We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done: And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have

We are then instructed that confession and repentance are at all times” our duty, but "chiefly when we assemble and meet together" for the purposes of public worship. These purposes are declared to be "to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at the hands of God ;" which we accordingly do, in the form of thanksgiving prescribed by the Church: "To set forth his most worthy praise" which is done in our Psalms, Hymns, Anthems, and Doxologies: "To hear his most holy word;” which we do in attending to the reading of the portions of Scripture, and to the sermons which are taken from the Scriptures: And lastly, to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the Soul ;" which is done in the Collects, Supplications, and Intercessions. But unless true repentance precede these duties and devotions, none of the services will be acceptable to God, or profitable to ourselves. Wherefore, that the people may not come to Church in vain, the Minister "prays and beseeches" them, "as many as are present," to accompany him in the solemn confession which immediately follows-a confession, which there are none so holy but they have need to make it; and none so sinful but they may be profited in using it with sincerity.

Such are the views we ought to take of this comprehensive exhortation. While, therefore, the minister is addressing it to us, let us apply our minds fully to its import, that we may be prepared to accompany him with contrite hearts in the "general Confession" to the Throne of Grace.

T. C. B.

(4.) There is no subject in religion concerning which there is a more general agreement among Christians than that which here presents itself to our attention," the humble confession of our sins to Almighty God." This is a duty recommended by the example of holy men in all ages of the world, and by the positive precepts of Scripture. "We confessed our sins unto the Lord, and he forgave the iniquity of our sin." This has been the religious experience of Moses, Abraham, David, the Prophets, the Apostles, and the primitive Christians. In the Book of Numbers (v. 5, 6.) the Lord himself speaks, saying, "when a man or woman shall commit any sin, to trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; then shall they confess their sin which they have committed."

mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind, in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; To the glory of thy holy name. Amen."

And in the Book of Ezra, where it is recorded that the people had wickedly violated the divine commandment, this is the injunction laid upon them, (x. ii.) "Now, therefore, make Confession unto the Lord God of your Fathers, and do his pleasure."

Wisely then has the Church ordered that when we meet together to present our united tribute of Prayer and Praise to the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, we should first deplore our unworthiness at his footstool, by making an open and sincere confession of our manifold sins and wickedness.

The first sentence in the General Confession, contains a solemn address to God, in language well calculated to inspire us with awe, and at the same time to encourage our devotions :-" Almighty and most merciful Father."-In the first words of this address, we make a public acknowledgment of the greatness of the Being against whom we have sinned. It denotes the absolute sovereignty and dominion of God, both in heaven and on earth, and his infinite power to do all his pleasure. This must be a fearful attribute of the Deity to the impenitent sinner. It effectually destroys all his expectation of escaping the punishment due to his transgressions. An attribute like this, is calculated to fill us with reverence and awe, but it should not drive us to despair; for to the penitent transgressor, the power of God is always tempered with mercy. The Church, therefore, teaches us to address him as our most merciful Father." The idea of the almighty power of God, is calculated to excite in us a salutary fear of his anger, while the thought of his mercy tends to inspire us with cơnfidence, and melt us to gratitude and love. The former reminds us of the danger of persevering in our disobedience; the latter fills us with a comfortable hope of being received into favour upon our sincere repentance. And though the omnipotence of God, might terrify us from his presence, yet his mercy invites us to return, and confess our sins with contrite hearts. We are also taught in this address to invoke God by the endearing appellation of "Father;" and we are encouraged to do so by the authority of the Saviour himself, in the form of Prayer dictated to his disciples. This part of the address leads us to consider God as the author and preserver of our being; and as our Father by Redemption. "having begotten us again unto a hvelg

hope, in Christ Jesus, and made us accepted in the beloved'

We may here remark, that in all her Prayers the Church has manifested her wisdom and piety by prefacing them with such titles and attributes of God, as are most proper for the petitions which follow them, and most likely to excite in us the affections which correspond with our addresses to the throne of grace.

