Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

196 of the Confefsion of our finnes. " often exhort us to flee to the medicine of confefsí- " on,not that God needeth our confeffion,unto \\ horn " all things are prefent which we think, (peak and do; " but becaufe we cannot otherwife be laved unleffe we " confeffe penitently that which we have done amiffe " negligently. He that accufeth himfelf in his finnes, " the devil bath not whereof to accule him in the day " of judgement. Nat leali confeffing he do by repent- " ing blot out what he bath done, and doth not again renew them, &c. Let the firmer whileft he liveth " confeffe the finnes which he bath committed, be- " caute confeffion is fruitleffe in hell, neither loth re- " pentance there profit to falvation. Behold, no1v is the " day of f lvation,noiv is the time acceptable to God; now " is the time of pardon to the penitent: but after death " there will be a time of vengeance for thofe that ne- " gle t to confeffe their finnes. For all wicked men " have bitter repentance in torments, but it doth not " profit thé for pardon:but their conlcience tortureth " them for the increafe of their pains which they fig f_ " fer, &c. All hope of pardon confìfleth in confeífi- L` on. So Ad fratres in Eremo, Serm. 3o. o homo, n'e " tardes converti ad Deum, &c. O man, faith he, do "not delay to turn unto God. Examine thy mind, " fearch all the fecrets of thy heart; confider before "thou comefi to confeflion that thy heart bath finned " in coveting evil things, thine eye in beholding vani- ty, thy mouth in fpeaking falfhood, thine Bare in "hearing lies, thy hand in perpetrating blows and " murders , &c. Let therefore thine heart grieve, " thine eye weep, thy mouth pray without interiniíli- `on, thine care heare the word of God, thine hand give