The remembrance of sins past, the onely way to prevent sins to come. [ 344]
IN the Country of Arabia,* 1.1 where almost all Trees are savoury, and Frankincense and Myrrhe are even as common fire-wood; Styrax is sold at a dear rate, though it be a wood of unpleasant smell: because experience proveth it to be a present remedy to recover their smell,* 1.2 who before had lost it. We all of us have lived in the pleasures of sin, have our senses stuffed, and debilitated, if not overcome; and the best reme∣dy against this malady, will be the smelling to Styrax, the unsavoury and unplea∣sing smell of our former corruptions; thus David's sin was ever before him, and St. Augustine (as P••ssidonius noteth) a little before his death,* 1.3 caused the peniten••iall Psalmes to be written about his bed, which he still looking upon, out of a ••itter re∣membrance of his sins, continually wept, giving not over long before the dyed. This practise will work repentance not to be repented of.