Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

Object. I, but you will say▪ there is another difficulty, if so be we fall at any time, then we must give public ⟨p. 693⟩Satisfaction, if we fall into that which gives public offence there must be public Satisfaction given, for private offence we▪ must give private Satisfaction, and Oh! this is a heavy Iron yoke to a carnal heart, if we should come to such a reformation as we desire, Oh! what a burdensome thing would every carnal heart think it? let me look now to my walking, I cannot do as I was wont before time, let me be never so vile, do what I will, I could give a Proctor a little money, or an Archdeacon, or a Commissary, or the like, and then let the Minister and the Congregation do what they dare, Oh! this is fine and easy to a wicked and corrupt heart. But now to come to this, that whatever you are, Rich or Poor, if you fall into scandalous sins, it is not making friends this way or that way, or to a Minister, no, but you must come and make public confession, & give public Satisfaction, and this is a yoke that is hard to a carnal heart, but to a gracious heart it is easy. What difficulty to a gracious heart is this? I have publicly dishonoured the name of God, and now I come publicly to repair the name of God that I by my sins have darkened, and done hurt unto, I come now to repair it openly, nay, what ease canst thou have till that be done? certainly, if thy heart be throughly humbled for the sins of thy soul, wherein thou hast sinned publicly against God; if thou hast sinned secretly, then Christ requires not public Satisfaction, but if thou hast sinned publicly, what more suitable to thy heart if Gracious then this? Oh! that I might publicly repair the honour of God, that hath publicly been dishonoured by my sin? how canst thou sleep, or die before thou hast done this? I cannot possibly see how such a man or woman can die quietly, and go out of the world quietly, except they have had some opportunity to repair the honour of God publicly, as they have ⟨p. 694⟩sinned publicly, and therefore this is not a way of punishment and penance for thy sin, but a restoring of the honour of God that thou hast impaired, and this is that that is no burden un•o a Gracious heart, the sin indeed is a burden, the sin is a shame;