4. Slight no sin; make light of no evil course. For to omit that tno sin is light or little in it self. Some may seem umotes, and be so termed in comparison of some other. But there is none but may well be deemed a beam, being considered in it self. As the earth, though but xa centre or a point to the heavens, yet is an huge body of it self, yby no art or skill of man exactly measurable. And again, that in every sin, great or less, there is rank poison; there are ano sins that are in themselves not mortal, as the Popish sort imagine: ba deadly sting there is in every sin; which cmay not therefore be dallied with. Not to stand, I say, upon these things; even those little sins, as we reckon them, if we give way to them, will make way soon for greater. The Devil useth them (it is the comparison of dan ancient Writer) as Thieves, some little Boy that they put in at a window; who though he can do no great matter of hurt himself, yet when he is once in, can open, the doors and let them in, that may both rob the house and kill all that are in it. Or eas Hunt […] do their little Beagles, which they ply the D•ere withal till he be heated and blown, and then clap they on their great Buck-hounds that may pull him down and pluck out his throat. And indeed, in these smaller matters decay of grace first discovereth it self, as fthe decay of a tree, appeareth first in the washy boughs or the twigs, and so by little ⟨p. 18⟩and little goeth on further into the bigger arms, and at length pierceth into the main body. And as we say, that a mans truth and honesty may be seen as well in a small matter, as in a greater: So geven in these trifling things also, as they are commonly esteemed, as well as in weightier, may a mans unfaithfulness be discovered. He hath hardly a faithful heart unto Christ, that counteth any thing a trifle that may tend to his dishonour; as hall sin, in a Christian man especially, more or less doth.
4. Slight no sinne; make light of no euill course. For to omit that tno sinne is light or little in it selfe. Some may seeme umotes, and bee so tearmed in comparison of some other. But there is none but may well be deemed a beame, being considered in it selfe. As the earth, though but xa center or a point to the heauens, yet is an huge bodie of it selfe, yby no art or skill of man exactly measurable. And againe, that in euery sinne, great or lesse, there is ranke poison; there are ano sinnes that are in themselues not mortall, as the Popish sort imagine: ba deadly sting there is in euery sinne; which cmay not therefore be dallied with. Not to stand, I say, vpon these things; euen those little sinnes, as wee reckon them, if wee giue way to them, will make way soone for greater. The Deuill vseth them (it is the comparison of dan ancient Writer) as Theeues, some little Boy that they put in at a window; who though hee can doe no great matter of hurt himselfe, yet when he is once in, can open, the doores and let them in, that may both rob the house and kill all that are in it. Or eas Hunt 〈…〉 doe their little Beagles, which they ply the D•ere withall till he be heated and blowen, and then clap they on their great Buck-hounds that may pull him downe and plucke out his throat. And indeed, in these smaller matters decay of grace first discouereth it selfe, as fthe decay of a tree, appeareth first in the washie boughes or the twigs, and so by little ⟨p. 18⟩and little goeth on further into the bigger armes, and at length pierceth into the maine bodie. And as we say, that a mans truth and honestie may be seene as well in a small matter, as in a greater: So
- tNihil leve quo Deus laeditur. Salvian. de provid. l. 2.
- uMatth. 7.3, 4.
- xTerram hanc cum populis, & urbibus, fluminibus, atque ambitu maris puncti loco ponimus, ad universa referentes. Sen. ad Marc. c. 20.
- yJer. 31.37. Ambitus terrae totius, quae nobis immensa videtur, ad magnitudinem universitatis instar brevis obtinet puncti. Ammian. hist. l. 15.Ier. 31.37. Ambitus terrae totius, quae nobis immensa videtur, ad magnitudinem universitatis instar brevis obtinet puncti. Ammian. hist. l. 15.
- aPeccatum quodque in se & ex natura sua mortale esse docet Gersees de vit. spirit. lect. 1. Idemque fatetur Joan. Fisher Roff. Ep. in rebut. Luther. ar•ic. 32. V• dentur Vasquez. in Thom. tom. 1. disput. •42 num. 7•.Peccatum quodque in se & ex natura sua mortale esse docet Gersees de vit. spirit. lect. 1. Idemque fatetur Ioan. Fisher Roff. Ep. in re•ut. Luther. ar•ic. 32. V• dentur Vasquez. in Thom. tom. 1. disput. •42 num. 7•.
- b1 Cor. 15.55, 56.
- cPro•. 10.23. & 14.9.
- dAuthor Oculi moralis.
