forgive thee upon thy humble acknowledgment but that he knows thy sins are as inconsistant with thy happiness oh my soul as they are with his laws and therefore he that desires thy felicity will not forgive the old score unless thou cease to run further in debt for while thou goest on in sin thou art in the way to eternal death and art really dead to all true sense of divine comfort thou art buried alive in lusts and pleasures and thy flesh intombs thy wretched soul and the grave-cloaths of vile affections bind thee hand and foot from moving towards God nor hast thou power to breathe in the pure air of heavenly meditations and canst thou like to stay in this filthy place still when thou didst not see thy misery no wonder if thou calledst this Dungeon and Vault a Pallace But now thou must abhor it when Jesus calls Lazarus come forth Dost thou not find the more thou followest these the less thou lovest thy God and seldomer thinkest of him and movest slowlier toward him and hast meaner apprehensions of him Return then from these evil paths for now thou knowest the dead are there Do not onely seek a pardon but desire a Communion with him who is thy strength and life thy joy and happiness and he will be joyful for thy recovery that he will forget all former unworthy dealings and will only study how to make thee happy hereafter There is nothing can hinder thee unless thou lovest thy sins too well to forsake them and carest so little for him that thou hadst rather dye without him then with him live holily here and happily hereafter which God forbid § VI. ANother sort of men there are who know it to be their Duty to Repent and yet do from day to day neglect it and have more need to be excited then instructed in order whereunto here is provision made of a cogent example and a strict command which may put them upon the practise of this necessary grace First such who are great sinners and yet seldome reflect upon their own condition cannot sure but blush to behold one who had been no customary offender but being once surprised in a deplorable instance never gives over thinking upon it with shame and sorrow * Psalm 51.3 while they that are more guilty never concern themselves The rest of Davids life was a converse with God and a strict observance of his will and if the Jewish conceit of good deeds being weighed over against the evil might be allowed or if after the manner of the Persians (h) Vita anterior simul cum delicto in aestimationem venit quâ major pars vitae atque ingenii steâ—iâ— eâ judicandâ—m de homine Asin Pollio de Persis his former life had been considered with his present transgression surely he might have been excused But he never attempts to hide this one sin in a croud of holy actions nor goes about to extenuate it because it was the first or but one or not great in comparison of others but confesseth it to be very hainous continually laying it open not only before God but before himself that he might recollect with grief and sorrow the guilt and filth whereof the baseness of the act and the danger of the event and fully discover the vileness and horridness thereof and it seems he was not without dreadful apprehensions of Gods anger for we fix our eye on what we fear and cannot get that out of our minds which doth affright us oh how doth this reproach that negligence which we shew who are guilty of so many and so great wickednesses and have no holy actions to set over against them and yet we either cast them behind our backs and grow careless and merry and forget our danger or if we do sometimes look over them we do it slightly and are glad of any occasion to divert us T is certain God sees them and will one day make them all pass before us (i) Psal 50.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tanquam aris armatorum disponam nay muster them up against us unless by looking on them now we learn to abhor them and repent of them and so God of his mercy do for ever hide his eyes from them (*) Psal 51.3 let others be unconcerned when they offend thee and go about to excuse themselves I must and will publish my baseness in offending my heavenly Father Lord I acknowledge with a sad heart my transgression of thy most holy law by this wilful act of wickedness for which I know I have so justly deserved thy wrath that my eye and mind are fixed on what I have done and my sin haunts me continually giving my conscience no rest because it is ever before me and I cannot but view the hainousness of it till thou hast pardoned it Secondly If the shame of such an example make no impression let them hear that strict and positive command (k) Matth. 3.3 which being a summons from God to all the world to repent was proclaimed first by the harbinger S. John in the wilderness to those who had so much devotion as to come to him thither and after it was published by the Lord Jesus himself in Towns and Cities to all those he met with this was his first Sermon (l) Matth. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles and is the first lesson to be learned in Christs School not by some particulars but by all that will be his Disciples he speaks to all and to every particular man repent ye for he knows this duty necessary for every one so that till this be done you have done nothing in Christianity and if any say he will not he despiseth his authority if he plead he need not he impeacheth his Wisdome and if he alledge he cannot yet it seems he dare live in a wilful neglect of his commands Tertullian thinks we ought not to enquire what need or what good there is of repentance (m) Neque enim quia bonum est auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praeceperit ad exhibitionem obsequii prior est authoritas imperantis quà m utilitas serviâ—â—is Lib. de poenitent because his commands by whose favour we hope for eternal happiness are to have weight with us without any appendant reason but here we have a reason of the precept added to shew us he injoyns not this so much to shew his authority as because it is necessary for us and our interest requires it viz. Because the kingdome of heaven or of God which is all one ant pag. 14. is at hand That is either the kingdome of grace as it is sometimes taken in Scripture (n) Matth. 13.24 alibi or the kingdome of glory as it signifies elsewhere (o) 1 Corinth 6.9 2 Thessal 1.5 both which do press this duty when this was spoken by our Saviour he meant it in the first sense viz. that the time being now approaching
prevail but little upon many and some might deny their guilt others despise the summons and others might think to avoid by recrimination Wherefore the Minister comes armed with the sword of the Spirit the Word of God that as the Prophets of the old Testament came with Verbum Jehovae the Word of the Lord so might also the Priests of the New and though the Person may be contemptible yet it is the voice of God which you hear from him and whoever be the proclaimer where the word of a King is there is power (c) Eccles 8.4 who dare disobey when the King of heaven commands He that knows the hearts of all and commands all men every where to repent not onely in the places now read But in sundry other places (d) Isai 1.16 17. Chap. 55.7 Lament 3.40 41. Acts 2.38 Chap. 17.30 even throughout the whole Scripture and miserable will their case be who refuse so many so plain and so earnest calls from such a God We Ministers are exhorted as well as you and we intend to joyn with you and if we request you to joyn with us it is in obedience to the Commission we have from the King of heaven and he that refuseth refuseth not Man but God and that Word of God which now moves you so frequently to repent will be produced against you to condemn you if you obey it not § 3. To acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness We need not here be curious in the difference between these words though acknowledging seems to signifie the granting something laid to our charge as David did when Nathan came to him I have sinned (e) 2 Sam. 12.13 saith he upon the first charge and to confess may import a voluntary act when no man accuseth us which indeed is the more acceptable and ingenuous but it were well if we would but acknowledge our offences For God in his Word by his Ministers and by our own Consciences doth indict us as guilty and he that soonest owns the truth thereof shall easily find mercy But it may perhaps be more material to take notice of the Epithete joyned to our sins manifold which is borrowed from Amos 5.12 and may denote the variety of our transgressions like Josephs coat of many colours for we are clothed with the redness of Anger the paleness of Malice the yellow of Covetousness the blackness of Despair or the green of Presumption in these changeable garments are our souls attired when we put off the white garments of our Innocence Or else as the learned Translator of the Liturgy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multiplicia those iniquities which are so cunningly twisted and weaved together by that accursed policy which Satan teacheth men to begin with many small thrids of lesser sins and by uniting these and twining them together to proceed till they draw iniquity with cords of vanity and at last sin as it were with a Cart-rope (f) Isaiah 5.18 Peccatum trahit peccatum Dict. R. R we perhaps imagine it a piece of commendable craft (g) Job 5.13 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filum retortum unde signif multis nexibus implicitum consilium LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drus to be able thus to contrive our wickedness But alas if Gods Mercy do not unravel it it will at last be strong enough to draw us into eternal flames But we are warned that as we have used much study and pains