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As the intrinsic evil of sin consists in its opposition to God, as a transgression of his law, and as reflecting the highest dishonour upon him: confession must have a special relation to this, otherwise it is no confession. Nothing can be more reasonable than con, fession to God. We are indispensably bound to obey his law, and when we transgress, it is surely incumbent on us to acknowledge that we have done wickedly. To refuse this is to condemn the law which we have broken, to deny God his title to our obedience, and to justify our iniquity. Confession does not contain any satisfaction for sin; that consists wholly in punishment or the execution of the threatening; but it is a duty enjoined by the law, a duty which we would never have to perform if we did not become guilty. Confession, when duly made, honours God, as every duty does, because it implies an acknowledgement of his authority over us, his right to our subjection, our dependance upon him, and that we deserve to be punished. It cannot, however, repair, or compensate for, the dishonour done to God by our transgressions, because if it did so, no other satisfaction would be necessary to secure pardon. It cannot render a former act of disobedience, no disobedience, nor take away the malignity of it: this would be to make it a work of supererogation. As an act of obedi ence glorifying God it is required, and often inculcated. My son," said Joshua to Achan, " give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him." Josh. vii. 19. A similar injunction was laid on Israel, Jer. iii. 13. "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God."

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If this confession is merely verbal, God will account it no confession: it must proceed from a heart suitably exercised about the nature of sin, and the dishonour

done to God. Sin originates in the heart, and lies principally in the opposition of it to God; it is, therefore, proper that confession proceed from the heart. In every transgression, the heart prefers sin to holiness, and takes pleasure in it; and as the evil of it lies here, the contrary disposition of love to God and hatred of sin ought to prevail. If the heart remain stout and unaffected, if it is not filled with sorrow and regret for the evil which it has chosen, confession will be a mere pretence. It will be, as in all other cases where the heart is not engaged, an approach to God with the mouth, while the heart is far from him. In the penitential confessions of believers recorded in Scripture, an affecting sense of sin in the heart, as dishonouring God, evidently appears to be the very spring of their confession. "I will declare mine iniquity," said David, "I will be sorry for my sin." Psalm xxxviii. 18. In that example of penitence and confession which he set in the li. Psalm, a true sensibility of soul, and the deepest sorrow for sin, are very evident. "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." verse 4. He saw the corrupt spring in his heart, and was impressed with it; therefore prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." verse 10. The sacrifices of slain beasts, he well knew, could not be acceptable to God, if contrition of heart was awanting: and though he does not declare, in so many words, that he had such a contrite heart, yet the truth of this is manifest. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it thee: thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' verses 16, 17. When a just view of sin is obtained, confession will be the language of the heart. Grief

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and contrition will appear, the spiritual anxiety and distress of the soul will be evident, and the confession will be ample and unfeigned. Iniquity will not be regarded in the heart, nor will any attempt be made to extenuate or conceal it.

7. FEAR of sin and watchfulness against it will be the natural fruits of a discovery of its malignity. Just views of the divine character produce a suitable regard to the authority and honour of God, and a powerful inclination to submit to the one and promote the other. But the commission of sin is incompatible with both, and also exceedingly hurtful to the believer himself: "It is an evil thing and a bitter;" evil as against God, and bitter in its effects to the transgressor. This view of God produces a reverential respect to God, accompanied with love and esteem, and holding the soul under such awe, as to make it afraid of adding sin to sin, by doing the abominable thing which God hateth. The command, "Stand in awe and sin not," sinks deep into the believer's heart, and makes him determine neither to touch, nor taste, nor handle, that evil thing. The enticer to idolatry was to be capitally pu nished, to show the exceeding malignity and danger of the sin; and others were to fear, and beware of acting a similar part. "Thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die:

sought to thrust thee away from the

because he hath

Lord thy God—

And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you." Deut. xiii. 9—11.

THIS fear will put the believer upon his guard against sin. Fear of God is a fear of disobeying and disho

nouring him, a fear of doing what he prohibits. The native result of this fear is watchfulness against sin, avoiding, as far as possible, all occasions of it. When we apprehend any evil or danger impending over us, we are upon our guard, and take every precaution to secure ourselves. If sin is viewed as an evil, every motion of lust in the heart will be watched and opposed; every solicitation and temptation will be avoided and resisted; and our natural tempers, which often precipitate us into sin, will be carefully guarded. This was David's resolution. Psalm xxxix. 1. "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." A careful attention is paid to the word of God, by means of which the excellence of his nature, and the evil and danger of sin, are seen. This impressed upon the heart, and made the subject of frequent meditation, proves an excellent mean of security against sin to the believer. "I am resolved," said the man according to God's heart," that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the path of the destroyer." Psalm xvii. 3, 4. The various vicissitudes of Providence, prosperity and adversity, have their different influence on believers, with respect to sin. Agur deprecated riches, lest he should become full and deny the Lord; and also poverty, lest he should steal, and take the name of God in vain. In either of these circumstances, as believers exist in both of them, much vigilance will be requisite to avoid the sins into which they are more ready to fall in these situations. The utmost vigilance and attention to means will prove insufficient without the divine interposition. We should be careful to obtain this, from a conviction of the ne

cessity of it to our safety. David was examplary to us in this also. "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slide not.” Psalm xvii. 5. He would have God to give him holy inclinations to good, and strong aversion to evil, and to watch over his heart, his lips, and his life, lest he should turn aside with the wicked, and pursue their sinful pleasures. "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties." Psalm cxli. 3, 4. If we see sin aright, if our hearts are deeply affected with it, we will fear God, and anxiously guard against what he hates. "We will set no wicked thing before our eyes: we will hate the work of them that turn aside, that it shall not cleave to us."

S. DECIDED opposition to all solicitations and temptations to sin is the fruit of a just sense of it as committed against God. Satan and the world are the grand agents in this affair, with whom believers have many violent conflicts. No means, either by artifice or farce, are left untried to seduce them into sin. We are told of the "depths, devices, and wiles," of the wicked one, as implying the various deep designs which he forms, and various cunning methods by which he executes them, against the saints of God. His deep

discernment, and extensive experience enable him to form dark and dangerous designs; to adopt the most crafty methods of executing them; to make the best selection of agents and instruments; and to fix upon the most proper seasons and circumstances, so as to enThese devices lie in a great measure hid from the believer, till Satan begin to carry them into effect, which renders it neccessary that he should al

sure success.

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