now you are not unclean and this should greatly comfort you Object 3 A third Objection is this Surely I have misgiving thoughts that God hath not forgiven me my sin because after I have committed sin I do not discern that my conscience checks me for my sin therefore I may fear if there be no remorse after the commission of sin I may fear that there is no remission This is the strongest Objection to make a man fear his pardon As I would say nothing to make a deluded wretch to presume so I would keep back nothing that might any way establish a troubled minde thou sayest thou doest fall into sin yet thou hast no check and remorse of conscience for sin therefore thou fearest if sin hath no remorse on thy part it hath no remission on Gods part For answer First in the generall know your case is dangerous but yet it is not desperate Answ 1 First It is possible the conscience of a good man may be so disordered through the impetuousnesse of passion and lust that he may think he doth well when he doth ill therefore his conscience never smites him As it was with Paul Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Paul sinned and he had his doubts before conversion even as after conversion yet this sin troubled him not he thought he was bound to do many things c. so may thy conscience be so farre disordered as to think thou doest well when thou doest ill Jonah 4.9 And God said to Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto death Could Jonah's conscience smite him for his anger when he said he did well Lord how farre will a godly man goe towards the suburbs of hell if God shall let him alone I do well saith Jonah to be angry even unto death Answ 2 Secondly Thou that makest this Objection take this for thy comfort consider that many pardoned sinners through heedlesnesse and in observancy have not their judgements inlightned to discerne sin and if the judgement hath not an eye to see sin the conscience will never have an hand to smite for sin it is a Proverb What the eye sees not the heart rues not nothing that is unknown can be the object of desire neither can any thing that is unknown be the object of sorrow unknown miseries we weep not for but miseries we know those we mourn for if a mans judgement be not enlightned to see sin he can never mourn for it he may live and dye in a sin that his judgement is not convinced of to be a sin thus the godly in the Old Testament lived in the sin of Polygamie marrying of many wives they knew not it was a sin had they took liberty to take as many wives as they would A godly man that holds an error conscience may never smite him for it because his judgement is mistaken his judgement thinks he holds the truth and therefore conscience cannot smite him for holding an error Answ 3 Thirdly take this by way of answer that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be so farre benummed that a man may continue under the guilt of known sins and conscience never check him for it for a long time this is a further gradation that when he knoweth he sins against God yet I say conscience may be so farre benummed that for a season he may not be tortured and smitten in conscience for his sin David could not be so ignorant of Gods Law that lying with another mans wife was a sin yet David did continue nine moneths at least without remorse for it when Nathan came and reproved him then said he I have sinned I have sinned O beloved if God doth but let a sinners conscience alone though he be a good man yet he may continue for a long time under a known sin and conscience not work remorse or trouble in him Answ 4 Fourthly take this for comfort that there is no godly mans conscience in the world that is alwayes alike in office but sometimes it may be in office sometimes out of office sometimes a roaring gawling awakening conscience and sometimes a stupified a benummed and a seared conscience no mans conscience is alwayes alike in office it is sensible at one time and seared up another time Pregnant instances David at one time his heart smote him for but the appearance of an evill yet at another time his conscience did not smite him for murdering Vriah Again at another time Davids conscience smote him but for vain-glory in numbring the people it was only vain-glory that he would please himself in a mustered Army yet at another time Davids conscience did not smite him for adultery O beloved how will a mans conscience lye asleep and not trouble him for an evill if God lets him alone Answ 5 Fifthly a step further It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be in so deep a sleep and so much out of office for a while that he may rather put his wits a work to hide his sin then his conscience on work to check him for sin To give you an instance for this it is plain in the case of David David committed adultery with Bathsheba but he did not put his conscience on work to check him for his sin but he did put his wits on work to hide the sin Four projects David had to hide the sin First He sent for Vriah Bathsheba's husband that so Vriah might come and lye with his wife that so he might hide Davids uncleannesse 2 Sam. 11. Secondly He made Vriah drunk and so thought that surely when he was drunk that drunkennesse would provoke him with a desire to go to his own house Thirdly He did plot Vriah's death that so there might be no clamour on his part for the defilement of his wife Lastly David would have fathered his plot on providence for David himself had plotted the death of Vriah mark Davids project a good man did put his wits on work and made shifts to hide his sin yet all this while did not put conscience on work to check him for his sin O how near the suburbs of hell may a godly man go and yet go to heaven Sixthly This is the furthest step of all take this for thy comfort It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may not smite him for those very sins that a heathen man by the light of a naturall conscience may be ashamed of and this is clear in the case of Abraham Gen. 20.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdome a great sin thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done For this falshood Abrahams conscience never smote him yet a Heathen by the light of
