A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§. Sect. 5 Of the daily confession of our sinnes, and iudging our selues for them

Thirdly, vnto this daily renewing of our repentance, is required an humble confession of our sinnes, which must be of vnknowne sinnes gene∣rally, * 1.1 of knowne sinnes particularly, with the aggrauation of them by their seuerall circumstances. Especially wee must acknowledge and lay opne the roote and fountaine of them, our originall corruption, from which they haue sprung and flowed, and then the cursed fruits and filthy streames that haue issued from them; but aboue all, we must not forget in this our confession, those speciall sinnes, vnto which we are most enclined, and wherewith we haue most offended and dishonoured God; nor those sinnes which we haue committed lately, and since the last time of renew∣ing

our repentance. And withall we must iudge and condemne our selues * 1.2 as vnworthy, by reason of our sinnes, the least of Gods mercies, and most worthy of the greatest of his iudgements and punishments, comming in∣to Gods presence as Benhadads followers before Ahab, and acknowledg∣ing, that if wee had our desert, death and condemnation were due vnto vs. * 1.3 And this we must doe, to iustifie the Lord when he iudgeth, and to glo∣rifie his name, in giuing vnto him the praise of mercy and forgiuenesse; and that thus iudging our selues, we may not be condemned of the Lord. Neither are we to stay here vnder the sentence of the Law, but to flee vnto the throne of grace, begging mercy and forgiuenesse at the hands of God, for his owne names sake, for his truth sake in his couenant and gracious promises, and for his Christs sake, his merits, satisfaction and obedience performed for vs. The fruit and benefit of which humble confession, is the full assurance of the remission of all our sinnes, grounded vpon the truth of Gods promises; For, If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull and iust * 1.4 to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse. And againe, Hee that hideth his sinnes, shall not prosper: but hee that confesseth * 1.5 and forsaketh them, shall haue mercy. Both which wee see verified in the ex∣ample of Dauid, who whilst he concealed his sinne, found the hand of God * 1.6 heauie vpon him, which vexed his very bones, and made him roare in sence of paine. But when hee confessed and acknowledged his sinne, the Lord forgaue him all his iniquities.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 19. 13. Psal. 51. 4, 5.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 32. 10. Ezra. 9. 6, 7. Dan. 9. 4, 5.
• * 1.3

  1. King. 20. 31. Psal. 51. 4. 1. Cor. 11. 32.
• * 1.4

  1. Iohn. 1. 9
• * 1.5

  Pro. 28. 13.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 32. 3, 4, 5. 2 Sam. 12. 13.