forsakes the benefit of his confession. And indeed, there is no real confession of sin, where there is no real forsaking of sin. It is not enough for us to confess the sins we have committed, but we must peremptorily resolve against the committing again the sins we have con- fessed. We must desire as freely to forego our sins, as we do desire God to forgive us our sins. Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit. Now you know, a man that is burdened in his stomach, is heartily willing to be rid of that load on his stomach that doth oppress nature ; and so a man that is real in his confession of sin, is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin, that lies as a load upon his conscience, as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lies upon his stomach. The penitential confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins, as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins. This is observ^able in the confession of good Shechaniah : Ezra x. 2, 3, ' We have trespassed against our God, and taken strange wives of the people of the land ; now therefore let us make a covenant with our G-od to put away all the wives, and such as are bom of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and those that tremble at the commandment of our God ; and let it be done according to the law.' And this was the former practice of the children of Israel, who joined reformation with their confession, as you may see in that Judges X. 15, ' We have sinned ;' ver. 16, 'And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord : and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.' That Job. xxxiv. 3-1, 32; is observable, ' Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more ; that wliich I see not, teach thou me ; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.' And the same spirit you may find work-, ing in those that were once given up to sorcery and witchcraft : Acts xix. 1 8i ' And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.' Ver. 19, ' Many also of them which used curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men.' Penitential confession leaves a holy awe and dread on the soul, to take heed of com- mitting sins confessed. Though a godly man may, in an hour of temptation, or in a day of desertion, or in a season of God's withholding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his soul, commit a sin which he has seriously confessed and sadly bewailed,, yet he retains in his course and practice such a holy fear and awe upon his heart, as in some measure proves ai*mour of proof against future commissions of sin. But now wicked men are very ready, bold, and venturous to commit the same sins they have confessed, as you may see in Saul : one while you shall have him confessing his sinful injuries against David with tears ; and soon after you shall find him pursuing of him in the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men at his heels. The same evil spirit was predominant in Pharaoh ; one day you shall have him con- fessing his sin, and pi'omising to let Israel go, and the next day you shall find his heart hardened, and he peremptorily resolved that Isi-ael shall not go.* And so the harlot made the confession of her sin to be but a provocation to more sin, Prov. vii. 14. The wicked sometimes confess their sins, but they never forsake their sins ; after confession they commonly return with the diog to the vomit, as Fulgentius hath ^ Compare 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17, with chap. xxvi. 2-4 ; Exod. ix. 27-34.
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worthily observed.' ' Many/ saith he, ' being pricked in conscience, confess that they have done ill, and yet put no end to their ill deeds ; they humbly accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which oppress them, and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heap up those sins whereof they accuse themselves. The very pardon which they beg with mournful sighs, they impede with their wicked actions ; they ask help of the physician, and still minister matter to the disease, thus in vain endeavouring to appease him with penitent words, whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent course." Well, remember this, real con- fession of sin is always attended with real endeavours of turning from sin. Look, as the patient lays open his diseases to the physician for this very purpose that he may be cured and healed, so the penitent soul confesses his sins to the physician of souls on purpose to be cured and healed. The daily language of the penitent soul is this, -Lord, when wilt thou heal the maladies of my soul ? When wilt thou heal my unbelief, and heal my pride, and heal my vain-glory, and heal my hypocrisy, and heal my impurity, and heal my hard-heartedness, and heal my carnalness, and heal my worldliness, and heal my selfishness ? &c. Lord ! I do as earnestly beg grace to heal my soul, as I do mercy to pardon my soul. And let thus much suffice for the second part of true evangelical repentance.
3. The thhxl part of true repentance lies in turning from all sin to God. That great and precious promise of forgiveness of sin is made over to repenting and turning from sin. All who truly repent of their sins, and turn from their sins, shall receive the forgiveness of their sins. Pardon of sin is for that man, and that man is for pardon of sin, who truly repents and returns from his sin. Four things speak out this, &c.
[1.] First, Scripture exhortations to repent, that so our sins may be forgiven : Ezek. xviii. 30, ' Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." Acts ii. 38, ' Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.' Ver. 19, ' Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,' &c.
[2.] Secondly, Express promises that our sins shall he forgiven upon our repentance : 2 Chron. vii. 14, 'If my people shall turn from their evil way, then will I forgive their sin.' Pro v. xxviii. 13, ' Whoso con- fesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy.' Ezek. xviii. 21, ' If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die ;' ver. 22, ' All his transgressions which he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him,'
[3.] Thirdly, A most ceHain assurance of the forgiveness of sins, upon repentance, though they have been never so great and heinous : Isa. i. 16-18, ' Wash ye, make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wooL'