EXPOSITION. In opposition, on the one hand, to the Church of Rome, which holds that some sins are mortal, and others venialthat is, of so trifling a nature, that they may be expiated by some temporal infliction, our Confession asserts, that "there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation ;" and, on the other hand, in opposition to certain Anabaptists, and some others, who have held, that if persons, after baptism and grace received, fall into grievous sins, there is no pardon remaining for them, even though they should repent, our Confession asserts, that "there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent." We admit that a great variety in the degree of guilt attaches to different sins; but we maintain that every sin is worthy of death. Most explicit are the declarations of an inspired apostle: "The wages of sin is death." Rom. vi. 23. "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Gal. iii. 10. Both these texts are unquestionably applicable to sin of every kind. The chief of sinners, however, may obtain mercy; and those who, after grace received, have fallen into grievous sins, may truly repent and obtain forgiveness. David, after his "great transgression," and Peter, after his denial of his Master, repented and were pardoned. 2 Sam. xii. 13; John xxi. 19. SECTION V.-Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavour to repent of his particular sins particularly.10 10 Ps. xix. 13. Luke xix. 8. 1 Tim. i. 13, 15. EXPOSITION. No man can reckon up all his sins in order; for "who can understand his errors?" But it is not enough to acknowledge in general terms that we are sinners; we should, by a strict and impartial examination of our hearts and ways, endeavour to obtain a discovery of those particular sins by which we have offended and dishonoured God, and should "mourn, every one for his iniquity." Thus, when David was brought to the exercise of true repentance, he not only acknowledged in general that he had sinned, but he had his eye upon that particular sin by which he had in a special manner dishonoured God: "My sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." Ps. li. 3, 4. "I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” Ps. xxxviii. 18. SECTION VI.-As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;" upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy;12 so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended;13 who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.14 11 Ps. li. 4, 5, 7, 9. 14; xxxii. 5, 6. 12 Prov. xxviii. 13. 1 John i. 9. 13 James v. 16. Luke xvii. 3, 4. Josh. EXPOSITION. In this section we are taught, 1. That every man ought to make private confession of his sins to God. We cannot discover to God anything that was previously concealed from his omniscient eye; but by confessing our sins we give glory to God, as well as take shame to ourselves. Hence, Joshua said unto Achan, " My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him." Josh. vii. 19. To cover our sins is to dishonour God, as if he either did not see, or could not punish them; whereas, to confess our sins is to honour God's holy law, which we have violated; to honour his omniscience, which beheld all our transgressions; to honour his justice, which might have taken vengeance upon them; and to honour his patience and long-suffering, which have forborne to execute the merited punishment. 2. That those who privately confess their sins to God, and forsake them, shall find mercy, though they do not also confess all their sins to a priest. This is amply confirmed by that inspired declaration: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Prov. xxviii. 13. The experience of David corresponded to this declaration. Ps. xxxii. 5. But the Church of Rome holds that the auricular confession of sins to a priest, and his absolution thereupon obtained is the only means appointed by God for the procuring of pardon of all mortal sins committed after baptism. For such a confession there is neither example nor command in Scripture. The text on which Romanists chiefly rely, (John xx. 23,) says nothing of the confession of sins in the ears of a priest; and the ministers of religion can only remit sins declaratively, not authoritatively. They can absolve from the censures of the Church, but not from the guilt of sin, as committed against God. In one place we are enjoined to "confess our faults one to another," (James v. 16); but this confession is mutual, not a confession by the people to the priest. Christians ought to confess their faults to those whom they have injured; but the confession of all their sins in private to a priest, as required by the Church of Rome, is wholly unauthorized by Scripture, and it has been the occasion of flagrant abuse. "Not only is auricular confession productive of much inconvenience to society, by giving the ministers of religion an undue and dangerous influence over the minds of the people in their most secret affairs; but it perverts their notions of the justification of a sinner, and it provides a method of quieting their