A Box of precious Ointment : 0 as the knowledg..; and memory of a penitent Chriilian rea ches, fo far his confefsion reaches. But EON) wicked turn confefs fin in the general, in the lump ; as p=haraoh, I have fnned ; and their con 'efsions are commonly conided, and at random. When and ',vhere do yo'J find wicked men confef- fing their fins dictinEtly or particularly' efore God or man ? this is none of theleall of their mife,rie.s, that they have not a clear, diftina, particular view of their own corruptions and abominations. But, Fifthly, The true penitent does not only cliflin&ly and particularly confefs his fins, but he does very highly aggra- vate his fins, by confefsing not only the kinds and as (fo far as he knows and remembers them) but the circumfiances of them alfo. There are (fometimes) force circumftances that may fomewhat leffen a penitent mans fins ; now thefe he rea- dily and eafily paffes over, but then there are other circum- fiances which do exceedingly heighten and aggravate his fins, and that makes them more hainous and dangerous ; there he carefully and faithfully acknowledges. The penitential confefsions recorded in the old and new Teflament, are full of exaggerating exprefsions, as is evident in thefe inaances. Etra at once heightens and aggravates their fins by this cir- cumflance, that they had been committed againq manifold experiments that they had had, both of the feverity, and al- fo of the mercy of the Lord, Ezra 9. and, fo does Nehemiah alfo,A7elo. 9. The like inflance you have in Daniel, Chap. 9. 5, 6. We have finned, and have committed inignity, andiave done. aTickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy jndgments : neither have vie hearkened onto thy fer- vants the Prophets ghichfpahe. in thy Name, to our Kings, °ter Princes and our Fathers, and to all the people of the Land. In thefe words you have feven circumftances that Daniel ufeth in confefsing of his and the peoples fins, and all to heighten and to aggravate them. Firft, We have finned. Secondly, We have committed iniquity.Thirdly, We have done rpickedly.F ourth- ly, We have rebelled aglinft thee. Fifthly We have departed from thy precepts. Sixthly, We have not hearkened canto .thy fervants.. Seventhly,
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