Q. Is here all?—A. No; Tremble at the word of God; tremble at every judgment, lest it overtake thee; tremble at every promise, lest thou shouldest miss thereof: for, saith God, 'To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word' (Isa 66:2; Heb 4:1,2).
Q. What if I cannot thus confess my sins?—A. Bewail the hardness of thy heart, keep close to the best preachers, remember that thou hangest over hell, by the weak thread of an uncertain life. And know, God counts it a great evil, not to be ashamed of, not to blush at sin (Isa 63:17; Jer 6:15, 8:12).
Q. Are there no thanks to be rendered to God in confessions?—A. O Yes. Thank him that he hath let thee see thy sins, thank him that he hath given thee time to acknowledge thy sins; thou mightest now have been confessing in hell: thank him also that he hath so far condescended as to hear the self-bemoaning sinner, and that he hath promised, SURELY to have mercy upon such (Jer 31:18-20).
Of Faith in Christ.
Q. I am glad that you have instructed me into this part of the worship of God, I pray tell me also how else I should worship him?—A. Thou must believe his word.
Q. Is that worshipping of God?—A. Yes; 'After the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets,' &c. (Acts 24:14).
Q. Why should believing be counted a part of God's worship?—A.
Because without faith it is impossible to please him (Heb 11:6).
Q. Why not possible to please him without believing?—A. Because in all true worship, a man 'must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' Besides, he that worships God, must also of necessity believe his word, else he cannot worship with that reverence and fear that becomes him, but will do it in a superstitious profane manner: 'For whatsoever is not of faith is sin' (Rom 14:23).
Q. But do not all believe as you have said?—A. 'That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit' (John 3:6). And again 'the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed' (Rom 9:8).
Q. What do you mean by that?—A. Thou must be born twice before thou canst truly believe once (John 3:3,5).