After the solemn address which has been noticed, we proceed to an open confession of our unworthiness in the sight of God:-" We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep." It is not possible that our ignorance and wanderings could be described in more appropriate and expressive language than that which the church has here adopted. It is the true expression of our real state and character, and in the very language of the Holy Spirit. "I have gone astray like a lost sheep." (Psalm cxix. 176.) "All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." (Isa. liii. 6.)-The servants of God are often spoken of under this figure. Thus David says, (Ps. c. 2.) "We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." And God is accordingly called their Shepherd. "The Lord is my shepherd." (Ps. xxiii. 2.)— The nature of our alienation from God is such, and such is our natural indisposition to return to him, that were not the Saviour to seek and recover us, by the ministry of his word, and the agency of the divine Spirit, we should continue to wander further and further from the path of duty, till we perished in our iniquity. We are justly compared, therefore, to lost sheep. No animal is more apt to stray than this, unless constantly under the Shepherd's eye so we also while eagerly feeding on the vanities of the world, constantly stray onward regardless whether we be right or wrong; and easily fall into temptations and snares. But to understand the full force of this figure, it must be considered that sheep were peculiarly liable to stray, and peculiarly subject to danger, in the open countries of the East, which were full of wild beasts. Such a great and terrible wilderness" is this world; where the Devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour." Alas! how frequently do we like erring sheep, forsake the safe fold, the pure streams, and the green pasture, which God hath provided for us, and wander into the dry and barren wilderness, where we want all true comfort, and are exposed to a thousand dangers! | What abundant cause, then, have we to be humble, when we reflect on our vain and erring conduct, and come forward to make our confession at the divine footstool! But are we really humble? Are we truly sensible of the evils of our doings? | Or do we adopt the words of this Confession as a

mere matter of form? Let us beware of imposing upon ourselves in so solemn a matter, as well as of the greater sin of hypocrisy ; lest being hardened in our iniquity we perish, and that without remedy. But why is it that we are compelled to make this humiliating confession? Why is it that we have left the green pastures "of God's word and promises, to feed on husks ?" The Church points us to the cause, and instructs us to confess it before God: "We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own heart."

This sentence of the confession, when considered in relation to that which precedes it, intimates to us a very striking contrast. The ways of God from which we have strayed, lead to life eternal; and our own way, which we have followed, is the broad path which leadeth to destruction. If we attentively observe the workings of our minds, and survey the tenor of our past lives, we shall have the fullest. reason to assent to that humiliating representation of the human heart which is given in the holy Scriptures: "From within, cut of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness." He who made this declaration knew what was in man: and it is under a full sense of the original depravity of our nature, as well as in consideration of our actual transgressions, that the Church has taught us to confess "we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts." But merely to acknowledge this with our lips, will not be sufficient. It is necessary that we should feel what we say. We must be convinced that our nature is depraved, before we shall seek the aids of the blessed spirit; and that our conduct has been wrong, before we shall earnestly set about an amendment. Let us beseech God, then, in the excellent language of the Church, "that by his holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by his merciful guiding may perform the same."

It is by thus following our own wicked devices and desires that we fall into actual sin. This St. John defines to be the "transgression of the law of God." And accordingly we are taught to proceed to the acknowledgment of our positive guilt ;— "We have offended against thy holy laws."

These words may be appropriated by all men, whatever may be their situation, or circumstances in life. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” glory of God." "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." "There is no man that liveth and sinneth not." A consideration of the sovereign and righteous authority of the great Being whose laws we have vio lated, ought to fill us with deep humility and awe in his presence. But that a dread of his anger, and

ing him, he has revealed himself to us on a throne of grace; and, through the meritorious atonement and intercession of his Son, encourages us to draw near to him, as to our "most merciful Father."

