Trouble not thy head with the thoughts of any other thing, till this be done: and thou needest not care for order or phrase in setting it down, but do it in such ⟨p. 19⟩words as thou hast to utter it in, and be sure to spare none of thy special known sins, but let the Lord see, that thou art as willing to indict thy self for them in his presence, as thou art willing he should forgive them. When thou hast in this manner taken a particular notice of thy sins, then look upon the Catalogue following, and examine thy self distinctly by it. For this Catalogue will be like a Looking glass from all parts of Gods Law, to show thee thy offences. And so thou mayest observe what faults thou couldst not find or remember by thy private examination; and withal see in what phrase or order to digest thy sins. Let not thy thoughts trouble thee, but cheerfully endure this trial of thy self; and take heed thou do it not cursorily, but take time enough, and so thou mayest, if thou wilt only take one of the Chapters, or two of them, as they ⟨p. 20⟩lie in the Catalogue, and no more in a day, till thou come to the end of the Catalogue: neither needst thou to trouble thy self about such sins as thou doest not clearly see that thou art guilty of, but take only such as thou art most sure thou hast offended in. It is enough in the practise of Repentance, to take particular notice of known and apparent evils: a general acknowledgement will serve for the rest. If thou think thy sins be innumerable, and so cannot be gathered 1into a Catalogue, understand, that the acts of sin are innumerable, but not the kinds of sin. There is no sin, but it is condemned in the Scripture: and if there were as many sins as there be lives in the Scripture, yet they might be numbered; and therefore that speech of David, that his sins were innumerable, must be understood of the acts of sin; for he might in one sin ⟨p. 21⟩be guilty of innumerable acts: as if it were a sin in thought, it might be committed oftener then can be by us numbered. But in repentance, it is enough to humble our selves for the several kinds of sins we have been guilty of, which will not be so many, but they may be easily numbered. The several acts of the same sin serve but as a general aggravation of the offence. Only in this examination look to two things:
Trouble not thy head with the thoughts of any other thing, till this be done: and thou needest not care for order or phrase in setting it downe, but doe it in such ⟨p. 19⟩words as thou hast to vtter it in, and be sure to spare none of thy speciall knowne sinnes, but let the Lord see, that thou art as willing to indite thy selfe for them in his presence, as thou art willing hee should forgiue them. When thou hast in this manner taken a particular notice of thy sinnes, then looke vpon the Catalogue following, and examine thy selfe distinctly by it. For this Catalogue will be like a Looking glasse from all parts of Gods Law, to shew thee thy offences. And so thou mayest obserue what faults thou couldst not find or remember by thy priuate examination; and withall see in what phrase or order to digest thy sins. Let not thy thoughts trouble thee, but chearefully endure this tryall of thy selfe; and take heed thou do it not cursorily, but take time enough, and so thou maiest, if thou wilt onely take one of the Chapters, or two of them, as they ⟨p. 20⟩lie in the Catalogue, and no more in a day, till thou come to the end of the Catalogue: neither needst thou to trouble thy selfe about such sinnes as thou doest not clearely see that thou art guilty of, but take onely such as thou art most sure thou hast offended in. It is enough in the practise of Repentance, to take particular notice of knowne and apparent euils: a generall acknowledgement will serue for the rest. If thou thinke thy sinnes bee innumerable, and so cannot be gathered 1into a Catalogue, vnderstand, that the acts of sinne are innumerable, but not the kindes of sinne. There is no sinne, but it is condemned in the Scripture: and if there were as many sinnes as there bee liues in the Scripture, yet they might bee numbred; and therefore that speech of Dauid, that his sins were innumerable, must be vnderstood of the acts of sinne; for he might in one sinne ⟨p. 21⟩be guiltie of innumerable acts: as if it were a sinne in thought, it might be committed oftner then can be by vs numbred. But in repentance, it is enough to humble our selues for the seuerall kindes of sinnes wee haue beene guiltie of, which will not bee so many, but they may be easily numbred. The seuerall acts of the same sin serue but as a generall aggrauation of the offence. Onely in this examination look to two things:
- 1How our sins are innumerable.
