A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Fourthly, If there be so great evil and Use 4 danger in little Sins, hence see then, what cause we have to bemoan and humble our selves before God, with Tears in our Eyes, and Sorrow in our Hearts, even for our little Sins. We should never approach before the Throne of Grace in Prayer, but before the close thereof, we should in Confession mourn over and beg strength against those that the World calls, and we account, small Sins. Indeed it is impossible to confess them all particularly; who can reckon up the ⟨p. 92⟩vain Thoughts and idle Words of one Day, without a whole Day's time to recount them; for indeed we do little else in the Day? And who then can reckon up the vain Thoughts and idle Words that he is guilty of in his whole Life, without living over his whole Life to recount them? When we have therefore confessed the more observable Failings of every Day, we ought to wrap up the rest in a general, but yet in a serious and sorrowful Acknowledgement. Thus you find David did, Psalm 51. where you have him confessing his two foul Sins of Adultery and Murder. It is true one would think he should have been so intent upon the begging of Pardon for those Sins, as that he could not spare a Petition to ask Pardon for any other Sins: But yet though these were his great Sins, yet he knew himself guilty of other Transgressions besides, though of a less Nature; and therefore he sums up all together, and heartily begs pardon for them in the heap, vers. 9. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. And so truly we ought in our daily Prayers to God, after particular Confession of those Sins that do more nearly touch and grate ⟨p. 93⟩upon our Consciences, to bind up the •est in one general Petition, and so pre•ent them to God for Pardon in some such like manner as this: Lord, my own Conscience condemns me, and thou art greater than my Conscience, and knowest all things; I have observed much Sin and guilt by my self this Day, and thou who searchest the Heart and triest the Reins, knowest far more by me than I do by my self; but whatever I know by my self, or whatever thou knowest by me, Lord do thou freely pardon and forgive it all unto me. Only here take heed that when you thus make your Confessions of your small Sins in general, you do not also make them overtly, slightly and superficially, which is the common Fault of those that confess Sin by the heap.