Why the People of God Bring Sins of their Fathers into their Confession, Sermon
A brief ENQUIRY Into the REASONS Why the People of GOD have been wont to bring into their Penitential Confeſſions, the SINS of their Fathers and Anceſtors, In Times long ſince paſt.
Preached on a Day of General PRAYER and FASTING, March 22. 1716.
By BENJAMIN COLMAN.
BOSTON: Printed by T. Fleet and T. Crump, for Samuel Gerriſh, on the North Side of the Town-Houſe. 1716.
Our Father's SINS Confeſſed with our Own.
Pſalm CVI. 6.
We have ſinned with our Fathers: We have committed Iniquity, we have done wickedly.
THIS Pſalm is a Hiſtory, or rather a Penitential Confeſſion of the Rebellions and Provocations of the Children of Iſrael, from the day of their Departure out of Egypt, thro' all their Travels and long Sojourning in the Wilderneſs. In the Text the Pſalmiſt in the Name of the People of his own Generation, confeſſes their Intereſt and ſhare in theſe Sins of their Fathers and Anceſtors.
We have Sinned with our Fathers: The Critics render it by Sicut and aeque; as expreſſing the Similitude of one unto the other, or the Aggravation of the one from the other: We have done as our Fathers did before us, with equal Perverſneſs and Rebellion. We have, added to the Stock of Hereditary Guilt, and fill'd up the Meaſure of their Iniquity. Not only have ſinned in their loins, being the Children and Poſterity of wicked Anceſtors; but we have been our ſelves a diſobedient, Impenitent, and ſometimes Idolatrous People, after the Similitude of their Tranſgreſſions. We have ſinned like them, by whoſe Example, Sins and Sufferings we ſhould have taken Warning.
THIS ſeems to be the Meaning of the Confeſſion in the Text, and ſo they Aggravate on their own Iniquities in deep Humiliation, by calling to Remembrance the Sins of their Anceſtors.
NOR barely is it the Sins of their Immediate Progenitors which they here confeſs, but they look back unto the firſt Times of their being a free and Diſtinct People, as you may ſee at large thro' the Pſalm.
MOREOVER, I would obſerve the Repetition of the Confeſſion; which is doubled and trebled, to expreſs the mighty Senſe they had of the Greatneſs of their own Guilt: We have ſinned with our Fathers, we have committed Iniquity, we have done wickedly. The ſame thing is repeated over and over in other words: Yet here is no Tautologie or vain Repetition: But out of the Abundance of the heart the Mouth pours out its Confeſſions: the more to expreſs the Reality and Certainty of the thing, and the Shame and Sorrow felt on that account: the more to affect themſelves with the thing, and to aggravate it upon themſelves.
THE Doctrine I would offer is this.
THAT it becomes the Profeſſing People of GOD in their Humiliations and Confeſſions of their own Sins, and the Sins of their own Time and Generation, to remember mention and bewail alſo the Sins of their FATHERS and ANCESTORS, even in Times long ſince paſt.
THAT we ſhould mourn for our own Perſonal Guilts in the firſt place, you will eaſily Acknowledge: theſe ſhould ever lye neareſt to and heavieſt upon our Hearts. Jer. 8.6. I hearkened and heard, but they ſpake not aright, no man repented him of HIS Wickedneſs, ſaying, What have I done?
BUT we muſt mourn for the Sins of Others together with our own. Sin ought to grieve us wherever we ſee it: Pſal. 119.158. I beheld Tranſgreſſors and was grieved.
IN particular, We ſhould be Affected with and afflicted for the Sins of the Time, the People and Places wherein our Lot is caſt: Ezek. 9.4. Go thro' the midſt of the City, and ſet a Mark on the foreheads of the men that ſigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midſt thereof.
BUT it may be the Inſtance in the Text has been leſs tho't of, than Theſe which I have nam'd: ſcil. That we ſhould bring into our Humiliations and Confeſſions, as the Sins of our People that now live, ſo the Sins of the Generations before us; even their Sins who are long ſince dead, and were ſo before we were born.
I will lay before you, 1. The Demand of GOD from us to this purpoſe, and then 2. Conſider a little the Reaſons of it.
