it is fuperadded, that we muft confefs fider how you take this Word in your them to him: And the Promife is an- Dealings with Men, you take it certainly nexed, be is juft and faithful to forgive. in a more real Senfe than you use it in Now this Confeffion of Sin is very fitly Religion. If any had done you some fubjoined, both to that which he decla- great Wrong or Injury, fuppofe your Ser red of that great End of the Gospel, Com- vant, or Inferior, What Acknowledgment munion with God, and that which was would you take from him of his Wrong? immediately holden forth of the remain- If he confeffed his Wrong only in geneing Vertue of Chrift's Blood; for might ral ambiguous Terms, if he did it either a poor Soul fay, How fhall I come to lightly, or without any Senfe or Sorrow partake of that bleffed Society? I am a for it, if he did withal excufe and exte Sinner, and fo an Enemy to God, How nuate his Fault, and never ceased, notwithfhall this Enmity be removed? And if ftanding of all his Confeffion, to do the the Anfwer be made, The Blood of like Wrong when Occafion offered, Jefus Chrift cleanfeth from all Sin, would you not think this a Mockery? and fo maketh Accefs for a Sinner to en And would it not rather provoke you, ter into this Society; yet a Queftion re- than pacify you? Now, when ye take mains, And how shall the Vertue of that Words in fo real and deep Significations be applied to my Soul? It is fufficient in your own Matters, what grofs De know for all, but what Way may I have lufion is it, that you take them in the the particular Benefit of it? Here it is flighteft and emptieft Meaning in thefe fully fatisfied, If we confess our Sins, Things that relate to God? And I am God is juft and faithful to forgive. He fure the most Part of Mens Confeffions lyeth under fome Obligation to pardon are of that Nature which I have described, us. Now, many of you may think, if general, ignorant, fenfelefs, without any this be the Way, and these be the Terms particular View, or lively Feeling of the of Pardon, then we hope all fhall be Vilenefs and Loathfomnefs of Sin, and pardoned; for if there be no more but their own Hearts; whenever it comes to confefs our Sins, Who will not wil to Particulars, there is a Multitude of lingly do that, and who doth not daily do Extenuations and Pretences, to hide and it? As one faid, if it be fufficient to ac- cover the Sin; and generally Men never cyfe, none will be Innocent: Si accufaffe ceafe the more from finning, it puts no fufficiat, nemo innocens erit; fo you Stop in their running, as the Horfe to may think, Si confiteri fufficiat, nemo the Battle: To-day they confefs it, and Teus erit. If it be fufficient to confefs, To-morrow they act it again with as none will be guilty. But, my Beloved, much Delight as before. Now, of this let us not deceive ourselves with the pre- I may fay, offer it to thy Governor, and fent first Apprehenfions of Words that Jee if he will be pleafed with thee, or occur in this kind; it is true, as ye take let another offer fuch an AcknowledgConfeffion, there is nothing more ordiment of Wrong to thee, and fee if it will mary; but, if it be taken in the true pleafe thee; and if it will not, Why deScripture-meaning, and in the realeft Senfe, ceive ye yourselves with the outward I fear there is nothing among Men fo Vifage of Things, in thefe Matters that extraordinary: I defire you may but con- are of greatest Soul-concernment? Should Iii2 they they not be taken in the most inward and fubftantial Signification that can be? leaft you be deceived with falfe Appearances; and while you give but a Shadow of Con feffion, you receive but a Shadow of Forgiveness, fuch a Thing as will not carry and bear you out before God's Tribunal: Therefore we must needs take it thus, that Confeffion of Sin is the Work of the whole Man, and not of the Mouth only. It is the Heart, Tongue, and all that is in a Man, joining together to the Acknowledgment of Sin, and God's Righteoufnefs; therefore it includes in it, not only a particular Knowledge of our Of fences, and the Temper of our Hearts, but a fenfible Feeling of the Loathfomnefs and Hainoufnefs of thefe: And this is the Spring that it flows from, a broken and contrite Heart, that is bruifed under the Apprehenfions of the Weight of Guiltinefs, and is imbittered with the Senfe of the Gall of Iniquity, that poffeffeth the Heart. Here then is the great Moment of Confeffion and Repentance, What is the inward Fountain it flows from? If the Heart be brought to the diftinct and clear View of itself, and to difcern the Iniquity and Plague of it, and fo to fall down under the mighty Hand of God, and before his Tribunal, as guilty, as not being able or willing to open his Mouth in an Excufe or Extenu-Sin; for, to a&t Sin over again, with conation of Sin, or to plead for Compaffion from any Confideration in himself; a Soul thus placed between Iniquities fet in Order, and Battle array on the one Hand, and the holy Law and Righteouf nefs of God on the other Hand; the Filthiness of the one, filling with Shame and Confusion, and the Dreadfulness of the other, caufing Fear and Trembling; In this Pofture, I fay, for a Soul to come and fall at the Judge's Feet, and make Supplication to him in his Son Chrift; thus being inwardly preffed to yent and pour out our Hearts before him, in the Confeffion of our Sins, and to flee unto the City of Refuge, bis Mercy and Grace that is declared in Jefus Chrift; this, I fay, is indeed to confefs our Sins: For then Confeffion is an Exoneration and disburdening of the Heart, it flows from the Abundance of the inward Contrition of it; and as this must be the Spring of it, fo there is another Stream that will certainly flow from the ingenious Confeffion of our Sins, that is, a forfaking of them: Thefe are the two Streams that flow from one Head and Spring, the inward Fountain of Contrition and Sorrow for Sin; there is a holy Indignation kindled in the Heart against Sin, and an Engagement upon fuch a Soul, as indeed flees to Mercy, to renounce Sin,; and here is the complete Nature of true Repentance. Solomon joins them, He that confeffeth and forfaketh fball base Mercy, Prov. xxviii. 13. And this is oppofed to covering of Sins, For be that covereth his Sins fball not profper. And what is that to cover his Sin? Confeffing them in a general confused Notion, without any diftinct Knowledge, or Sense of particular Guiltinefs, that is a covering of Sins, or confeffing Sin, and not forfaking of it, that is a covering of tinual fresh Delight and Vigour, is to retract our Confeffions, and to bury and cover them with the Mould of new Tranfgreffions. Now, take this unto you, you fball not profper, what can be faid worfe? for you are but in a Dream of Happiness, and you shall one Day be fhaken out of it, and that fancied Fardon fhall evanish, and then your Sins that you covered in this Manner, fhall be difcovered before the Judge of the World, and 'you fail not ftand in Judgment. SER. *** ** SERMON XVIII. 1 John i. 9. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our Sins, &c. HE Freedom of God's Grace, and ΤΗ the Greatness of his Wisdom, fhines forth moft brightly in the Difpenfation of the Gospel, and both of them beautify and illuftrate one another. That there is first, an Expiation of Sin by the Blood of Jefus Chrift, that a Way is laid down of reconciling the World, and that by the Blood of the Cross, that Peace is purchafed, and fo preached unto Sinners, as a Thing already procured, and now only to be applied unto the Soul by Faith; herein doth the ineftimable Riches of the Grace of God expofe itself to the View of Angels and Men. That the great Work of Redemption is ended, ere it come to us; and there remains nothing, but to publish it to the World, and invite us to come and receive it, and have a Part in it; all is ready, the Feaft prepared, and fet on the Table, and there wants nothing but Guefts to eat of it, and thefe are daily called by the Gofpel to come to this Table, which the Wif dom of the Father hath prepared for us, without either our Knowedge or Concurrence. Besides, the very Terms of propofing the Gospel, fpeak forth abfolute Freedom; What can be more free and easy than this? Chrift is fent to die for Sinners, and to redeem them from the Curfe, only receive him, come to him, and believe in him. He hath undertaken to fave, only do you confent too, and give up your Name to him; ye have nothing to do to fatisfy Justice, or purchase Salvation, only be willing that he do it for you, or rather acquiefce to that he hath done already, and reft on it. But how fhall our Sins be pardoned, and Juftice fatisfied? Only confefs your Sins to him, and ye are forgiven, not for your Confeffion, but for Chrift; only acknowledge thine Iniquity and Wrongs, and he hath taken another Way to repair his Juftice, than by thy Deftruction and Condemnation; he is fo far from extending his Juftice against thee, that he is rather engaged upon his Faithfulness and Juftice to forgive thee, because of his Promife. Yet, ye would not conceive fo of this Manner of Propofal of Forgiveness and Salvation, as if the requiring of fuch a Thing as Repentance in thee, were any Derogation from the Abfolute nefs of his Grace; for it is not required, either to the Point of Satisfaction to God's Justice, and Expiation of Sin, for that is done already upon the Crofs. Chrift was not offered to fave Sinners, he was nat fent upon the previous Condition of their Repentance: Nay, while we were | Confciences of all? How shall a Soul know that rich fuperabundant Grace, if he know not the Abundance of his Sins? How fhall he profefs the one, except he withal confefs the other? Let us imagine an impenitent Sinner, continuing in Rebellion, pardoned and forgiven: And is there any Thing more contrary to common Senfe and Reafon, to be in God's Favour, and yet not accepting that Fa vour; to be a Friend, and yet an Enemy; to have Sins forgiven, and yet not known not confeffed; thefe, 1 fay, found fome plain Diffonancy and Discord to our very firft Apprehenfions. Certainly, this is the Way to declare the Glory of his Grace, in the hiding and covering of Sin, even to discover Sin to the Sinner; elfe, if God fhould hide Sin, and it be hid withal from the Confcience, both thy Sin and God's Grace fhould be hid and cove red, neither the one nor the other would appear. Take it thus then, the Confef yet Enemies, Chrift died for the ungodly; fo that to the Business of our Redemption, there was no Concurrence upon our Part, nor Influence upon it by our Carriage; for he confidered us as Sinners, and miferable, and fo faved us. And now, to the actul Application of these preventing Mercies, 'tis true, it is needful in the wife and reafonable Difpenfation of God, that Sinners be brought to the Knowledge and fenfible