The application of redemption

Again: In Confession there is also a stress which a proud and perverse heart is wholly unable to undergo, unless the Spirit be deeply affected with unfeigned sorrow, and so fitted for to apply and bear so keen a Corrosive to eat away his corruption; especially if it be the confession of some secret, and some shameful distemper, as in case all other means be improved, the Lord refuseth to give pardon, or power, or peace, he then calls for attendance upon this Ordinance: And the contrite sinner when he understands Gods mind herein, he freely, fully powers out his acknowledgement into the bosom of such, whose help he craves in that case; and as his heart is loosened from his corruption, so his confession issues Naturally from him, improving of it as a means appointed by the Almighty that he may ashamed his sinful course, and himself for it, and be for ever separated from both; therefore confessing and forsaking are joined together, Prov. 18. 13. and 1 Joh. 7. he that indeed confesseth; God is faithful to forgive, this is to judg our selves, 1 Cor. 11. Whereas the sinner that is yet riveted in the wretched distempers of his own soul, the Lord when he hath him upon the rack of Conscience, may happily wrest a confession from him; but it's by a constraining hand, and against the hair wholly, he would be eased of his plagues, not of his sin: So God¹ sound out Achan, pursued Judas, and laid hold on² both, and pulled the acknowledgement by force out of their mouths, which they did to ease them of their sorrows, not as a means to help against their sin. Lastly, it easily falls under the evidence of an Admonition administered so far as it reacheth the evil of his sin, though happily unseasonably or disorderly administered, neither out of that love it should, nor in that prudent manner it ought to be: If yet he perceives that it helps him to remove his corruption, he is glad of it, and takes advantage thereby to get the heart more convinced, and estranged from its distemper. When Joab so rudely reproved ⟨p. 411⟩the unseasonable and excessive sorrow of David for the death of Absalom,