heart sensibly affected with those sins that are confessed to God many confesse as if they were telling stories rather what other men did then what themselves did there are few that confesse sin as the prodigal did that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father But many confesse sin like Pharaoh Exod. 9.27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Vers 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder were ceased he sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his servants Defect 9 The ninth Defect in confession of sin to God is this to content your selves with slight ordinary and generall confession of sins to come into Gods presence and a say you are sinners this is a fault which Christians many times are guilty of many men rest contented with a confused and a generall confession of sin when they doe not come to any distinct view of their particular sins there is a tumult in the conscience some noyse they make in a prayer but they know nothing distinctly but like Nebuchadnezzar in a dream he knew he dreamt but he forgot what his dream was many men do confesse sin but they know not what they do confesse You are to be humbled for these Defects that may be found in you in your confessing sin to God Def. 10 A tenth Defect in confession of sin to God is this that they are bold and adventurous to commit the sin again which they have confest they confesse passion and afterward are bold and adventurous to run into a rage and fury When a man shall confesse on his knees he hath done thus and thus and hath been thus and thus yet afterwards all the impressions of these confessions are defaced and he is bold to adventure on the commission of the sin again This is also a Defect that may be found amongst good men in their confession of sin unto God Me thinks I hear you aske me But seeing these Defects are found amongst us then in confession of sin unto God what should we do to be helpt against these Defects For answer that ye may not be guilty of these Defects in confession of sin Rule 1 First Get a clear insight into Gods Law that it may discover sin to you by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Jam. 1.23 For if any be a hearer of the Word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse Vers 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was The looking-glasse will shew you the blemishes in the face which the eye cannot else discerne beloved get a knowledge of the spiritualnesse of Gods Law of the extent of Gods Law that the Law doth reach the inward man that Gods Law reacheth to those very first motions of the soul those very inclinations to sin that are in thine heart be acquainted with the Law and by that thou wilt come to the knowledge of sin Physicians have used this remedy to their Patients In a Convulsion Fit they would wish them at that time to look their face in a glasse that when the Patient doth see what an ugly countenance he hath and what an ugly posture he is in at that time he might strive the more against it So do you look your face in a looking-glasse to see those deformities that are within you this will make you confesse and this will bring you on your knees Secondly If you would confesse sin aright observe diligently your own waies and hearts Prov. 4.25 Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee Vers 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be stablished Look right before you and ponder the waies of your feet and that is the way to have you established and keep you from falling keep a distinct knowledg over your hearts and wayes Thirdly Keep fresh in your remembrance some particular sin or other when you come to prayer it will help you in confession it is barrennesse as I told you that you do not see what matter you have to confesse that makes you so scanted in your confession would you but present some particular sin when you come to God you would be in better plight to confesse sin to God this the Psalmist doth 51. vers 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me He means the sin of Adultery When David came to prayer he would put before his eyes the sin of adultery now set thy sin before thee Art thou a drunkard set thy drunkennesse before thee art thou an adulterer set thy uncleannesse before thee art thou an extortioner then set thy oppression before thee set sin before thine eyes when thou commest to prayer and that is the way to feed thy spirits with confessions to God in a prayer Fourthly Call to remembrance some old transgression of many years past before thy conversion and muster up these sins together that so thou mightest have matter of complaint and confession before God Suppose present guilt doth not come up before thee then recollect and review old transgressions sins of an old date this David did when he found his heart dull and sluggish