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…

Tears are a kind of silent prayers, which though they say nothing, yet they obtain pardon, they prevail for mercy, and they carry the day with God, as you may see in that great and clear instance of Peter; he said nothing, he confessed nothing that we read of, but went out and wept bitterly, and obtained mercy. That prescription that God gave to the Leper in the Law, is worthy of your most serious consideration; 'tis in that, Levit. 13.45. And the Leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his bead bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, unclean, unclean. In these words the Leper stands charged with four things; 1. To go in rent or torn garments, to note that there must be brokenness and sorrow of heart joined with confession of sin. 2. To go bare-headed, and that partly that men might not mistake him, but mainly to show his humility under his present ⟨p. 249⟩misery. 3. To put a covering upon his upper lip. (Some read it, upon his Mouchaches) The Jews in their mournings used this Ceremony among the rest, of covering their chin, mouth, Mouchaches, all under the nose. Now the use of this Ceremony in the Leper, was partly to preserve others from being infected by his loathsome breath, and partly to show that God takes no pleasure nor delight in the breathings, the prayers of spiritual Lepers, of wicked men. God loves not to hear good words drop from an ill mouth, and partly to note that shame that must be mingled with his sorrow. 4. Twice to proclaim his own uncleanness, unclean, unclean. And thus you see that there was to be a close connection between the Lepers confession and his contrition; and thus 'tis with the true penitent; he does not only cry out, unclean, unclean, but he also rents and tears his garments, that is, he joins contrition to his confession.

Tears are a kind of silent prayers, which though they say nothing, yet they obtain pardon, they prevail for mercy, and they carry the day with God, as you may see in that great and clear instance of Peter; he said nothing, he confest nothing that we read of, but went out and wept bitterly, and obtained mercy. That prescription that God gave to the Leper in the Law, is worthy of your most serious consideration; 'tis in that, Levit. 13.45