Chap: 3r . An Expofieion sloe the Book of JO E. VerI 3 3 . 67 Mott fins are committed in the darke, that is , fecretly; and all fins focommitted would be kept in the darknes of concealement and fecrecy. Sin is darkneffe, and a worke ofdarkneffe ; Now darkneffe being focongeniali to fin, (inners muff needs lovedark- neffe. Moft of our fins are unknowne toothers, yea many ofour fins are unknowne toour felves. Therefore David had no fooner put this queftion (P14.59 12) Who can underf#andhis errours ? But he prefently puts up this petition,Cleanfe thou mefrom ferrer faults. And theme ferret faults by him intended in that prayer, were not fuch as he had committed out of theeye or fight of o- thers, but fuch as had efcapedor were net at all difcerned by the eyeof his owne obfervation. Now,as molt of our fins are un- knowne toother men, and many of our fins are unknowne to our felves, fo it is the delire of finfull man, that all his fins might be unknowne toGod. Man, as man, that is, as finfull man delirash that there might be a Peale let or a vayle put upon all his fones. It is as natural) to man to be a fin coverer as a. fir..committer; And he had rather make fome poore fhift of hisowne to cover it then goe toGod(whofe priviledge and glory it is to cover fin ) to have his fin covered. It was fo with Adam the firft man; when he had finned, how bufie was heto hide his fin ? It was fo with Cain the fecond man ; whenhe had finned, how willing was he to hide his fin ? Cain fpilt his brothers innocent blood like water upon the ground, but he would faine have ftopped the mouth of his brothers blood fromcrying up to heaven. And when God came to make inquifition for blood,and pus the queftion to. him, Where is Abel thybrother ? He anfwered the Lord, firft, with`a plaine ly, 1 know not, and, fecondly, with a prefumptuous query, elm I env brothers keeper ? What have Ito doe withhim ? he is old enough to looke to himfelfe. Thus it was with the firft thus with the fecond finner, and fo it hach been with fanners, ever fence. Doe not our owne hearts tell us that it is fo ? Have not the Ions of men beenbufie in all generations to prepare coverings for their tranfgreffions? and are they not upon the fame bfihes. it this day ?If any fhall enquire, whence it cometh to pair that men are thus finfully diligent in providing covers for their fin ? I anfwer, the reafonof it arifech chiefely two wayes. Firft From pride ; man bath an high fpirít though he doe low things, things as low as het ; fuch a thing is fin, even the belt 0,9q q z or
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