he would call to mind the sins of his youth Psalm 19. When you see that your hearts grow barren of spirituall matter through heedlesnesse goe then and ransack your old wayes what did you 20 years agoe let conscience gawle you for that that so you may have matter enough to confesse unto God This rule doth not appertain to Christians under trouble of conscience but only to those Christians that are sluggish and barren of any spirituall complaints and confessions in Gods presence A word of Use further for direction If it be so that Justified persons are bound to make secret confessions unto God then First Christians keep a heedfulnesse over your hearts that you may not let sin go unconfest make conscience and be heedfull that sin committed by you may not be unconfest a sin unconfest as to the apprehension may be unpardoned a sin unconfest cannot be mourned for cannot be actually repented of Observe that a lesse sin unrepented of may damn a man when a greater sin that is confest to God may be pardoned if you compare Saul and David together 1 Sam. 15.9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and of the lambs and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them but every thing that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly Saul did there commit a farre lesse sin then Davids was to wit adultery
a naturall conscience rebuked Abraham for it Abimelech a Heathen did tell Abraham Thou hast done deeds that ought not to be done And thus I have gone very farre in answering this Objection And I have done it for to stay the troubles of a perplexed conscience not to make any man presumptuous these six steps are near going down to the shambles of death yet it is possible that a pardoned sinner may have his conscience thus deluded and out of office Me thinks I hear many a presumptuous heart alledge if this be true that you say a pardoned sinner may go thus near hell and yet come to heaven if good men may sin a sin and yet conscience never trouble them then I hope that I may have my sin pardoned as well as the best Object 1 Now lest this Objection might lurk in the heart of any man that hears me I will turn the scales And that no man might be presumptuous and entertain false perswasions touching pardon I shall shew you that though a godly man may have his conscience out of office to smite him for sin yet in that case there is great difference between a pardoned sinner and an unpardoned there are these five particular differences First Though a pardoned man may have sometimes conscience asleep yet that pardoned man dares not be so bold and adventurous to fin against conscience as wicked men do you have this fully laid down in Scripture though but darkly Lev. 13.10 And the Priest shall see him and be hold if the rising be white in the skin and it have turned the hair white and there be quick raw flesh in the rising c. Here were two symptomes of the plague of Leprosie the growing of white hair in the sâ—re then raw flesh in the rising the Hebrew Rabbins do understand two things by this Law First The turning of the hair white in the sore they note to be continuance in sin living from youth to old age in sin till the hair be white and gray Secondly There was to be quick and raw flesh in the rising they understand it to be adventurousnesse in a sinner to commit sin against a raw and a gawled and a rebuked conscience Another man might have scabs all over his flesh yet he was not to be unclean Vers 13. Then the Priest shall consider and behold if the leprosie have covered all his flesh he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague it is all turned white he is clean Yet if a man had rawnesse in the sore he was to be unclean to note that a man may have many sins yet not be unclean in Gods sight but if he sin against the very dictates of conscience and be bold and adventurous against the gawlings of a perplexed conscience he shall be unclean Secondly Take this for a difference though the conscience of a pardoned man may not for a time smite him for sin committed yet he doth not take that course to stifle the checks and to still the voice of conscience as reprobates doe wicked men take sensuall delights to still the checks and voice of conscience so Saul did 1 Sam. 16.14 But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him Vers 17. And Saul said unto his servants Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me When an evill spirit troubled him that was his conscience Saul called for musick to still the voice of conscience Thirdly Good men care not for jocond company Mar. 16.18 For John had said unto Herod It is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife Vers 21. And when a convenient day was come that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords high captains and chief estates of Galilee c. Good men dare not avoid a reproving a searching ministry as Felix did Act. 