consciences, which is so easy of access that it encourages them to sin with little fear."t 3. Though Christians are required to confess their secret sins only to God, who seeth in secret, yet, if they have wronged a Christian brother, in his property or good name, they are bound to confess their offence to him, and to make all the reparation in their power for the injury they have done to him; and upon their repentance he is bound to forgive them. Matt. v. 23, 24; Luke xvii. 3, 4. When Christians fall into public scandal, they should be willing to make a more public confession of their offence, that they may openly honour that God by their confession, whom they have openly dishonoured by their conduct; and the Church, upon their repentance, ought in love to receive them, and restore * Some of the grossest corruptions of the Church of Rome respect the doctrine of repentance. According to the tenets avowed in the standards of that Church, repentance consists of three acts-confession of sins to a priest, contrition, or attrition, and satisfaction. + Hill's Lectures in Divinity, pp. 292, 293. them to all their Christian privileges. The Novatians maintained that such as had fallen into grievous transgressions, especially those who had apostatized from the faith, in a time of persecution, were not to be again received into the bosom of the Church.* But this opinion is contrary both to the precepts and examples of Scripture. If a man be overtaken in a fault, they who are spiritual are enjoined to restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves, lest they also be tempted. Gal. vi. 1. The Church at Corinth was required to forgive the incestuous person, upon his repentance, and receive him again into communion, lest he should be swallowed up with over much sorrow. 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8. CHAPTER XVI. OF GOOD WORKS. SECTION I.-Good works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy word,' and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention.2 1 Micah vi. 8. Romans xii. 2. Heb. 2 Matt. xv. 9. Isa. xiii. 21. 18. Rom. x. 2. xxxix. 13. 1 Pet. i. John xvi. 2. 1 Sam. EXPOSITION. constitute an acIt must be such The law of God This section states what is necessary to tion a good work, as considered in itself. as God has commanded in his holy word. is the sole rule of man's obedience, and no action, how specious soever in appearance, can be properly called good, unless required by the supreme legislator. No command of man can make a work good, unless it be, at the same time, virtually or explicitly commanded by God. Those actions which have no warrant from the word of God, but are devised by men, out of blind zeal, cannot be reckoned good * Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., cent. iii., ch. 5, p. 2, c. 17, 18. works. On this ground Christ rejected those services of the Pharisees, which had no other authority than the traditions of the elders, or their own enactments, saying, "Who hath required this at your hands?" And, on the same ground, those works of superstition and will-worship, which are only enjoined by the commandments of men, in the Church of Rome, must be rejected. "In vain," said our Saviour, "do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt. xv. 9. Actions which God has not commanded cannot be transformed into good works (as is maintained by the Church of Rome), by the good intention of the agent. Many have pretended to act from a good intention, when they were acting in direct opposition to the revealed will of God. 1 Sam. xiii. 13; xv. 17-23. Men have thought that they were doing God good service, when they were committing the most atrocious crimes. John xvi. 2; Acts xxvi. 9. A work commanded by God is good, considered in itself; but something more is requisite to make it good as performed by us; and no action is a good work in the sight of God, except it be formally as well as materially good. What things are necessary to render a work formally good, may be learned from the subsequent sections of this chapter; but we judge it proper to state them briefly in this place. 1. They must be performed by a person who is justified by the righteousness of Christ, and renewed by his Spirit. 2. They must be done from a right principle-faith working by love. There must be faith or persuasion that what we do is commanded by God; and we must perform it from a respect to his authority. Rom. xiv. 23. There must also be a faith of the acceptance of our works only through the mediation of Christ. Our obedience must likewise flow from love to God. 1 John v. 3. They must be performed in a right manner. They must be done in the strength of promised grace, and in dependence upon the righteousness of Christ for acceptance; in the exercise of gratitude to God for all his benefits, and under a deep sense of our own unworthiness. 4. They must be directed to a right end. Our works cannot be accounted good, except our chief and ultimate end in doing them be the glory of God. 1 Cor. x. 31. SECTION II. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences |