Chap. 3 t. An Expoßtiets upon the Beebe of j o B. Vert. 33, 607 nor Satanwould be fo bufie to provoke us to cover our finnes, were it not very finfull.That great enemy fetsus about no worke but badworke, black worke, helli(hworke: heeknouts wel e- nough that tohide a fin committed is to commit a frelb fin, yea to commit a greater fin then that whichwe would hide, why elfe fhould he tempt us to hide it ? and this is one ofthe great depths of Satan , hee perfwades us to hide evill done , pretending our good by it, or as if he would befriend us ; but indeed flee affaults us as an enemy, and intends us a further milchiefe. The conceal- Crisrer. secencfo ing of fin is the keepingof the Devills councel, and the doubling am¡/lase rj la- of our tranfgreflion. Sin is the difeafe ofthe foule, and there is rer fir ex mia i. no loch way to encreafe and make a difeafe defperate as tocon- s re'gnrrm. ceale it : Silence feeds and cherifheth the difeafes of the body ; voter appae and fo it doth the difeafes of our foules. Sin encreafeth two ®.wvra. wayes; by concealemenr, or by hiding. Firft In the guilt of it : The -Obligation to punifhment takes flrongcr holdupon the foule, and every man is bound the faller with thole chaines of darkne(fe, by howmuch the more he la- bonrs to keep his fins in the darke : the longer a fin remaines up- on theconfcience unpardon'd the more doth the guilt of it en- creole : now all the while fin is hid, all the while fin is artificially and intentionally covered,it remaines unpardoned ; and therefore the guilt of it mutt needs encreafe uporithe foule. Secondly , Sin being thus covered encreafeth in the filth and contagion of it, in the flrengeh-and power of it ; it pines more upon the foule, it growes more mailer, and more mafierly; luft begins to rage, rave, it commands and caryesall before it, while wee are fo foolifh as to kcepe it dole and covered. Thus a con- cealed fin isgreatly encreafed both in the guilt and in the power of in If snÿlay, Surely it is not fo fuafull to cover and hide fin ; for loth not the Scripture condemne thofe that did not hide it ? why doth it rebukeany for not hiding their fins, if co hide fin be fo Gnfuli ? The Prophet feemes to fpeake that expreffely Ufa. 3. 9. ) The /hew of their countenance ttßifieth again) them (they were fo farre from hiding ìheir fins in their bofome,that they did ever) print them in their foreheads; Thefier oftheir countenance cloth witneffe againt them) they declare their fn az Sodome, they bide it not, Thus the Prophet reproves them, and makes this a V s u u very
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