to twist our sins together that one may strengthen the other so we do now by an humble and hearty confession untwine and separate them again that we be not bound in the bands of death § 4. And that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father It is the language of Satans school that we must cover one sin by committing another which the Scripture pronounceth a woe against (h) 1 John 1.8 9. Isaiah 30.1 and sheweth the folly and danger of it because it doubles the guilt (i) Negatio iniquitatis duplex iniquitas and hinders the pardon See Chap. 1. Sect. 5. p. 18. and therefore Gods Word teacheth us that if we have sinned we must neither dissemble them with excuses as Saul * 1 Sam. 15. and Ananias with his wife †Acts 5. nor cloak them with a flat denial as Gehazi ‖ 2 Kings 5. least we be judged as they were But this is the manner of Hypocrites 1. To extenuate them with dissembling apologies and fair pretences it was the first time I was surprised the effects of it were not very evil others have done worse c. whereas the good man aggravates his sins with all those circumstances that make them heinous and S. Paul calls himself the chief of sinners The worst men will deny they have sinned and reckon themselves among the Righteous as the Pharisee did (*) Luke 18.11 while Ezra (k) Ezr. 9.6 loquitur de Culpis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne nimium arreganter se caeteris eximere videatur Grotius in loc and Daniel put themselves in amongst sinners and that is by much the safer way for he that feigns himself better then he is or denies himself to be sick before the Physician keeps his disease and looses an opportunity to regain his perfect health But remember thou art in Gods house nay just before his face and dost thou think with a lye or an excuse to deceive him No no this is too thin a veil and to short a cover for thy numerous transgressions and will avail no more then for a Thief to deny he stole that which is found about him before the Bench if thou couldst deny so impudently or dissemble so cunningly as to deceive all the world yet do not hope to impose upon him that is Almighty to find thee out and hath a heavenly all-seeing eye to discern thee and he would shew the kindness of a Father in thy pardon if thou shewest the ingenuity of a Son in confessing wherefore do not deceive thy self nor slight this warning for be sure one time or other your sin will find you out Numb 32.23 § 5. But confess thâ—m with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart The Word of God is not only a Monitor to remember us of our duty bâ—â— a guide to direct us in the performance of it it interposeth its authority to command us to repent and then affordeth its directions to shew how we may repent and 't is impossible the right disposition of a true penitent heart can be more exactly described in so few words then the Church hath here done it and they that would know how they must be affected when they confess so tâ—at they may be sure to find pardon cannot learn in fewer and more significant expressions 1. An humble and lowly heart viz. to behold our vileness by sin till we have a mean opinion of our selves and can be content that God or Men
of the Christian Church prove Christ to be God (u) Ergo qui remittit Deus est quia nemo remittit nisi Deus Hilar. in Math. Can. 8. because he forgave sin which none but God can do (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in 1 Cor. 15. and his son Jesus who is also very God and purchased this Mercy of Absolution with his own blood (y) Ille solus peccata dimittit qui pro peccatis mortuus est Ambr. Veniam peccatis quae in ipsum commissa sunt solus potest ille largiri qui peccata nostra portavit Cypr. wherefore we give to God the things which are Gods and plainly declare he is the Author we the dispensers only of this favour and the Witnesses and Messengers to bring certain news thereof (z) En fili certificate remissa tibi esse peccata hujus me testem habebis Vade in Pace Fer. in Matth. 9. And this is more comfort to the Penitent the Supreme Judge he from whose Sentence is no Appeal Pardoneth thee fear not the state of Agag whom Saul had pardoned but God had not wherefore Samuel hewed him to pieces in the midst of his vain hopes that the bitterness of death was past He Pardoneth that hath no equal to examine or approve much less superiour to disanul his actings Our absolution is profitable when the Persons are meet to receive it (a) Tunc enim vera est absolutio Praesidentis cum aeterni arbitrium sequitur judicis Greg. hom 26. but the stamp of God will make it currant in Heaven it self The Priests Pardon is not compleat at present till it be ratified at the last day But he Pardoneth at this present while we are holding out this Absolution he that knows who among you are true believers and really Penitent is at this instant sealing