4. Another reason why a people are not easily brought to a sight and sense of the necessity of a national repentance is because they many times return feignedly, as in Josiah's time : Jer. iii. 10, ' This people hath not returned to me with their whole hearts, but feignedly, saith the Lord.' There seemed to be a thorough reformation then, for that godly prince searched into all nasty corners that he might cleanse them ; but many discontinued their practice that yet hankered after them in their hearts, and secretly kept up their abominations. And Zephaniah was sent in his days : Zeph. i. 4, ' I will utterly consume all things, saith the Lord.' Why ! will the Lord never be pleased ? Yes ; God is a good God, but the people dealt deceitfully with him ; they seemed to turn to the Lord when they did not. There may be a face of strictness when there is little of the power of godliness, and men contradict not only the principles of their religion, but their own professions.
Thirdbj, Come we now to particular persons. When they are apparently gone off from God, it is hard to bring them to acknowledge their sin, and to see a necessity of returning to him, I will enforce this by two considerations —
1. That a people professing repentance in the general, yet, when it cometh to particulars, wince and start, and will not be convinced of apparent sins, and then reply, ' Wherein shall we return ? '
2. That is but a notion of repentance, not a real exercise of it, when we profess to return to God, and know not wherein we should return.
1. For the first, I will prove it by two things — (1.) The several shifts men use to divert a particular acknowledgment of sin ; (2.) The causes of it.
[1.] The several shifts men use.
(1.) Men rest in generals, and say, We are all sinners, and raise a great outcry against sin. But alas ! that is but a notion, and too much in the air to work upon the heart and conscience. Confession should be particular; you must fetch out your sins by head and shoulders till you find out the Achan, the most particular and most affective. Blunt iron, that toucheth many points, maketli but a bruise ; a needle, that toucheth but one point, entereth to the quick. As Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream, but could not tell what it was, Dan. ii. 5 ; or as Ahimaaz brought David tidings of a tumult, but could specify no particularity, 2 Sam. xii. 27 ; so many confess to
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God sins, but do not name the sins by which they have provoked him. Sin in the general is the common pack-horse upon which men lay all their burdens ; it is long of sin ; but what sin I pray you ? If it be sin, amend then, avoid sin. There they start aside. Zanchy observeth the apostle saith not, 1 John i. 9. Si conjiieamur nos peccatores esse ; sed si confiteamur peccata nostra — He doth not say, If we confess that we are sinners, but. If we confess our sins. \Ve should par- ticularise those that most wound the conscience. Malefactors in men's courts are not indicted in general terms, but fact and circumstances are related. But to God we confess by wholesale and in the lump, say we are sinners in the general, but will scarce be known of any particular sin we have committed. God saith, Hosea v. 15, ' I will return to my place till they acknowledge their offence.' And again, 1 Kings viii. 38, ' When he shall acknowledge his own plague, and the sore of his own heart.' In deep distress, inward or outward, there is some concealed sin which we must find out, without which much show of prayer and humble confession of a sinful people will be little worth.
(2.) They confess particular faults, but not the sin God aims at. There are some creditable sins and loved errors, like diseases, that are incident to the best complexions and constitutions. It may be human frailty, when it is gross enormity ; distractions in duties, when tippling should be mentioned rather ; some defects of love to Christ, when it is gross inclinations to the world and sensual delights, &c. As Moses pleaded he had a stammering tongue, he was not eloquent, &c. ; but God gently toucheth his privy sore : Exod. iv. 19, ' And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go. return into Egypt ; for all the men are dead which sought thy life.' Moses pleaded not that, but God knew what was the great impediment and let in the case. So it is with us, we plead this and that, confess sins that we are guilty of indeed, but overlook the main sin.
(3.) Transferring or putting it upon others ; they care not upon whose back the burden is cast to ease their own shoulders. Adam puts off the sin upon his wife, and obliquely upon God himseh' : Gen. iii. 12, ' The woman which thou gavest me,' &c. Aaron puts it off upon the solicitations of the people : Exod. xxxii. 22, ' Thou knowest this people, that they are set on mischief,' kc. Pilate washed his hands, but yet he could not wash off his guilt, though he said, ' Look you to it,' Mat. xxvii. 24. So among others, sometimes the people shift off their burden on their rulers and governors, whereas the princes smart often for the people's sins, Prov. xxviii. 2 ; on the other hand, the prince on the people, Zech. xi. 3 ; as head and stomach mutually vitiate and disorder one another. Again, people on their ministers, ministers on the people ; but both are punished : Luke vi. 39, ' The blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch ; ' Ezek. iii. 20, ' The wicked shall surely die ; but if thou givest not warning, his blood will I require at thy hands.' Oh ! what cause have aU of us to acknowledge our offences and humble ourselves before the Lord, and to return to a more serious discharging of our duty ! So among us ; one party chargeth the calamities of the nation upon another, as if they said, ' Wherein shall we return ? ' The stricter party charges it on the