376 DIRECTIONS POR GETTING AND KEEPING forgiveness,: andito the utmestof his ability to make restitution ! What abundance of difficulties will be in the way ! It will likely cost him the loss of his credit, besides the breach in his estate, and perhaps lay him open to the rage of him that he hath wronged. Rather he will be drawn to over his sin with a lie, or at least by excuses. And so it is in many other sins. Now, in any of these cases, when men indulge the flesh, and cannot find in their hearts to take that loss or shame to themselves, which a thorough repent ance doth require, they do but feed the troubles of their soul, and hide their wounds and sores, and not ease them. Usually such persons go on in a galled, unpeaceable condition, and reach not to solid comfort. (I speak only of those to whom such confession or restitution is a duty.) And I cannotwonder at it ; for they have . great cause to question the truth of that repentance, and conse- quently the soundness of that heart, which will not bring them to a self-denying duty, nor to God's way of rising from their sin. It seemsat present the interest of the flesh is actually predominant, when no reason or conviction will persuade them to contradict it. As ever you would have sound comfort, then, in such a case as this, spare not the flesh. When you have sinned, you must rise again or perish. If you cannot rise without fasting, without free confessing,without the utter shaming of yourselves,without restitu- tion, never stick at it. This is your hour of trial ; O, yield not to the conflict. The dearer the victory costeth you, the greater will be your peace. Try it, and if you find it not so, I am mistaken. Yet ifyou have sinned so that the ripening of it maymore discredit the gospel, than your confession will honor it, and yet your con- science is unquiet, and urgeth you to confess, in such a case, be first well informed, and proceed warily and upon deliberation; and first open the case to some faithful minister or able Christian in secret, that you may have good advice. 3. The same counsel, also, would I give you in the performance of your duty. A magistrate is convinced he must punish sinners, and put down alehouses, and be true to every just cause ; but then he must steel his face against all men's reproaches, and the solici- tations of all friends. Aminister is convinced that he must teach from house to house, aswell as publicly, if he be able; and that he must deal plainlywith sinners according to their conditions ; yea, and require the church to avoid communion with them, if they be obstinate in evil, after other sufficient means ;. but then he shall lose the love of his people, and be accounted proud, precise, rigid, lordly, and perhaps lose his maintenance. Obey God now and the dearer it costeth you, the more peace and protection, and the larger blessing, may you expect from God ; for you do, as it were, oblige God the more to stick to you ; as you will take your-
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