Our offences against the laws of God, consist of sins of omission, and of commission. After the general acknowledgment of our transgressions, we are instructed to proceed in our Confession; "We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done."

These words contain a full acknowledgment of the manifold sins and wickedness with which we stand justly charged. We first confess our neglect of duty. Wilfully to omit the performance of what God has positively required of us, may be no less criminal in his sight than actually to do what he has expressly forbidden us. Thus saith the Lord, (Ps. lxxxix. 32.) "If they keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes." This consideration ought to lead us to a careful review of our past lives, that we may perceive in what respects we have neglected to perform our duty, and humbly confess and lament the same before God. And in doing this, let us not judge of our deficiencies by any rule which fashion may have prescribed, or by any standard which mere human wisdom may have recommended. For as the latter is certain to be fallible, so is the former sure to be flattering and false. Let us examine ourselves by the perfect law of God, and judge ourselves now, that we be not judged of the Lord, in the great day of account. In the following injunctions of scripture, both the objects and the measure of our religious affections are fully summed up and defined "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself." Alas! how widely have we departed from this perfect standard ! Who of us have exercised that love to God which it requires? Have we not all often withheld our best affections from him who is most worthy of them, and lavished them upon base and inferior ob1ects? Have we not suffered the world, its vanities, its pleasures, its riches, and honours, to entangle our minds and captivate our hearts? Neither have our feelings, nor our conduct towards our neighbours been always such as we would have wished them to have exercised towards us. Although the rule by which our conduct should be regulated, is lodged in our own bosoms, yet we must all be conscious to ourselves, that our corrupt passions and selfish feelings, have too often led us to violate its injunctions. But besides having come short of the duties which we owe to God and our

selves. We are bound by the divine law, to keep our bodies in temperance, soberness, and chastity : То 66 crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts." But have we always done so? Rather have not angry passions too often ruffled our breasts and disturbed those about us? And have not our minds been too often defiled with pride, or unbe lief; with revengeful thoughts or unholy desires? If we could bring all our negligences and deficiences into one point of view; if we could be sensible in how small a degree the love of God has had the pre-eminence in our souls; how seldom our regard to our neighbour has come up to the measure which the scriptures require; and how often we have neglected to restrain the impetuosity of our passions, and to chasten our unhallowed thoughts, we should be filled with self-abasement at the divine footstool, and unite in heart and voice in this confession; we have left undone those things which we ought to have done."

We

The law of God, while it commands some things, forbids others. Indeed, the same law that commands any thing, implicitly forbids the contrary. We are, therefore, taught to confess our positive transgressions, as well as our sins of omission: —“ We have done those things which we ought not to have done." When we measure our conduct by the bare letter of the law, we must all acknowledge ourselves to be transgressors. But when we come to test our internal thoughts and affections by the spirit of the law, "who can tell how oft he offendeth?" To violate God's holy sabbaths-to profane his hallowed name-to dishonour our parents-to cherish envy, malice, and revenge-to defraud-to slarder our neighbour or pursue our private interests with a view to his injury; these are crimes of the blackest dye. hope few men are guilty of them all. But we are constrained to fear that all of us have been charge able with some of them. Let us not suppose, how. ever, that these constitute the entire sum of our transgressions. Let us humbly confess the secret sins, which have been confined within our bosoms.Let us examine ourselves, and test the inward thoughts and affections of our hearts by that spi ritual exposition of the moral law, given by the Sa viour, in his sermon on the mount; and while wo humbly acknowledge and lament our outward transgressions before God, let us also add, “O cleanse thou me from my secret faults." And in order to determine whether our humiliations, and confessions at the divine footstool, be sincere or heartless, we must judge ourselves in a great measure, by ou subsequent conduct. If we habitually strive to ab stain from those sins which we are conscious tha we have committed, and profess to deplore we may

be satisfied of the reality of our penitence; but if we return again to our former practices and indulgencies, we may well distrust our sincerity, and be alarmed at our state.

