Two learned and godly sermons, preached by that reverend and zealous man M. Richard…Two learned and godly sermons, preached by that reuerende and zelous man M. Richard…

As open and outward sin, committed in the sight of man, hath always the punishment of an ill name joined with it: so also secret sins, which are hidden as it were, in the dark corners of our hearts, do bring us out of favour and credit with God, and when we are out of credit with him, then doth he further make our sins known unto men, for our further discredit: For, nothing is so hidden, which shall not be brought to light, and nothing so secret, which shall not be discovered, even in the sight of the world. And that we may be the further persuaded of this, let us all know of a surety, that the Lord hath many means to bring such things to light. For, he can make the fields to have eyes to see our wickedness, he can make the woods to have ears to hear our ungodly counsels: yea, he ⟨image 11⟩can cause the walls of our bedchambers, to bear witness against us of our sins committed upon our beds: if this will not serve, he can go further, and cause our friends to fall out with us, and the men of our counsel to bewray our wickedness, and though we had not any such purpose, when we make him privy to our devises, yet in displeasure, the Lord doth cause him all at once to break out the matter: yea, rather then thou shouldest bear no reproach for thy secret sins, the Lord will cause thine own mouth to testify against thee, and thine own words shall get thee discredit: For, either unawares thou shalt bewray thy self, or, in thy sleep by dreams, thou shalt make the thing known, or, in thy sickness thou shalt rave of it, or in some frenzy, thou shalt vomit it out, or else the torment of thy evil conscience shall be so sharp, that even to thine ⟨image 11⟩own shame and confusion, thou shalt confess thy fault. Last of all, when thou thinkest or devisest evil against thy neighbour, though it be never so secretly, yet besides all the former, the Lord hath an other means, whereby he will bring thee to discredit for it; and this is a very vehement suspicion, raised up in the hart of him, of whom thou deemest this evil▪ for, as it often cometh to pass, that good motions which arise secretly in the mind, for the good of others, do cause that other men do think well of thee, though they did never hear of them: so doubtless doth it come to pass in evil motions.

As open and outwarde sinne, committed in the sight of man, hath alwayes the punishment of an ill name ioyned with it: so also secret sinnes, which are hidden as it were, in the darke corners of our hartes, do bryng vs out of fauour and credite with God, and when we are out of credite with him, then doth he further make our sinnes knowen vnto men, for our further discredite: For, nothing is so hidden, which shall not be brought to light, and nothing so secret, which shal not be discouered, euen in the sight of the worlde. And that we may be the further perswaded of this, let vs all know of a suretie, that the Lord hath many meanes to bryng such thynges to light. For, he can make the fieldes to haue eyes to see our wickednesse, he can make the woodes to haue eares to heare our vngodly counselles: yea, he