I. IT is the Will of GOD that we ſhould remember and mourn for the Sins of thoſe that are gone before us, and who may have been long ſince dead, in our penitential and ſolemn Confeſſions. GOD preſcribes This unto Iſrael by the hand of Moſes, in the After-Confeſſions of Future Generations, and in particular in the Captivities which their Sins would bring upon them: Levit. 26.39, 40. You ſhall pine away in your Iniquities in the Land of your Enemies, and in the Iniquity of your Fathers ſhall ye pine away: If then they ſhall confeſs their Iniquity and the Iniquities of their Fathers,—then will I remember my Covenant. Now in Obedience to this Direction and Command of GOD, the Faithful and Penitent in Iſrael did thus on every Solemn Occaſion: whereof the Pſalm before us is a copious Inſtance. More eſpecially, toward and after the Babyloniſh Captivity (to which ſome refer the Pſalm) this was the Burthen in the Church's Confeſſions. So Jeremiah, Ezra and Nehemiah made their Confeſſion in their Day. Jer. 3.25. We lie down in our Shame, and our Confuſion covers us, for we have ſinned againſt the LORD our GOD, we and our FATHERS from our Youth. Lam. 5.7. Our Fathers have ſinned and are not, and we have born their Iniquities. Ezra 9.7. Since the days of our Fathers have we been in great Treſpaſs unto this day. Nehem. 1.6, 7. Both I and my Fathers houſe have ſinned: We have dealt very corruptly before thee. More eſpecially in the Ninth Chapter we have a large Account of a Day of Prayer ſolemnized by Nehemiah and the Remnant of Judah, the very Deſign of which Solemn Day is thus declared, v. 2. The ſeed of Iſrael—ſtood and confeſſed their Sins, and the Iniquities of their FATHERS. They were indeed then ſmarting for borh together, and could not well ſeparate them v. 16. But they even our Fathers dealt proudly, and hardned their Necks, and hearkened not to thy Commandments, &c. v. 34. Neither have our Kings, our Princes, our Prieſts, nor our Fathers kept thy Law.
THUS the Practice is Eſtabliſh'd in Scripture, by Precept and by Example. We find the holy Men of GOD, under the Inſpiration of the HOLY GHOST, and the ſpecial Influence of his Grace, bringing the Sins of their Anceſtors and of the Generations before them, into their Confeſſions before GOD; as well in their private as in their more public Humiliations.
And now,
II. I will Enquire into the Reaſons of this Duty. It may ſeem liable to two Objections, which I wou'd premiſe two Words to Obviate.
1. As if it imply'd want of Reverence to our Anceſtors,
2. Irreverence toward GOD.
1. IT implies no want of Reverence to our Anceſtors: Nor is it to be charged with the Spirit of graceleſs Ham, who was condemned for not covering his Fathers Nakedneſs. We cannot uncover the Shame of our Fathers before GOD, to whoſe Eye all things are naked and open. Or if we remember them with Abaſement before GOD, as well as proſtrate our ſelves in the Duſt, it is before our FATHER in Heaven, that His Name and Holineſs may be glorified: Whoſe Honour ſhould be infinitly dearer to us than the Name of all Earthly Parents: And like Levi we muſt be ready to ſay unto Father and Mother in His Cauſe, I have not ſeen them; Neither may we Acknowledge our Brethren, nor know our own Children. Deut. 33.9.
On the other hand,
2. IT is far from implying any Irreverence toward GOD, as if He puniſh'd us for our Father's Sins. Far be it from us to take up the fooliſh and prophane Proverb which was ſometimes uſed by the wicked Iſraelites: Ezek. 18.2. The Fathers have eaten the ſour Grapes, and the Childrens Teeth are ſet on Edge. No: What I am arguing for is juſt the Reverſe of this Blaſphemy. For they make an Objection of it againſt the Juſtice of Providence, we on the contrary confeſs its Righteouſneſs herein: They make a fleer and jeſt of it as an Abſurdity, we in ſolemn manner Adore the Soverain GOD in his Diſpenſation, and Abaſe our ſelves before Him In profound Humiliation: They reflect upon the Divine Government, we juſtify His Adminiſtration, and own there is no Hardſhip done us: for that we know that we ſhall never be puniſhed for our Fathers Sins if we do not walk in their Steps; and then too only in Temporal Calamities (not in the Eternal State) wherein GOD will at laſt have puniſh'd us leſs when our own Iniquities have deſerved.
HAVING premis'd theſe two things for the guarding and ſtating the Truth before us, I ſhall now offer two or three more direct Reaſons, Why we ſhould confeſs the Iniquity of our FATHERS together with our Own in our Solemn Humiliations.
1. TO repair the more if it were poſſible the Diſhonour done unto the Name of GOD and His holy Law. For all the Reparation which we can make being only in the Explicit Humiliations of our Souls on that Account, we do render the greater Glory to the Name of GOD while in our Confeſſions we do look back to the Sins of our Anceſtors, as well as Recollect our Own. I am ſure among Men it wou'd be Accounted a very worthy Action, if our Parents had done any Injury to a Nei'bour, if We after their Death ſhould do what we can, and what appears juſt to us to do them right: And doubtleſs the Great GOD will accept ſuch an Act of Piety and Duty from us toward Himſelf.
SHOULD it be our Grief that our Fathers ſinned againſt GOD, and ſhould we not ſay ſo before Him? What better Reverence can we ſhow unto our Father in Heaven? while we go backward like the bluſhing Sons of Noah, drawing a Covering over our earthly Parents Nakedneſs. Which tho' we wont look upon, yet we know with Concern that it lies Expoſed. To whom do we publiſh it? to GOD! and why? but that HE may be Glorified! Where then is the Treſpaſs on Filial Piety by this Act of Devotion and Worſhip? or did it bear harder on the Names of the Deceas'd, yet what were theſe to the Honour of the ETERNAL GOD?
IN confeſſing the Sins of our Fathers we Adore the GOD of our Fathers; and in Effect we do but give Him the Glory of that Relation: Our Fathers GOD and we will Exalt thee: ſon we do as truly Exalt GOD in our Penitent Confeſſions, as in our Thankful Praiſes. Ezra 10.10, 11. Ye have tranſgreſſed—Now therefore make Confeſſion unto the LORD GOD of your Fathers. Can we remember Him as our Fathers GOD in our Confeſſions, and never bring our Fathers Sins into our Confeſſions? Where then is his Honour, and where is his Fear, as the Lord GOD of our Fathers?
2. IT becomes us to Confeſs the Sins of our Fathers with our Own, to ſhow our Impartiality in the hatred of Sin: that we grieve and mourn for it becauſe it is Sin, Contrary to GOD and abhorred by Him, without any Reſpect of Perſons. For Sin is the ſame in it ſelf, and the ſame in the Sight of GOD, whoever be the Sinner; and therefore it is equally to be reſented by us, as againſt GOD. Pſal. 139. ult. Am I not grieved with them that riſe up againſt thee? This is a ſincere and upright Deteſtation of Sin, as ſuch.
SOME can freely eno' fault Sin in thoſe that are not related to them; but O how they cover and palliate it when it falls out in their own Houſe? This brings the moſt declared Zeal againſt Sin under a juſt Suſpicion in any One; while it turns to another for a Teſtimony of their Impartial Regard to the Honour of GOD, when they are not brib'd by their Relation unto any to juſtify them in Sin.
3. IT is but juſt for a wicked Poſterity to joyn the Sins of their Anceſtors with their own in their Confeſſions, becauſe they are actually Partakers with them in their Iniquity. Indeed this is too much the Courſe of this World in the ſeveral Generations of it, Poſterity learn and retain the Vices of their Anceſtors. As one Generation corrupt themſelves it is a pretty ſure way to make the Next worſe. A People are hardly bro't to reform the Errors of their Predeceſſors, which they are Educated in, and ſuck in with their Mothers Milk. So Iſraels Apoſtacy grew on the ſucceeding Generations after the Death of Joſhua, and again after the Reigns of David and Solomon. Judg. 2.10, 19. There aroſe another Generation which knew not the LORD; but the next after them returned and corrupted themſelves more than their-Fathers. The Prophet ſuppoſes it to be ſometimes the happy Caſe of particular Perſons, that the Son ſeeth all his Fathers Sins which he hath done, and conſidereth and doeth not the like. Ezek. 18.14. And GOD forbid that this ſhould not be often Exemplified; and to GOD be the Praiſe whenever it is ſo. But the Contrary is uſually the Caſe of a Degenerate People. Poſterity inherit their Fathers Manners, and are fix'd in evil Cuſtoms by the Practice and Example of Anceſtors, and ſometimes may receive their Errors with Reverence.
NOW if the People of our Age retain the Evils of the laſt, and carry Impiety to a greater Length than it was before our time, have we not made our Fathers Sins our own with a witneſs? Truly, as our Saviour ſaid to the Jews in His Time. Luk. 11.48. Ye bear witneſs that ye allow the Deeds of your Fathers. That is, They did by the Prophets then, as their Fathers had done long before; They were Impenitent and Obſtinate in Sin as their Fathers had been under the Miniſtry of former Prophets; they were of the ſame perſecuting Spirit that their Fathers had been of: So their Fathers Sin was Theirs and both to be confeſſed in the ſame Breath.
