Let the Reuerend Prelates and Pastors of the Church Ministers and Preachers of the word beware they do not Performe Gods worke negligently let them wisely and couragiously speake and admonish the wicked of his way lest God require his blood at their hands Let them keepe backe nothing but shew vnto their people all the councell of God that they may bee pure from the blood of all men And let them preach the word be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them a heape of teachers And shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fablâ—s Thirdly let the ciuill Magistrates whether Superiors or Inferiors defend and assist the Pastors and Ministers lette them draw out the sword of Iustice and cutte downe sinne lette them promote true religion roote out errour and Idolatry Let them execute Iustice and iudgement without respect of persons let them spare and defend the innocent let them prouide for the wants of the poore let them shine as lights before the people by all godly vertuous example and finally let them as farre as their power and authoritie will extend take order and do their indeauour that the people vnder them may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Finally let the people and subiects feare and serue God repent of their sinnes honour their King obey and be subiect to authoritie loue and reuerence their Ministers submitte themselues to the word of GOD and liue in brotherly loue vnitie one with another which GOD almightie graunt for â—esus Christes sake Amen And thus much of the Churches fault and infirmitie 2. SECTION NOw it followeth to speake of her confession and acknowledgement of her slumbring and carelesnes contained and couched in these wordes I sleepe From whose example and practise we are taught without all denying suppressing or lessening our sinnes to make a willing and ingenuous confession of them all unto allmighty God to the intent that God may forgiue and forget them and remoue or mittigate the â—uills and punishments that they haue brought vppon vs. For further confirmation and illustration hereof we haue both commandement in Sâ—ripture and also publike and priuate excercise of it The Lord by the Prophet Hosea exhorting the Isralites to repentance prescribeth them a set forme of repentance saying Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs gratiously c. Asâ—ur shall not saue vs c. neither will wee say any more to the workes of our handes yee are our Gods Secondly when wee are exhorted to repent and amend wee are withall exhorted to confesse our sinnes for confession is as the First so a most necessary part of repentance Heere-vppon Iob saith if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnes and it did not profit me Then God will deliuer his soule from going into the pitte and his life shall see the light If wee confesse and for sake our sinnes wee shall finde fauor Againe if wee acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and â—ust Viz. in his promise to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Publike examples wee haue in Nehemias making a large and mournefull confession of his and the peoples sinnes Secondly in Daniel who in the name and behalfe of the people maketh a confession of his and the peoples and confesseth that Iustice belongeth vnto God but shame and confusion to them c. Thirdly of the Isralites in Isaias his time who all acknowledge themselues to haue beene as vncleane thingâ— and their righteousnes as a filthy rotten clout and of the people in Samuell the Prophets daies saying we haue sinned in assuming vs a King besides all other sinnes Herevnto may bee annexed and referred the example of the Niniuites confessing their sinnes vnto God and of the people that came to Iohn the Baptist to bee baptized of him confessing their sinnes Viz voluntarily and in a generall manner onely Priuate practise and presidents hereof wee haue in Dauid confessing and bewayling his folly in numbering the people his adultery in polluting Vrias his wife and his murder in causing her innocent husband his good subiect to be slaine in warre Dauid before hee had confessed his sinnes as appeareth could find no ease day nor night but his bones consumed he roared al the day but as soone as he in heart purposed to confesse against himselfe his sinnes vnto the Lord God forgaue the punishment of his sin Likewise in Iob who acknowledgeth himselfe to be vilde before God and that he cannot answer one word for a thousand Thirdly in the Prodigall childe who confessed that he had sinned against heauen and against God and that he was no more worthy to be called his son Fourthly of the contrite Publican who would not lift vp his eyes to heauen but smote his breast saying God be mercyfull vnto me a sinner Fiâ—tly in Peter that accknowledgeth him-selfe a sinfull man and of Paule that in regard he had bene a blasphemer a persecutor an oppressor albeit ignorantly