2 5 2 A Box orpreciow Ointmea : Or, himfelf. Since Adam fell in paradife, there has not been one wicked man in the world (continuing in that flate) that has ever mixt faith with his forrows, believing with his confef- ling; 'tis only the penitent man that confefleth fin believing- ly, ancl that is pardoned gracioufly. The confeing.penitent reafcns thus with God; Lord, though I am ,a finful crea- ture, yet thou art a merciful God ; though I am unworthy of t mercy, yet thou forgival fins freely; though 'my fins reach as high as heaven, vet thy mercies reach above the heavens ; I am here ready and willing to acCure and condemn my felf, and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to abfolve me, and forgive me. 0 Lord, though my fins are very many, yet thy mercies are exceeding more ; though I have multiplied my fins, yet thou canit multiply thy pardons;.. though I am a firmer, I very great firmer, yet ,these is mercy with thee, that thou mayeft be feared and loved, ferved and truiled; and therefore in the face of all my fins, provocations and unwor- thinefs, I will look up for mercy, and wait for mercy. 13Lit, Eighth-ly and lafl ly, True penitential confeifion is joyned- with reformation.That confeffion of fin that carries forgivnefs of lin with it, is attended with ferious defires and earn& en- deavours of reformation ; therefore forfaking of fin is an... next to confetfion of fin, Troy. 28. / 3-. He that covereth his (insshall no,t prfper, but ichofo, confeffeth and forfaketh them Ad hive mercy. Co_nfeffion of fin mull be joyned with confufion of fin, or all's loft; God will never crofs the book, he will, never -draw the red lines of Chrift'sbloud over theblack lines of our tranfgretlions, ,except confeffing and forfaking go hand in hand.- Hethat does not forfake his fin, as well as confefs forfakes the benefit of his confetfion. And indeed, there is no real confetlion of fin, .where there is no real forfaking of fin ; 'tis, not enough for us to confefs the finswe have com- milted, but we mull peremptorily refolve against the com - mitting again the fins we have confell,; we mail defire as freely to forgo our fins, as we do defile God to forgive us our fins. Confeffion of fin is .a fpiritual vomit ; now you know, a man:fhatis burdened in his flomack, is heartily evil ling ca, Yoa
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