Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Answ. But yet though love cover a multitude of sins, yet ⟨p. 248⟩how doth it cover them? First, with a mantle of wisdom, then with a mantle of faithfulness, and then a mantle of compassion.

Answ. But yet though love cover a multitude of sins, yet ⟨p. 248⟩how doth it cover them? First, with a mantle of wisdome, then with a mantle of faithfulnesse, and then a mantle of compassion.

A mantle of wisdom, when a man so covers it as not to skin it over,¹ but to cover it so effectually as that it may be covered from the eyes of God and man, Jam. 5.19, 20. this is a wise covering of a multitude of sins, when a man takes a course not only to cover them from the eyes of men, but principally from the Conscience of the sinner himself, as that in time he be not over-pressed with them, and then when he is least able to bear them, and so endanger wholly to over-whelme him; for let a man go on in sin, he goes on from day to day, and thinks himself fish whole, and yet it is neither covered from Gods eye, nor from the Conscience of such a soul, and in the end it cannot but see it, and then so bitterly bewail it, that it is much to be feared he will be quite over-whelmed with it. And therefore, this a man must have principal respect unto, principally to cover his sin from Gods eye; and that it may likewise be so covered, as not to be smothered and daubed, but cover it with an healing Plaster, so as that in time it may be rooted out, that no sprig of such a sin may remain there, not a mantle of flattery, but healing; such as whereby they may be careful to take a course, that such evils may be covered with some corrosive Plaster.

A mantle of wisdome, when a man so covers it as not to skin it over,