noS Contemplations. Lx11.xv. otacomrite heart; The greatdl:gridesare noc moll:verball: S•ui contdfed his fin A more largtly,leffe effcetually;God c_arcs ~oc for phrafcs,but for aftedions. The fidl piece ofour amends to God for fionmg, ts the acknowledgement oflinne; He con doe liulet~a~ in a jull offencecannot accufe himfdf~. Ifwee cannot be fo good as we would,tt rs rcafon we lhould doe God lomuchnghr,as to fay, bowevill \Ye arc. And why wasnot this done fooncr ~ It isll:range to fee how ealily fin gets into the hem,how hardly it gets out ofchc mouth;Is it bccaufe finnc,likc unto Satan,where it bath got poffeffion is dcfir~usto ~o.ld it; and know_cs t~at. ic is _fully cjcllcd by a free confcffion ~ or, bccaufc 10 a goulnncffc ofdcformrty,re bodes re fclfc in the broil: where it is once entertained, and hates the light~ or, bccaufc the tongue is fo fce'd with ftlfc-lovc, that it~ loath to bee drawne unto any verdiCt again!l the heartor hands~ or, is icouc ofan idle mifprifion of lbame,which whiles ic fl10uld be placed B in offcnding,is mifplacedin difclofing ofour offence ~ However,furc I am,that God haeh need even ofrackes ro draw out confeffions ; and fear cc in death it fclfe,arc we wrought to a difcovery ofour errours. There is no one thing, wherein our folly lhcwcs it fclfc more tbln in thefc hurt. full concealments: Contrary eo the proceedings ofhumane Ju!lice, it is with God, C•nfof{e •nJ live;no fooncr can D•vid fay, I have finned, than N•th•s infcrres; Th• Lord •l(oh•thP'" •ro•y thy flnnt. He that hides his fins !ball noc profpcr, but he that confdkth and forfJ~eth them, !ball finde mercy. Who would not accufo himfclfe to be acquimd of God ~ 0 God, who would not tell his wic~edneffe to thee, that knowell: it better thanhis owoe hcarr, that his heart may bee eafed ofthat wickedneffc, which being not told, killcth ~ Sincewehavcfinoed, why lhould we be nig- C gardly ofthat aaion, wherein wee may atobcegive glory to thee, and rclicfe to our loulcs ~ Dwid had fworne in a zcaleofJu!lice, that the rich Opprcffor, for but tal<ing his poore Neighbours Lambe,lbould dye the death: God, by NAtban is more favoura• ble to DAvia',than to take him at his word:Tb"' /btdt nila'Jt:O the marvellous pow. er ofrepentance! Bdidcs adultery, Davia'hadlbed the blood ofinnocent Yrl•h: The flria Law was Eye for Eye,Tooth forTooth!Hethatfmitcth with theSword, £hall perilh with the Sword: Yet as ifa penitent confeffion had di(penfed with the rigour ofju!lice,now God Caycs;rh,•fb•lt "" "l'• DAvia was the voice ofrhe Law awarding death unto finne: NAthm was the votce ofche Gofpel, awarding life unto the repentance for finne. Whatfoevcrthe fore be, never any foule applyed this re· D mcdie, and died ; never any foulc cfcapc:d death, that a~plyed it not. D•vidhimfclte !ballnot dye for thisfaa:buthis mif-begottcn childe lhall dye for him;Hc that [aid, The Lord hathput.,., thJ fimu,yer faid alfo, Th• (w1rd p,.u ""dep.rt jY1m 1hine h••f?. The fame mouth,with one breath, pronounces the fcntcnce both of Abfolution, and Death; Abfolution to the Perfoo,Death to the Ilfue. Pardon may weU !land with temporail affliCtions. Where God bath forgiven, though he doth nor punilh, yet be may chaflifc,and that unto blood;neithcr dothbe alwayes torbcarc rorreeti· on,where he remits revenge.So long as he fmites us not as an angry Judge, we may endure to fmarr from him, as aloving Father. Yet even this Rod did D•vid deprecate with teares: How faine would he !bake E offfa ealie aload ~ The Childcis ll:ricken; the Father falls and prayes, and weepes, and Iyes all night upon thccarth,and abhorrcs the noifeofcomfort. Tbat Cbilde, which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery, whomhe could never have looked opon without recognition of his finnc, in wbofe face he c.ould not but have ftill read the records ofhis owne lbame,is thusmourned fur,~hus fued for; Ir is calie to obfervc that good man over·pafli.onatdy affeeted to his Children. Whowould not have thought, that D•vid might have held himfclfe well.appayd, that his foule efe2ped an eternal! death, his bodya violent , though God lbou\d puoilh his finne,in that Childe, in whomhe finned~ yet even again!ltbis croffe bee bend•his Prayers, as ifnothing had beeoe forgiven him. There is no Chllde that would be fcourged if he mig6t efcape torcrying : No affiietion is for the rime o· ther
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