Jewish Hypocrisy, Chapter 4
CAP. IV.
1. Confeſsion of ſin was another uſual attendant upon a Faſt. 2. But no more prevailing then the reſt, as they uſed it. 3. True Confeſsion, the nature and workings of it deſcribed, not only in the mouth, but in heart and life. 4. More valuable with God then ſacrifices.
1. THE tongue is a member that hangs ſo looſe, and is of ſuch ready motion, that when the heart is full of ſighs, and the eyes of tears, it is no difficult matter to draw this neighbour into their aſſiſtance, to tell a ſad ſtory, and to beg for ſome relief. And therefore in thoſe times of ſolemn faſting and mourning, they uſed to make large confeſsions of their ſins, and pray to God for the pardon of them, and turning away of his wrath. Concerning Confeſſions, you may read the ninth Chapter of each of theſe three Books, Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel, where they ſpread before God the tranſgreſſions of the Nation, and acknowledge their great demerits. And you may well think the people were not negligent in this piece of importunity, the mouth uſing to ſpeak when the ſoul is full of deſire to be eaſed of the burden that lies upon us. They brought (it is moſt likely) before God long catalogues of their own ſins, and of the provocations of their fore-fathers. They accuſed their Kings, Princes, Prophets, Prieſts, and all the people of the Land of many rebellions and treaſons againſt him. They charged themſelves liberally with all manner of crimes againſt God and each other, and they ſubſcribed to all the inditements which the Prophets of the Lord uſed to lay againſt them. They condemned and ſentenced themſelves before him, and acknowledged that all his judgements were righteous, and that they deſerved to ſuffer far worſe puniſhments, if he ſhould deal ſeverely with them. And yet this was nothing but an hypocriticall talk to God, while they were in love with thoſe ſins that they did ſo confeſs: and remained in a ſtate of reconciliation to thoſe iniquities, of which they ſtood there by their own conſciences arraigned.
2. But though this kind of devotion might give themſelves good content, yet it gave God none at all. It is an eaſie matter for a man to rail at himſelf, while he thinks the better of himſelf for it. It puts a man to no great coſt or trouble to reckon up all his debts, if thereby he hope to get them all diſcharged. But God is not of our mind, and doth not like a man the better, becauſe he tells him he is a grievous ſinner, but far the worſe, becauſe againſt his conſcience he continues ſtill a ſinner: He is ſo far from finding a kind entertainment with God by theſe pretended ſubmiſſions, that he will rather meet with a frown, and this angry ſentence, Out of your own mouthes, O ye hypocritical traytors, ſhall you be condemned: and you ſhall periſh, you your ſelves being Judges. For this is a moſt ridiculous piece of pageantry, and as if we ſhould ſay to him, Lord! we are moſt miſerable ſinners, moſt notorious offenders, and ſo we intend with thy good leave ſtill to continue. We have broken all thine holy Laws, and may we but do ſo ſtill, we will never diſown the act, but alwayes ſadly acknowledge it. This Confeſſion ſignifies nothing elſe, but that men deſire they may do ſtill as they were wont to do, at no greater charge then again to confeſs it. They beg that the acknowledgements of their faults may procure leave to practice the ſame again, with no greater trouble, but only to make a new acknowledgement. It ſpeaks only that they are ſinners, & that they deſire the favour to be ſo ſtill, and they will not ſtick continually to make Confeſſion of it. Confeſſion is the condition of ſinning more freely in their Divinity; they disburden their conſciences by it, that they may lay on more load. As the mariners unlade the ſhip to take in new ſtowage, and as the drunkard vomits up his former draughts to continue the merry meeting; ſo do men that are weary with ſinning, bring up all before God that troubles their ſtomack, that ſo under the ſeverity (as they imagine) of his pardon, they may fill themſelves again when they have a mind unto it. They think it not good manners to come to Gods Table ſmelling rankly of a debauch, and ſo againſt ſome ſuch high time, they may confeſs their ſins, as a means to cleanſe and purge their ſouls. Or their conſciences are griped, and their ſins make them ſick and ill at eaſe, and ſo they go to diſgorge themſelves (for by no better name can I call it) and make a relation of their caſe to the great Phyſitian. But then as many patients, if they hear but a word drop from the Phyſitians mouth, that their diſeaſe is not dangerous, but they may eaſily recover, will take no Phyſick at all, but throw away their Bills of advice; ſo if theſe ſinners can but hear one good promiſe, any merciful ſaying that gives men encouragement to hope, away they go with it in their mouthes, and with no amendment in their lives. And yet many times theſe Confeſſions come not from ſo high a cauſe, but owe their birth to meer cuſtom and imitation, being as common as to ſay, Lord have mercy upon us, we are all ſinners; and God help us.
3. But whatſoever men may mean by them, ſuch Confeſſions as theſe ſignifie nothing at all unto God. For the ſins that men rehearſe unto him, are all known by him before, and lie continually in his eyes. If this be all they have to ſay, that they are ſinners, and have committed ſuch and ſuch acts againſt him, they may as well let their tongues reſt in quiet; there is nothing new in all this. Then Confeſſion is ſignificant, when it is an act of ſhame and reproach to our ſelves, an act of grief and hatred, a diſavowing and diſclaiming for ever ſuch practices. Now we ſay ſomething unto God; this is a new buſineſs; the caſe is quite altered; and there is forgiveneſs with him for ſuch perſons. So the Apoſtle tels us, 1 John 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. Which is to the ſame ſenſe with that of the wiſe man, Prov. 28.13. He that confeſſeth his ſins, and forſaketh them, ſhall have mercy. And what Solomon prayes for in the behalf of ſuch ſupplicants, 1 King. 8.47, 48. God himſelf promiſes to them, 1 Chron. 7.14. as you may ſee, if you will take the pains to read the places. True confeſſion ſignifies that we are aſhamed and bluſh to look up unto heaven; that we have nothing to ſay for our ſelves, but much againſt them; that we cannot but cry out upon our own baſeneſs and falſneſs unto God, that we had rather not be, then do one ſuch vile act again; that we are grieved and pained at the very heart, and cannot but give vent to our ſouls in ſighs and groans; that we cannot with patience think upon our ſelves, nor hold from proclaiming our own guiltineſs; that we remember nothing with ſo much ſadneſs, as that we have been offenders; and that we reſolve by Gods aſſiſtance and our utmoſt endeavours, to grow better, may we but be pardoned ſuch offences. It is begotten by a deep ſenſe of the nature of ſin, and the high affront which it puts upon on God. The ſoul is ſtounded with ſuch thoughts, and ſtruck with a ſtrange palſie and a fearful trembling, that it ſhould dare to adventure upon ſuch a contempt. The multitude of theſe depſperate acts makes it groan earneſtly for a deliverance from them. Every groan, every word grates upon the heart, as a file doth upon iron, which at every rub fetches off ſome of the ruſt. And the further it proceeds in ſuch Confeſſions, the more is all affection to ſin diminiſhed and impaired.
4. Now God loves ſuch a pungent ſorrow as pricks to the very heart, and gives a deadly wound to all our ſins. Such words are acceptable to him, as ſtrike like darts through the very life of our luſts, and nail them to the Croſs. He loves when we look upon him whom we have pierced, and mourn ſo bitterly, that our hearts are ſhot through with an incurable wound to the fleſh, and all the affections and deſires thereof: And he loves ſuch a Confeſſion as expreſſes this ſorrow, this pain, and this torment of our hearts, which will be mixed with a vehement diſpleaſure and hatred, both againſt our ſelves and our ſins. This he loves more then all ſacrifices, or ſuch like gifts, whereby they thought many times to flatter him. And therefore the returning ſinners promiſe, as God bids them, Hoſ. 14.2. that they will render the calves of their lips; i. e. as Kimchi interprets it, humble and penitent Confeſſions inſtead of ſacrifices; for thou loveſt (ſaith he) the words of repentance beſt. And therefore he obſerves that the ſcape-goat, Lev. 16.21. on which the wickedneſs of the children of Iſrael was laid, that he might carry them away, was not offered upon the Altar, but Confeſſion only was offered to God, which was far better. But then this Confeſſion of ours is to be, (1) with a promiſe never to do ſo any more; and (2) it is to be made good by actual forſaking of ſin; and (3) it is to be done preſently, in ſuch inſtances as we have been moſt guilty in. So we read in Numb. 5.7. and the Hebrew Doctors Comments upon it. The text ſaith, that in caſe of a treſpaſs, a man was to confeſs his ſin that he had done, and to make a recompence for any wrong by a full reſtitution, with ſome addition to it. And Maimon ſaith, the form of Confeſſion was this, O God, I have ſinned, V. Ainſw. in loc.I have done perverſly, I have treſpaſſed before thee, and have done thus and thus; but lo I repent, and am aſhamed of my doings, and I will never do this thing again. And he ſaith, no atonement could be made for a man, no not when he had made ſatisfaction for the damage he had done his neighbour, till he had confeſſed, and did promiſe to turn away from doing ſo again for ever. And therefore when Ezra exhorts the people to make Confeſſion unto the Lord God of their Fathers, he adds, and do his pleaſure, and ſeparate your ſelves from the people of the Land, and from the ſtrange wives, Ezra 10.11. And it may be added, that it is part of Gods will and pleaſure, that we ſhould confeſs our faults one to another, as well as unto him, Jam. 5.16. when the heart is truly humbled, it will be glad of any wayes to ſhame it ſelf, or to make ſatisfaction to others that are offended, or to convince ſinners, that they may ceaſe to offend. But whatſoever volumes we bring againſt our ſelves, either before God, or others, without ſuch a ſenſe of ſin as I have deſcribed, it is but lying unto the Lord, and telling him hypocritical ſtories, which will remain as matter of new accuſation upon our account. We ſhall but more provoke and incenſe his anger againſt us, when we think for to avert it, and by our own breath, kindle a flame that will devour us.