He who has proceeded thus far, in the general Confession, with a full and humbling sense of all his omissions of duty, as well as of his positive transgressions, by thought, word, and deed, will be ready to join with the Church in the following words: "And there is no health in us."

The Scriptures frequently set forth the disorders and distempers of the mind, by the maladies and diseases of the body. And consonant to this mode of expression, the words now under consideration, obviously refer to the state of the soul; to the state of our hearts and affections towards God, and in relation to spiritual things. They import that our souls are naturally depraved, and rendered still more diseased by our sinful practices; that we are far gone from original righteousness," and that we have no power, independent of divine assistince, either to cure the mental diseases with which we are afflicted, or to prevent the attacks of future Such a consideration should lead us to that spiritual Physician, who alone understands our case, and has power to heal all the maladies of the soul. With him there is a balm to cure the wounded spirit with him there is mercy to pardon our guilt, grace to strengthen our weakness, and the influence of the holy spirit to inspire us with divine life, and to sanctify our hearts.

ones.

In this part of the general Confession, it is the design of the Church to excite in us a deep sense of our manifold transgressions; to inspire us with a sincere sorrow and contrition for them; and to lead us to an humble and penitential confession of our guit. She then intimates to us that misery is the proper object of mercy, and that the forgiveness of the penitent is the peculiar prerogative of God, through the atonement and intercession of his Son. And after having touched our hearts with a lively sense of our guilt and misery, she now conducts as to him who is able to deliver us from its thraldom, and from the punishment which is due to it: "But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders."

In these words we deplore the divine wrath which we have deserved, and supplicate the divine mercy which we need. The motive which leads us to ask for mercy, is our own misery, but the only foundation upon which we can ground our hopes must be the sufficiency of Christ. The gospel Covenant guarantees a free pardon to all who put their trust in his atoning blood. "Whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of sins." (Acts x. 43.)

The following clause contains a further depre

cation of the just judgments of God which our sing deserve: "Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults."

These words express the apprehension and de sires of a sinner fully convinced of his demerits ; and the supplication is warranted by the sure guarantee of the divine Covenant; "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." (1 John i. 9.) "He that contesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy." (Prov. xxviii. 13.) There is, however, an important difference between the mere confession of the lip, and the real humility of the heart. The reiterated confession is but a solemn mockery in the mouths of those who use it without thought, or as a mere matter of form. It is the language of a heart deeply sensible of the enormity of sin, fully aware of its awful consequences, and earnestly desirous of being delivered from its dominion and its punishment. Such a heart will earnestly seek to be recovered from its errors, and its wanderings, and to be reinstated in the divine favour; and with renewed ardor, will appropriate the additional supplication, "Restore thou those who are penitent."

In the former petition, we prayed to be delivered from the punishment of sin: In this we pray to be restored from its pollutions. It is as though we should say, "Restore us, gracious Lord, to the light that sin has deprived us of, and to thy favour which we have justly forfeited by our numberless transgressions: restore the faculties of our minds, our reason, our understanding, and our wills-from their present depraved state, to some degreee of that perfection for which they were originally designed restore both our souls and bodies from being instruments of sin, to be instruments of holiness, and means of promoting thy glory." We are not indeed to expect an entire renovation of our nature to its primitive purity while in his life; but we may expect, and humbly pray for, such a renovation as may "make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light." In the former petition, we sought deliverance from the punishment of sin, on account of our sincere con. fession. In this we ask to be freed from its pollutions, on the ground of our penitence. But we are not to imagine that our confessions or our penitence gives us any meritorious claim to forgiveness and restoration to the favour of God. These are necessary conditions, on the faithful performance of which God vouchsafes to extend his mercy to to us, through the merits of his Son. It is through him alone that we have access to the Father, and all our petitions must be offered in his name. cordingly, the Church directs us to the promises of God, in Christ, as the foundation of all our hopes and expectations of mercy, and directs us to as

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