this order of things, and the propriety of this adminiftration Confeffion must be previous to remiffion. It would be unfit in the nature of things, it fhould be otherwife. To fuppofe the wifeft of beings fheuld pardon the greateft of offences without any acknowledgment from the offender of his crime, it would wear the complexion of connivance rather than pardon. Such an administration would be of ill-tendency, encourage tranfgreffion, and bring fuch government into contempt. Surely fuch connivance, weakness, and want of wifdom, cannot be attributed to the Supreme Governor of the univerfe, who always acts agreeably to the eternal fitnefs of things. Efpecially as hereby the freedom and fovereignty of his grace, would be totally eclipsed.

Secondly, it cannot be imagined that the confeffion required is in any fort a mere dull, cold, and formal acknowledgment; a general, senseless and unfeeling profeffion that we are finners. A genuine confeffion proceeds from fincere fentiments of heart. It is not an acknowledgment of the lips without a correfpendent fenfe of fin in the foul. It must be a confeffion, not for mere form's fake, but fuch as will enfure the purpose for which it was intended. For this end it must be perfonal and particular, univerfal and perpetual. A general and fuperficial acknowledgment will not answer; but it must be diftinct and flow from a particular fenfe a perfon has of his own vilenefs, of the number, aggravation and demerit of his iniquities. David makes a genuine confeffion of fin, when he fays, "Against thee, "thee only have I finned, and in thy fight have I done evil." It must be univerfal, that is of all fin without partiality or ex. ception. It must not be fuch a prayer and such a confeffion as the Syrian nobleman made, when he acknowledged and was ready to relinquifh all fin except one, for which he desired pardon while he might be allowed the indulgence of it. In this "thing the Lord pardon thy fervant, that when my mafter

goeth into the houfe of Rimmon to worship there; and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the houfe of Rim"mon; when I bow down myself in the houfe of Rimmon, "the Lord pardon thy fervant in this thing." How many are willing to confefs like Naaman, with the exemption of a few fins, which they deem neceflary for their livelihood, their interest or their honor? A confeffion which entitles to pardon from God, muit not only be univerfal, but alfo perpetual; as we are daily encompaffed with fins and infirmities, we should daily confefs them, and daily apply to that blood which clean feth from all iniquity.

Thirdly, when God is faid to be faithful and juft to forgive us our fins upon the confeffion of them, this obligation is not to be understood as if it were founded in the confeffion; as though confeffion itfelf obliged God to forgive. This would be faying, a mere confeffion is obligatory upon God to requite it with remission; that he has no right to deny one who deferves it fo well; that he will be faithful and just to the me rits and virtue of fuch a confeffion, and recompenfe it fuitably. to the worth and value of fuch an acknowledgment. This would not only fap the foundation of the gospel, demolish the covenant of grace, but contradict the nature of things. He muft have an unconscionable opinion of the high value and merit of his confeffion, who would dare to bring forward such a claim. This would be a daring infult in a criminal, to offer to any human government. Would it be unjut in a civil magistrate to punish a murderer because he plead guilty, and confeffed the fact ?-Surely not. The ftate of things is thẹ fame in either cafe. From hence it appears there is no con. nection between confeffion and remiffion, only what the grace and good pleasure of God has formed and established. Wherefore the faith and justice of God here mentioned, must be under

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ftood in relation to his own promife and declaration, that re. penting finners fhall find mercy.. Our confeffion can have no manner of caufal or meritorious influence upon our remiffion. Neither faith nor repentance can in the leaft degree merit pardon and falvation; thefe are granted to the believing penitent, folely in confequence of the atonement of Chrift. It is true they are infeparable from eternal life. Pardon cannot come into existence without them, yet where they exift, it cer tainly follows. These graces are the gift of God, and im planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness of fin, with all other spiritual bleffings, flows freely from God, and yet they are beflowed on the finner for the merits of Chrift alone. Chrift has purchafed all that is prerequifite, or contained in the term falvation, and has given an adequate valua tion therefor, yet from the covenant of grace and the promise, God has pledged himself to grant remiflion of fins upon confeffion of them. Thus from the conftitution of faving finners in the gospel, however infinitely unworthy the finner is in himfelf, and all he can poffibly do, yet if he confeffes his faults, as God is faithful to his promifes, just to Jefus Chrift and to all his perfections, he furely obtains forgiveness. If it were not abhorrent to make the fuppofition, God would be neither faithful nor just in refufing pardon to the tranfgreffor who confessed - his offences, yet forgiveness to the finner in refpect to himself, and to his confeffion, is the freeft and moft fovereign grace.

