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MEDITATION VII.

ROMANS X. 10,

With the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation.

VII.

HARD no doubt it is, and painful to MED. the feeling mind, to make an open confession of guilt-But was that mind burthened with these painful sensations, when the offence, which calls for these sacrifices, was committed? Was that mind labouring under any fellow-feeling, any warm love of man, any interesting desire not to injure others, when it suggested the specific crime, which it is now called upon to acknowledge? Was that mind, now so tender and apprehensive, impressed

VII.

MED. with no sentiments of offending God, no awful sense of his presence, no dread of his judgements? Tell me not then of feelings which have no foundation in reason, and which in this case are the insidious enemies of pure religion.

Sincerity, though it affords no apology for error, is here a test of truth. I will allow that it requires the energy of a sound mind, and a renewed principle of godly simplicity, to make an ingenuous confession of offence, and avow the sin that doth so easily beset us. There is a labour of mind necessary to conquer ancient prejudices. And, perhaps, no prejudice sits nearer our hearts, than that which persuades us that we are free from fault.

Let us examine-cross examine ourselves; and even then we shall hardly acknowledge the truth." I have of"fended-Yes! I have committed a "sin-But is it a sin? Is it recorded

as such, in that book, which is open

"ed before God? I fear that it is MED.
"written there. But are there no VII.
"venial sins, no sins too small to be
"there recorded? Alas! all disobedi-
ence is sin. I have disobeyed, and
am a sinner. But are there no de-

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grees of magnitude in sins?-Are "all sins equal?—I will look into the "book:-All unrighteousness is sin. "I have sinned. But let me again in"quire, Is there nothing to soften my "offence? Oh! yes; I find abundance "to ease my pain, and mitigate my "sorrow! I have passions given me by a benevolent Providence; they

"were

were given for my comfort and my "pleasure, and not for my distress. "But have I found them so? The ma"lignant passions have been my tor"ment; and the seducing passions " have produced in me nothing but "misery. The good that was in them "I have suffered to escape by my mismanagement. I have perverted these "best instruments of happiness, and

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MED.

VII.

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that which should have been for my health, has been the occasion of my falling. I have deluded myself, and

am a sinner.-But let me reflect "again: others seduced me, and I "fell."

Vain, vain man! Till thou can'st reason the seal from the bond, the record will remain in force against thee. "Know ye not that the unrighteous" of whatever description-shall not " inherit the kingdom of God *.”

There is no man employed in the important business of working out his salvation, but must see the necessity of confession. "I do see it, says the "penitent, and humbly confess my of"fences to my God." So far undoubtedly thou dost well. Commune with your Maker, and submit your heart before him. But, my pious friend, there is often a further duty. The offence which you confess. may be of

1 Cor. v. 9.

a public nature. While the know- MED. ledge of the fact of which you repent, vII. and which you allow to be a sin, is locked up in your own bosom, where is that spiritual restitution, so necessary to complete your repentance?" With "the mouth confession is made unto "salvation." Here we have a criterion of repentance, which both the public, and the private sinner, will find available to his restoration, as a true penitent, in the sight of God. We confess our sins to God ;-but as the sense of the Divine presence may not be so strong in our hearts as the magnitude of that truth requires, we ought to confess ourselves also to man, that we may try the sincerity of our repentance, as well as do all within our power to repair the injury which we have committed.

Confession and repentance are united together in almost every book of Scripture. "When a man or woman shall "commit any sin that men commit

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