The necessity of acknowledgement of offences, in order to reconciliation. Set forth in a…The necessity of acknowledgment of offences, in order to reconciliation. Set forth in a…

To those that are backward to acknowledge their Offences: God has taken great Offences at His People here, and has testified against us by many awful judgments, and under these dispensations, men run into two extremes: Some out of an over-timorous spirit, own guile where there is none; when scared they Condemn this and that practice, and then after a while return to it again: but the more general fault is, that men are backward to fall down as guilty before God; but hold up their heads as they, Jer. 2.35. Thou sayest I have not sinned. There is a self justifying spirit, they don't fall under reproof. Mal. 2.7. Ye said, wherein shall we return? They are exceeding backward to acknowledge their offences; they shut their eyes against the light; when conviction is set before them, they are rejecting of it. Joh. 3.20. They come not to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved. Some men make themselves as blind as Moles: Sometimes they think there be as wise men, who allow this and that practice, as any who condemn it. Jer. 44.17. And they suspect, ⟨p. 21⟩that it is some Corrupt affection, that makes other men to be so zealous against it. Jer. 43.3. Baruch the Son of Neriah, sets thee on to say, go not down into Egypt They are cavilling away the authority of all Convictions; and devising pretences to bear out themselves in their evil ways: Besides they harden themselves in their way, and though they discern some evil in it, yet won't fall flat down before God, and abase themselves, they say these things are small things, and they don't think that the wrath of of God goes out against the Land upon the account of such trifles. So they say that there be abundance in the Country that are more faulty then they, others are ten times as guilty as they, and so neglect to humble themselves.

To those that are backward to acknowledge their Offences: God has taken great Offences at His People here, and has testifyed against us by many awful judgments, and under these dispensations, men run into two extreams: Some out of an over-timerous spirit, own guile where there is none; when scared they Condemn this and that practice, and then after a while return to it again: but the more general fault is, that men are backward to fall down as guilty before God; but hold up their heads as they,