Acknowledgment of their Sin and Mifery, and fo be upon rational Inducements of Mifery within, and Mercy without, of Self indigency, and Chrift's Sufficiency, be drawn into Jefus Chrift, and fo to a partaking of these purchased Privileges of Forgiveness of Sin, Peace with God, &c. I fay, all this is fo far from diminishing a Jot of that abfolute Freedom of Grace, that it rather jointly proclaims the Riches of Grace and Wisdom both, that Repentance should be given to an impeni-Gon of Sin is not for this End, to have tent Sinner, and Faith freely beftowed on an unbelieving Sinner; and withal, that Remiffion and Salvation, together with Faith and Repentance, fhould be brought to us by his Death, while we were yet Enemies; this doth declare the moft unparalell'd Bounty and Grace, that the Heart of Man can imagine; and withal, that Remiffion of Sins is joined to Confeffion, and Salvation to Faith, herein the Wisdom of God triumphs; for, what Way is it poffible to declare that Freedom of Grace, to the fenfible Conviction of a Sinner, and so to demonftrate it to all Mens Confciences, except by making them return within, to fee their own abfolute Unworthinefs, Vilenels, and Incorrefpondency to fuch Mercies, and fo drawing an Acknowledgment of his Grace, from the Mouths and any cafual Influence upon thy Remission, or to procure any more Favour and Liking with God; but it is fimply this, the Confeffion of Sin is the most accommodate Way of the Profeffion and Publication of the Grace of God, in the forgiving of Sins; Faith and Repentance are not fet down as Conditions prerequired on thy Part, that may procure Salvation or Forgiveness, but they are infeparably annexed unto Salvation and Forgiveness, to the end that they may manifeft to our fenfible Conviction, that Grace, and Freedom of Grace, which fhines in Forgiveness and Salvation. He is juft and faithful, &c. Herein is the Wonder of the Grace of God increafed, that when we are under an Obligation to infinite Punishment for Sin, and bound guilty before his Juftice, that the most most great and potent Lord, who can eafily rid himself of all his Enemies, and do all his Pleasure in Heaven and Earth, fhould come under an Obligation to Man to forgive him his Sins. A ftrange Exchange, Man is standing bound by the Cords of his own Sins over the Juftice of God, he is under that infoluble Tye of Guiltinefs; God in the mean Time is free and loofed from the Obligation of the first Covenant, that is, his Promife of giving Life to Man; we have loofed him from that voluntary Engagement, and are bound under a Curse; and yet, behold the Permutation of Grace, Man is loofed from Sinto which he was bound, and God is bound to forgive Sin, to which he was not bound. He enters in a new and voluntary Engagement by his Promife, and gives Right to poor Creatures to fue and seek Forgiveness of him, according to his Faithfulness: Yet in this Plea, as it becomes us to use Confidence, because he gives us Ground by his Promifes, fo we should feafon it with Humility, knowing how infinitely free and voluntary his Condefcenfion is, being always mindful, that he may in RighteOufness exact Punishment of us for Sin, rather than we feek Forgiveness from him; and yet feek it we ought, because he hath engaged his faithful Promife; which Opportunity to neglect, and not to improve, either, though Fear or Security, were as high Contempt and Dif obedience to him, as these Sins by which we offend him. Certainly, the very Name of God revealed to us, or known by Nature's Light, thofe general Characters of his Name, Merey and Goodness, Power and Greatness, might fuffice to fo much, as to make us in the Apprehenfions of our own Guiltiness and Provocations of his Holiness, to look no other Way, than to his own merciful and gracious Nature: Suppose we had nothing of a Promife from him, by which he is bound; yet, as the very Apprehenfion of the general Goodness, and unlimited Bounty, and original Happiness that is in God, ought naturally to draw the Creature towards him in all its Wants, to fupplicate his. Fulness, that can fupply all Neceffities, without leffening his own Abundance; even fo, if we did only apprehend that God is the Fountain of Mercy, and that he is infinitely above us and our Injuries, and that all our Being and Well-being eternally confifts in his fole Favour; this, I fay, alone confidered, might draw us to a pouring out our Hearts before him, in the Acknowledgment of our Guiltinefs, and cafting ourselves upon his Mercy (as the Term is used in War) when there is no Quarter promised, and no Capitulation made: It is the laft Refuge of a defperate Sinner, to render un to God upon Mercy, to refign himself to his free Difpofal; fince I cannot but perish (may a Soul fay) without him, there is no Way of escaping from his Wrath, I will rather venture, and go in to th King, and if I perifb I perish: Ther is more Hope in this Way to come to him, than to flee from him, perhaps he may fhew an Act of abfolute fovereign Goodness, and be as glorious in paffing by an Offence, as just in punishing its Do I not fee in Man, (in whom the Divine Majefty hath imprinted fome Characters of Confcience and Honefty) that it is more generous and noble to forgive, than to revenge? And do I not fee generally among Men, Clemency and Compaffion is commended above Seve rity and Rigour, though juft, especiall towards these who are inferior, weak |