confesseth himselfe to be the greatest amongst sinners The person to whome confession is to bee made is first properly and principally GOD for against him onely haue wee sinned and done euill in his sight hee alone knoweth all our sinnes and he alone pardoneth and forgiueth all our sinnes and that for his owne names sake and for his Christ his â—ake merites suffering and mediation And therefore it is folly vanitie superstition yea bondage and impossibilitie to make confession of al our mortal sins to a Priest as the Papists make shew of and require in their care confession no commandement no practise no example hereof is extant in the sacred Scriptures and it began not to be vrged vntil 800. yeares after Christ. Secondly Dauid and others repented and receiued remission of sinnes without confessing their sinnes in particuler to any man Psal. 32. 2. Sam. 12. 12. Ob. But is it lawfull conuenient some times and in some case to confesse our sinnes to our Pastor Minister or Christian brother An. Yes for Iames willeth men to confesse their sinnes one to another and this priuate confession is to be made not of all knowne sinnes but onely of that sinne which troubleth and vexeth the conscience or of that whereby our neighbour is annoyed and wronged And that in two cases first when â—ase and comfort is sought for in trouble of conscience and here before confession be made no helpe can bee obtained For as the Phisition must know the disease before hee can apply the remedie euen so the Minister or brother cannot comfort
as a speciall blessing that they may moderately seeke and desire but he promiseth to honour yea and honoureth them that honour him The principall reason that must induce and drawe vs herevnto is and must bee not our owne glory but that by our meanes the Gospel and the name of Christ may be wel spoken of for the good name of Christians is an ornament and credit to the Gospell And vpon this ground Paul exhorteth seruants to subiection faithfulnesse and obedience that they may adorne the doctrine of GOD their Sauiour in all things Lastly our Sauiour willeth and exhoreth vs saying Let your light so shine beforâ— men that they may see your good workes and glorisie your father which is in heauen Therefore it is lawfull to haue a diligent consideration loue and care for a good name for so much the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed before Phil. 4. ver 8. importeth But here certaine rules are to bee obserued First wee must beware that in no wise wee detract and derogate ought from the honour and glorie of GOD as the Papists doe who attribute and ascribe merite satisfaction and iustification to their owne workes and inuentions and not to the grace of GOD onely for then they that despise GOD shal be despised and hee is so iealous and zealous of his owne honour that hee cannot abide it to bee giuen to any other therefore wee must in all things earnestly seeke for the glorie of GOD onely and not our owne Secondly wee must refraine from all manner of sinne and wickednesse for otherwise as one Flie doth corrupt and cause to stinke the oyntment of the Apothecary so doth one sinne or vice obscure and eclipt his name that is in estimation for wisdome and for glorie Thirdly we must repent vs of al our sinnes and we must practise iustice and excell in good works For then our memorall shal be blessed and then that which wee haue done shal be spoken of and remembred with honour Lastly we must not delight in the oblique or disgrace of any but haue a speciall regard to thinke and speake well of others For with what iudgemeÌ„t we iudge we shal be iudged And this much touching the resolutioÌ„ of this doubt Vse 1. Seeing that the inordinate desire and affectation of humaine glorie popular praise and hunting after titles and honour doe euen in the best sometimes so dimme and darken faith and make them secure and carelesse in Gods matters wee must not please our selues in much lesse dote vpon these outward and vaine things least afterwards beeing dispoyled of them wee bee like the beasts that perish who feede only vpon these outward things and fore-see no further Vse 2. We must first and principally approue our hearts waies and consciences vnto GOD and seeke to bee inwardly holy not outwardly only that our praise may not bee of men but of God for not hee that praiseth himselfe no nor whome men alwaies praise who may bee deceiued is not allowed but hee whome the Lord praiseth And Secondly when wee labour and endeuour to approoue our selues vnto men and especiallie to the true seruants of GOD if they doe praise and testifie well of vs wee must not dispise and neglect their commendation and approbation but take it as a fruite and effect of our wel-doing and albeit they giue no such great report and commendation of vs wee must bee content and hold it sufficient that GOD and our sanctified conscience testifieth and beareth witnesse of our Godly purenesse and weldoing 1. Cor. 1. 