Four learned and godly treatises viz. The carnal hypocrite. The churches deliverances. The deceitfulness…Foure learned and godly treatises viz. The carnall hypocrite. The churches deliverances. The deceitfulnesse…

Secondly, the bigness of sin is discovered, when with the commonness of sin, there is openness joined, when sin grows open, and shameless, when the practisers thereof become bold and base in their abominable practises: Look as it is with a graft, when it is little it cannot be perceived, the hedge or pale may hide it, but ⟨p. 147⟩when it is grown, it overtops the pale and wall, and every man may perceive it; for when sin is committed only by a few, when it is confined into a Cottage, or into an House, then it is not so open to the view, but when all sorts are given to it, the sin comes to have a whores forehead, and a brazen face; sinners are more bold to oppose governors that are in place to punish it, then they are to execute the law upon them: drunkenness was wont to be a rare thing, as one spake, drunkenness was for Beggars, but now it is for Gentlemen and Knights: this shows, that now sin is open and shameless, and therefore that it is come to its full bigness, and therefore we may justly expect desolation. But in the next place you will say, how shall we know when sin is come to the full strength, I ⟨p. 148⟩answer, look as it is grace, so it is in sin: when a man can undergo all trials, and bear up himself against all temptations and doubtings, when he can either recover himself being fallen, or else keep himself, this is an undoubted sign of a perfect and strong Christian: so it is in the nature of sin, in the body of sin; in this old man of corruption, when a sinner is come to this pass, that he is able by the power of his corruptions to withstand all the means of reclaiming and reformation, when he is not bettered by them, nor cannot be wrought upon by the power of them, then he is a strong wicked man, he is one of the else sons of Satan: he is one of the generals of the field in the camp of the devil;

Secondly, the bignesse of sin is discovered, when with the commonnesse of sinne, there is opennesse joyned, when sinne growes open, and shamelesse, when the practisers thereof become bold and base in their abhominable practises: Looke as it is with a graft, when it is little it cannot be perceived, the hedge or pale may hide it, but ⟨p. 147⟩when it is growne, it overtops the pale and wall, and every man may perceive it; for when sinne is committed onely by a few, when it is confined into a Cottage, or into an House, then it is not so open to the view, but when all sorts are given to it, the sinne comes to have a whores forhead, and a brasen face; sinners are more bold to oppose governors that are in place to punish it, then they are to execute the law upon them: drunkennesse was wont to be a rare thing, as one spake, drunkennesse was for Beggers, but now it is for Gentlemen and Knights: this shewes, that now sinne is open and shamelesse, and therefore that it is come to its full bignesse, and therefore wee may justly expect desolation. But in the next place you will say, how shall wee know when sin is come to the full strength, I