Senn. CV!I. Of ConfeJïon, and Sorrowfor Sin. nI from us : For the reafonieg of our Saviour concerningMary Magdalene, She lo- ved much, becaufe much was forgiven her, is proportionably true in tisis cafe, thofe who have finned much, {horrid forrow the more. And then we mutt take this Caution along with us, that if we would judge a- right of the truth of our Sorrow for Sin, we mutt not meafure it fo much by the Degrees of fenfible troubleand afflittìon as by the rational Effe&s of it, which are hatred of Sin, and afixtpurpofe and refolution againft it for the future : for be is moft, truly forry for his Mifcarriage, who looks upon what he bath doneamifs, with abhorrence and deteftation of the thing, and wifheth he had not done fr, and cenfures himfelf feverely for it, and thereupon refolves not to do the like a- gain. And this is the Charaaer which-St. Paul gives of a Godly Sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. to. that it worketh repentance, itdc14112 it produceth nreal change in cur minds, and makes us to alter our purpofe and refolution : And tho" Each a Perron may notbe fo paffionately and fenlibly affi&ed for Sin, yet it appears by the Effe&, that he hath a deeper and more rational refentment of the evil of it, than that Man who is fad and melancholy and drooping for never fo long a time; and after all returns to his former finfui courfe ; the Degree of his Sorrow may appear greater, but the Effea of it is really lefs. IV. As forthe outward exprefIions ofour Griefand Sorrow. The ufnal figs and outward expreffion ofSorrow is Tears i but thefe beingnot the Subftance of our Duty, butan external Teftimony of it, which Come tempers are more unapt to than others ; we are much lets to judge of the Truth of our Sorrow for Sinby thefe, thanby our inward fenfible Trouble and Aflíiaion of Spirit. Some Petfons are ofa more tender and melting difpoution, and can command their Tears upon a little occalon, and upon very fhort warning; and fach'Perfonsthatcan weep for every thing elfe that troubles them, have much more reafon to furped the Truthof their Sorrow forSin, if this outward expreffion of it be wanting. And we find in Sctipture,that theSorrow oftrue Penitentsdoesvery frequently difcover felf by this outward fignof it.Thus when Ezra and the People made confeffrotr oftheir Sins to God, it is Paid, that they wept very fore, Ezra to. Peter when he refle&ed upon that great Sin of denying his Matter, 'tis laid, He went forth and wept bitterly. David alfo was abundant in this expreffion of his grief. In the, Book of Pfalms he fpeaks frequentlyof hisfsghs, and groans, and of watering hfr coxchwith his tears : yea fo fenfibly was he affe&ed with the Evil of Sin, that he could !bed tears plentifully for the Sins ofothers, P f al . r r 9. r35. Rivers ofwaters run down mine eyes, becaufe menkeep not thy law. In like manner 7eremiah tells us, thathis Soul didweep in fecret places, for the pride and ob_ fliìracy ofthe Jews ; that his eye did weep fore, and rundown with tears ; er. 13. 17. And fo likewife St. Paul, Philip.33. 18, 59. There are many that walk, ofwhom I have told you of-. ten, andnow tell you even weeping, that they are enemies to the Croft ofChrifi. And there feems tobe this natural Reafon for it, that all great and permanent impreffi-. ons upon the Mind, all deep inward refentments havé ufually a proportionable effe&upon the Body, and the inferiour Faculties. But tho this happen very frequently, yet it is not fo conftant and certain: For all Men have not the fame tendernefs of Spirit, nor are equally prone to tears ; nay tho'a Man can weep upon natural accounts, as upon the lofs ofa Child, or nearRelation, or an intimate Friend, or when he lye's under a !harp Bodily pain, yet a Man may truly repent, tho' he cannot exprefs hisSorrow for Sin the fame way, provided he give Teftimony ofit bymore real Effe&s : And therefore the Rule, which is commonly given by Cafuifts in this cafe, feems to be more enfna- ring, than true and ufeful ; namely, " That that Man that can flied Tears upon account ofany evil lefs than that of Sin, (as certainly all natural evils are) ought to queftion the Truth of his Repentance for anySin that he bath corn-' tnitted, if he cannot (bed Tears for it. This I think is not true, becaufe there is fcarce anyMan, offo hard and unrelenting a Spirit, but the lofs of a kind Fa- ther, ora dear Child, or other near Relation, will force Teers from him : And yet fuch a Man, if it were to fave his Soul, may notbe able at fome times to flied a Tear for his Sins. And the Reafon is obvious 5 becaufe Tears do proceed from
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