your Pardon in Heaven which makes ours to be valid we then are but the Messengers and interpreters but it is our great Master that Absolveth because what we do is Pronounced in his name dispensed by his Authority offered on his Condition and confirmed by his Approbation § 9. All them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel These two acts Repentance and Faith are by Christ (b) Mark 1.15 and his Apostles (c) Act. 20.21 made the Conditions of all the Gospel promises and without them no Absolution can be had those that have these no man can condemn but without these no man can acquit it was therefore a great arrogance in those Ecclesiasticks in St. Hieroms time who imagined they could save or destroy at pleasure (d) ut vel damnent innocentes vel solvere se noxios arbitrantur Hierom. Com in Matth. l. 3. Nec Angelus nec Archangelus potest nec Dominus ipse si peccaverimus in poenitentiam deferentibus non relaxat Ambros Epist 28. ad Theodos and it is as great a vanity in any to believe a Servant acting contrary to his Masters known Will because it will be insignificant wherefore if any by hypocrisie shall think to surprize an Absolution Or if he that dispenseth an act by prejudice or corruption you must know it is he must ratifie the Pardon who can see whether these qualifications are in him that receives it or no and though we hold out this Act of a Grace to all yet our Master pardons none but such as do repent truly and believe unfeignedly and how many soever do so if they have been the worst of sinners they shall every one be forgiven Let us then take care to come 1. With an hâ—mble lowly penitent and obedient heart sorrowing and being ashamed fearing exceedingly confessing humbly and resolving heartily against all sin let us beware that a hard heart and a customary confession and hypocritical pretences do not ruine our hopes and blast our desires for he only Pardoneth the real Penitent 2. Let us bring with us an unfeigned Faith in his Gospel trusting in the assurances of his Promises and persuading our selves of the necessity and excellence of his laws and confirming our souls in the expectations of his rewards and this Faith unfeigned (e) 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1 5. will open the door of Mercy but for that bold challenge which some make to the promises and the benefits of the Gospel while they are void of hatred to sin or love to God it is only feigned to stifle the accusations of Conscience and ward off the threats of the Law and to give the man liberty to sin and God will never accept such to remission but discover these men had no other ground for their confidence but only because they had persuaded themselves of a falshood Remember you come to him that searcheth the heart for a Pardon and strive that your Repentance may be true and Faith cordial and sound as you hope for mercy from him and learn by this order first to repent of your former evil ways before you entertain too particular confidences of Gods love and your interest in Jesus but if you have truly repented the more firmly you believe the greater will be Gods glory and the sweeter your comfort and the speedier will your Absolution be confirmed Though your iniquities are heinous and innumerable if upon the sight you have had of them you do condemn your self with real purposes of amendment and notwithstanding your unworthiness if you can trust to the Merits of Jesus and believe all the gracious Promises of the Gospel shall be fulfilled to you I doubt not to assure this your Repentance and Faith shall pass the test of God himself and your desires shall be satisfied in his mercy § 10. Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true Repentance and his holy Spirit The whole duty of a Minister consists in instruction and exhortation (f) Acts 2.40 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first to convince the understanding the second to engage the affections both which parts of his Office the Priest doth here exercise for hitherto he hath testified there is Remission to be obtained and now he exhorts to seek for it for in this Section we are directed how to obtain in the following we are encouraged by the Benefits to be had thereby now this present exhortation is a conclusion inferred from all the former parts of this Absolution which are in this word wherefore urged as so many motives to quicken our addresses viz. 1. Since God who is full of power and mercy would not the death of us sinners but desires we may live therefore we may cheerfully come to him for help who will be as well pleased with the opportunity of giving as we with the mercy of receiving 2. He hath Commissionated Ministers to be the Heralds of his willingness to forgive wherefore let us in answer to this gracious Proclamation go in and submit to him who though he be the offended Party first sent to us to be reconciled 3. He hath assured us he
