ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 2, 3. 115 he looks upon them as accursed things to be thrown away, as the converts did upon their costly and curious books, Acts xix. 19. Isa. xxx. 22. xxxi. 7. Sin is like a plaited picture : on the one side of it to the impeni- tent appeareth nothing but the beauty of pleasure, whereby it bewitcheth and allureth them ; on the other side, to the penitent appeareth nothing but the horrid and ugly face of guilt and shame, whereby it amazeth and confoundeth them. Thus the remembrance of sin past,_ (which they are very careful to keep always in their sight, Psa. li. 3.) doth by godly sorrow work especial care of amendment of life for the time to come, 2 Chron. vi. 37, 38. Psa. cxix. 59. Ezek. xvi. 61. 63. xx. 43. 2. By a present sense of the weight and burden of remaining corruptions, which work, and move, and put forth what strength they can to resist the grace of God in us. As the time past wherein sin reigned, so the present burden of sin besetting us, is esteemed sufficient, and makes a man careful not to load him -. self wilfully with more, being ready to sink, and forced to cry out under the pain of those which he unwillingly lieth under already. A very glutton when he is in a fit of the gout or stone, will forbear those meats which feed so painful diseases. A penitent sinner is continually in pain under the body of sin, and therefore dares not feed so dangerous and tormenting a disease. The more spiritual any man is, the more painful and burdensome is corruption to him, Rom. vii. 22. For sin to the new man is as sickness to the natural man. The more exquisite and delicate the natural senses are, the more are they sen- sible and affected with that which offends nature. Contraries cannot be together without combat. The spirit will lust against the flesh, and not suffer a man
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