354 SE R M o N s of the Forgivenefs of S 1 N s. 1j/. The Undedl:anding mufl: be enlightened by the Divine Law to difcover Sin. The ~~:!c~e~~~~~u~t1~Je~\~~~'::Y~ ~;~~~eon1~~:~'~r~ i~~ tl~eK;i~~, i~~~~~d~~:f/tec~,~~~~~~~;, the ~onfCiencc .. Paul declares, that_ he was one~ aln;e without tl;e L aw, i .e. nor under~ fiand:ng his Gud~, he prditm'd of Iu s Jufiificatton ; but when rh~ Commandm_ent came in its L1ghr to convmcc him. of the Tranfgrcffion of ir, ~he appar.itton of .Sin m the clear Gla!S of the Law fl:ruck lum dead. There mufl: be a D1feuilion of Con!Ctcnee, a comparing our ACbons With the Rule, to difcovcr thei r O~hqutry : for Sms unknown a11d unconfidcr'd cannot be. con.fefl:. Some Sins arc noronous, and prcfcnt rhemiClves to our Knowledge and Memory ; others are of a weaker Evidence, Inquiry mufi: be made afrcr them. 'Tis an unpleabnt \Vork eo rake in tli.c Sink. of a corrupt Heart, but 'tis nceellary . ' 'J· The Properties of Confeilion are, ( •.) It mufl: be free and mgcnuous: That which is extorted by bitter Confl:raint is of no Value and Acceptance. Pbaraob, an obil:inate Rebel, upon the rack, acknowlcdg'd be bad jin11ed. 'Tis rrue, rhe Penal Effects of Sin may be the fir!l: Excitation of Sinners to conf1der their Ways, but the Holy Spirit by that Means lo deeply alfelh rhem wi th the Ev1l of Sin, that t hey vol untanly confcfs them before rl~c all-d_,fcerning ~~ d~~~I, ~:~/~Jo~fo~~;-~~jlu:J:::. 1 k;£: ~:~~,~~ :~~tb;:a~~a}_{fr;(~i~,[,J;~jtl~;:;:~f:£~ ( z. ) Confcnion mufl be fincerc and ftill, that our Sms may be more evidenr and odi- ":!irur vitium, ous to us. The covering of. Sins. is like the keeping a Serpent warm, that will fling v1Vin1ue re:- more fi ercely. The concealmg Sm argues the ~ove of it, and is a Bar againft Pardon. p[;1~; ~ - 1 • !!J:~~~:s;;~d:t~ ~:i~~frhS;i;{~erf:;/i~m~~'Si~~ t:~u~g'd:i~~~~os:~~~:::J'~tf~,:; 9 eXu~~~- Thc linccre Penitent pourS foi:th his Heart lil:e Water before tbe Lord. Of all Liquids none arc 10 clearly pour' cl out of a Vclfcl as Water: Wine or Oil leave a T ind:ure. We ~hould in Cottfeilion pour out all our Sins, and leave no Tincture of AffeCtion ro them. If it be fa id , How can we confefs our Sins that are above our counting? 'Tis t rue, but we mufl: rdCrve none. We mufl: confefs the kinds of our Sins, againfi the firil: and fecond Table, that were both written with God's Hand; Si ns ofOminion and Commiffion, and particular Sins of greater Guilt : we mufl: wafh off their deceitful ColoUrs, that they may appear in rheir hellifl1 Shape, and more deeplyaffeCl: us. Men are very averfe from this Duty, and apt to conceal or extenuate rhe1r Sms. The A!t of co.nceahng and ExcufCs is learnt from the firfl: TranfgreiTor. When God call ed to Adam Where art thott? rho his Dre;td ro appear before the Divine Prefence was a tacit Confeilion of his Fault, and his hiding himfelf difcovered his Sin; yet lw does not acknowledge his Sin, but alCen. J . , 0 • ledges the ConfCquencc of it, his Shame, to be the Caufe of his Guilty Fear. I lJtard r:rs ~::if~' o7:1~1:~a~::~~' ::da~~~~:~~i;::;~eA~: ur;o~x~~~t:es 1:\~e~~~~~~ft;~s~z Woman wbicb tiJou gffVe/l me, gave me of t/;e Fruit, and I did eat. The wicked Excufe did 'infinitely aggravate his Sin. The Woma11 Lays her Fault at the Serpent's door, 1be Serpent beguiled me. Aaroli pretends rhar the People compcll'd him to Idolatry , and rhar E<od ;> :~~1! 0~1~:: <;;!~,;::/:~~~l::,~~~~C~~DcJ~:; ~~t~::d ~~stR~b~J:~~c~v~r{, ~ffe ~;~t~~~~~~f tSam 15· 15· Religion: He l.:ept t!Jebeflof tbe Cattle for Sacrifice. In fhort, as in Sweating, 'tis obf~rvcd that a general Sweat of the Body is forits Advanrage, but the Sweat of a Part only JSthc Symptom of aDifeafe: Soaclearunfe1gnedConfeilion is for our Profit, but afemt-ConfelTion is counterfeit, an Ind ication of Hypocrify. . ( l.) Confcilion mufl: be mix'd with Sorrow and Shame in the Remembrance of our pall: Sins. 1. A pi ercing dee-p Sorrow from fpiritual Principles and Pcrfwalives is the Ingredicnr of an acceptable Confefiion. There is a natural Sorrow proceeding from the Impreffi?n of afFl iCting Evils. Scncc is very tender and apt to refent what is oppreilive to ir. A Smner rhar has wa!l:ed his Efl:are, blafl:ed his Reputation, fl10rrned his Life by his Excelfes, and hafl:en'd hi s Damnation, may feel Angui!h in his Breafr for his Sins, the procuring.Caufcs of his Punifhmcnt. Bur this Sorrow proceeds only from the Sc:ntC of external Evtls, nor from the mel ted Heart for the intrinlick Evil of Sin : As Marble Pillars are wet, from the Moiilure of rhc 2mbienr Air. 'Tis the miferable Man, not the miferablc Sinn~r. chat mourns . This Sorrow is confifl:em with the Love of Sin; and when rhe penal EV1l,ts removed, the Sinner returns to rhe Prad:iccof it. Carnal Sorrow only rcfpcd:s a Mans fclf as a Sufferer; 'tis inHell, in the extreme De-grees, t!Jere is weepingfor f1!er. There
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