there is great reaſon for this; for,

1. God knows all our ſins, and therefore it is vain to go about to hide them from him. They all ſtand in the light of his Countenance; we may hope to eſcape from men by hiding; but to think to get any thing by not confeſſing to God, is a great folly. He doth not need our confeſſion, to give him any information, he knows them, and can ſet them in order before us, when he pleaſeth; if then he looketh for our acknowledgment, and we do not make it, this will turn to our damage, there is a threatning in that, Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his ſins, ſhall not proſper.

2. All Sin is againſt God. Men may be injured by it, but whether they be or no, Gods p. 217honour is ſtricken at by every Sin; it is a tranſgreſſion of his Law, 1 Joh. 3. 4. It is a coming …ort of his glory, Rom. 3. 23. And that is an af…ont offered to him; and indeed, conſidered as …in, it is only againſt him, Pſal. 51. 4. And whom ſhould we make our Confeſſion to, but him whom we have provoked by it? he is the party firſtly concerned, and muſt not be neglected.

3. He only can forgive us our ſins. Our great encouragement to confeſs, is our hope to obtain mercy and pardon, and therefore the Goſpel, which made diſcovery of forgiveneſs through Chriſt, is the great motive to poor Sinners to fall down before God, and acknowledge their Sins to him. Well, this is his Prerogative, and he will not give it another, Dan. 9. 9. To the Lord belong mercies and forgiveneſſes. Men indeed may remit to us the injury done to them, ſo far as they are concerned; and too often that is all that we trouble our ſelves about; but the Sin may yet …y upon us: they may do their work, but they cannot do Gods work; and if he be not atoned, that Sin will undo us; but if he forgive us, all is well, and we are happy.

4. If we hope to obtain forgiveneſs of him, we must ſeek it in his way. As there is forgiveneſs with him, Pſal. 130. 4. So there is a courſe to be taken by ſuch as would obtain it of him: and among other things which he requireth, this is …ne, viz. that we confeſs it to him humbly, heartily, fully: hence the promiſe is connected with … Prov. 28. 13. Lev. 26. 40. 1 Joh. 1. 9. God p. 218will not baulk this, and for us to neglect it, is t… out our ſelves off from the Goſpel hope. No… this Confeſſing to God intends, not only a co… ming before him in Prayer, and laying open th… caſe, but a particular reflection and animadverſio… on the ſin, under this conſideration, that it is again… him: to ſee, and bewail before him, the wron… we have done to his name, the diſhonour w… have brought to his declarative glory, the re… proach to his Goſpel, and the profeſſion w… have made of it; theſe are the aggravations w… are to put to it, and by them to lay the grea… eſt weight upon it: this was doubtleſs David… aim, Pſal. 51. 4. Against thee, thee only, &c. N… that he had forgat the wrong he had done to o… thers, but the concern of Gods Glory went neareſt to him, and ſwallowed up the reſt; ſo ſaith… the poor Prodigal, Luk. 15. 18. I have ſinned againſ… heaven and before thee.

2. It follows to ſhew how neceſſary and pro… per ſuch a Confeſſion is, for the relief of a d… ſtreſſed Conſcience: Which will be evidenced b… the following Concluſions.

1. That the great burden lying on the Conſcience th… diſtreſſeth it for Sin, is the Guilt. A gracious So… indeed is humbled and put into mourning by re… ſon of the pollution that cleaveth to his Sin; a… it is the principal ingredient of a kindly god… Sorrow for ſin: but, though that abaſeth th… man, and makes him vile in his own ſight, yet doth not fill him with thoſe perplexities we a… now conſidering of: The terrors of Conſcien… p. 219ariſe from the apprehenſion of Gods Wrath, and the impreſſion which the Curſes of the Law make on the Soul: he ſeeth God coming againſt him as an enemy armed with revenge, and is in fearful expectation of falling into his hand; it is this anger that overwhelmeth him, Pſal. 38. 2. 88. 7. And it is the apprehenſion of Guilt that produceth it. God appears to him terrible in his Holineſs and Juſtice, and he doth not apprehend the comfort of a Sealed Pardon, hence ariſe all his Soul agonies.

2. That hence as long as this Guilt lieth upon the Conſcience, the diſtreſs muſt abide. A man indeed may be under Guilt, and yet have much ſeeming quiet: and how many have a ſtupendous load of Guilt lying on them, and do not groan under it, becauſe they feel it not, becauſe Conſcience is aſleep, and ſenſeleſs: and many get eaſe again, though their Guilt abideth, becauſe they have baffled their Conſciences, and charmed them into a falſe perſwaſion; but this is certain, while the Conſcience hath the remorce of the Guilt upon it, and apprehends it, the man can have no reſt: all the diverſions he can turn to, all the carnal delights he ſeeks to content himſelf withal, give him no relief, the Arrow of Gods wrath abides on his Conſcience, and feſters there, his pain is not in the leaſt abated; and how is it poſſible, that whiles a man is dogged up and down with an accuſing, condemning Conſcience, charging on him the Guilt of Death, and threatning him with Eternal Damnation, he ſhould p. 220have any reſt? he cannot think it a light matte… to Dwell with Everlasting Burnings, when they ar… realized to him, though he ſcoffed at them whe… he believed them not.

3. This Guilt is not removed from the Conſcienc… but by forgiveneſs. Nothing but a pardon can tak… it away. I know Sinners have other courſes t… benumme their hearts, and ſtupify the ſenſe o… their pain: and ſometimes by Gods awful Jud… ment they obtain to bring themſelves into ded… lency, it may be carnal confidence, and vain pr… ſumption; ſome mens Conſciences are ſtupifie… others ſecure under a refuge of lies: but this is … falſe peace; the wound is but skinned over, an… the core will feſter within, and break out agai… more fearfully. That man who ſeeks to quiet h… mind from the trouble which Sin hath brough… him into, any other way, but by ſeeking forgive… neſs, doth but cheat his own Soul, and lay a foun… dation for his greater ſorrow, Iſa. 50. 11. Till fo… giveneſs cometh, the Wrath of God abideth hi… Juſtice ſtands engaged to purſue him to death, an… the irreſiſtible hand of Omnipotency is ready t… do the Execution, nor can any thing remedy th… but a free pardon: the man cannot expiate it, a… his repentances and reformations will not ſatisf… for it; till the Blood of Chriſt be applied to it, will certainly remain.

4. That this muſt be witneſſed in the Conſcience t… give it eaſe. There is peace with God upon the ap… plying of a pardon, Rom. 5. 1. The very act o… forgiveneſs paſt in the Court of Heaven, is a fru… p. 221of Gods being reconciled, and rendereth the mans late peaceable: but this peace doth not influence …he Conſcience to make peace there, till it be ac…uainted with, and aſcertained of this forgiveneſs; …he ſtill his Guilt, and that is his trouble, and …ill he can get ſome good ſecurity of his pardon, …he is not ſatisfied: The report indeed that there …s forgiveneſs with God, and the offer of it made …o him, is ſome relief, and affords him a ſupport…ng hope againſt utter deſpair, but it muſt be a …igned and ſealed pardon, read to him, that will …eſtore him to real comfort; there is many a Malefactor is Executed for all the mercy of the Prince: God may be a God of forgiveneſs, and many may taſte of it, but he may periſh: Time was when he pleaſed himſelf with a general noti…on of mercy, but now he conſiders what God hath …aid, Iſa. 27. 4. Fury is not in me; who will ſet bri…rs, &c. And ſo he cannot reſt, till Chriſt ſaith …o him, Be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven; the …an muſt have a good ground to believe his …ardon, as he hath been aſſured of his Condemnation.

5. There is no Teſtimony that can ſatisfie the Conſci…nce in this caſe, but that of the Spirit of God. He muſt ſpeak peace to, and in the man, or it cannot be believed: Conſcience ſaith, it is God that is …rovoked, he is Judge, the Sentence of Condemnation hath proceeded from his mouth; and if he do not take it off again, none can. I muſt there…ore hear what he ſaith to me; Pſal. 85. 8. There … indeed the terms of the Covenant, to which the p. 222promiſe of forgiveneſs is connected, which bein… wrought in the man, have the evidence in them… and do make the witneſs of our own ſpirit; bu… this alone will not ſatisfie; a troubled Soul wi… object againſt the reality of them, and ſuſpe… them of fallacy, till the Spirit come in and ſet h… ſeal to the truth of them, and confirm them by… his ſecret application. Godly and skilful Chriſtians may inquire into the mans caſe, and give kin… great encouragement, judging his condition ſafe;… but all will ſignifie nothing to him; they are cha… ritable, and do not know him as he knows himſelf; he knoweth his own ſtate better than they do; he therefore can have no quiet till ther… be a Divine Obſignation upon him, till it comes to… that, Rom. 8. 16. Faith only can receive the conſolation, and apply it, and that cannot build on a… ny thing ſhort of a Divine Teſtimony.

6. There muſt be this forgiveneſs really paſt in or… der to the Spirits bearing witneſs to it. The ma… muſt be forgiven, at leaſt in order of nature, be… fore he can be aſcertained of it: for this Teſtimony is to a thing that really is; and though God ſometimes doth together with pardoning th… Sinner, let in this light, whereby he diſcerns it… yet he doth not always do ſo, he acts his Soveraignty in this matter, but he giveth no aſſuranc… of a pardon to him before hand; he indeed of… fereth it, tells him where it is, and how to be obtained, encourageth him to wait for it, offereth him his aſſiſtance: but all this while the matter… is in ſuſpenſe as to the man; and if he comply… p. 223…th not with theſe offers, he remaineth in a ſtate of …ondemnation. God is not wont to reveal his …urpoſe to the man on this account, till he hath …ven being to it in his Providence, and this …ſſurance follows upon that faith by which he …mbraced the offer of Grace which had been …ade to him.

7. That this Forgiveneſs is applyed upon the plight…g of the New Covenant. As to the opinion of Juſtification from Eternity, or upon Chriſts Re…irrection, the miſtake of it hath been before ob…erved: the promiſe of it made unto Chriſt, and …he accquittance given to Chriſt for his Redeemed, …as to be applyed to them in the Goſpel way and …rder. The actual Forgiving their Sins, belong…th to the work of Application; and God hath in …he Goſpel opened a New Covenant, in which …he carrieth on the Reconciliation, ſo that after Chriſt had Reconciled God to us, we are ſent to, …nd entreated to be Reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. And there are the terms of the Covenant, accord…ng to the tenour whereof it is brought about; …nd therefore called a Covenant of Peace, Mal. 2. 5. becauſe upon the making it with the Soul, the Peace of God is brought into it, to which belongs …his Forgiveneſs. And ſo, upon every renewal of Covenant, upon any difference that Sin hath made: this Peace is reſtored, upon a new applica…ion of Forgiveneſs

8. Hence this Forgiveneſs is always connected with Faith and Repentance. There is great duſt raiſed about the word Condition, and whether Faith and p. 224Repentance be Conditional in the New Covenant… I know no danger in calling them ſo, if rightly underſtood; however, it is enough to ſay, that there is a cloſe Connexion between theſe, and the benefits contained in the New Covenant. I… grant, we may call them Benefits too, being fruits… of Gods Everlaſting Love, and operations of his Spirit in and with the means, and things promiſed to Chriſt in the Covenant of Redemption, in… behalf of thoſe whom he was to Dy for. But in the New Covenant, they are acts of preventing Grace, and are not promiſed on any Condition… to us: all the offers of Spiritual Good are there made to Repenting and Believing: ſo that both the Invitations of the Goſpel, and the Evangelical commands Publiſhed in it, require this of us, though not of our ſelves, but we muſt wait for them as a Gift from God: yet this is a great Truth, that there are no other Saving benefi… conferred on us without them, and there is a reciprocation in them, which is as much as is to be underſtood in calling them Conditions; viz. that without Faith and Repentance, there is no Forgiveneſs: if God giveth not this Grace, neither doth he the other, Acts 5. 31. and that whenever God beſtow… theſe upon any, he together with it brings them into a State of Pardon: true Faith hath all Sal… vation ſecured to it, Heb 10. 39.

9. This Confeſſion of Sin is a neceſſary concomitan… of the Repentance of Faith. And there are two things wherein this neceſſity will be diſcovered.

1. The promiſe of Forgiveneſs includes this Hypotheſ… p. 225ly it. That the Promiſes of the Covenant do run Hypothetically, is not only mani…eſt from the nature of a Covenant, but alſo evident from the tenour of Scripture expreſſions about it, & though there be ſomething elſe beſides confeſſion, put in, yet this is mentioned, in Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh 1. 9. Where is intended a penitent confeſſion, ſuch as accompanieth true Repentance; elſe Pharaoh may confeſs, &c. And ſee how God inſiſts upon it, Jer. 3. 12, 13. And not one word of encouragement is given in the whole Book of God, for any to hope for pardon, who will not confeſs; nay …hiding and covering is threatned.

2. There can be no kindly Repentance expreſſed without it. No other way to teſtify it: For,

1. Sin must be ſeen in its colours if ever it be re…ented of. There muſt ſuch a Conviction paſs upon the man as ſhall make him to know the ſinful…eſs of his ſin, ſo as to diſcover it vile and hate…ul, elſe he will not repent of it. Every natural man is in love with Sin; natural corruption calls …t good, approves of it; he hath choſen it, and …ll he hath another diſcovery made of it to him, …e will hold it faſt, & not let it go. In true Repen…nce there is a turuing from ſin, and it is the act of a …aſonable Creature, and therefore he muſt ſee …eaſon for it, elſe he will not, becauſe his heart knit to it; and there are two things neceſſary to …e ſeen in it, viz. The miſeries it hath expoſed him …, and the vileneſs of its nature: for though a …al Repentance may be wrought by the former, …t that which is Evangelical will not be without p. 226the latter, hence both are put together, Jer. 2. 1…. The end of Conviction is to drive the man ſo Repentance, and hence will naturally draw ſome ſuch a Confeſſion of it.

2. The Sin thus ſeen muſt be heartily bewaile There is a Sorrow for Sin that accompanieth tru… Repentance, and helps to make it unrepentable, and is to be a witneſs that it is ſincere. It is not enough that the man leave off the former practiſe of the Sin, but Repentance requires that he expreſs real grief of heart that ever he was guilty … ſinning, ſo Ephraim, Jer. 31. 18. And God promiſeth to put ſuch a ſpirit into his people, when he cometh to turn them graciouſly, Zech. 12. 10. … In which bewailing of Sin, there is, beſides him grief for it, a lamentable crying out againſt it, that which hath brought all our miſery upon … ſo Paul, in Rom. 7. And this alſo carrieth in an implicit confeſſion, eſpecially when we conſider that he muſt bewail it as his own, Ezek. 17. 16.

3. The man muſt judge himſelf for it. In t… Repentance there is a formal proceſs in the m… againſt himſelf. Conſcience doth, in the na… of God, call a Court in the man; he Summo… himſelf to the Tribunal; he indicts himſelf … ſinning againſt God, in tranſgreſſing his H… Law, chargeth it on himſelf as done voluntan… by the naughtineſs of his own heart, finds him ſelf Guilty, and ratifieth the threatning of God Word againſt himſelf; all this is contained in t… one Hypotheſis, 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our heart cond… us. The word is uſed for the …pronouncing p. 227Sentence on a Guilty Malefactor. Now what …dence doth the man uſe in this proceſs but his …n Conſcience, which is done by a free and …ll confeſſion, acknowledging that he hath done …e thing, and done ſinfully in it, Pſal. 106. 6.

4. He muſt turn away from it by an utter rejecting Repentance is a turning, and that ſuppoſeth …o terms, now the term from which, is his … and what manner of turning this is, the word of God acquainteth us. There is a turning …m it by abſtinence, or leaving off, and that ſup…ſeth a being perſwaded of the unprofitableneſs, …d vileneſs of it, which carrieth in it an acknowledgment, Job. 33. 27. But there is alſo in this …ning, an abjuration of it; the man is divorced …n his ſin, he caſteth it off, reſolving never to …ve to do with it any more, Hoſ. 14. 8. Job. 34. …. And this is attended with a ſelf loathing, and …red of his ſin, and putting it to open ſhame, …ich muſt needs carry ſuch a confeſſion in it.

5. He muſt turn unto God. This is the term to …hich all true Repentance leads, ſo God points …em, Jer. 4. 1. If you will return, return to me; a man leaveth off one ſin, and diverteth to either, this is only a traverſing of his way. and …veth that he hath left no ſin heartily. Now …our turning from Sin to God, there are two …ngs aimed at, without both which there is acceptable turning, and both of them call confeſſion; we turn to him for his favour, …d that we may obtain reconciliation, and we … of him pardon, which that we may gain, p. 228he expecteth our hearty confeſſion; and we d… it with a full purpoſe to devote our ſelves to … Service thence forward, and that preſumes a confeſſion that we have before been uneven in it, a… ſeek of him grace to carry it more upright afterwards, Pſal. 80. 18.

10. The Glory of God is much concerned in the Confeſſion. It is ſuitably accommodated to the way in which God will exalt his name in the Salvation of Sinners; for,

1. Forgiveneſs of Sins is an act of Gods free fav… to the Sinner. He was fallen under the Condemnation of the Law, and into the hand of Revenging Juſtice, the Sentence was paſt upon h… that he muſt dy, and it was righteous: he himſelf was utterly unable to ſatisfie for his o… Guilt, nor was there a ranſom price to be fou… in heaven or earth, among created beings, t… would anſwer the demands of Juſtice, or buy … his penalty from him: If ever then he be … livered from the Wrath to come God muſt provide his own Satisfaction, and conferr it up… the Sinner, gratis, and he muſt have it with money and price: Gods pardon is beſtowed … his own name ſake, Pſal. 25. 11.

2. Gods deſign in this, is the Exaltation of … Glory of his Grace, in pardoning the Sinner. … muſt have ſome deſign in all his Works, be… a wiſe and intelligent Agent: this deſign m… ultimately refer to his own Glory, for, be… the chief Good, he muſt be the laſt end of things: hence, though he aimeth at the Sin… p. 229Salvation in it, yet that muſt be in order and ſubordination to his own Glory; which can be no other than his Declarative Glory: for, as to that which is eſſential to him, it is perfect, nor can it be greater or leſſer. Now, though his Juſtice doth receive a wonderful illuſtration, and ſits in State, …n the way which he hath contrived to bring this about, yet the great Attribute which is celebrated …n and by this effect, is his Grace: nor can we conceive how this Attribute could be more eminently illuſtrated, than in this way. What greater Grace can we think of, than that the great God, …he hath no need of the Creature, was highly provoked by it, and could have gotten himſelf a …ame for ever in its eternal ruine, ſhould without …o much as being ſought to by the Sinner, of his …wn meer good will, provide ſo richly for its de…erance from Wrath, as not to ſpare his own Son, …t give him for a ranſome. Well might the Apo…le aſcribe it hither, Eph. 1. 5, 6.

3. Hence this rich grace of his is to be celebrated by …s in it. As we are the monuments of it, ſo he expects of us ſuitably to be acknowledged for … We muſt not only be the inſtances, but the proclaimers of this Grace, we are not only to be …aſſive, but active in Glorifying God; and he hereby layeth on us the moſt potent obligation …ereto. We can never recompence him for his …ndneſs, and if we give him not the praiſe of it, … do nothing at all; all the acclamations in the … Temple are to be Grace, Grace; Heavens Hal…jah's are to be celebrated with the acknowledgments p. 230of this free Grace: and how much have pardoned men counted themſelves obliged to give him the glory of it here? Pſal. 10. begin. Iſa. 12. 1.

4. To the due acknowledgment of this grace it is requiſite.

1. That we be ſenſible how vile we have made our ſelves by Sin. Sin is, by Gods holy and wiſe O… dination, become the foil of Grace: It did not come into the world but by Divine permiſſion and had not God had ſome wiſe and holy end in it, he had not permitted it, now this end, i… regard of his Choſen, was to take occaſion by i… to exalt his Grace in their Salvation: hence the viler they have made themſelves by ſin, the m… exalted is this Grace in their Salvation, Rom. 5. 20. According to the reſentments that men have of ſ… ſuch will be the eſteem they put upon the Grace by which it is forgiven, Luk. 7. 47. God w… therefore make men to know, that their Sin ha… been great and horrible, that it hath run them i… arrears Ten thouſand Talents to Juſtice, made them men of Death, and bound them over to everlaſting miſery, that ſo they may know what kindneſs is ſhewn them in beſtowing a pardon on them.

2. That we addreſs God humbly for forgiveneſs. He indeed giveth it freely, yet he will have the Sinner humbly petition him for it, Ezek. 36. 3…. I will be ſought to by the houſe of Iſrael to do this fo… them. God muſt give us the Grace rightly to let him; his preventing mercy is firſt in this work but yet he cometh in this way. He firſt make… p. 231the Sinner ſenſible of his miſery, and with it revealeth the remedy, and ſtirreth him up to petition his favour; and in this way he applyeth the pardon to him: and how elſe ſhould he be acknowledged the forgiver of it?

3. That hence we Celebrate his Justice in Condemning us. The way for us to obtain Gods pardon, is not only to come to him for it, but to come with ropes on our heads, making it to appear that we not only know our ſelves under a Sentence of Death, but that he would be righteous if he ſhould execute it upon us, Dan. 9. 8. Pſal. 51. 4. Nor can there be a right apprehenſion of Gods Grace, till firſt there be a confeſſion of our merit: till we believe it was right for us to dy, we cannot think it a meer favour for us to live.

4. That we ſeek this pardon in Chriſt's name, acknowledging our unworthineſs of it. It is through Chriſt that we obtain forgiveneſs, and therefore it is to be ſought in him, or for his ſake: for it is through his Mediation that all this grace cometh to be communicated to us: and we ſhall never go on his account, till we find that we have no other account to go upon; as long as we have a righteouſneſs or worthineſs of our own, Chriſt is diſregarded, Rom. 10. 2, 3. That therefore muſt be rejected, that this may be ſought after, Phil. 3. 9. Now all this involveth in it ſuch a confeſſion as we have been conſidering of, & cannot be without it.

II. This therefore is one great end of Gods bringing us into diſtreſs. Terrours of Conſcience, and trouble of mind, are part of the Curſe fallen upon man for ſin; p. 232and in the ungodly are often but the beginning of ſorrows: but in Gods Elect, whether in order to Converſion, or after they were Converted, they are on a gracious deſign: and what is that but to make way for bringing them to a more ſettled and ſtable peace? we are very hard to be brought to confeſs & ſo give Glory to God; he is therefore put upon it to bring us into trouble, to terrify our Conſciences, to make our Sins extreamly bitter to us, that we may be excited to ſeek our peace of him; and now he bringeth us upon our knees, makes us to open our hearts and mouths, in the deepeſt reſentments, and moſt ſelf abaſing acknowledgments of out vileneſs by reaſon of ſin, Hoſ. 5. 15. Now God will attain his own deſign in and by it, … then he bringeth us into trouble, that we may be made to take the ſhame to our ſelves, and confeſs unto him; the next and proper way to get out of the trouble again, is by a ready and free Confeſſion of the ſin which hath procured this ſore diſtreſs for us.

USE I. We may hence learn one principal reaſon why many ly ſo long under the burden of a distreſſed Conſcience. It is a thing obſervable, that there are many who, though they have made a good profeſſion, are much exerciſed in their minds, and greatly perplexed in ſpirit, by reaſon of their ſins, and find no relief againſt it: they can get no ſatisfactory evidence that they are forgiven, but are apt to think that all their ſins ly out againſt them to their Condemnation; and there muſt be ſome p. 233reaſon why it is ſo with them, which it concerns them carefully to enquire after. Here obſerve;

1. That God may have forgiven their ſin, and not …r the preſent witneſs it in their Conſciences. As a …an may be in a pardoned ſtate and yet queſtion whether he be ſo or no, by reaſon of darkneſs in his mind, and the Spirits witholding his teſtimony; ſo it may be in reſpect of the actual forgiveneſs of this or that ſin that he hath fallen into: …e may have repented, confeſſed, ſought forgiveneſs, and God hath pardoned him, and yet doth not inſtantly proclaim it in his Conſcience; and …e acteth much of his Holy Soveraignty herein, …or reaſons known to himſelf, ſo that we have a …reat deal of reaſon charitably to think this of …ome that are under the hurries of ſuch perplexi…es: And let not ſuch be overborn with the miſ…ivings of their hearts, but ſay to themſelves as he, Pſal. 43. 5. Why art thou caſt down, &c. God will have his time to let them know it, though now they are in the dark about it.

2. But uſually the reaſon of the diſtreſs lyeth in the …ant of a right confeſſion. It is good therefore in ſuch … ſearching time to enquire whether we have not …alled on this account, and this may be diſcovered in ſeveral reſpects; for either,

1. Instead of confeſſing our Sins, we have ſought to …bide them. And this is a fault that not only Un…generate men are guilty of, but the Godly too often are overtaken withal Either we ſeek to hide it from God by a vain preſumption that he will not …ake notice of it; if not directly, yet indirectly p. 234and by conſequence; as the Pſalmiſt Context, v… Or we ſeek to hide it from our own Conſciences, by flattering our ſelves into a fond perſwaſion, that we have done nothing amiſs, ſeeking … juſtice our ſelves, and nouriſhing an opinion th… we are innocent: or by ſome ſinful courſes take to hide it from men, whereby we encreaſe ou… Guilt; as David did in the caſe of Bathſhel… Now this is the right courſe to pull troubles o… our own minds; we can do nothing more directly to bring this diſtreſs upon us. Or,

2. Inſtead of Confeſſing, we hope to make up all … a reformation of our own. There is ſuch pride natural to us, that we had rather do any thing th… abaſe our ſelves to a right confeſſing of our ſins and ſo, upon conviction that we have done amiſ…, we are apt to think that a little endeavour to amend this, by abſtaining from the ſin, and practiſing the contrary duty, will make up all again and count it more credit to repair our ſelves i… this way, than by an humble going to God for pardon, in a ſelf abaſing acknowledgment of ou… vileneſs; this made them make ſuch an enquiry Mic. 6. 6. Here is ſomething of ſelf to be ſeen whereas in the other way ſelf is utterly denied that God alone may be Glorified; and though we have left off ſuch things, and do them no more, yet Goſpel Repentance of them hath not bee… exerciſed by us, and ſo the root of the trouble abideth. Or,

3. If we do make ſome confeſſion, it is not right It is not ſuch as God expecteth. Either,

p. 2351. We do not confeſs all. Our acknowledgment is with reſerves: there is ſome ſin that we hide under our tongues; there is ſomething that we come and tell God of, and make a fair ſhew of Religious doing duty in it, but we keep back a part; how frequent a thing is it for us to go about to put God off with half confeſſions? how apt to think a little piece of a confeſſion is a great matter, and count that we have gone through our duty in this regard, when we have not gone half way in it? and this argueth a falſe heart, that confeſſeth ſome, to hide the reſt: but God will not be ſo mocked. Or,

2. We do not make our Confeſſion penitently. It is an humble Confeſſion that God looks for; and there is a proud ſort of Confeſſion that we are prone to: and it appears in ſuch things;

1. We do not take the whole blame to our ſelves. We confeſs the fact, and it may be our folly too, but withal we ſeek in part to put it off ſomewhere elſe, poſſibly the bigger part, and reſerve the leaſt for our ſelves: we make fearful cries againſt the Devil; the Devil tempted me, and was too ſubtile for me; &c. The Devil indeed is called the Tempter, but remember, it is not his, but our fault if we are tempted, Jam. 1. 14. Acts 5. 3. Satans Inſtruments alſo ſhall be brought in for our excuſe: I had not done it but for ſuch or ſuch an one, &c. As if they could have forced our conſent againſt our will: yea, God himſelf ſhall be reflected on to extenuate our fault; this is not the Confeſſion that is truly penitent.

p. 2362. We are not duly aſhamed of our ſelves for our Sin. And this follows upon the former for all excuſes are but fig-leaves to cover o… own nakedneſs with; they are but pretence on which we may hold up our heads with the more confidence, whiles our mouths are no… ſtopt, but we have ſomething to plead for our ſelves, we do not expreſs the due abaſement that God looks for of us, till we can come to ſay as he, Ezra. 9. 6. I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift up my face, &c. A proud confeſſion will never find acceptance with him, who ſeeth th… proud afar off: the lower we ly in the du… the nearer we are to find him.

3. We do not duly Juſtify God in our acknowledgments. When we think our ſelves not … much to blame as others, when we lay the fa… on Satan or his Inſtruments, when we complain of Gods withdrawings, or Providential expoſing us to Temptation, when we charge him for not affording us his aſſiſtances, and thereupon think it over ſevere for him to proceed with us according to the rigour of the Law; in all which we reflect on, and do not Justify him: how then ſhould be receive ſuch a Confeſſion.

4. We do not forſake the ſins we confeſs. Right Confeſſion is always accompanied with a ſetting our ſelves againſt the Sin we confeſs, and an utter renouncing of it: it is to make it bitter to us, and fortify us againſt it: if therefore we confeſs, and to turn to our folly, and then confeſs again, and ſo g… in a round, this nothing but trifling, and will find no acceptance. Or,

p. 2375. Though we do confeſs, yet we do not ſubmit our ſelves to Soveraign Grace, and reſolve our hopes into the meer mercy of God. Confeſſion is the way to find mercy, but if we think to earn forgiveneſs by it, hoping thus to expiate the Guilt of our ſin, we are acted by a legal ſpirit, and put our ſelves farther away from forgiveneſs. In a right Confeſſion there is alway a reſignation, Luk 15. 18, 19 And he that hath had a true ſight of his ſin, and acknowledged it accordingly, muſt needs ſee that Soveraign Mercy only can help him, and accordingly caſt himſelf down there, and yield it to be juſt with God to condemn him, and that it is free grace if he will pardon him; and hence all his hope is in Goſpel Grace, by Jeſus Chriſt; till then we come hither, no wonder if all our Confeſſions afford us no relief. Are we then under diſtreſs on our Conſciences by reaſon of our ſins? let us bring our ſelves on theſe trials, that we may know, whence it proceeds: And to move us, Conſider,

1. There is a reaſon why we find no relief. God is wiſe in the management of all his Providences towards the Children of men; and this affair is certainly governed by this Providence; there are the cauſes of all, and he doth nothing but what he hath reaſon for, and an holy deſign in, and it is good for us humbly to make enquiry after it, the, Job. 10. 2. Shew me why thou contendeſt with ….

2. God is faithful to his promiſes. He is frequently better, but never worſe than his word. The p. 238Scripture is abundant in aſſerting Gods faithfulneſs, for our encouragement to truſt in him: and there are many atteſtations given to it, by ſuch as have made the trial. Now there are gracious Promiſes made to ſuch as ingeniouſly confeſs their Sins to God; as he requireth it in the New-Covenant, ſo he encourageth it; and it is certain that he cannot deny himſelf.

3. Hence there is certainly ſome blame in you that muſt be removed, in order to your receiving the promiſed benefit. There is ſuch a defect in your Confeſſion, as rendereth it another thing from that which the Goſpel requires of you: and if you would have him to come to you, and witneſs his pardoning mercy in you, that muſt be rectified. It is then neceſſary that you make a through tryal on this account, how elſe ſhall you know what is your preſent duty? If you ſit down diſcouraged, you thereby charge God; but if you make a through ſearch, you may ſo be ſet in the right way.

USE. II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty. And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto. If this be the proper & neceſſary courſe to relieve us in diſtreſs, let us then, whenſoever we find any ſuch trouble coming upon us, apply our ſelves unto this way, as we hope to find any relief againſt it. And there is none whoſe condition this may not be, and it is good to be laying in for it. Let this be particularly applyed,

1. To the Unconverted: Such as are yet ſtrangers p. 239to forgiveneſs. And there are two ſorts, to whom diſtinctly.

1. To the ſecure Sinner; who feeleth no trouble on his Conſcience, but all is quiet, and ſo he looks upon himſelf unconcerned in this affair.

Conſider,

1. You are Sinners. That is the condition of all men by nature, Rom. 5. 12. Yea your whole courſe in this world hath been a trade of Sin, Gen. 8. 21. You have done nothing elſe ſince you were born but ſin againſt God; this is the very Character given of a natural man, Pſal. 58. The wicked is eſtranged from the womb, they go aſtray as ſoon as they are born.

2. You are on this account Guilty before God. This is the ſtate in which all men are by reaſon of ſin, Rom. 3. 19. There is always a Guilt cleaving to ſin, till by a pardon it be removed: where therefore Sin may be charged, and is not forgiven, it inſurreth Guilt; and every unpardoned one is under the efficacy of the Sentence.

3. Hence you have the matter of this diſtreſs on you. And what is it that is ſo bitter and burden-ſome to the Conſcience, but a Conviction of Sin, and apprehenſion of the Guilt that attendeth it? It is a fear of the wrath of God, ariſing from an expectation of having it fall upon us: whiles then you are under Guilt, there needs nothing but the awakening of Conſcience, and making it to feel the impreſſions thereof upon it, to bring the man under the moſt helliſh amazements that can be thought of. It is only becauſe Conſcience is aſleep, p. 240that you are quiet, and God knoweth how to rouſe it when he pleaſeth, and he will certain… do it ſooner or later: There is no peace to the wicked Iſa. 57. 20.

4. Your nouriſhing your ſecurity, doth but lay in ſ… make your diſtreſs the more terrible. You may enjoy a little preſent eaſe by it, but will be forced to pay intereſt for it afterwards. The calm will be over and a ſtorm will ariſe, there is no preventing it and not only ſo, but the tempeſt will be the mo… impetuous. Your Fair Days are but Weather breeders, and all the Sins with which you nouriſh this ſecurity will help to aggravate your Guilt, and make the remorces of Conſcience more ſevere. Here then,

1. Be willing to be convinced of you Sin. Have a care of ſtifling the Convictions which God affordeth you in his Word and Providence: take he… of hardning your hearts againſt Counſels, or ſhutting your eyes upon the light that is offered you, to diſcover your Sin to you. Whatſoever content you find in thus doing for the preſent, it will be bitter in the end. God cometh now to ſhew you your Sin in the way of a Treaty of Peace and ſaith, as Jer. 2. 19. Know that it is an evil and bitter thing. &c. And if you do not hearken, he will ſhew it you another way.

