The truly blessed man

3. There are a Multitude of other Sins the man hath been Guilty of; and it is now a proper season to reflect on, and make Confession of them. Now all his Evil ways and doings that have not been good, ought to come into consideration. This Sin tells us how terrible it is to have any Sin stand out unpardoned; and that will put us upon calling our selves to an account, to enquire what we have been and done, and what hath been done in order to obtaining a remission: and it is usual that old Sins do now procure new trouble to the mind, which maketh us to spread them before God: David runs up to the very Sins of his youth, Psal. 25.7.

2. We must confess them to the height, without any extenuation. Covering and Confessing are opposed, Prov. 28.13. Negatives in Scripture language include and intend affirmatives; when the Psalmist saith he did not hide, he intends, that he laid it open, and was very plain and full in his confession. And here,

1. We must not hide the matter of fact by any sinful Concealment. David had attempted this before, and greatly increased his Sin thereby; but now he will do so no more. There is a Concealment from men, and Concealment from God; which men are apt to Endeavour: as to the latter, as it is in vain, for God knows us better ⟨p. 208⟩than we do our selves, 1 Joh. 3.20. So it is sinful When men think to be safe by keeping silence and so do not freely lay themselves open before him, this is an Atheistical thought that God shall not know it, and must be withstood. In reference to the former; how far confession is to be made to men, will be after considered; only observe, that if we cannot keep our sin from taking air, and coming to light, but by some other sin in the hiding of it, we ought not to suppress it; for this is but to add sin to sin; and sometimes more nefandous sins than the first that we would hide: if David had so done, he had not added Murder to Adultery. The telling a lie to keep a sin secret by a flat denial of it, is contrary to sincerity of heart: and if we confess our sin affectionately to God, yet if we lie to men at the same time, our confession will not profit us.