probable he was a person considerable very likely him whom the Jews call Simeon the first who lived at this time and was the son of the most famous Rabbi Hillel (i) Vid. Scultet Exerc. Evang. l. 1. c. 61. and Light-foots Harm on this place who opposed the received opinion of the temporal Kingdome of the Messiah for it is certain our Simeon did so or he had never thus rejoyced over a Messiah presented by so mean Parents in swadling clothes at the gates of the Temple It was not the object that appeared to his eyes but the illumination of the Spirit and the prospect of his Faith that elevated his affections Wherefore we need not pretend to dismiss this holy song by alledging it was an extraordinary occasion for the writings of thâ— Apostles which are daily read among us do as clearly represent him the Saviour of the world to the eye of Faith and set him before us as evidently in the house of God as any bodily sight could do to him and if our minds be inlightened and our faith firm as his we have the same occasion and ought to rehearse it with the same devotion The mercy is made sufficiently plain to us it we were but as apprehensive of the advantages it brings to us and all men as he was I know not why we should wish to live any longer then till we have obtained hopes of a share in it But we have houses to build families to propagate and designs to compleat and all before we are willing to dye We desire something besides nay perhaps more then an Interest in Jesus and therefore we dare not joyn in this noble wiâ—h But he was dead to the world before and had been impatient of a longer stay but only for the promise to have a sight of Jesus in the flesh And when this long-wished for happiness was come to pass his expectations are answered and all his desires filled He values nothing here but humbly craves his dismission His holy soul that came from God can find no rest on the waters of this world and therefore desires to return with an Olive-branch of peace to its dear Lord (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—em Al. Strom. 4o. Mortem Stoici appellare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian where it was sure of rest and joy among the best of friends He now desires leave to depart from the flesh which he had long esteemed his Prison wherein he was confined by his infirmities (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistius ap Stobae and shut up from beholding the glories of God which he now longs to see more then ever by this last experience of his Truth and Mercy and he knew that death would set him free his desires and joy begin to swell too big to be confined in the walls of flesh and now he is even straitned till he be let loose into the regions of glory to praise him face to face And yet his extasies transport him not beyond the measures of obedience and humility for he first asks his Masters leave nor will he go till he have Commission but he intimates he had stript himself of all worldly desires and had his inner coat his flesh in his hands ready to lay it down and run whenever the watch word (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. was given His hopes and desires to see his Saviour had alone made his life acceptable and the fulfilling of them makes even death most welcome to him because he knew that Jesus came to disarm death and by satisfying for sin to deprive it of that sting which made it terrible to all men All the sin-offerings of the law were but weak armor to encounter death nor could they so fully purge or appease the Conscience as that it should not accuse in the fatal hour But the perfect Sacrifice of the death of Jesus doth so fully avert Gods wrath that all that believe in him can triumph over death meet it with courage and embrace it with peace as the end of their fears and the entrance into their felicity (n) 1 Cor. 15.55 Non est timendum quod liberat nos ab omni timendo How can he fear death that hath his sins forgiven or how can he doubt Gods mercy that beholds his Son with faith and love or how can he question the truth of Gods Promises that embraces Jesus the greatest of all in his arms He that knows Gods power is persuaded of his love and convinced of his truth can dye in peace and lye down with joy in the assurance of a blessed Resurrection And this we may do for it was only their priviledge who lived then to see Jesus and whoever looked on him so as to dare to dye then must behold him by faith and thus we may see Christ not only with Simeon presented in the Temple but with St. Steven standing at the right hand of God not only in his rising but his full glory Why then are we so fixed to this world so desirous to stay so loath to depart so sad when God calls Oh let us look on this our Redeemer so stedfastly and embrace him so tenderly in our hearts that it may appear he is