a_o letter_n concern_v confession_n and_o absolution_n write_a to_o a_o friend_n some_o year_n since_o and_o now_o propose_v to_o the_o consideration_n of_o the_o gather_a church_n in_o london_n imprimatur_fw-la john_n downame_n london_n print_v by_o francis_n neile_n 1650._o a_o letter_n write_v to_o a_o friend_n touch_v confession_n sir_n the_o conference_n that_o i_o have_v with_o you_o about_o confession_n and_o absolution_n have_v occasion_v my_o further_a thought_n &_o meditation_n thereon_o which_o be_v fresh_a in_o memory_n i_o have_v commit_v to_o paper_n with_o intent_n you_o shall_v see_v they_o that_o so_o you_o may_v consider_v and_o if_o upon_o serious_a thought_n you_o find_v they_o disagree_v with_o holy_a scripture_n than_o i_o pray_v you_o show_v i_o how_o and_o impart_v for_o my_o help_n what_o you_o undoubted_o understand_v in_o this_o point_n and_o if_o you_o meet_v with_o any_o phrase_n that_o you_o like_v not_o pass_v they_o over_o as_o not_o material_o appertain_v to_o the_o matter_n in_o hand_n so_o i_o will_v deal_v with_o you_o and_o so_o i_o desire_v you_o to_o do_v with_o i_o and_o in_o the_o next_o place_n i_o desire_v that_o you_o may_v not_o be_v mind_v like_o those_o that_o slight_o and_o easy_o let_v pass_v every_o thing_n that_o please_v not_o their_o palate_n and_o fleshly_a mind_n as_o this_o of_o confession_n may_v not_o for_o it_o may_v be_v true_o say_v the_o flesh_n be_v at_o enmity_n with_o confession_n for_o that_o it_o lay_v it_o open_a and_o shame_v it_o yea_o confession_n make_v the_o soul_n stand_v tremble_v in_o a_o confuse_a condition_n before_o man_n and_o angel_n and_o it_o may_v true_o be_v say_v of_o real_a and_o penitential_a confession_n that_o by_o it_o some_o man_n sin_n go_v to_o judgement_n beforehand_o 5.24_o 1_o tim_n 5.24_o and_o be_v this_o be_v a_o truth_n that_o all_o must_v come_v to_o judgement_n and_o every_o secret_a must_v be_v make_v manifest_a let_v the_o christian_n account_v it_o the_o unspeakable_a kindness_n and_o love_n of_o our_o good_a god_n that_o have_v ordain_v so_o easy_a a_o judgement_n for_o his_o elect_a 6.2_o 1_o cor._n 6.2_o as_o to_o send_v his_o ambassador_n who_o shall_v judge_v the_o world_n his_o minister_n aforehand_o to_o take_v their_o confession_n and_o in_o case_n they_o have_v commit_v some_o heinous_a fin_n to_o lay_v upon_o they_o a_o penance_n of_o watch_v fast_a prayer_n alm_n or_o hard_a labour_n etc._n etc._n so_o punish_v their_o body_n in_o this_o life_n that_o they_o may_v not_o perish_v with_o the_o world_n in_o the_o life_n to_o come_v this_o be_v a_o great_a mercy_n and_o not_o common_a to_o all_o 11.32_o 1_o cor._n 11.32_o and_o beside_o our_o love_a lord_n be_v loath_a to_o lay_v his_o own_o hand_n upon_o we_o as_o he_o say_v he_o do_v not_o willing_o afflict_v nor_o grieve_v the_o child_n of_o man_n if_o we_o will_v chastise_v ourselves_o we_o shall_v not_o be_v chastise_v of_o the_o lord_n 11.31_o 1_o cor._n 11.31_o now_o what_o shall_v let_v that_o we_o accept_v not_o of_o this_o great_a mercy_n and_o be_v willing_a to_o be_v judge_v by_o god_n ambassador_n and_o let_v not_o any_o one_o think_v this_o needless_a for_o such_o person_n as_o be_v eminent_a for_o knowledge_n 1.7_o deut._n 17._o mal._n 1.7_o some_o be_v ignorant_a say_v they_o and_o that_o may_v occasion_v they_o to_o go_v to_o the_o priest_n for_o law_n and_o judgement_n the_o priest_n lip_n be_v to_o keep_v knowledge_n and_o the_o people_n to_o seek_v law_n at_o their_o mouth_n but_o some_o have_v more_o understanding_n than_o their_o teacher_n what_o need_v such_o go_v i_o answer_v he_o be_v a_o proud_a man_n that_o will_v not_o submit_v to_o god_n way_n 119.99_o psal_n 119.99_o our_o saviour_n lord_n of_o heaven_n and_o earth_n have_v show_v we_o a_o example_n of_o another_o fashion_n 3.14,15_o matth._n 3.14,15_o john_n say_v to_o our_o lord_n i_o have_v need_n to_o be_v baptize_v of_o thou_o and_o come_v thou_o to_o i_o observe_v our_o lord_n answer_v suffer_v it_o to_o be_v say_v he_o for_o it_o behove_v we_o to_o fulfil_v all_o righteousness_n so_o likewise_o under_o the_o law_n it_o be_v not_o to_o be_v doubt_v but_o there_o be_v many_o a_o jew_n without_o the_o help_n of_o a_o priest_n discern_v his_o own_o leprosy_n and_o also_o pronounce_v himself_o unclean_a yea_o and_o separate_v himself_o according_a to_o law_n yet_o this_o