IT was the folly of the Phariſees, and their Hypocriſy that they cou'd confeſs their Fathers perſecution of the Prophets and not diſcern their own. It may be the Error may ſeem leſs if we confeſs our own faults, and not our Anceſtors. But that our Confeſſions may be perfect we muſt Omit neither. As the Martyr Stephen made Confeſſion for the Jewiſh Rulers, ſince they wou'd not do it for themſelves: Act. 7.51. You ſtiff-necked and Uncircumciſed in heart and ears, ye do always reſiſt the HOLY GHOST; As your Fathers did ſo do ye: Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers perſecuted? and they have ſlain them which ſhewed before of the Coming of that JUST ONE, of whom ye have been now the Betrayers and Murderers.
4. TO Confeſs the Sins of our Fathers with our own may be of ſpecial Influence to keep us from them, or to Convince us of them, and put us the more zealouſly upon the Reforming and Amending them, that the Wrath of GOD may be turned away from us.
1. TO keep us from them: that if we are not fallen into their Sins we may not: for what more Effectual way is there for the Prevention of Sin than a ſincere penitential Confeſſion of it; which binds the Soul not to do it 2. Chron. 30. And be not ye like your Fathers and like your Brethren, which treſpaſſed againſt the LORD GOD of your Fathers,—Now be not ye ſtiff-necked as your Fathers were.
2. OR ſurely it muſt the more Convince us of and humble us for our own Sins, if we have ſinned after the Similitude of the Sins of our Fathers which we confeſs. It muſt leave us Self-judged and condemned. Our own Lips do then fall upon us, and our own Tongue riſes in Judgment. The Guilt of a People is greatly Aggravated, and the Offence to GOD riſes exceedingly, when the Sins of Anceſtors are retained. A People may not be ready to Apprehend this; but GOD will have them Convinced of it. Jer. 16.10, 11. What is our Iniquity? or what is our Sin that we have committed againſt the LORD our GOD? Then ſhalt thou ſay unto them, Becauſe your Fathers have forſaken me, ſaith the LORD,—and ye have done worſe than your Fathers. If this will not convince a People what can! Mal. 3.7. Even from the days of your Fathers ye have gone away from mine Ordinances—. Antiquity, Uſage and long Cuſtom is ſo far from Extenuating the Apoſtacy, that it aggravates it. Mat. 23.32. Fill ye up the Meaſure of your Fathers.
3. IF we are Convinced of and Humbled for the Sins of our Fathers found among our ſelves, we ſhall reform and forſake them as well as confeſs 'em. So Hezekiah gathered the Prieſts and Levites together, and ſaid unto them; Our Fathers have treſpaſſed, and done that which was Evil in the Sight of the LORD,— Now it is in my heart to make a Covenant with the LORD GOD of Iſrael, that his fierce wrath may turn from us. 2 Chron. 29.6, 10.
4. And laſtly. GOD will turn away his Wrath from and mercifully pardon ſuch a People, as penitently confeſs and reform their own and their Fathers Sins.
ON the one hand it is moſt Certain, that a Peoples perſiſting impenitently in their Fathers Sins does heap up Guilt, and treaſure up Wrath, from Generation to Generation, and at laſt brings down fearful Deſtructions on them. Iſa. 65.7. Your Iniquities and the Iniquities of your Fathers together,— which have blaſphemed me—: therefore will I meaſure their former Work into their Boſom. Very pathetical are the Expoſtulations to this purpoſe: Jer. 44.7, 9. Wherefore commit ye this great Evil againſt your own Souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and ſuckling out of Judah, to leave you none to remain—? Have ye forgotten the wickedneſs of your Fathers—? they are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law. And again, Ezek. 20.30, 36. Are ye polluted after the manner of your Fathers? Surely—with fury poured out—will I plead with you—.
BUT now the Entail of Wrath is as certainly cut off, if a people repent of and reform the Sins of their Fathers, and do not relapſe into them, nor have any like Provocations of their own. Joſiah wou'd have ſaved Judah from Ruine, after all their Apoſtacies and Impenitence, if his People would have done and been like Him: He rent his Clothes when he heard the Words of the Book of the Law,—for great is the Wrath of the LORD that is kindled againſt us, ſaid he, becauſe our Fathers have not hearkned to the Words of this Book: Whereupon he ſent and gathered unto him all the Elders of Judah and of Jeruſalem, and went up with them in a Solemn Aſſembly into the Houſe of the LORD, and there cauſed to be read in their hearing all the Words of the Book of the Covenant: And the King there and then publicly Covenanted before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his Commandments, and his Teſtimonies, and his Statutes, with all their heart and all their Soul,— and all the People ſtood to the Covenant. i.e. Declar'd their Conſent to it and bound themſelves to keep it; which had they indeed ſtood to, Jeruſalem's Deſtruction wou'd not have come on ſo ſoon after. See 2 King. 22. & 23. Chapters.