dearer to us then our very lives Let us love him so intirely that nothing may satisfie us without him and trust so fully in his merits and mercies that we may live chearfully and dye peaceably Let us say with this devout Old man Lord I do now so clearly perceive thy purposes of mercy so confidently believe thy promises of forgiveness and so firmly rely on the hopes of glory that I resolve to be ever thy servant I desire to stay no longer in this world then to get assurances for a better Earths vanities do not make me wish to live nor deaths terrors afraid to dye If thou callest me this day Lord I come I can live with patience or dye in peace for I see him that will preserve me in life or death and gives me hopes that whether I live or dye I am the Lords I was not with Simeon in the Temple to behold my Saviour with my bodily eyes but I have had thy Salvation as clearly manifested in this thy holy word as if I had seen him with my eyes Lord grant me thy holy Spirit that I may behold him with the same faith and embrace him with the same affections that he did and then I shall chearfully joyn in a Nunc Dimittis and being daily ready to dye shall ever be fit to live and thy will shall be done in my life or death Blessed Lord thou hast even to our dayes by these holy writings sufficiently manifested thy Son before all our faces and it is our carelesness ingratitude and unbelief that hides him from our eyes and makes us hug these vanities and fear to leave them But thou hast done thy part and I will praise thee for sending this bright and glorious Sun
David though he was accountable to no humane tribunal (a) Psalm 51.4 Hieron Epist ad Rustic Ambros in loc Isidore Peleus Epist ita Explicant thought it aggravation enough to have offended so great a God this shews us the evil of the least sin for the lesser it be the greater is the baseness to offend against so glorious a King as he is (b) Nec tam considerat quid jussum est quam illum qui jusserit nec quantitatem imperii sed imperantis cogitat dignitatem Hieron ep 14. ad Celant where the temptation is so slight the gain so small and the resistance so easie 4. These our offences are against most holy laws which none of us can plead against that they are either unjust or unfit impossible or unreasonable because our Consciences testify for them and our sober reason approves of them even when our affections intice us to disobey them And if before our Confession we enlarge these particulars by a serious Meditation it will help us to acknowledge more sorrowfully and sue more earnestly and resolve more firmly against them § 6. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done The perfect rule which God hath given us doth prescribe us what we ought to do and those prescriptions are called the Affirmative Precepts and also forbids us those things which we ought not to do which are the Negative Precepts (c) The Jewish Rab. number 613 precepts in all so many as there are letters in the Decalogue of which the Affirmative are 248 so many as the joynts in a mans body and the Negative 365 so many as there are days in one year Now the breach of an Affirmative Precept or leaving a duty undone is called a Sin of Omission the breach of a Negative or doing what ought not to be done is a sin of Commission which two sorts take in all the sins that can be committed against the Divine law and is used here because it is large enough to take in all the crimes of the worst and yet it is too sutable to the actions of the best which if they consider will not deny they have often offended in both kinds It would be tedious to insert a particular Catalogue and is better done elsewhere (d) Whole duty of man in the end and it is more proper for the closet then the Church Yet since there is much deceit in generals and we may be private between God and our own souls even in the Congregation I shall advise that before our Confession we call to mind some sins of both sorts viz. sins of Omission as neglecting or ill performing of the duties of Prayer Hearing receiving the Sacraments as also of matters Moral the omission of Alms Obedience to our Superiours Charity to our Brethrens souls together with our deficiency in the Evangelical Graces of Faith Repentance Humility and Patience And also that we consider of our sins of Commission such as Atheisme Apostacy Blasphemy Perjury Rebellion Anger and Malice Lust with its supporters Gluttony and Drunkenness Oppression and Cheating Lying and Slandering Envy and Covetousness which are against the Moral Law together with those against the Gospel and its constitutions And by so doing we shall avoid the hypocrisie of obscuring our particular sins under a slight and general Confession which can hardly be said with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart unless we know the particulars and have examined their number and pondered the