The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

but it is more sound Chirurgery to prick & pierce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law, and to cleanse the wound of the soul by sharp threatenings, least that a skin pulled over the conscience for a while, we leave the rotten corruption uncured underneath, and so we be constrained to cry out of our sins openly. As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilst they be curable, and after to¹ make them known when they be grown uncurable: so it is as great folly to dissemble our sins whilst they may be remedied, & so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad, when thou mayest think them remediless. But of this by the way, because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come.

but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke & pearce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law, and to cleanse the wound of the soule by sharpe threatnings, least that a skin pulled ouer the conscience for a while, we leaue the rotten corruption vncured vnderneath, and so we be constrained to cry out of our sinnes openly. As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilest they be curable, and after to¹ make them known when they be growne vncurable: so it is as great folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied, & so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad, when thou maist think them remediles. But of this by the way, because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come.

1. 1Cover not thy sin.Couer not thy sinne.

It is sufficient to commit sin before knowledge, but after some good light of the spirit to sin breedeth either hardness of heart, or a troubled spirit; both which we shall avoid¹ if in trueth we be careful to watch over our affections, and beware that after our delivery we fall not into sin again.