AN other use is for those,1 which by this trial shall be found guilty; let them no longer maintain a good opinion of themselves, but take themselves for what they be, whom examination hath found guilty; let Confession therefore prepare him for pardon and amendment: for certainly these diseases of the soul will never be healed, until they be seen ⟨p. 88⟩and acknowledged; neither will God ever pardon them, till the man in whom they rule, begin to see, and to confess them. If I did require an open confession, of all the dissemblers amongst you (namely, that they should now before GOD and this Congregation, open their mouths against themselves, and entreat all men to take notice, that hitherto they have but sought to cousin the world and themselves, not being indeed the men they have been, and would have been taken for); if I say we did exact such an open and public confession, tending to pull blushing into their faces before men, yet it ought not to seem much to any man, to yield himself to the bearing of his due reproach. For why; what traitor or felon, taken in his felony or treason by a few, would not willingly yield to confess the same in the face of the Country, at the general Assizes, if he were sure to be forgiven? But Brethren, the confession which we demand of you, and wherewith the Lord will (in this case) be satisfied, is not open and public to the world-ward (that your credit should be impeached by it, and your good names blemished); but it is private and secret to God-ward, tending alone to heal the soul and name both, and to prevent the vengeance of God, which can not otherwise be prevented. Now in thine heart, anon in thy closet, thy doors (as Christ saith) being shut to thee, fall down before the face of him that seeth in secret,2 and if the fore-named trial have found thee to be an hypocrite, tell the GOD of heaven what thou hast found by thy self: say unto him, ⟨p. 89⟩O Lord, it goeth against my flesh to see and acknowledge (but alas it is to no purpose to hold my peace, and by hiding to increase) my guile! Wherefore Lord I confess unto thee, I even freely confess unto thee, that hitherto I have been no better than a painted Sepulchre, full of rottenness. I have been more troubled at other mens faults against me, than mine against thee:
AN other vse is for those,1 which by this triall shal be found guiltie; let them no longer maintaine a good opinion of themselues, but take themselues for what they be, whō examination hath found guiltie; let Confession therefore prepare him for pardon and amendment: for certainely these diseases of the soule will neuer be healed, vntill they be seene ⟨p. 88⟩and acknowledged; neither will God euer pardon them, till the man in whom they rule, begin to see, and to confesse them. If I did require an open confession, of all the dissemblers amongst you (namely, that they should now before GOD and this Congregation, open their mouthes against themselues, and intreate all men to take notice, that hitherto they haue but sought to cousen the world and themselues, not being indeede the men they haue beene, and would haue beene taken for); if I say wee did exact such an open and publique confession, tending to pull blushing into their faces before men, yet it ought not to seeme much to any man, to yeelde himselfe to the bearing of his due reproach. For why; what traytor or fellon, taken in his felony or treason by a few, would not willingly yeelde to confesse the same in the face of the Country, at the generall Assises, if he were sure to be forgiuen? But Brethren, the confession which we demaund of you, and wherewith the Lord will (in this case) be satisfied, is not open and publike to the world-ward (that your credit should be impeached by it, and your good names blemished); but it is priuate and secret to God-ward, tending alone to heale the soule and name both, and to preuent the vengeance of God, which can not otherwise be preuented. Now in thine heart, anone in thy closet, thy doores (as Christ saith) being shut to thee, fall downe before the face of him that seeth in secret,2 and if the fore-named triall haue found thee to be an hypocrite, tell the GOD of heauen what thou hast found by thy felfe: say vnto him, ⟨p. 89⟩O Lord, it goeth against my flesh to see and acknowledge (but alasse it is to no purpose to holde my peace, and by hiding to encrease) my guile! Wherefore Lord I confesse vnto thee, I euen freely confesse vnto thee, that hitherto I haue beene no better than a painted Sepulcher, full of rottennesse. I haue beene more troubled at other mens faults against me, than mine against thee:
- 1The hypocrite must cease to think well of himself.The hypocrite must cease to thinke well of himselfe.
- 2But must confess to God in secret, that he hath been an hypocrite.But must confesle to God in secret, that he hath beene an hypocrite.
