particularly in the case of Achan. 9. An acknowledgment that God is just in punishing; for by confessing our sins, we also confess his justice, and are assessors with God in this condemnation of ourselves. 10. That by such an act of judging ourselves, we escape the more angry judgment of God: (1 Cor. xi. 31.) St. Paul expressly exhorting us to it upon that very inducement. 11. That confession of sin is so necessary a duty, that in all scriptures it is the immediate preface to pardon, and the certain consequent of godly sorrow, and an integral or constituent part of that grace, which together with faith makes up the whole duty of the gospel. 12. That in all ages of the gos pel it hath been taught and practised respectively, that all the penitents made confessions proportionable to their repentance, that is, public or private, general or particular. 13. That God, by testimonies from heaven, that is, by his word, and by a consequent rare piece of conscience, hath given approbation to his holy duty. 14. That by this instrument those whose office is to apply remedies to every spiritual sickness, can best perform their offices. 15. That is by all churches esteemed a duty necessary to be done in cases of a troubled conscience. 16. That what is necessary to be done in one case, and convenient in all cases, is fit to be done by all persons. 17. That without confession, it cannot easily be judged concerning the sick person whether his conscience ought to be troubled or no, and therefore it cannot be certain that it is not necessary. No. 11.

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18. That there can be no reason against it, but such as consults with flesh and blood, with infirmity and sin; to all which, confession of sins is a direct enemy. 19. That now is that time when all the imperfections of his repentance, and all the breaches of his duty are to be made up, and that if he omits this opportunity, be can never be admitted to a salutary and medicinal confession. 20. That St. James gives an express precept, that we christians should confess our sins to each other, that is, christian to christian, brother to brother, the people to their minister; and then he makes a specification of that duty which a sick man is to do when he hath sent for the elders of the church. 21. That in all these there is no force lies upon him, but if he hides his sins he shall not be directed, (so said the wise man;) but ere long he must appear before the great judge of men and angels: And his spirit will be more amazed and confounded to be seen among the angels of light with the shadows of the works of darkness upon him, that he can suffer by confessing to God in the presence of him whom God hath sent to heal him. However, it is better to be ashamed here than to be confounded hereafter. 22. That confession being in order to pardon of sins, it is very proper and analogical to the nature of the thing, that it be made there where the pardon of sins is to be administered. And that, of pardon of sins God hath made the minister the publisher and dispenser: And all this is besides the accidental advantages which accrue to the conscience, which is made ashamed, and

timorous, and restrained by the mortifications and blushings of discovering to a man the faults committed in secret. 23. That the ministers of the gospel are the ministers of reconciliation, are commanded to. restore such persons as are overtaken in a fault; and to that purpose they come to offer their ministry, if they may have cognizance of the fault and person. 24. That in the matter of prudence it is not safe to trust a man's self in the final condition and last security of a man's soul, a man being no good judge in his own case. And when a duty is so useful in all cases, so necessary in some, and encouraged by promises evangelical, by scripture precedents, by the example of both Testaments, and prescribed by injunctions apostolical, and by the canon of all churches, and the example of all ages, and taught us even by the proportions of duty, and the analogy to the power ministerial, and the very necessities of every man; he that for stubbornness or sinful shamefacedness, or prejudice, or any other criminal weakness, shall decline to do it in the days of his danger, when the vanities of the world are worn off, and all affections to sin are wearied, and the sin itself is pungent and grievous, and that we are certain we shall not escape shame for them hereafter, unless we be ashamed of them here, and use all the proper instruments of their pardon; this man, I say, is very near death, but very far off from the kingdom of heaven.

2. The spiritual man will find in the conduct of this duty many cases and varieties of accidents which

will alter the course and forms of proceedings. Most men are of a rude indifferency, apt to excuse them selves of their ignorant condition, abused by evil principles, content with a general and indefinite confession; and if you provoke them to it by the foregoing considerations, lest their spirits should be a little uneasy, or not secured in their own opinions, will be apt to say, They are sinners, as every man hath his infirmity, und he as well as any man: But God be thanked they beur no ill-will to any man, or are no adulterers, or no rebels, or they fought on the right side; and God be merciful unto them, for they are sinners. But. you shall hardly open their breasts farther: And to enquire beyond this, will be to do the office of an

accuser,

3. But, which is yet worse, there are very many persons who have been so used to an habitual course. of a constant intemperance or dissolution in any other instance, that the crime is made natural and necessary, aud conscience hath digested all the trouble, and the man thinks himself in a good estate, and never reckons any sins, but those which are the egressions> and passings beyond his ordinary and daily drunkenness. This happens in the case of drunkenness, and intemperate eating, and idleness, and uncharitableness, and in lying and vain jestings, and particularly in such evils which the laws do not punish, and public customs do not shame; but which are countenanced by potent sinners, or evil customs, or good nature, and mistaken civilities.

Instruments, by way of Consideration, to awaken a

careless Person, and a stupid Conscience.

IN these and the like cases the spiritual man must awaken the lethargy, and prick the conscience, by representing to him, that christianity is a holy and a strict religion. That many are called but few are chosen. That the number of them that are to be saved is but a very few in respect of those that are to descend into sorrow and everlasting darkness. That we have covenanted with God in baptism to live a holy life. That the measures of holiness in christian religion, are not to be taken by the evil proportions of the multitude, and common fame of looser and less severe persons; because the multitude is that which does not enter into heaven, but the few, the elect, the holy servants of Jesus. That every habitual sin does amount to a very great guilt in the whole, though it be but in a small instance. That if the righteous scarcely be saved, then there will be no place for the unrighteous and the sinner to appear in but places of horror and amazement. That confidence hath destroyed many souls, and many have had sad portion who have reckoned themselves in the calendar of Saints. That the promises of heaven are so great, that it is not reasonable to think that every man, and every life, and an easy religion shall possess such in finite glories. That although heaven is a gift, yet there is a great severity and strict exacting of the conditions on our part to receive that gift. That some persons who have lived strictly for forty years