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come Felix trembled and answered Goe thy way for this time when I have convenient season I will call for thee He could not indure to lye under a gawling Ministry godly men do not thus if a man be pardoned though he hath sin yet he is glad when the Ministry doth arowse and awaken his conscience Fourthly A pardoned sinner dares not content himself under a dawbing and a flattering Ministry that will sew pillowes under his elbowes and say peace when there is none Jer. 23.13 And I have seen folly in the Prophets of Samaria they prophesied in Baal and caused my people Israel to erre Vers 14. I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lies they strengthen also the hands of evill doers that none doth return from his wickednesse they are all of them unto me as Sodom and the inhabitants of them as Gomorrah Chap. 8.11 For they have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace Fifthly They dare not run into the croud of imployments that so they might forget the gawlings of conscience as Cain did Gen. 4. Cain to put off the troubles of his conscience would fall to buying building and drowning himself in the world that so he might hear no more A pardoned sinner doth not thus but if conscience suggests guilt he prayes to God that conscience might speak throughly and home to the heart Sixthly A godly man doth not wallow and continue in a custome of sin that so custome in his sin might take away conscience of his sin Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Wicked men give themselves over to a custome in sin that so they might not have conscience to smite them for sin They are like a Smiths dog a strange dog that comes to a Smiths forge cannot abide to have the sparkles of fire flie about him but that dog that hath alwayes been accustomed to the shop can sleep still on and it never troubles him wicked men are like Smiths dogs used to the shop though flashes of hell fire are cast about them yet they sleep still and are not awakened but godly men do not make use of custome in sin to lull them asleep in their sweet lusts A third difference That though the conscience of a pardoned sinner doth not smite him for sin yet is it sooner and easier awakened and raised out of a dead sleep then the conscience of a wicked man a look from Jesus eye and the Cock crowing made Peter weep he went out and wept bitterly a rebuke to David from the Prophet made him cry out Lord I have sinned A reprobate conscience is not so easily put into office it doth not reprove him there must be much adoe and great labour taken before his dead conscience will hear the rebukes of the Word there is more a doe with a wicked man to have his conscience in office
then with a godly man Fourthly There is this difference though the conscience of a good man be a sleep for a time and doth not smite him for sin yet some time before he dyes his conscience shall smite him for sin there is no godly man in the world but under known sins if his conscience hath not smitten him his conscience shall smite him before he dyes but wicked men live and dye in sin and never have the controll or rebuke of conscience Ahaz was troubled by affliction from God yet conscience never troubled him for he did yet more wickedly against God Fifthly Though the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be asleep for a time and may not reprove him for sin committed yet a good mans conscience when it doth reprove him it doth check him more out of a sense of sin and the dishonour done to God then out of fear of hell or any outward judgements but wicked men are asleep in their consciences and if conscience doth ever awake it is not because sin is sin and because God is dishonoured but because there is hell for sin and because there are outward grievous judgements when God breaks men by his judgements then they will put conscience on work but never doe it out of sense of sin Take this comparison of Ducks in a pond of water cast but a little peble stone into the water and it will make them dive but let it rattle and thunder in the heavens the Ducks feare not a Divine makes this a fit embleme of a wicked mans conscience cast but a little peble stone some present affliction neer a wicked man and that will make him dive that will trouble conscience and perplex the man but let God thunder from heaven let the Lord declare all the threatnings of his spirituall judgements against sin how evill sin is how God is dishonoured by sin and how the soule is indangered all these thundrings from heaven cannot make him startle And thus I have run hastily over the answering of this third Objection I have done it meerly for a relief of a perplexed Conscience thus I have done with this doctrine I confest and thou forgavest Thou for gavest to forgive saith Museulus is a word of favor or grace not merit or sanctification thou forgavest It notes pardon of sin is not vouchsafed to men by way of debt but of gift I confessed and thou forgavest thou forgavest what Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin the sin of my sin Interpreters have various apprehensions touching the meaning of these words what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of my sin I will bring it to a two fold channell Some there are that by iniquity understand the punishment of sin I acknowledged my sin and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin That is thou forgavest the punishment of my sin the reason of that interpretation is because in the Hebrew language the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies iniquity signifies punishment and therefore they understand the iniquity of sin the punishment of sin but Interpreters generally go against this interpretation for usually the word is taken for sin it self Again the whole scope of the Psalm is not in seeking the outward punishment to be forgiven but the forgivenesse of sin is referred to eternall guilt Thirdly Here is in the Text a Selah which is a note of attention a note of admiration annexed to this expression Thou hast forgiven c. surely that would be no wonder to God to passe by an externall punishment for