The truly blessed man

3. We do not duly Justify God in our acknowledgements. When we think our selves not so much to blame as others, when we lay the fault 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 he receive such a Confession.

3. We do not duly Justify God in our acknowledgments. When we think our selves not so much to blame as others, when we lay the fault 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 he 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 return to our folly, and then confess again, and so go in a round, this is 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,