The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…

3. Take heed of hiding your sin. Seek not to cover or extenuate, or suppress the Conviction of it in your Consciences. Ungodly men always thus practice; and the same lust that tempts a Child of God to sin, doth also put him upon so doing; this is the very thing that brought the trouble upon you, in Gods righteous Judgment, and it will continue it, if you nourish it; if when Conscience striveth, you suppress Convictions, and cover your Sins, you will but increase your trouble: ask David how long his distress continued on him, and he will tell you, it was as long as he kept silence.

3. Take heed of hiding your sin. Seek not to cover or extenuate, or suppress the Conviction of it in your Consciences. Ungodly men always thus practice; and the same lust that tempts a Child of God to sin, doth also put him upon so doing; this is the very thing that brought the trouble upon you, in Gods righteous Judgment, and it will continue it, if you nourish it; if when Conscience striveth, you suppress Convictions, and cover your Sins, you will but encrease your trouble: ask David how long his distress continued on him, and he will tell you, it was as long as he kept silence.

4. Beware what means you use to get rid of it. If you be not careful, you may involve you• selves the more, and make the hand heavier o• you. If you fly to your hiding places of deceit they will disappoint you; if you think to cure […] by diverting from it, and putting it out of your mind by other things, it will deceive you; or […] you hope to do it by complaining to your accomplices ⟨p. 187⟩and companions in sin, as Judas did, they will give you no help: if you hope to heal it by •gal repentances, and reformations, they will disappoint you: if you feel some present ease by it, your distress will revert.