that he might do to men whose sins were never pardoned What is it for God to forgive the iniquity of sin I answer the iniquity of sin is meant that God out of his free grace doth not onely simply forgive a sin committed but he forgives the iniquity of that sin all the malignity of that sin all the hainous aggravated circumstances that may any ways make it great A learned Authour having a whole Tract upon this Psalm hath these words the Psalmist useth this kinde of speech To forgive the iniquity of sinne that hee might teach us that it was no light fault that was pardoned it was sin and it was the iniquity of sin sin upon sin and sin greatned by many hainous circumstances Yet Behold the great mercy of God Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin thus much for the explaining of the words The Observation is this That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that he forgives his people not onely sin in the generall but their great sins such as are cloathed with many aggravated and hainous crying circumstances Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne In the handling of this point I shall proceed in this method First To prove the point to you by an Induction of particular instances then the application of it by severall uses It is a point full of comfort and indeed I know not such a Text in all the Bible that speaks of Gods grace in pardoning aggravated sins sins more clearly then this Text doth First of all I shall give you an induction of instances that God doth not only forgive his people a bare sin convicted but God doth out of the riches of his Grace forgive his people those sins that you may call the iniquity of sin sins cloathed with many hainous aggravated circumstances The instance of David that speakes the words an instance of Peter another of Paul many men that have sinned against light and love sinned against cheks of conscience and against mercies are these sins forgiven Yes that is my work to prove that Gods grace doth forgive sins that are cloathed with many hainous and aggravated circumstances to make them great First David I begin with David because it is the instance in hand will you consider Davids sin the sin of Adultery and ransack the bowels of it you shall finde Davids sin cloathed with great hainous and aggravated circumstances to make it great and grievous and yet for all this that sin forgiven him Circ 1 First Circumstance to aggravate Davids sin if you consider the quality of it the kind of it What sin was it it was the sin of Adultery now of all sins the sin of adultery is an aggravated sin there are five circumstances 1. He that commits adultery he sins against his own body 2. It is a wrong to the body of the woman he is unclean with 3. It is a wrong to his own wife 4. It is a wrong to Bathshebas husband 5. It is a wrong to the child that is illegitimately begotten in adultery that an ignominy should be on him when hee is born and therefore that David should fall to that sin it was one great sin to aggravate Davids sin Circu 2 Secondly If you consider the dignity and the quality of Davids person that did commit this sin He was a King Now the greater the person is that sins the sin is the greater Third Circumstance to
was lying on a sick bed and Interpreters say that he made this Psalme when he was sick It is worth your notice of the title that David gives this Psalme A Psalme of David to bring to remembrance David when he was on his death-bed as he thought he he said it shal be a Psalme of remembrance to bring sin to remembrance to confesse to God my uncleannesse with Bathsheba to bring to my remembrance the evils of my life it was a good plight David was in when he lay on a sick bed he would make this title of the Psalm A Psalme to call to remembrance men are in a fit plight to make confession to God when they lye under any bodily sicknesse call to remembrance thy pride call to thy remembrance thy passion call to remembrance thy vain dalliance what ever thy sin be it may be I may not hit of it but when ever God brings thee under affliction thou art then in a fit plight for to confesse fin to God and call to remembrance thy sins As it was with Jonah chap. 1. Jer. 2. vers 24. Jor. 2.24 A wilde Asse used to the wildernesse that snuffeth up the winde at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away all they that seek her will not weary themselves in her moneth they shall finde her The men of Israel are there compared to an Asse an unruly creature that runs up and down the wildernesse and kicks up the heel but saith God Though men weary themselves to take her yet in her moneth they shall take her that is when she brings forth young then they shall take her referring it to the people of Israel they in their prosperity would not be ruled but when they were in their moneth in their captivity in their sufferings then they should take them and they would then come to be more pliant in confessing their guilt more to God then in former time Seas 2 A second Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confesse sin is when the conscience of a man is set in office by God to pursue him with clear and with strong accusations When God puts the conscience of a man in office to pursue him with strong accusations touching evils he hath committed then that man is in a fit plight if he will take hold of it Even Judas himself when conscience awakened him went and confessed to the High Priest and the Scribes and said I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud If Judas took