of his grace, in the hiding and covering of sin, even to
discover sin to the sinner, else if God should hide sin, and it be hid
withal from the conscience, both thy sin and God's grace should be hid and
covered, neither the one nor the other would appear. Take it thus
then,--the confession of sin is not for this end, to have any casual
influence upon thy remission, or to procure any more favour and liking
with God, but it is simply this, the confession of sin is the most
accommodate way of the profession and publication of the grace of God in
the forgiving of sins. Faith and repentance are not set down as conditions
pre-required on thy part, that may procure salvation or forgiveness, but
they are inseparably annexed unto salvation and forgiveness, to the end
that they may manifest to our sensible conviction, that grace and freedom
of grace which shines in forgiveness and salvation.

"He is just and faithful," &c. Herein is the wonder of the grace of God
increased, that when we are under an obligation to infinite punishment for
sin, and bound guilty before his justice, that the "most great and potent
Lord" who can easily rid himself of all his enemies, and do all his
pleasure in heaven and earth, should come under an obligation to man to
forgive him his sins. A strange exchange! Man is standing bound by the
cords of his own sins over the justice of God,--he is under that insoluble
tie of guiltiness. God in the meantime is free, and loosed from the
obligation of the first covenant, that is, his promise of giving life to
man. We have loosed him from that voluntary engagement, and are bound
under a curse. And yet, behold the permutation of grace,--man is loosed
from sin, to which he is bound, and God is bound to forgive sin, to which
he was not bound. He enters into a new and voluntary engagement by his
promise, and gives right to poor creatures to sue and seek forgiveness of
him, according to his faithfulness. Yet in this plea, as it becomes us to
use confidence, because he gives us ground by his promises, so we should
season it with humility, knowing how infinitely free and voluntary his
condescension is, being always mindful, that he may in righteousness exact
punishment of us for sin, rather than we seek forgiveness from him. And
yet seek it we ought, because he hath engaged his faithful promise, which
opportunity to neglect, and not to improve, either through fear or
security, were as high contempt and disobedien