CHAP. 51.

*IF any thing be done vnwisely, if any offence wilfully contrary to right & reason be com∣mitted, which is repugnant to honestie and comly behauiour: let neuer thy mind be mo∣ued or induced to glose thine own error, or ex∣tenuate thine offence with excuse. For excuse bringeth boldnes to sin, & ministreth occasion to do the like fault again. When Dauid cōside∣red how great wickednesse springeth of this lewd, naughtie, & erronious opinion of plea∣sing a mans selfe in his owne vices, he prayeth thus, O decline not my heart vnto the wordes of Page  161 wickednesse to consent vnto the excusing of sinnes and vngodly works. *In which words he praieth, that an euill mind, a naughtie will, and delight of the heart may be farre from him, wherwith wicked and vngracious persons being depra∣ued, doe heape mischiefes vpon mischiefes, and doe cleerely cleanse, purge, extenuate, and diminish their mischieuous deedes, and suffer not any fault to bee imputed, or blame to bee layed on themselues. By which blindnesse and darke dimnesse of the minde it commeth to passe, that when as the minde is once enured and hardened in sinne, and being accustomed thereunto, hath gotten an habite therein, and hath lincked it selfe with lewd lust, it doth slip forward euery day more and more into that which is worse, and so falleth and commeth vtterly to naught without any hope of recoue∣ry or amendment. Whereunto belongeth that saying of Salomon, *The vngodly when he is tumbled downe into the bottome of sinne, contem∣neth and despiseth, that is to say, thinketh sure∣ly and fully perswadeth himselfe, that hee hath committed none offence, neither is he greatly mooued or grieued with the enormitie of that mischieuous deede or wicked fact which hee hath perpetrated: But as the same wise man saith, Shame and reproch followeth him that is such an one. Wherby he signifieth playnly, that he sustayneth so great losse of his good name, Page  162 and getteth such a spot of infamie, that it i• hard for him euer after to winne and purchase the name and commendation of an hones• man. *In the like mischiefe are those men wrap∣ped, which when they haue offended, and are fallen into some sinne, doe not acknowledge their iniquitie, neither can they abide to con∣fesse it, although the torment of their con∣science dooth force and compell them to make confession thereof, but they hide the same in silence and in holding their peace, & think to couer & bury al things in obliuiō. *For these men doe euen like vnto children, which doe not abstaine from thinges forbidden them, specially when they hope, that it shall be kept secret, and that their father or mo∣ther shall not know of it. Whereof wee haue examples in Adam and Cain, and in their po∣steritie, vpon whome the spot of transgression is spread and transfused, euen as if it were come by inheritance. Therefore whosoeuer desireth to haue the happy fruition of tranqui∣litie of minde, and to suffer no tormenting vexation thereof, let him not wilfully nor ob∣stinately deny, or hide in silence those faults which he hath committed, but openly shew them before GOD. *For the acknowledg∣ing of sinne, and confession of the offence obtayneth forgiuenesse, and by fayth in the Page  163 blood of Iesus Christ washeth out, wipeth a∣way, and abolisheth all the filthinesse, spots, and vncleannesse of the minde.* But keeping of silence and shrinking backe from such con∣fession, doth exasperate the euill, and aggra∣uate the crime, and maketh the cause of the guilty person to bee worse. Whereof Dauid hauing proofe and experience in himselfe, sayth: *Because I held my peace, my bones are waxen olde, when I cryed all the day. Payne and grief which he could not indure, cōpelled him to crie and wayle, but it cōstrayned him not to make confession of his sinne: *yet notwithstanding by and by after, he purposeth and intendeth to disclose and open vnto God his offence that he hath committed, whome he vndoubtedly knoweth to be inclined, prone, and ready to forgiue sinne, when any man repenteth from the bottome of his heart, and detesteth his e∣uill life. Therefore taking boldnesse and con∣fidence he sayth, I saide, I will confesse my vn∣righteousnesse vnto the Lord against my selfe, and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne. For such is the loue and louing inclination of God towards men, such is his mildnesse, meek∣nesse, long suffering and lenitie, that as soone as men think and purpose to repent, forthwith hee forgiueth them their sinne. Which hee sheweth playnelie by the Prophet Esaie in these wordes, *And it shall bee, that or euer Page  164 they call, I will answere them, and whilest they are yet but thinking how to speake, I shall heare them. Wherby he declareth his prompt good∣nesse, his prone louing kindnesse and ready fauour, that if a man doe but conceiue in his minde the purpose of a better amended life, straight way the Lord remitteth vnto him the offence that he hath committed. So in Eze∣chiel, *At what time soeuer a sinner shall bewaile his sinne, I will no more remember his iniqui∣tyes.