This Examination of sins past, must be partly of those that we committed before our calling, & partly of those which were done after our calling. Every man (especially having his reason reformed by the Word of God) will grant an examination of the life, before our true knowledge of God in Christ, to be most needful. But it may be some will think that we need not be so precise in the searching of those sins, which were after our knowledge; but seeing of all other sins these byte sorest and pierce ⟨image 30⟩deepest, for that they are aggravated with all the menaces of God going before and after sin. Sin is then most sinful, when after we know the truth, after we have ben delivered from sin, after we have been enlightened with the grace of God, we have fallen into it: I think that examination most specially ought to be had of those sins. Wherefore to it erate our former examples in a new matter, as we may see the former kind of examining; first for sins before our calling, in the sons of Jacob; so we have a pattern of the latter in the practise of the Prophet David, ⟨image 30⟩who at the hearing of his sin was so troubled in spirit, that he could not rest though the Prophet told him his sins were forgiven him, but still he was disquieted, as though he found no comfort in his spirit. For as it fareth with sores, it cometh to pas with sins: we are loath to have our wounds often grated upon, we cannot so well away to have our sores rifled, seared, lanced; but to be fed with healing salve: so we are hardly brought to have our Consciences ground, or our sins ransacked, sifted, searched, & ripped up; but could still have them plastered with sweet ⟨image 31⟩promises, and bathed in the mercies of God: whereas it is far safer before incarnative and healing Medicines, to use corrosive and mundifying waters, without which though some sores may seem to close and skin up apace; yet they prove worse, and be rotten still at the core; they have above a thin skin, & underneath rotten flesh. In like manner, we would cloak, we would hide and cover our sins, as it were with a curtain; but it is more sound Chirurgery to prick and pierce our Consciences with the burning iron of the law;
This Examination of sins past, must bee partly of those that wee committed before our calling, & partly of those which were done after our calling. Euerie man (especially hauing his reason reformed by the Word of God) wil grant an examination of the life, before our true knowledge of God in Christ, to be most needfull. But it may be some will thinke that wee need not be so precise in the searching of those sins, which were after our knowledge; but seeing of all other sinnes these byte sorest and pierce ⟨image 30⟩deepest, for that they are aggrauated with all the menaces of God going before and after sinne. Sinne is then most sinfull, when after we know the truth, after we haue ben deliuered from sin, after we haue been inlightened wyth the grace of God, wee haue falne into it: I thinke that examinatiō most specialy ought to be had of those sins. Wherfore to it erate our former examples in a new matter, as we maye see the former kinde of examining; first for sinnes before our calling, in the sonnes of Iacob; so wee haue a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid, ⟨image 30⟩who at the hearing of his sin was so troubled in spirit, that he could not rest though the Prophet tolde him his sinnes were forgiuen him, but still he was disquieted, as though hee found no comfort in hys spirite. For as it fareth with sores, it commeth to pas with sinnes: we are loath to haue our wounds often grated vpon, we cannot so well away to haue our sores rifled, seared, lanced; but to be fed with healing salue: so we are hardly brought to haue our Consciences grownd, or our sins ransacked, sifted, searched, & ripped vp; but could stil haue them playstered with sweete ⟨image 31⟩promises, and bathed in the mercies of God: whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing Medicines, to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters, without which though some sores may seem to cloase and skin vp apace; yet they proue worse, and be rotten still at the coare; they haue aboue a thin skin, & vnderneath rotten flesh. In like manner, wee would cloake, we wold hide and couer our sinnes, as it were with a curtaine; but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke and pierce our Consciences with the burning yron of the law;
