Gods husbandry

by my excusing and lessening mine own faults, and making nothing of that, that I am not willing to mend, and casting the fault still upon others, rather then my self, that I am not sound at heart, yea, that I am stark hollow and rotten at heart. This hunting out, and arraigning, and convicting of the sin we speak against, before the bar of a mans own heart; this must needs be done, if ever we will subdue and overmaster the same. And why? why I say, O thou man or woman whosoever, shouldest thou be unwilling to see and confess thy guile within the walls of thine own soul, before the eyes of God, that do already see it plain enough? This confession is not required of thee, as an evidence to be produced against thee, for thy easier condemnation; but as a necessary antecedent of thy pardon, which none can obtain from God, unless he plead guilty: for it is an over-ruled case in heaven, and shall never be altered or swerved from, No man shall be forgiven from Gods Tribunal, but he that asks pardon; and no man can ⟨p. 43⟩ask pardon, that doth not acknowledge guiltiness. I say then again unto thee, that thou shouldest not be unwilling to see and confess that which thou shalt have none hurt by confessing: yea, which in very truth it is utterly in vain to refuse to confess; for deny it whilst thou wilt, from the eyes of God, the Husbandman, and from the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ, the root of this Vine, no denial, no covering can hide it; when colouring and denying cannot keep the fault secret, and plain acknowledgement may get the fault pardoned; would any but a very fool, or obstinate and wilful man, that had vowed to seek his own ruin, refuse to confess? I do not wish thee with open voice (so as men should hear it to thy reproach) to cause thine own mouth charge thee with guile, (which in truth were somewhat hard, and yet not so hard, but that a wise man would readily do it to get remission) but alone in the secret thoughts of thine own breast, or in the secret prayers of thy closet betwixt God and thy self, where none other ear can hear, but his, that is already acquainted with the matter, and knows more then thou canst confess, but alone here, I say, to sigh out thine humble acknowledgement, and say, O wretched man I, to this moment I have but dissembled, and seemed to be good, without being so.

by my excusing and lessening mine owne faults, and making nothing of that, that I am not willing to mend, and casting the fault still vpon others, rather then my selfe, that I am not sound at heart, yea, that I am starke hollow and rotten at heart. This hunting out, and arraigning, and conuicting of the sinne we speake against, before the barre of a mans owne heart; this must needs be done, if euer we will subdue and ouermaster the same. And why? why I say, O thou man or woman whosoeuer, shouldest thou bee vnwilling to see and confesse thy guile within the walles of thine owne soule, before the eyes of God, that doe already see it plaine enough? This confession is not required of thee, as an euidence to be produced against thee, for thy easier condemnation; but as a necessary antecedent of thy pardon, which none can obtaine from God, vnlesse he plead guilty: for it is an ouer-ruled case in heauen, and shall neuer bee altered or swarued from, No man shall be forgiuen from Gods Tribunall, but he that askes pardon; and no man can