VII.

upon them. It begins with the address SERM. of "Dearly beloved brethren," which denotes the zeal that the minister has, or ought to have, for the spiritual welfare of his flock, and the deference and attention which they, in their turn, ought to pay to what proceeds from him. "The scripture "moveth us in sundry places, to acknow"ledge and confess our manifold sins and "wickedness, and that we should not dis"semble nor cloke them before the face " of Almighty God, our heavenly father, "but confess them with an humble, lowly,

penitent, and obedient heart." The meaning of this is evident; we are certainly commanded, in various places of the holy writings, to own our misdoings; not to think that we shall be able to conceal them from the Almighty God, and this we ought to do with an humble, mortified, and repentant sense of them, "to the end

SERM.
VII.

66

may obtain forgiveness of the same, by

his infinite goodness and mercy." We confess our sins in order to obtain remission of them. "If we confess our sins

66

(says St. John) God is faithful and just "to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us " from all unrighteousness." But although we ought at all times to make this acknowledgement, we ought to do it, most chiefly, when we are met together to give thanks for the favours we have received; to cele brate the praises of our maker; to hear his holy word read to us; and to ask whatever is necessary both for our bodies and souls: this being the case, the congregation are besought to accompany the minister, with humble voices and sincere hearts, in the following general confession:-" Ali

mighty and most merciful father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways "like lost sheep;" this is in imitation of the following passage in scripture.

All

VII.

"we, like sheep, have gone astray, we SERM. "have turned every one to his own way;" that is, like sheep who have deserted their shepherd, we have wandered from the paths of the Lord; "we have followed too "much the devices and desires of our own "hearts;" we have given ourselves too much up to the innate corruption of our nature, a corruption which we were born with, and derived from our first ancestor, but which, by the grace of God, we might, if we had endeavoured it, have surmounted. "We have left undone what we ought to "have done; and we have done what we "ought not to have done." Numberless acts of piety and benevolence, which it was our duty to have performed, we have neglected; numberless crimes, sins, and follies, which we ought to have avoided, we have committed; and there is no health in us;" we are spiritually sick and indisposed, and there is no salutary principle remaining

SER M. in us, by which we can, of ourselves, turn

VII.

unto God: but, notwithstanding this, now that we have thus, according to thy will, confessed our infirmities, do thou, O Lord, of thy great goodness, have mercy upon us; spare us, according to thy most gracious promises to them who confess their faults; spare us, good Lord, and grant, O most merciful father, through the merits, and for the sake of thy dear son, that we may, for the time to come, lead a pious, just, and temperate life, such as may conduce to our own salvation, and to the glory of thy holy name. At the conclusion, the people, besides having joined in it audibly, shall say 'Amen,' which signifies, it is true; these are our real sentiments, the word expressing their hearty concurrence with what has been said, and their earnest desires that their petitions may be granted. After this confession follows the absolution, which is said by the priest alone,

and

The

VII.

and in this the people are not to join, but SERM. merely to be silently attentive; for on this occasion the priest stands in the place of Christ's ambassador, and declares to the people the terms of God's reconciliation with them, on their faith in his word, and on their repentance and amendment. objection to this part of our service, as savouring of Popery, cannot with justice be maintained; for the absolution of the Roman Catholic priests are given in private, and to each individual,-whereas this is given in public, is conceived in general terms, and is perfectly agreeable to scripture, there being conditions annexed to it; the minister declares to the congregation God's forgiveness of their sins, but he expressly limits it to those who are penitent, to those who truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel. The absolution concludes with an exhortation, that we should beseech God to grant us this