THESE are ſome of the Great Reaſons why a People in confeſſing their own Iniquity, ſhould confeſs alſo the Sins of their FATHERS. I will Conclude with a few proper Inferences from the Premiſes.
USE 1. Hence I infer, That in our Conduct and Actions we ſhould always conſider that we act for POSTERITY. The Influence of our Principles and Practices reaches to them. Therefore we ſhould by no means limit our Tho'ts meerly to our ſelves and our own Times, when we are regulating our own Behaviour. If we of this Age are wicked, we hurt not only the preſent, but Ages to come. Not only thoſe who are now Alive and ſee our ill Example, but thoſe too who are not yet born may be much prejudiced by our ill Conduct. And on the other hand, If we are Vertuous and Religious, we ſerve not only our own Generation, but thoſe that come after us, it may be to many Generations. For this Reaſon and on this View let us deſire ſo to live that Poſterity may not be the worſe for us, but the better. That they may not be Miſerable thro' our fault and come to curſe us, but that our Memory may be dear and precious, Venerable and bleſſed to them. That our Childrens Children may not be Aſhamed of us, and remember us only in their Confeſſions and Abaſements; but alſo ſome times in their Acknowledgments to the Glory of GOD with Reverence and Eſteem. Pſal. 22.4, 5. Our Fathers truſted in Thee, they truſted and Thou didſt deliver them; they cried unto thee and were delivered, they truſted in thee and were not Confounded.
2. IF we ought to confeſs the Sins of our Fathers, then pious Fathers ſhould bewail the Sins and degeneracy of their Children, and be afflicted and abaſed before GOD in the proſpect and fear thereof. This is a very natural Grief to Holy Hearts, and alas too commonly is there Occaſion given for it. The fear of this gives a very painful Concern to Them that bear us, and if they live to ſee it it brings down their grey Hairs with Sorrow to the Grave. Like old Eli they ſit trembling for the Ark of GOD in the hands of their Ungodly Off-ſpring. Tremble they do for their Sons, to think what will become of them; but much more for the Name and Honour of GOD that ſuffers by them, and which is more to them than the Lives of their Children. So faithful Moſes took a ſorrowful Leave of Iſrael, on the knowledge of their paſt Sins, and foreſight of thoſe to come: He even confeſs'd and bewail'd 'em before thoſe were born that did commit 'em: Deut. 31.27, 28, 29. For I know thy Rebellion and thy ſtiff neck: Behold while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been Rebellious againſt the LORD; and how much more after my Death? Gather unto me all the Elders of your Tribes, and your Officers, that I may ſpeak theſe Words in your Ears, and call Heaven and Earth to Record againſt them. For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt your ſelves, and turn aſide from the Way which I have commanded you; and Evil will befal you in the latter days, becouſe ye will do Evil in the ſight of the LORD, to provoke him to Anger—.
3. IF we ſhou'd confeſs their Sins who are gone before us, then whatever has been Amiſs in our Fathers we ſhould reform. I have no Accuſation to bring againſt the FATHERS of my Country, whoſe Memory is Bleſſed with us; and with Whom we may not compare our Selves, being riſen up a ſinful Generation in their place; A more mixt People, and acting more on worldly Views, Maxims and Cuſtoms. Yet They were far from pretending to Perfection, They were …en ſubject to Paſſions and Errors. And while we Venerate their Devotion, and ought to Imitate their Vertues, we ſhould take care not to be miſled by their Example in any thing Amiſs in them; receiving it by Tradition from them.
IF in the Begining of the Country, in any Places they founded their Churches on too narrow a Bottom, and in too much Independency one upon another, their Poſterity have done well to Enlarge the Foundation, and thoſe are to be pitied who will charge this with Apoſtacy. For certainly we have at laſt too many Unbaptiſed Perſons among us, and it is a Grief to have the LORD's Table ſo neglected, as it is among us at this day.
IF there be any Cuſtoms in our Churches derived from our Anceſtors, whereby thoſe Terms are Impoſed in order to the Admiſſion of Perſons to the LORD's Table, which CHRIST hath not impoſed in the New Teſtament, ſuch Impoſitions ought to be laid aſide. For they are juſtly to be Condemned, eſpecially in US, becauſe we do complain of Impoſitions in other Communions, and our Fathers ſled from the ſame.
IF there ever was a Cuſtom among us, whereby Communion in our Churches was made a TEST for the Enjoyment of Civil Priveledges in the State; the Natural Rights of Men and the Legal Rights of Engliſh Men, without reſpect to one Church State and Communion or another, conſiſtent with the public Peace and Safety of the GOVERNMENT; we have done well long ſince to Aboliſh any ſuch corrupt and perſecuting Maxims: Which it is a Miſchief to any free People and a Scandal to any Communion of Chriſtians to retain.
