A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

Sixthly, The true penitent confesses his sins humbly, sorrowfully. §6In his confessions he appears before the Lord with ropes about his neck (as Benhadad's servants) and with tears in his eyes; his confessions savour of contrition of heart, and not of ostentation of spirit; contrition of heart,¹ and confusion of face, is the common result of a penitential confession. David waters his couch with his tears, (Psal. 6.6. and he mingles his meat with his tears (Psal. 42.3.) and Ezra and Daniel confess their sins with wet eyes and blushing cheeks. Confession without contrition,² neither pleaseth God nor profiteth man; confession is the language of the tongue, contrition is the language of the heart, and God looks for both.³ The Publican does not only confess his sins, but he smites also upon his breast, as a man full of grief and sorrow; lying in the dust, and renting of garments, and putting on sackcloth and ashes were of old required of those that confessed their iniquities. The spirit of repentance is a ⟨p. 248⟩spirit of mourning. Penitential confessions are commonly attended with grief in the heart,⁴ and with shame in the face, Psal. 38.18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin. He tells you not only that he will declare his iniquity, but he tells you also, that he will be sorry for his sin. The same spirit you may find working in Jacob, Hosea 12.4. yea, he had power over the Angel and prevailed, he wept and made supplication unto him. The people of God in the day of their confession, do not only say we have sinned, but they also draw water and pour it out before the Lord in token of contrition,