2. See the danger you are in by reaſon of it. If Si… lyeth at the door, you are in a perilous Condition there is no ſafety, the wrath of God is out againſt you, and Vengeance hangs over your heads Holineſs, Juſtice, Truth, ſtand engaged to do Execution p. 241upon you, and all the fearful Curſes written in the Book of God are your portion, and how can you Eſcape?

3. Be perſwaded how vain it is for you to go about to cover it. Who ever did ſo and proſpered? What a madneſs is it to think to hide the moſt ſecret enormities from the eyes of God, who is Omniſcient, and knows you a great deal more intimately and throughly then you do your ſelves, and can, when he will make your ſin to find you out?

4. Take encouragement to hope for mercy by the Goſpel diſcovery of Chriſt. The great temptation to keep ſilence is a Spirit of fear, that urgeth us to deſpair of mercy; that driveth us to hide our ſelves as Adam did. Now God hath in the Goſpel made a Proclamation of peace to Sinners, and ſhewn them the way to pardon: think then of this, and let it melt your heart, and drive you to fall down at his feet, and make the moſt enlarged acknowledgment of your ſins, asking his pitty. This is the moſt kindly and genuine working of the Evangelical offers of Grace, when they work us to the deepeſt ſenſe, and draw forth our moſt hearty Confeſſions unto God.

2. To the awakened and terrified Sinner, whoſe Conſcience is rouſed, and who hath his ſins ſet in order before him, and is thereupon under fearful agonies in his mind: If you ever hope to find ſolid comfort, …our next buſineſs is to come to this Confeſſion: and for your quickning and encouragement,

Conſider;

1. You are in the hand of an Holy God. A God p. 242who ſtands on his honour, and will have his Glory from or by all his Creatures: you muſt therefore voluntarily give it to him, or elſe he will ſtrain for it, and ſo recover it upon you. Now all Sin is a falling ſhort of his Glory, Rom. 3. 23. It is a diſhonouring of him: and no little of his Holineſs is diſplayed in his ſhewing his hatred of it; Hab. 1. 13. And you have no other way to glorifie this Holineſs, but by a free and full Confeſſion.

2. He is yet a merciful God. Though you have greatly diſhonoured, and grievouſly provoked him by ſin, yet there is mercy with him; he hath publiſhed and proclaimed this mercy of his l… the Goſpel, and inviteth weary and burdened Sinners to come to him for it, Mat. 11. 28. All the Meſſages of peace that are ſent to Sinners by the Goſpel, and the fair tenders therein made to them, and the patient waiting of God, with the ſtrivings of his Spirit, are a witneſs to thi… that there is mercy to be had from him, if … be rightly ſought.

3. But he expecteth that you come for this men with ropes on your heads. He looketh that you ſhould give him all the ſignal teſtimony of a de… conviction that you deſerve no mercy from hi… but that he do Execution upon you according … the demerit of your ſin; and that you ly at … foot as thoſe that have no injuſtice to impute him, if he ſhould fall upon and deſtroy you; a… acknowledge his meer mercy in your pardon.

4. In this way there is hope for you, and in p. 243other. Thus only can his ſpotleſs Holineſs be vindicated, and his Juſtice ſhine forth, when you declare that not for your ſakes, but for his own name ſake he doth it: when you ſo apply to the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone for his favour; and to ſuch as thus do, he hath opened a door of hope: he hath ſaid, that he that confeſſeth and forſaketh ſhall find mercy, Prov. 28. 13. He hath proclaimed an invitation to ſuch, Jer. 3. 12, 13. Thus the Publican came and was Juſtified: thus the Prodigal came and was received into favour: and if you ſeek redreſs in any other way, your wound may be skinned over, but never healed.

2. To the Converted. You that are in a pardoned ſtate, this Exhortation belongs to you alſo, and there is never an one of you but may have occaſion for making uſe of it. Remember there is …one of us but is dayly liable to ſin, whiles a deceitful heart within, and a tempting Devil, and a …ning world without, are giving us provocation: and if we are drawn into ſin, we are thereby expoſed to trouble, it makes a wound, and we may …ook for pain. The Spirit of God will put us to …ouble in order to a kindly repentance; and Sa…n will moleſt us, ſeeking to drive us to deſpair; and when it is ſo, the only way in which we …an look for ſtable relief is in a right acknowledging of our ſins to God. And here,

1. Keep up the exerciſe of thus confeſſing for the …epenting of this diſtreſs. There are daily failings …nd follies in us; and theſe will ſcratch us, and …ſtly feſter, if not heeded. There are that have p. 244had much quiet and peace, and have not fallen into any ſcandalous ſin, and yet have loſt the apprehenſion of their peace, and are full of trouble; and it hath been occaſioned by a neglect of themſelves in regard of ſins of dayly infirmity. Be then adviſed,

1. To be calling your ſelves to a daily account. Enquire and ſee what Sins have paſt you, and with what allowance they have ſo done: it may be vain thoughts entertained, and taken too much content in: it may be ſome fooliſh or frothy communication ſported in; ſome ſinful paſſion given too much way to; ſome duty neglected; ſome diſhonour done to God by others which you have not duly witneſſed againſt; and if you enquire not, you will be at a loſs.

2. Upon diſcovery, to bring every ſuch ſin, and ley it open before God ingeniouſly. Make an humble hearty, and diſtinct confeſſion over it, and be… of God his forgiveneſs. Out of doubt this i… implyed in that petition, which Chriſt hath made one eſſential part of our daily prayer to God; Forgive us our Sins. If thus we would improve our Conſciences as our Monitors, encourage their fidelity in it, take their rebukes we… and ſo uſe them, it would prevent their being forced to be our accuſers; and thus addreſſing of God, would alſo be the way to keep … Communion with him, and prevent the withdrawings of his familiar manifeſtation of himſelf to us.