IF there were of old among our Fathers any Laws Enacted, or at any time any Judgments given and Executions done according to thoſe Laws, which have carried too much the Spirit and Face of Cruelty and Perſecution; we ought to be Humbled greatly for any ſuch Errors of our Fathers, and confeſs it to have been ſinful in them. And bleſſed be GOD for the more Catholic Spirit of Charity that now diſtinguiſhes us.
IF there ever was among our Fathers any Grounds for that groſs Accuſation which has been made by ſome againſt them; but I am ready to believe was a Slander and Calumny unjuſtly caſt upon their Memory, becauſe I have heard the ſame Accuſation made moſt unjuſtly in ſome particular Caſes againſt our Judges now alive; If (I ſay) there has been open Partiality in doing Juſtice and Judgment, out of reſpect of Perſons, becauſe of our own Communion or way of Worſhip; GOD forbid that the leaſt of this Leven or Tincture ſhould be found among us.
OR if any of our Fathers have even dealt too proudly in Cenſuring and Judging others that differ'd from them in Modes of Worſhip; let us their Poſterity the rather be clothed with Humility, Meekneſs and Charity, preſerving Truth and Holineſs with the laudable Zeal of our Predeceſſors.
Finally, IF we and our Fathers before us have been guilty of Negligence in Goſpelizing the Heathen as we might have done; or if the Fund for that Service might have been more faithfully and wiſely Applied than it ſometimes had been; (which alſo has been often ſaid to our Diſhonour) I am ſure that Thoſe concerned in that Affair, as well as all of Us in our ſeveral Stations, ſhould be quickned to conſider, what the Honour of GOD and Compaſſion to Souls calls for at our Hands.
I might add, If any of our Fathers may have ſometimes ſeem'd too Strict in Judging others for lawful Liberties; I hope it will find an eaſy pardon with Them that look on the Licence taken by many in our own Times. Some few did ſo in their day, but They Inſtituted them better both by Precept and Example; and to their Praiſe be it ſpoken—We never receiv'd the Immoral Practices of the Preſent Generation from Them: They never learnt us to be profane, diſobedient to Parents, diſhoneſt in our dealings, unclean, falſe, ſelfiſh, covetous and worldly. Which leads me to ſay,
4. IF we ſhould be ready to confeſs the ſins of our Fathers, then whatſoever was Good and Worthy in Them ſhould be alſo remembred, …, prais'd and Imitated by us. Our Reverence to GOD and Man commands this of us, and it is one Inſtance of our Obedience to the firſt Commandment with Promiſe, Honour thy Father and thy Mother. If there be any Vertue, if there be any Praiſe, think of theſe.
OUR Fathers had their Infirmities no doubt, but they had their Vertue and Integrity. They were a Company of brave and honeſt Men. Not many Wiſe men after the fleſh, not any of the Mighty and Noble were among them; but neither were they any of the baſe and vile of the Nation for outward Eſtate or Character. They were for the Body of them Serious and Godly Chriſtians; Men rich in Faith and Heirs of a better World. For that better Country they left their pleaſant Native Land, and in removing into a Wilderneſs moſtly for Religion's ſake, they declar'd plainly that they fought it.
THEY came over on a moſt worthy Deſign, on the Nobleſt Motives, and with the beſt Intentions. Pare and Undefiled RELIGION was their propoſed End, and their Support in their Undertaking. Their firſt Care was to plant Churches rather than Towns, and Schools and Colledges as ſoon as they ſaw Towns Increaſe, to leave a learned MINISTRY and Religion in the Power of it to their Poſterity. Government and good Order was as much their Care as Liberty of Conſcience; not uſing Liberty for an Occaſion to the fleſh, but ſtanding faſt in that wherewith CHRIST hath made us free.
THEY have jeſt us their Teſtimony for the purity of GOD's Worſhip according to the Inſtitution of Scripture, without the Additions of men; and againſt Will worſhip and Superſtition Formality and Hypocriſy. They have Inſtituted us in the ſtrict Obſervation of the Sabbath, which has been the Honour of theſe Churches, and as it decays is our real Apoſtacy from vital Religion. They have commended to us ſtrict Family Government, and the good Education of our Children, which was our own Happineſs under their wiſe and faithful Care. They taught us by Word and Life what the. Grace of GOd, which brings us Salvation teacheth; to deny Ungodlineſs and worldly Luſts, and to live Soberly, Righteouſly and Godly in this preſent Evil World: to honour all Men, to love the Brotherhood, to fear GOD, and to honour the King. They have left us the noble Example of a Public Spirit, to love our Country, to act for Poſterity, and ſeek the Good of After-Generations.
SUCH a ſort of Men were the Founders and Fathers of our Country: Men of whom the World was not worthy, tho' they were plain men, but not wanting in Wiſdom and Learning, Prudence, Integrity and true Devotion, I ſhould have ſaid too what a Stock of Prayers they laid in for us, which have bro't down many Bleſſings on us already, and we hope will many more on the Generations yet to come.
[NOR may I omit to mention, with how much Humanity and a truly Chriſtian Zeal they had at heart and labour'd for the Civilizing, the Inſtruction and Converſion of the Natives. The Names of Eliot and Mahew are made Immortal with us on this Account, and their Reſt is Glorious. They did the part of Apoſtles and Evangeliſts with a truly primitive Spirit. The Government treated the barbarous people with many Courteſies and Obligations. Unknown Labours were uſed and pains taken with them to Acquaint them with the Ways of GOD. The Bible with vaſt pains and diligence was Tranſlated into the Indian Tongue and printed for their Uſe, and diſtributed among them. They were preach'd to, they were argued with and Entreated. An Indian Colledge was built, ſome of their Children with much difficulty put to School, and one or two have been bro't up at the Colledge, but died there.
WHAT tho' the Succeſs has not anſwered the pious hope Intention and Prayers of our Fathers? their Piety is never the leſs Conſpicuous, and their Reward is with GOD tho the Salvages be not gather'd. What tho' they might have taken wiſer Methods, ſome may think; They did what appear'd to them beſt, and what coſt 'em more Expence and fatigue it may be, than the other propoſed Methods would have done. And what tho' there were Neglects too of ſome Parts, and even ſome of our own Plantations were ſetled in too heatheniſh a manner: Never the leſs if much of the Spirit and Preſence of GOD had not been with our Fathers, they had never done half the Great and Good things they did.]
THIS is but a ſmall piece of Juſtice to their Memory, and to excite our Emulation.
5. And laſtly, IF we ſhould conſider the faults of our Anceſtors to confeſs them, then how much more ought we to bewail our own Sins, and the Sins of our own Day.
1. OUR own Perſonal Tranſgreſſions and Guilts. Without theſe the Sins of others gone before us would not hurt us much. The Soul that Sins ſhall die: The Son ſhall not bear the Iniquity of his Father, if he conſidereth and doeth not the like. Ezek. 18.14.
LAY thy hand then upon thy heart, and ſmite there for thy own Abominations. For theſe GOD will judge thee in the laſt Day. And this it is that He looks for to day from thee, that thou feel the plague of thy own heart, and ſo ſpread forth thy hands toward his houſe. For what haſt thou to do to confeſs the Sins of others, who art not Affected with thy own? Thou Hypocrite, pull firſt the Beam out of thine own Eye. Repent thee of thy own Wickedneſs, and ſay, What have I done? When I ſpeak of Sinners, am I not the Chief? But what is my own Repentance this day before the LORD? Am I humbled for and bewailing my own Sins? have I reformed theſe yet? do I keep my ſelf from mine own Iniquity? Pſal. 51.2, 3. Waſh ME thro'ly from MINE Iniquity, and cleanſe ME from My Sin; for I acknowledge My Tranſgreſſions, and My Sin is ever before me.
2. LET us lay to heart the Sins of our Day and Time. Whether thoſe of our Land, or of our Nation.
1. THE Sins of our Land. We are ſadly on the decay as to ſerious Piety and vital Religion. We have loſt our firſt love, life and zeal. Our FATHERS where are they? their Spirit of Devotion! their Sobriety and Temperance! their Godlineſs and Honeſty! Senſuality, worldlineſs and Pride are grown up in the place of theſe; profaneſs, lukewarmneſs and Hypocriſy; Selfiſhneſs and Unrighteouſneſs. Our Fathers would be ready to diſown us on theſe Accounts, and we ought to think how they will riſe up in Judgment againſt us and condemn us. Let us conſider from whence we have fallen and repent.
OUR Work to day is to bewail the preſent degeneracy and corruption of our People. Iſa. 58.1. Shew my People THEIR Tranſgreſſion, and the Houſe of Jacob their Sins. Let us therefore bring our Peace-Offerings, as repenting Judah did, and make Confeſſion to the LORD GOD of our Fathers▪ 2 Chron. 30.22.