heinousness of them I may add that of these two sorts the least is enough to condemn us and yet there are degrees of guilt and those of Commission are of a deeper dy it is worse to do evil then to neglect that which is good because in the first there is real mischief and yet it is easier to avoid a sin then perform a duty and that cannot be repared as this may Therefore sins of Omission are punished by witholding of blessings those of Commission by inflicting curses (e) Excisionem animae 23 Vicibus minatus est in Negativis solum tres in Affirmativis viz. non observanti Circumcisionem Gen. 17.14 Pascham Exod. 12.15 Sabbachum Exod. 31.14 Fagius ex ab Ezr. Transgressio praecepâ—i affirm poenitentiâ deletur negativi poenitentiâ tantum suspenditur in Diem Expiationis R. R. He that neglects to hear Gods Word shall become an ignorant secure sinner and in a while be hardened but the Lyer shall besides have Discovery Shame Poverty and Scorn Which I do not remark as if Sins of Omission needed little but because the direct breaches need much Repentance yet least any should use it to excuse their leaving their Duty undone or doing it ill let them know that many times to omit what we ought to do is to do what we ought not He that gives not alms is alwayes covetous often cruel and sometimes a murderer (f) Qui suecurrere perituro potest non succurrit occidit he that repents not hates God and loves sin he is obstinate and presumptuous in that neglect And further he that wilfully omits a duty or carelesly passes it over shall shortly fall into a sin because he useth not the means which God hath appointed to secure us whereupon the Church appoints Sins of Omission though in their nature lesser to be first confessed because by these we forsake God and lye open to temptation and fall into all actual and positive wickednesses Let us not then neglect religious duties (g) Curre ad praeceptum leve fâ—rtè scil ejus omissio tradet te in manum majoris R. Nathan de Patr. least we shortly have greater offences to confess And on the other side think not you can put on the strict Observance of Duty as a cloak for your wicked life for if you live in sin it is not religious offices can expiate your guilt and although you are constant in your publique and private Devotions yet do not scruple to make this Confession for if men consider the deadâ—ess of their affections the unfixedness of their thoughts the hardness of their hearts and the sad mixtures of hypocrisie and pride that cleave to us in all holy offices they will see they have left undone the best and most acceptable and most Evangelical part of every duty and all truly good men do acknowledge God might justly reckon their ill-performances for total omissions in fine we see this part of the Confession is needful for all and may be useful to us all § 7. And there is no health in us The sicknesses and diseases of the body are by the holy Ghost used to represent the sinful distempers of the soul infectious sins are likened to the plague filthy and odious iniquities to leprosie such as disquiet the Conscience to pains and wounds Heresie is the Gangrene (h) 2 Tim. 2.17 Envy the Consumption (i) Prov. 14.30
legit qui verba vertit in opera D. Bern. Take warning by the threatnings to fly from the evil encouragement from the Promises to perform the good submit to the reproofs observe the directions and pursue the rewards If this glass have shewed us our deformities we must immediately amend them or we shall soon forget (i) James 1.23 24. Qui sacras liceras legit nec confert ad rem similis est seminanti erebrò metenti nunquam parturienti saepius partus sepelienti otioso cantori qui non habent mercedem operis Masius è Talm. in Jof 1. them and so loose the labour and benefit of our hearing What signifies a Counsellors opinion or a Physicians advice if they be not followed The better the Councel is the more is our shame if we look more on the glory of asking it then the honour and benefit of observing it These rules carefully made use of will be soon found of extraordinary advantage and may suffice in the general but because of the variety of Scripture and the necessity of a particular application we shall add some short intimation how to profit by the several parts hereof For St. Paul hath taught us that all Scripture is useful (k) 2 Tim. 3.16 to inform and teach us in Faith (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Ham. Annot. in loc and Truth to discover and reprove our sins to direct and urge our amendment to promote and improve us in the practice of holiness Which rule if we follow we may be able to profit by every Chapter and may learn that Art of making every part of Gods word like an exact picture look directly upon our selves (m) Omnia quidem dicta Domini omnibus pos ta sed pleraque in personas directa non proprietatem admonitionis nolis constituerunt sed