An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor…An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour…

and least he should escape their hands, they plunge themselves deeper yet preferring a wretched murderer, even seditious Barabbas before him. This must teach every one of us to take heed of the beginnings even of the least sins; for the devil is cunning, he will not plunge a man into the greatest sins at the first: but his manner is, by little and little to creep into the heart: and having once possession thereof, by steppes to bring men to the height of sin, and that with speed. We must therefore in the fear of God prevent sin betimes, and at the first motion cut off all occasions hereof: that which Paul saith of heresy, comparing it to a canker or gangrene,¹ may be said of all sin. The nature of the gangrene is to run from one joint to another, from rhe toe to the foot, from the foot to the leg, from the leg to the thigh, till it have wasted and destroyed the life of rhe body. So give any sin but an entrance, and it will soon overspread the whole man: and if the devil may be suffered but to put one talent into thy heart, he will presently wind himself into thee, his head, his body and all. The Psalmist saith that he is blessed that taketh the children of the Babylonians and dasheth them against the stones,² and as truly may it be said, blessed is the man that dasheth the head of his sins against the ground while they are young, before they get strength to over master him.

and least he should escape their handes, they plunge themselues deeper yet preferring a wretched murtherer, euen seditious Barabbas before him. This must teach euery one of vs to take heede of the beginnings euen of the least sinnes; for the deuill is cunning, he will not plunge a man into the greatest sinnes at the first: but his manner is, by little and little to creepe into the heart: and hauing once possession thereof, by steppes to bring men to the height of sinne, and that with speed. We must therefore in the feare of God preuent sinne betimes, and at the first motion cut off all occasions hereof: that which Paul saith of heresie, comparing it to a canker or gangreene,¹ may be saide of all sinne. The nature of the gangren is to runne from one ioynt to another, from rhe toe to the foote, from the foote to the legge, from the legge to the thigh, till it haue wasted and destroyed the life of rhe bodie. So giue any sinne but an entrance, and it will soone ouerspread the whole man: and if the deuill may be suffered but to put one talent into thy heart, he will presently wind himselfe into thee, his head, his bodie and all. The Psalmist saith that he is blessed that taketh the children of the Babylonians and dasheth them against the stones,