Fourthly, this confeffion in the text, arifes from a broken and penitential heart. It is not a piece of mere lip fervice. It is an act of the whole man, and not of the mouth only. True confeffion flows from a feeling fentibility of foul. Therefore it difburdens the heart, relieves the oppreffed confcience, and eafes the troubled mind. In forced, infincere and unavailing confeffions, there is always mifery, but not fo with that which is proper and genuine. In a gracious confeffion there is pleafure, comfort and bayyintis. The believer hardly ever

feels more happy, than lying in deep contrition at the feet of his Lord, mourning over his fins, and pouring out his whole heart in an unreferved confeffion of them. This is the confeffion which God approves, and forgivenefs ftands infallibly connected with it. It fprings from the depth and fincerity of evangelical repentance, is ever accompanied with a departure from fin, and a reformation of life, and has the juice and faithfulness of God engaged for his pardon. "If we confess "our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins."

A few practical ufes will clofe the theme.

First, how doth loving kindnefs and grace of God our Sa viour, fhine forth in the difpenfation of the gofpel? Expiation for fin is provided by the blood of Jefus; reconciliation for an apoftate world, is procured by the crofs. Nothing now is required of criminal offenders, only to accept of falvation as an unmerited favour and an inftance of wonderful and fpecial grace. What fuperabundant riches of mercy appear in this mode of procedure with fallen man? Angels entertain themfelves with the admirable contemplations. How reasonable is it that it should captivate and charm the fouls of finners? The work of redemption is finished, and before it comes to us, published to the world as compleat, and all are invited to come and receive it."All things. are ready," the feaft is prepared, placed on the table, and nothing wanting but guests to come and partake of the infinite profufion of the divine beneficence. And all are invited of every nation and complexion, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, to come to the marriage. entertainment, to come and receive interminable felicity.

Secondly, what can be more free and eafy than the terms of the gofpel? Jefus came and laid down his life for finners; only receive him and falvation is yours. Believe and thou fhalt be faved. An ample redemption is made, only confent

to it and all is fafe. Chrift faves all who are willing to be faved, and he never faves any against their wills. The whole requifition of you is the easiest thing in the world; only confefs your fins and pardon is yours. What divine generofity, what wonders of love displayed to the loft children of men! That God fhould ftoop from the throne of his glory to call to finners, faying unto them, only ask forgiveness, acknowledge that you have treated heaven unkindly, that you have caufelefly offended the Supreme Majefty, and all offences will be forgiven, and peace established betwen heaven and earth again. If fuch news could be proclaimed in the infernal regions, would not the devils clank their chains for joy? By grace are we faved, by marvelous and furprifing grace. How ftrange is it, and it will employ the admiration of eternity, that the most high and potent Lord, who can do all his pleafure, create worlds and dafh them to pieces by the word of his mouth, can eafe himself of all his adverfaties in a moment, fhould lay himself under obligation to forgive us our fins on the mere confeífion of them. What lower terms of falvation could finners require?-Only afk and you fhall receive, on call on the name of the Lord, and ye fhall be faved. Has not heaven condefcended to the lowest meafures poflible? All the art of man could contrive nothing fo low and eafy for fo great a bleffing. Was falvation left to terms of men's own devifing, could they propofe any thing lower, than to have remiffion upon the confeffion of fin? O therefore let all admire and receive the wonderful grace of the gofpel.

Thirdly, this doctrine exhibits the wifdom and glory of the gofpel difpenfation with tranfcendent beauty and ravishing loveliness. The mifery, guilt and wretchednefs of man within, the overflowing mercies of God without, his own abfolute indigence and Chrift's all-fufficiency, thould irresistably influence him to confefs his fins, and accept of pardon and a free falvation. With what a penetrating fenfibility of foul, and with