be_v not_o approvable_a without_o the_o priest_n have_v do_v it_o and_o when_o that_o leper_n be_v cure_v he_o be_v not_o so_o esteem_v till_o he_o be_v so_o pronounce_v by_o the_o priest_n and_o a_o sacrifice_n offer_v as_o when_o our_o lord_n himself_o have_v cleanse_v the_o leper_n matth._n 8.4_o yet_o to_o fulfil_v all_o righteousness_n he_o command_v the_o say_a leper_n to_o go_v to_o the_o priest_n and_o offer_v a_o gift_n which_o moses_n have_v command_v for_o a_o testimony_n so_o that_o if_o there_o be_v man_n of_o such_o knowledge_n that_o understand_v all_o mystery_n if_o they_o have_v live_v loose_a life_n commit_v heinous_a and_o great_a sin_n and_o yet_o think_v to_o be_v pardon_v and_o justify_v without_o the_o help_n of_o god_n minister_n their_o way_n be_v not_o god_n way_n neither_o can_v they_o produce_v any_o holy_a man_n in_o former_a age_n that_o have_v tread_v such_o a_o path_n but_o let_v we_o consider_v further_o what_o reason_n may_v induce_v we_o to_o submit_v to_o this_o ordinance_n 1._o 1._o first_o for_o the_o antiquity_n of_o it_o we_o find_v some_o footstep_n thereof_o under_o the_o law_n yea_o before_o the_o law_n though_o more_o dark_o for_o god_n himself_o require_v a_o confession_n of_o adam_n eve_n and_o cain_n and_o according_o proceed_v against_o they_o and_o for_o the_o punishment_n of_o adam_n and_o eve_n whereunto_o they_o be_v sentence_v namely_o that_o in_o the_o sweat_n of_o his_o brow_n he_o shall_v eat_v his_o bread_n and_o she_o bring_v forth_o in_o sorrow_n it_o may_v well_o be_v call_v a_o penance_n impose_v upon_o they_o for_o save_v their_o soul_n 2.15_o 1_o tim._n 2.15_o for_o as_o he_o by_o labour_n so_o she_o by_o sorrow_n in_o childbearing_n shall_v be_v save_v if_o they_o continue_v in_o the_o faith_n the_o like_a example_n in_o another_o place_n we_o have_v of_o god_n himself_o aaron_z and_o his_o sister_n miriam_n have_v murmur_v against_o moses_n about_o take_v a_o aethiopian_a to_o wife_n god_n be_v so_o displease_v with_o their_o murmur_a that_o he_o smite_v miriam_n with_o leprosy_n which_o do_v occasion_n aaron_n as_o for_o himself_o so_o for_o his_o sister_n to_o confess_v their_o fault_n to_o moses_n and_o moses_n have_v pray_v to_o god_n for_o she_o the_o lord_n heal_v she_o but_o what_o though_o she_o be_v heal_v yet_o for_o her_o penance_n or_o punishment_n let_v she_o be_v separate_v seven_o day_n say_v god_n that_o so_o she_o may_v be_v ashamed_a for_o if_o her_o father_n have_v spit_v in_o her_o face_n shall_v she_o not_o be_v ashamed_a this_o be_v do_v by_o god_n own_o appointment_n but_o under_o the_o law_n we_o may_v see_v the_o footstep_n thereof_o more_o manifest_a though_o not_o so_o perspicuous_a as_o under_o the_o gospel_n where_o truth_n appear_v as_o it_o be_v with_o open_a face_n in_o the_o time_n of_o the_o law_n we_o find_v it_o manifest_v 5.6_o levit._fw-la 5.5_o numb_a 5.6_o that_o god_n command_v all_o such_o man_n and_o woman_n as_o have_v sin_v shall_v come_v to_o the_o priest_n and_o make_v confession_n thereof_o before_o atonement_n can_v be_v make_v and_o it_o be_v explain_v by_o ainsworth_n in_o his_o annotation_n upon_o they_o verse_n that_o no_o atonement_n be_v ever_o make_v without_o confession_n yea_o though_o a_o man_n or_o woman_n do_v all_o other_o thing_n that_o the_o law_n do_v require_v yet_o without_o confession_n there_o be_v no_o atonement_n make_v and_o he_o that_o in_o confession_n do_v most_o aggravate_v his_o sin_n be_v account_v the_o best_a man_n hence_o we_o may_v see_v that_o as_o the_o minister_n under_o the_o gospel_n be_v so_o the_o priest_n under_o the_o law_n be_v after_o penitential_a confession_n minister_n of_o reconciliation_n but_o yet_o in_o a_o dark_a manner_n and_o not_o so_o glorious_a for_o it_o be_v write_v of_o they_o under_o the_o gospel_n 7._o 2_o cor._n 3.10_o &_o 3.6.8,9_o 4_o 7._o for_o even_o that_o which_o be_v make_v glorious_a have_v no_o glory_n in_o this_o respect_n by_o reason_n of_o the_o glory_n that_o excel_v their_o ministry_n be_v of_o the_o letter_n we_o of_o the_o spirit_n as_o it_o be_v write_v he_o have_v make_v we_o able_a minister_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n not_o of_o the_o letter_n but_o of_o the_o spirit_n and_o again_o have_v give_v unto_o we_o the_o ministry_n of_o reconciliation_n such_o treasure_n have_v we_o in_o earthen_a