advantage so much upon the awakening of conscience to confesse finne then a beleever hath much more help Beloved the main use of conscience in man is to bring him upon his knees to make him humble in the confession of his wayes conscience serves to excuse me when I do well but the main use of conscience is to accuse me when I do ill and so to put me on confession to God therefore mark saith David I roared all the day there was the noyse of Davids conscience for his Adultery then I said I will confesse my transgressions when conscience roars by accusation then let the heart confesse to God I do earnestly beg you to take these fit Seasons you are in a good plight to confesse sin when God doth lay you under afflictions when God doth make conscience accuse you that you do deceive in your trades that are ingulphed under lust O then pursue these accusations of conscience then you are in a fit plight to confesse fin to God Seas 3 A third Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confesse sin to God is when God sets home the reproof of the Ministers of the Word upon the soul with conviction thus you know David in 2 Sam. 12.13 And David said unto Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord Saith Nathan to David thou art the man The reproof of Nathans Ministery did so prevail on Davids heart that David said I have sinned and have done very foolishly Could you goe home after every Sermon you hear when ever you hear your sins reproved and pursue that reproof and blesse God that the Word hath checkt you that the Word hath met you that the word hath found you out as an enemy could you go home and pursue a Ministeriall reproof with confession your hearts would then be in a good plight to confesse sin unto God The Application Vse First see hence that not only condemned Malefactors not only damned men must confesse sin but regenerate men pardoned men It is no servile no slavish no legall work Though the lowest Beleever be above the power of sin yet the highest Beleever is not above the confession of sin because not above the practise of sin As long as men continue acting of sin men must never leave confessing of sin as long as sin leaks into thy soul thou must so long be pumping by confession to the soul as a pump to the ship O what leaks into thy heart by heedlesnesse and carelesnesse pump out by confession Till thou art above the actings of sin thou art not above the confessing of sin as long as the body naturall doth gather corrupt humours so long there must be Purges and Vomits if the body should still be gathering corrupt humours nature would be stifled by these humours thou art gathering sin to sin thou art adding iniquity to iniquity confession is a spirituall Purge it doth cleanse and purge the heart see therefore the great need that pardoned men have to confesse their faults Secondly When the Scripture saith that justified persons must confesse sin take notice that every confession of sin will not serve mens turns Lorinus observes out of Bernard on these words I confesse my transgressions Saul made the same confession that David made when Nathan reproved David sayes David I have sinned when Samuel reproved Saul saith Saul I have sinned here is the same confession but here was not the same event David said I have sinned and Nathan said the Lord hath taken away thy iniquity but Saul said I have sinned too but Samuel told him the Lord hath taken away thy Kingdom from thee Saul confest sin yet had his Kingdome taken away but David confest sin and had his sin taken away Beloved thou mayest confesse sin with Saul yet not have thy sin taken away thou mayest lose thy soul as he lost his Kingdome though he confest his sin The third Quere is this What Theologicall rules may be given to guide you in your confession of sin unto God Answ There are seven Rules which I shall lay down to you Rule 1 First Rule in confession of sin unto God is this single out some bosome and master lust that doth most frequently enslave thee and make confession and complaints against that to God do not only confesse sin in the lump and generall but single out the most beloved lust those sins which for the present do most subject and enslave thy spirit which do
bound to make a confession to confesse thy sinne to the Church David fell into the sin of adultery and the sin was known among all the Gentiles insomuch that the enemies of God spoke ill of Religion and spoke ill of God what doth David do to recompence the wrong done to the Church he makes the 51. Psalme which was not for his private use only but for publique use mark the Title which he doth give it To the chiefmusician A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came unto him after he had gone in to Bathsheba This Psalm was permitted to be sung in the Sanctuary and in the Temple that so the Church of God being scandalized by Davids sin should be satisfied by Davids publique confession and repentance Beloved this is equitable because the Communicants of a Congregation of a Church are offended by thy scandall and whilest thy sin is notorious they are scrupled therefore there must be a publique repentance And besides publique scandall given by any member of the Church may bring Gods wrath on the Congregation if the offender doth not confesse his sin Josh 22.20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespasse in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquity Achan sinned alone but did not perish alone the wrath of God fell upon all the Congregation Therefore for the good of the Congregation and Church whereof thou art a member if thy sin becomes notorious and known thou art bound to confesse it not that every private sin must be confest to the Church but in case of publique scandall thou art then to compensate to the congregation to manifest thy confession Case 2 A second Case wherein you are to confesse sin to men is in Case of private injury done to thy neighbour in case of wrong personall injury done to thy neighbour thou art to confesse sin unto him Mat. 5.23 24. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift If thy brother can say thou hast done him wrong then go first to thy brother and be reconciled to him Christ directs that in case of private and personall wrongs I am bound to make confession and give all just satisfaction to the man whom I have wronged And this Christ adviseth further in Luk. 17.3 4. Take heed to your selves if thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him And if he trespasse against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Christ doth here intimate that we are to confesse sin to our brother whom we have wronged to private men against whom we have done private injuries not only to God but to them That is a second Case wherein confession of sin is required to men as well as to God Case 3 Thirdly You are to confesse sinne to men as well as to God in case of extream trouble of conscience for some particular sin which you have done against God when conscience flies in thy face thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep nor be quiet thy conscience doth so pursue thee with terrour if thou canst not by any help of thine own get a quiet and a calme conscience in such a case thou mayest go to a godly and experienced friend make thy own choice to reveal thy case this is the intent of the Apostles expression Jam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed That is when you are in extreme anguish and perplexity of conscience thou art troubled for sin then confesse thy sin to other men and desire them to pray for thee And in confessing to men you are not to confesse all your sins but only that particular sin that most troubles conscience when you goe to a Physician you will discover no more to him then where the sore lyes you are to confesse no more to men then that particular evil that conscience troubles you most for Case 4 The fourth and last case is this to confesse sin to those that have been companions and co-partners with you in sin in that case you are to go to men to confesse sin as well as to God There are some Interpreters that do expound that place in Jam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another that is that those that have been partners together in sin they should goe one to another to confesse their sins if you have been a drunkard go to thy companion and tell him thy conscience smiteth thee for thy sin you that have been unclean together if God hath troubled thy conscience for thy uncleannesse why go to thy partner in sin and tell her God hath troubled thy conscience for thy lust and it may be this may awaken her conscience too I remember what I have read of Austine when God had converted him from frolique russian-like companions he went to his companions and told them Sirs I have often been drunken with you I have been unchast with you I have been as bad as you nay worse then you therefore I beseech you leave your wickednesse And it did grieve him that a woman with whom he had been unclean dyed before he was converted so that he did never tell her how his conscience smote him for his uncleannesse Eusebius relates that John the Evangelist riding a journey was met by a company of theeves amongst whom was a young man their Captain whom John did convert and the story saith that this young man now converted by Johns wholsome counsell went to all his fellow theeves and advised them in the name of Jesus Christ that they would not walk in that way of wickednesse he was troubled in conscience and therefore gave them earnest counsell that as they loved their souls they would not walk in that way of wickednesse and by that means many of these great robbers became great Converts In like manner do ye to those that know of your drunkennesse of your adultery c. confesse your sins as Demosthenes said to the Harlot I am not the same man I was and it may be that so their consciences may be awakened and they startled for it and bethink themselves of their wicked courses and God may work a change in them as he hath done in you There is one use more of this point and that is for lamentation to humble you in the presence of God that seeing God cals you to confesse sin to him you have so many palpable and manifest defects in secret confessing of your sins to God Now beloved there are ten usuall defects Defects 10 to which not only the wicked but the godly are lyable in their confession of their sins unto God Defect