3. And thus much of the foure causes and occasions of the Churches sleepinesse and securitie Thus wee see by the example of this Church in the Canticles as of diuers others it is subiect as to other sinnes defects and errours so to a kinde of winking or slumbering euen in the good and prosperous estate of it But in this place the Church was in no dead sleepe much lesse had her faith extinct for shee discerned and tooke notice of her infirmitie which shee could not otherwise haue done if she had either soundlie slept or had wandered in darkenesse Which beeing so wee are to make a two-fold vse of it Vse 1. First wee must not for certaine defects infirmities wants and some small spottes and blemishes either in doctrine or discipline much lesse forsake and denie the Church that holdeth firmely and purely the foundation Neither must wee for certaine spottes balcknesse defects and deformities doubt of much lesse despaire of our owne estate and saluation so long as our heart is right with God and wee are sound in the faith of our Lord Iâ—sus Christ. For Christ hath made a satisfaction to Gods iustice for all our sinnes and there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ in whome sinne albeit it alwaies dwell yet it neuer swaieth and raigneth And as for sinnes of ignorance weakenesse and infirmity the Lord pardoneth and passeth by them in his sonnes and seruants And as a louing husband will not take away his loue from his wife nor cast her off for euerie fault and want so long as shee keepeth her loue entirely and sincerely to him So GOD will not cast off his loue nor forsake his Church or any particular member of it for speciall wants and frailties in particular commandementes so long as they by faith cleaue vnto him and generallie labour to please him Vse 2. Secondly seeing that sleepinesse drowsinesse negligence and securitic in the Church doth not please God but offend him and cause his Maiestie both by inward snibbes yea and sense of his indignation and also oftentimes by sundry and fearefull iudgements and thunder-claps especially when it is growne to any deadnesse of heart and is hardly sensible of her decay and decline doth labour to rowse and awaken them as hee hath of latter yeares this Island by clamor and still triumpeting of his ministers by daungerous and neere effecting of the Papists gunshot shogging and shaking of the earth vnder vs noyse of the windes and roaring and inundation of the waters eclipting of zeale in manie and threatenings pronounced against vs for our abuse neglect and contempt of his holie Gospell that hee will send and bring vpon vs not a famine of bread but of Gods worde wee all of vs must take knowledge thereof repent of our sinnes betime fanne our selues beefore the decree come forth meete the LORD in the waie yea and kisse the Sonne Christ Iesus by true subiection faith and obedience least hee be angry â—nd so perish in the way when his wrath shall sodainly burne Let the Gouernors Rulers and those that haue the greatest eminencie and authority in the Church looke dilligently to their charge for the remouall and redresse of ignorance error Atheisme and Popish superstition and for the aduancement and countenancing true Religion and vertuous liuing
or councell the distressed before that he hath discouered his griefe And herein the persons to whome confession is to be made are especially the faithfull Ministers and Pastors who for their callings guifts and experience are of all men most apt and able to direct informe and comfort the troubled conscience And thus Dauid confessed his sinne to Nathan and the people to Samuell as hath bene before touched Secondly wee are to confesse our sinnes to our neighbour whome wee haue wronged or offended by word or deed that wee may giue some satisfaction to him and pacifie his anger and displeasure and so bee reconciled to him In this case CHRIST preferreth reconciliation to sacrifize and would haue vs first be reconciled to our brother and then offer that wee left at 〈◊〉 Altar Reasons further to moue induce and perswade vs in the godly sorrow contrition of our hearts to make confession of al our knowne sins vnto God are specially these First hereby we giue glory vnto God and â—ustifie him in his word and corrections who the more we debase our selues before him in respect of our sinnes the more we glorifie God from whome nothing is hid and the more vile and base that we are in our owne eyes the more pretious and glorious in Gods and when wee thinke and confesse that we are lost in our selues wee are found of him The second reason is because vnlesse wee confesse our sinnes before God wee can finde no ease of them but they will more paine and torment vs. The stomacke that is ouercharged with some vndisgested meates that doth annoy it or with Rheume or Flegme is â—ased by a vomit euen so the soule that is