foranaffliEledconfience. tst dayly experienceand the word ofGod loth fuf iicientlydeclaime. rofpI,sbrethren (moot, Tlse leaui;,gof his fonnes ) whodeuifed cuillagainft theirbrother, put himinto the pit, and ¡Old him vn- Isis irnett to (}rangers ; did ceafe from this crueltie : but yet they are not read to have remembrcd repentingof their finneswithany retnorfc,vntill thirteenyeeres afterthe thanewascommitted; as we Pare, may fee in theproccifeof the hifeorie. Dauid had left his finnes of murther and adulterie -(as thinkingall quietandwell) the (pace of a whole yerre ; afterwhich time ( beingad- monifhedby theProphetNathan) hee repentedofit. And experiencebath tried inosa- ny, thathaue had forceworking of God in them, that though they lefttheir finnesmany yeeresagoe,yet becaufetheyrepentednot truely for them, they haue rebounded vpon themwith terrible fightsand fearefullviuons, tohumble them , and to bringthem to a fe- rious examination of them, beingdone and leftlong fince. Examples whereofwe neede not fetchfrom farre, feeingfotoasty Preachersas are acquainted withfearefull fpirits, will giuewitneffe hereof. The fruite ofwhich amazed mindesfor(innsalreadic leftsours,to bewareof finnes which are tocome. And that other mensharenes may teach vs bleffed wifedowe, let vs labournot onely toleaue finne, which one may doe forprofit , forfare,for For whatcair- rssa or orweáre emnea but to repent it for confciencefake. ter marry tease P T f f Íf P fnxe. This examination of our fins paft,muftbepartly ofthole thatwecommitted beforeour calling, &partlyof thofewhich weredone after ourcalling.Eueryinan(efpecially hauing his reafon reformed bythe word of God) will graunt an examination of the life, before Examination our true knowledge of God in Chriff,to bemolineedful(. Butit may be, fon:ewill thinks offrescos er that we neede not to be fo precife in the fearclungof thofe finnes, which wereafter our ourcallnvg. knowledge. But feeing of all other finnes thefe bite fore(}, andpierce deepef},for that they are aggrauated withall themercies of Godgoing before, and thane is thenmolt fin- full, when after weknow the trueth,after wee liane beene deliuered from finne, after wee haue beeneinlightened.with thegrace of God, wehaue fallen into it: l thinkethat an ex- amination moltfpeciailyought to behadof there finnes. Wherefore to iterate our former examples ina newmatter, aswe may fee the former kinde of examiningofour finnes be- fore our calling, inthe fonnesof Iaca6: fo we hauea patterneof the latter in the praetife of sheProphetDamid, who atthe hearingof his lanewas fo troubled in his fpirit, that hecouldnotref in theProphets fpeech, telling Intothat Isis Crone was forgiueu hum , but Rillwas difquieted, asone vtterly forfakenof God, andcould finde no comfortof Gods fpiritin him. Foras it farethoften with fores, it commethto paffein thanes, wee are loath sisneslike tohaue our wounds often gratedvpon, wecannot fowell away to haue our fares rifled( fares. feared, and lanced ; but fedde with healing falues : fò weeare hardlybrought to haue our confciencesground, or our finites ranfacked, lifted,fearched, and rippedvp ; but would Rill haue them plaifteredwithfweetepromifes, and bathed in the merciesof God : where- asit is farre fafer beforeincarnatiue andhealing medicines, tovfecorroftue and mundify- simile. ingwaters,without whichthough fomeforesmayfeemeto dote& skin vp apace,yet they proueworfe,and being rotten ltd at the core;chey haue aboue a thin skin,and vnderneath dead flefh: In like maner,we would cloake,we would hide &couer our fins,as it were with attain: but itis morefound Chirurgerie topricke and pearceourconfcienceswith the burning ironof thF Law,& to cleanfe the wound ofthefoule by iharpe threatuings, leaf} thata skin pulled 6uer the confciencefor awhile, welease therotten corruption vncured vnderneath;& fo webe conftrained to cry out ofourfins openly.As it is a follythen to diC- fefnbleour fores whileft they be curable,&afterto makethe knownwhen they beBrowne ter thy vncurable: fo it is as great folly todiffetnble ourfins whilefttheymaybe remedied, and fo after beconftrained withihafne toblazethë abroad, when thoumáyft thinkthem reme- diles. But ofthis by the way,becaufewefhalmore largely touchitinthe haftparttocome. It isfufficientto commitfinne beforeknowledge,but afterfossegood light of the1pirit to (tone, breedeth either hardneffeofheart, oratroubled fpirit; bothwhich wee Thalia- sinnesaftir noid, if in truethwee becareful( towatch ouer our affeeLions, and beware that afterour ksorlodge., deliuerie wefall not into finneagaine. Seuerall men,fubie&to feuerall finnes, haue their feuerall checkesin their confciences: force are ouercome withwrath, andyet afterthemo®die fitthey cantell that the wrathof man
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