aggravate his sin it was that he did commit the sin after God had given him manifold mercies so Nathan telleth him 2 Sam. 12.8 Fourthly To consider this that David had a wife of his own nay many wives of his own that did greaten Davids sin and so Nathan told him for saith Nathan There was a poor man who had but one Lambe and a rich man that had many Lambs which killed the poor mans lamb his meaning was that David should commit Adultery with the wife of that man that had but one wife when he had many of his own Fifth Circumstance if you consider the time when David committed this sin it was when Davids Armies were lying in the fields this was done then which was enough to provoke God to make them turn their backs upon their enemies Sixt Circumstance It was a great injury to a faithfull Commander in his Army as to Vriah Seventhly Which is the chiefest circumstance of all that David should commit many sins to hide that one sin that was an aggravating Circumstance David did commit six sins to hide that one sin of Adultery 1. He sent for Vriah Bathshebas husband to leave the Army when they were storming a place this might have endangered the whole Army 2. The Text saith that David made Vriah drunk thinking thereby to make him goe in to his wife 3. He used a means for Vriah to Father his bastard that he had gotten in uncleannesse 4. When that plot would not take David did conspire and consult how to kill Vriah 5. David sent a letter by Vriah wherein Vriah was a messenger of his own death unknown to him 6. When Vriah was dead the text saith that David said The sword makes no difference for the sword destroyeth one man as well as another he laid Vriahs death on Gods providence onely when it was he himself did plot how he should be slain O where was Davids conscience all this while where was Davids conscience that should thus fall to commit those sins to hide one sin you account that a hainous aggravation of sin when servants have done an ill turn if they shall doe many ill turns to hide one this iniquity was found in David to hide one sin he fell to commit many Eighth Aggravation which greatens Davids sin was this that David should marry Vriahs wife first killed the husband then married the wife Ninethly and lastly To make his sin out of measure sinfull David continued under this sin with all these aggravations for nine moneths together without repentance or remorse of conscience I doe not name this to boulster any man in sin I onely mention this for a distressed conscience that though thy sin bee an aggravated and a great sin cloathed with many hideous and heynous circumstances yet God did forgive such a sin as that and therefore well may David say The Lord forgave the iniquity of my sin not onely sin Inst but the iniquity of sin A second instance is of Peter you all know the story but it may be you have not lookt narrowly into the circumstances that made Peters sin to be great In Peters sinne First Consider that Peter should deny Christ when he did make more confident professions that he would cleave to Christ then all the other eleven Disciples when Christ told them You shall be offended because of me this night saith Peter Though all men should forsake thee yet will not I yet none forsaked Christ but Judas and he in so shamefull a manner as they this was a great aggravation Secondly It is observable that Peter did deny himself to be Peter Joh. 18.25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself they said therefore unto him Art not thou also one of his Disciples He denyed and said I am not Thirdly He said he did not know Jesus Christ what a horrible fault was that that he said he did not know Jesus Christ Luk. 22.57 And he denyed him saying Woman I know him not Fourthly He did not only deny Christ to a single maid but the Text saith he denyed Christ to the Maid and before all the people there was an open denyall of Christ Matth. 26.69 Now Peter sate without in the Palace and a Damosel came unto him saying Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee vers 70. But he denyed before them all saying I know not what thou sayest Fifthly When another Damosell came and she said Verily thou art one of them and a follower of Jesus Christ he said a second time Woman I doe not know the man Luk. 22. Sixthly He did not onely deny but Matthew saith he denyed with an Oath Matth. 26.72 And again he denyed with an oath I doe not know the man to swear to a lye is abominable Seventhly It is observable It is said that a third time there came a man to Peter about an hour after and saith Of a truth thou art Peter and to the man saith he I do not know him Eighthly This is not all that Peter did not only speak a falsehood not only swear a lye but Peter did curse himself if so be he knew Jesus Christ the text saith he began to curse as well as to swear Mar. 14.71 But he began to curse and to swear saying I know not this man of whom ye speak he wisht some direful judgment to befal him if he knew Jesus Christ some Interp. think that he did not only curse himself but he curst Jesus Christ to make the people think that he did not care for Jesus Christ therefore did use some execration to curse Jesus Christ And O that pardoning grace should reach such a hainous sinner as this was A third instance was in Paul you shall see many circumstances to aggravate and greaten Pauls sin Act. 9.10 11. I verily thought with my self that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities There are no lesse then ten aggravating circumstances to greaten Pauls sin First It was one circumstance to greaten his sin if you consider the quality of the persons that he did injure they were not ordinary men but they were the Saints of Christ he put the Saints of Christ into prison Secondly If you consider the number that he wronged they were many of the Saints Thirdly If you consider the kinde of wrong he did them he put them into prison Fourthly If you consider his severity towards them he did shut them into prison Fifthly If you consider the place where this was it was where Paul should have learnt to know better things for there the Apostles were and taught the Doctrin of Christ and of