3. Let us be ſeriouſly earneſt with God that p. 245will ſearch us. It is this hiding of ſin that uſually creates all the trouble to a Child of God; if we could fly to Chriſt preſently to have his Balm poured in, it would not likely be ſo; and becauſe we cannot of our ſelves know all our Errors, we ſhould go to him to diſcover them; thus is he adviſed to do, Job. 34. 32. Thus did the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 26. begin. 139. 23. And I believe there is not a better note of truth and ſincerity of heart, than an earneſt deſire to have our ſins diſcovered to us in order to our through repentance of them, and a ready entertaining of any Convictions offered to us on the account; it ſaith that we are jealous of our ſelves with an holy jealouſie, and that we hate ſin as our worſt enemy.

2. Are you under diſtreſs of Conſcience? Take this courſe for your recovery again. Encouragements to this will follow in the next Doctrine.

For Direction,

1. Be convinced that your ſinful ſilence hath occaſined this trouble. If you had not gone about …o hide and diſſemble, it would never have …ome to this. I believe that upon due enquiry, you will ſeldom miſs of finding this to impute to your ſelves.

2. Be ſure now to lay your ſelves open to God, without any reſerves. Keep ſilence no longer; …ince the matter no more; deal plainly and …penly with that God who ſearcheth hearts and …eth them throughly: lay your ſelves as low, and make your ſelves as vile as may be before him. Thus have Gods Children been wont to do.

p. 2463. And now confeſs and bewail your former ſilence too. So doth the Pſalmiſt, verſe 3. Acknowledge this to have procured your trouble, and juſtifie God in it. Charge folly on your ſelves, and ſay that God hath been righteous, and merciful too in thus afflicting you.

4. If yet upon ſuch confeſſion you find no relief, but the diſtreſs abideth; then,

1. Examine your Confeſſions. See if they have been right in all the reſpects of them, or whether there be not ſome notorious defect. It is good ever to ſuſpect our ſelves, our own deceitful hearts. Have you been through without reſerves? have you laid load ſufficient on your ſins? have you heartily renounced and forſaken them? do you maintain a more ſtrict watch over your ſelves, &c.

2. Now wait on God patiently for the Teſtimony of his Spirit, and reſolve to tarry his time.

1. Think how juſt it is with God to keep ſilence. You did ſo ſinfully, but he doth it righteouſly and it is fit for you to wait his leiſure, who i… free in his Grace, and owes you nothing b… confuſion.

2. Improve his ſilence to make you more humble and vile in your own eyes. He would have you to know that he hath now ſpit in your face, and if he ſhut you out of the camp ſeven days, it is to abaid you: labour after a gracious ſilence; ſay as h… Pſal. 39. 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it.

3. Remember there is none elſe can ſpeak peace … you but he. He only can bind up your wounds, an… p. 247ſet your broken bones: if he will not, none elſe can: and if he will let you feel the pain of it firſt, there is no wrong doing with him: he knoweth his own deſigns.

4. Be ſure to hope in his Grace. Hope muſt nouriſh Patience; believe that he is a Gracious God, and hath made gracious promiſes, and cannot ly; and though he tarry for the preſent, he will come in due time; and bleſſed are they that wait for him.

2. It now followeth that we conſider of the ſucceſs that the Pſalmiſt found, upon his free and full confeſſion of his Sin; thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. Doubtleſs David here recommends his experience for the encouragement of others on like occaſions, and the words are very emphatical: he tells us that he acknowledged, and then addeth, that he did ſay that he would do ſo, and that upon this purpoſe God forgave him. This ſeemeth to refer to, 2 Sam. 12. 13. He there made a ſhort acknowledgment, upon which the Prophet declareth his pardon: but he with this reſolved on a more ample and enlarged buſineſs of it, notwithſtanding the intervening forgiveneſs: this he accompliſhed and hath left upon record, in Pſal. 51. And it tells us, That ſenſe of a pardon, ſhould not prevent, but encreaſe our humble acknowledgment of our ſin unto God. And indeed, there is nothing that more tendeth to melt an ingenious ſoul, into ſelf abhorrence for his ſin, than the wonderful kindneſs of God in being ſo ready to forgive it. The word [Forgaveſt] is the ſame that p. 248is uſed, verſe 1. Where we took notice of the import of it. In ſumme Sin is then forgiven when the Guilt of it is removed, and God is reconciled to the perſon; and ſo he is delivered from the Curſe threatned in the Law: And it is remarkable, that he doth not only ſay, thou forgaveſt my ſin, but the iniquity of my ſin. This is diverſly underſtood by Interpreters, but all agreeable to the matter in hand. The word tranſlated Iniquity properly ſignifieth, Crookedneſs, Pravity, Perverſeneſs, Maliciouſneſs; but is not ſo here to be underſtood; for the taking away of that properly belongeth to Sanctification, whereas Forgiveneſs belongeth to Juſtification. Some therefore read it, Guilt, and ſo the word is often uſed, becauſe Sin is, by reaſon of its relation to the Law, attended with Guilt, and then it is that, which forgiveneſs hath the immediate reſpect unto. Others read it Puniſhment, in which ſenſe alſo the Scripture uſeth it, by a like Metonymy; which is conſequent upon Guilt, that being nothing elſe but a binding the Creature over to ſuffer it, and is therefore removed together with it. Others ſuppoſe the Pſalmist to uſe this expreſſion to ſet forth the wondrouſneſs of Gods forgiving Grace, by the conſideration of the greatneſs of his ſin, which was thus forgiven, and read it, my most ſinful ſin, and Paul ſeemeth to borrow his expreſſion from hence Rom. 7. 13. q. d. my Sin was extraordinary great and yet thou ſo readily forgaveſt it. In a word the Iniquity of ſin is, in that it is a violation of the Command of God, and thereby a juſt provocation p. 249given him, to break forth in revenges upon …e Sinner for it: and this is that which is remov… by forgiveneſs. Hence,