foran a. fluffedconjience. 133 friends, credit, wife,children, orfuchuike, to bringvs torepentance ; he will Curdy whip our naked confciences, hewill entereuen into ourvery entrailes, and pearce our fecret bowels. As wee muft examine our feluesthus for frnnesof timepaft,andprefent, fo muff we vfe thispraetift in finne toconic : and this isvery needful!. Forwere it fo that ourlife and conuerfatiô were fuch,asneither before nor afterour calling,man could iufìlyaccule it : yetthe hidden corruption of ournature, may threatenTome hainous downfall in time secretcoml. to come,which bath made menofvery good reportand conuerfation tohang downe their heads,and feare their fecrethypocrifie,as that which may breake forthto the fhame of all theirformer life,in timetocome. But becaufe wee forgot to fpeakeof them, that inthe examiningoftheir huespaft,are muchgrieved for thewant of finceritie, and forpriuievainc-glorie in themfelues; let vs before\tvee got to the fearching ofourhearts in finne to come,fpeake fomewhat of this. Men trembled for this ppriuie prideareeither touched,or nottouched. If the veileof finne was fogreat in them, thatit hidChrift from them ; it is the goodwillof God,thatby this lightoftheir fecretfumes they fhould come tofee therìghteoufneffe that is in ChriftIefus, andfo they (hall thebetterbekept froinbeing iulticiariePharifees.Forwhen being a long tulticiarie timewell brought vp,and leadinga civill life,the diueli woaldperfwade va of tome sube- Thatitier> rentrighteoufneffe invs; it isthewifedomeof ourGod to touchvs with the confcienceof molt hidden corruptions,as altoto certifie and make knownevnto vs,thatCaen fromour birth therewasa fecret feedeoffinne invs, which (without theLord watching ouer vs) would fisrelyhaue broken forth to his difhonour. As for them which haue had tome working in them, andyetare often plungedwith fore diftreffes,this troublecoat:neth to them for two efpeciallcaufes, either for fomehypocritie, that they did more inthew than in truth : wherefore theLord bringeth them backe agauie to fee their corrupt procee- A(/$üianr dings,and thatthey mayknow all their religion to bebut hypociifre, and alltheir riglr- fighting4,0,4 teoufneffe to be but vnrighteoufneffe : or for the abufingrof theirknowledge,in thatthey judgement. made it but a maske to juggle in, and that they madetheir affeEtions to fightwith their owne iudgements. We mutt reinedie this,by not thinking ofour felues abovethat, which is meete,and by labouring toembrace thetruth in truth. Andhere let vs note,that many ofGodschildrenaccule themfelues ofliypocrife,cvhera indeede they offendnotin it, (for themolt righteousperfons are their owne greateft accufera) and yet the accufation doth inftlyarife from foil= fault on theirparts : for though they haue done things intruth, yet becaufe with truth they labourednot to fee their fecret corruptions, inloineother mat- ters,they firftaine this trouble ofminde. So that there is nothing harderthen to fife and Examinatie,, fearch ourharts to theboctome, whetherwe refpellour finespaft,orour fnnes indent, hard. whetherwe bootee toour priuie pride,hidden wants,or fecret corruptions. Andto returne from whence weedigreffed,in the eXaminationof ourhearts,in firmes aetau tefinr to come: let vsobfernethat inGods children there' is fuels a seahoulse, as they tremble at to come. thevery motions,and quakeat the leaft occafionof liimant, although becaufe vice will ft in relrdence very neerevuatovertue,theremaybe in them fomnetime toomuch fcrupu- loufnes. This feare caufeththedeareftofthe Saintsof Godto reafon on this fort : OLord, I feehow many excellentingifts, andconftant in profeffion for along time,whole ende Thegodly iea- hathnot anfwered their beginnings,wliofe deaths werenot liketo their liues.This is true, loafir ofGods whetherwe look intothe wordor intothe world : and it is a thingthat maymuch humble vs.Forthough we may rememberwhat wehaue been and knowwhat we are;yet who can tell whatmay comevnto lisinhereafter. Oh that the ferious meditation hereofwould dwell long vpon our confciences: that with an liolie iealoufie we mightpreuent the finnethat is to come. But alas,there be tome venturous knïghts,whiclithinkeitnomalterieto offer themfelues toiüasking,minftrelfie anddaunting, norto runne intoquarrels, braules and contentions, as thoughthey had theircares their eyes,thcir hands andtheir feete intheir ownepower,and at commande- nient tovfe and gouerne as themfelues lift, Howbeit,Gods children better fencedwith hisgrace,than thofe bold bayards,are afraidofthefe occafrons : asknowingfull well,that their eyes may fogne beprouoked to luft,.their caresmayquickly liftenvntovnchaft de- N lights,
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