2. LET us lay to heart the Sins of our Nation, the place of our FATHERS Sepulchers. And here a diſmal Scene opens of ſuch Iniquity, as I hope is not yet known among us; how ſoon ſoever it may threaten us if not reformed there. For beſides Formality in Religion, Senſuality, profaneſs, injuſtice, worldlineſs, pride, covetouſneſs, &c. whereof we have our ſhare; there are yet greater Abominations glaring there; Such as Atheiſm and Infidelity, and open Contempt of all that is moſt Sacred, not only expreſſed in Diſſolveneſs of life, but alſo in public Converſation & in Writings.
THE Venerable Name of Religion and of the CHURCH is made a Sham-pretence for the worſt of Villanies: for all Uncharitableneſs and unnatural Oppreſſion of the pious and peaceable, for ſlanders lies and falſhoods, for Diviſions hatred and Animoſities, for Bribery and Perjury, for Diſloyalty and Perfidy, for Tumults, Mutinies and Rebellions, for all Ingratitude to GOD & Treaſon againſt the KING and our Country.
THE perilous Times are come, wherein Men are Lovers only of their own Selves, ſacrificing the Public to their own private Gains and Ambition, without natural Affection, Truce-breakers, falſe Accuſers, Incontinent, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are Good; Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of GOD, having a form of Godlineſs, and multitudes not that neither. From ſuch turn away, ſays the Holy Apoſtle: And I pray GOD to purge the Court, Nobility and Magiſtracy of this plague and leproſy; and not the Court only, but alſo the Church and the Clergy, the Univerſities and Accademies, as well as the Camp and Fleet; that the Spirit of Parties and Factions may not increaſe unto more Ungodlineſs, and to all Barbarities.
Ah Calamitous Day! whereinto we are fallen, and into which the Sins of an Infatuated Age has bro't us. Hear this, Ye old Men, and give ear all Ye Inhabitants of the Land! hath this been in your days? or even in the days of your Fathers? They are a Nation void of Counſel, neither is there any Underſtanding in them! as if their Rock had ſold 'em, and the LORD had ſhut them up. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they wou'd conſider their latter End! that at leaſt when their Judge cometh there may be ſome Faith and Charity found in the Land.
AND doubtleſs there is ſome among Profeſſors of every Denomination. But O how wanting among every party of men. However I am very glad that I can do our United Brethren in Great Britain, and this Country too the Honour and the Juſtice as to ſay, That in this time of public Treacheries, Perjuries, Rebellion & Treaſon, not a dog can wag his tongue to charge us with Diſloyalty, Undutifulneſs or Diſreſpect to Government, or want of Zeal and Fidelity to the PROTESTANT SUCCESSION, the peaceful Reign of the KING, & the true Intereſts of the Nation as to their Civil and Religious Rights.
Indeed it is an Amazing thing, and one wou'd think Incredible, that any Proteſtant or Member of the Church of England ſhould be in the late Rebellions againſt his preſent MAJESTY, to ſet up a popiſh Pretender whom they have ſo often and juſtly Abjured. It is as the right Reverend the Biſhops ſay Excellently in their late pious and loyal Declaration, ſo vile and deteſtable a thing as may juſtly make 'em Odious to GOD and man. And at the ſame time to pretend a zeal for the Church of England is ſuch an Impoſition on the common Senſe of Mankind, that nothing even in Popery it ſelf can be more Abſurd: And nothing but an Infatuation from GOD, juſtly inflicted for our Sins can ſuffer it to paſs upon the Nation.
Wherefore, in the Name of GOD, thoſe moſt Reverend Perſons do call upon the Nation, in the firſt place to humble themſelves before GOD for the Great and crying Sins of the Nation; for that Spirit of Infidelity and Libertiniſm; of Unthankfulneſs for the Mercies of the Goſpel; of Formality and Hypocriſy, of Strife and Envy, of Hatred and Animoſity, which are ſo rife in it, and generally the Forerunners of the Deſtruction of any People.
Bleſſed be GOD for this Seaſonable and True Teſtimony of theſe FATHERS in the Church. They have here ſaid what the Body of the Diſſenting Miniſters have long tho't and ſaid often Weeping, but in vain. The Atheiſtical and Immoral part of the Nation are the Source of its Miſeries and Dangers. GOD heal its Sins and Breaches. GOD make the Biſhops of the Church its Healers. And GOD grant that we may ſee the things of our Peace before that they be hid from our Eyes.
I pray GOD that the Day may come when We may no longer hate to be reformed, and that the KING may live to be the Glorious Inſtrument in the Hand of GOD of our Reformation in every Reſpect. So may HE be bleſſed, and His Throne Eſtabliſhed before the LORD for Ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · Benjamin Colman, Why the People of God Bring Sins of their Fathers into their Confession (1716)