Of Confession of Sins. Sins is a necef Confeffion of Sins sary Part of your daily Prayers: and as such ought to be the constant uninterrupted Practice of your whole Lives. But when Death approacheth, and that you are preparing for your last and great Account; then it highly concerns you to be punctual and particular in the Confeffion of your Sins. And having recollected, as exactly as you can, the former Passages; most humbly Confefs all the Sins and Failings of your Life past. And for your Direction and Encouragement, in the Performance of this necessary Duty, I shall transoribe several Places of H. Scripture. I Scriptures concerning Confeffion Will arise and go to my Fa ther, and will say unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, and am no mare worthy to be called thy Son. Luk. 15. 18, 19. O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee, my God; for mine iniquities are increased over my head, and my trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Ezr. 9. 6. But I will declare mine iniquity; I will be forry for my fin. Pfal. 38. 18. For I acknowledge my Tranfgreffions, and my Sin is ever before me. Pfal. 51. 3. I acknowledge my fin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my tranfgreffions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the ۱ the iniquity of my Sin. Pfal. 32. 5. He that covereth his Sins, shall not prosper : but whofo confefleth and forsaketh them, shall have Mercy. Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I Joh. 1.9. My confufion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me. Pfal. 44. 15. Thou hast Set mine iniquities before thee, my Secret Sins in the light of thy Countenance. Pfal. 90. 8. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments. Pfal. 119. 120. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O Lord, for in thy fight shall no man living be justified. Pfal. 143. 2. ; If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss; O Lord, who may abide it? Pfal. 130.3. But But there is mercy with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared. V. 4. Isaid, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my Soul, for I have finned against thee. Pfal. 41. 4. O remember not against me former iniquities: Let thy tender mercies Speedily prevent me: for I am brought very low. Pfal. 79. 8. Remember not the fins of my Youth, nor my tranfgreffions: according to thy Mercy remember thou me, for thy Goodness fake, O Lord. Pfal. 25. 7. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness : according unto the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgreffions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my fin. Pfal. 51. 1, 2. For thy Names Sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity: forit is great. Pfal. 25. 11. The The Lord is merciful and gracious, how to anger, and plenteous in Mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our Sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the Heaven is high above the Earth; so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the East is from the West, So far hath be removed our Transgressions from us. Pfal. 103. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. Hof. 6. 1. They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that are Sick. I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. Matth. 9. 12, 13. G |