The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…

3. We do not duly Justify God in our acknowledgements. When we think our selves not […] much to blame as others, when we lay the fa•• on Satan or his Instruments, when we complain of Gods withdrawings, or Providential exposing us to Temptation, when we charge him for not affording us his assistances, and thereupon think it over severe for him to proceed with us according to the rigour of the Law; in all which we reflect on, and do not Justify him: how then should be receive such a Confession.

3. We do not duly Justify God in our acknowledgments. When we think our selves not 〈…〉 much to blame as others, when we lay the fa•• on Satan or his Instruments, when we complain of Gods withdrawings, or Providential exposing us to Temptation, when we charge him for not affording us his assistances, and thereupon think it over severe for him to proceed with us according to the rigour of the Law; in all which we reflect on, and do not Justify him: how then should be receive such a Confession.

4. We do not forsake the sins we confess. Right Confession is always accompanied with a setting our selves against the Sin we confess, and an utter renouncing of it: it is to make it bitter to us, and fortify us against it: if therefore we confess, and to turn to our folly, and then confess again, and so g• in a round, this nothing but trifling, and will find no acceptance. Or,

5. Though we do confess, yet we do not submit our selves to Sovereign Grace, and resolve our hopes into the mere mercy of God. Confession is the way to find mercy, but if we think to earn forgiveness by it, hoping thus to expiate the Guilt of our sin, we are acted by a legal spirit, and put our selves farther away from forgiveness. In a right Confession there is alway a resignation, Luk 15. 18, 19 And he that hath had a true sight of his sin, and acknowledged it accordingly, must needs see that Sovereign Mercy only can help him, and accordingly cast himself down there, and yield it to be just with God to condemn him, and that it is free grace if he will pardon him; and hence all his hope is in Gospel Grace, by Jesus Christ; till then we come hither, no wonder if all our Confessions afford us no relief. Are we then under distress on our Consciences by reason of our sins? let us bring our selves on these trials, that we may know, whence it proceeds: And to move us, Consider,