burdened with sinne is eased and relieued by confession and accusation of it selfe Thirdly without confession there is not nor cannot bee any true repentance for it is a part of it yea the gate dore and foundation of it and if the heart bee holy contrite godly sorrowfull it cannot but manifest and discouer it selfe by the confession of the mouth which speaketh out of the aboundance of the heart The last reason is because without confession of all our knowne sinnes vnto GOD there is no remission of sinnes For hee that hideth his sinnes shall neuer prosper and the more wee hide them the sooner and more sodainely will they issue forth to our shame and confusion like as the waters the more they are dam'ed vppe the more violently will they breake forth Dauid before hee confessed his sinnes hee found not pardon And vppon his confession hee was immediately pardoned Seeing that confession of sinne is so necessary that it is not so easie a matter to finde out all our sinnes we must not onely try examine our deedes words and thoughts by the strickt and straight line and rule of Gods lawe which is the discouerer and reuealer of sinne but because our knowledge is vnperfect and wee blinde and partiall in our owne cases we must be content to haue our sinnes ript vp and laid open by publike doctrine and preaching and indure it albeit it neuer so much gall wound and shame vs and also admitte and allow of priuate and brotherly admonition For all these are holy the ordinary meanes ordained and sanctified of God for our humiliation repentance and recouery which whosoeuer neglecteth contemneth or refuseth hee can neuer truly come to the knowledge and conscience of sinne much lesse repent of it and so be saued Secondly wee must not onely confesse those our sinnes vnto God that are more enormous and haynous these that are many times odious before men but also our secret and particular corruptions faultes blottes weakenesses infirmities yea and also sinnes of omission and neglect especially of prayer praise thankesgiuing vnto God And we must haue a true touch and godly sorrow for them for the least sinne in it owne nature beeing committed against the good and infinite maiestie of God and his vndefiled law deserueth death Thus Dauid desireth pardon of the sinnes of his youth yea of his vnknowne sins Thus Iob offered burnt offerings for his children euery day fearing least his sonnes had sinned and had blasphemed God in their hearts Thus Paule was afflicted and troubled in him-selfe for his originall sinne crying out and saying O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Dauid hauing onely vpon extraordinary aduantage and occasion cutte of the lappe of Sauls garment was troubled in his heart He also confesseth his blindness ignorance in Gods matters The Church of God in Isaias his time doth acknowledge that whereas they erred from Gods waies that their hearts were hardened from his feare it came for their vnthankefullnes that God in iustice was the author of it Lastly when they omit good duties to God or men or faile in the manner and measure of them they make confession of it we haue failed we haue rebelled c. And in another place all this plague is come vpon vs as it is written in the law of Moses yet made we not our praiers before the Lord our God c. And of this we must haue a care to repent because by leauing our duty vnaccomplished wee oftner offend then by sinnes committed and if GOD should require it at our handes the smallest sinne of omission it is enough to condemne vs. And therefore Dauid saith if thou O Lord straitly markest iniquitie who shall stand And againe cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them And here is a notable touchstone whereby the children of God are discerned and distinguished from all reprobates whatsoeuer The reprobates and that but now and then are touched with and make confession of some great and notorious sinne as wee haue examples in Pâ—arao in Caine in Iudas But for their smaller sinnes particular infirmities and sinnes of omission they haue no touch sense and feeling at all Contrariwise the elect and regenerate of God doe euen grone and sigh vnder the burden of these lesser sinnes they make confession of them and desire to be eased and lightned of them for they know that hereby they offend GOD which they would in no wise doe and therefore Paul saith the gooâ— thing which I woulâ— I doe not but the euill thing which I would not doe that doe I so that here hee is grieued for his particular sinnes both of commission and omission or leauing of good vnperfourmed And thus much of confession and the vses thereof THE THIRD SECTION But mine heart waketh HAuing spoken of the Churches flumber and securitie wherein her infirmitie and weakenesse appeared it followeth that now I propound and apply the Antidote or remedy contained in these words But mine heart waketh The heart here which is naturally