exemplum Tert. de praescrip hac and comply with our circumstances although it was spoken to others and perhaps of different condition § 7. First then to apply the Old Testament out of which the first Lessons are taken we may consider that besides the Psalms of which before it consists of these Parts 1. The Law 2. The History 3. The Morality 4. The Prophecies 1. The whole Ceremonial Law is omitted in the daily service because they were proper to the Jews and had no apparent reason (n) Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba sunt quae non habent apertam rationem sunt ex decreto Regis R. Sal. Praecepta quorum non patefacta est ratio R. Dav. Kim in Psal 119. of their obligation Yet if we have time leisure and judgment we may in private improve them into most useful Meditations by applying the types to Christ and those precepts which are literally obscure to matters of practical holiness Of the Judicial Law also little is read in publique but so much of it as is used is the foundation of the antientest and best Laws which were made by Heathens or Christians and are rules of the exactest justice in the world And if we abate for the difference of our circumstances may conduct our Consciences in many cases of entercourse with our neighbours Of the Moral Law no part is passed by because there are the Rules of Eternal goodness to which the Consciences of all men give consent at the first hearing and so are of universal obligation but they bind us in a higher manner then any (o) Matth. 5.14 wherefore we may learn hereby our Duty to God and Man and discover all our odious sins and we may encourage our selves from the Promises to do good for they shall certainly be performed either literally in temporal or with advantage in a spiritual manner understanding Soul for Body Grace for Prosperity and Heaven for Caanan In which manner also we must apply the Threatnings to make us penitent for former and cautious against future offences against so holy a Law of so great a God which both conscience and reason approve of 2. The History is all read and is a rare account of the methods of Gods Providence in the government of the World from the Creation to the return of the Captivity And we are to love and reverence it before all other Records for its Divine Author and undoubted credit for the Persons it treats of the chosen people of God and especially for the excellent design which is to teach us to fear God love holiness and avoid iniquity by a clearer and more easie method (p) Longum iter per praeceptum breve efficax per exemplum Sen. then the precepts can do because these lively Pictures of the final success of piety and the ruine of wickedness are more readily apprehended more deeply impressed and more firmly remembred (q) Hoc tibi virtutûm stimulâ—s hoc semina laudà m Hoc exempla dabit Ne simiâ—s ingentium exemplorum pravi imitoteres S. Salvian then either advice or naked exhortations And therefore the examples of prosperous virtue must condemn our folly and sloth and raise a holy emulation to be like those excellent persons and lively faith and hope that we shall have the same success and rewards As also the base designs constant disappointments and dreadful events which attend all ungodly wretches must affright us from treading those paths And thus the shipwracks of evil men and the steps of the Saints may conduct us safely to our journeys end Only because the best men may have erred we must not always do what they did but make the precepts (r) Haec quando in S. Scriâ—turis legimus non ideo quia facta credimus facienda credaâ—us ne violemus praecepâ—a dum passim sectamur exempla Aug. in Mend. c. 9. the interpreters of their practice and where they agree we are safe in our imitation 3. The Morality in the Books of Job and Sâ—lomon and some parts of Apocriphal Authors which the Primitive Church read for instruction of manners these do recommend unto us all sorts of virtues and set out the means to obtain them and the advantages of practising them and give a true representation of the folly and danger of sin with cautioâ—s against the occasions thereof laying down innumerable Observations for the ordering of our lives in all conditions and relations but these so brief and independent that we must give extraordinary attention that we may learn our duty in that place and those circumstances in which we are Here are Rules for Princes and People Masters and Servants Parents and Children Husbands and Wives Young and Old Rich and Poor Prosperous or Afflicted persons and that we every one may learn our own Lessons we must mark those sentences which incourage to some virtue we are deficient in or reprove some offence we are guilty of and not out of idleness or malice pick out only those which we suppose fit our neighbours and paint out their crimes For thus our own faults pass uncensured and neither we nor