But alas, the practise of the world is far otherwise, great sins are little sins, little sins are no sins: Nay, after a little custom, great sins are so little or nothing, and so at last men make no bones of gross and grievous sins: and for the most part men search so superficially, that they scarce find any thing to be sins: such excuses are made, such distinctions are devised, such mitigations, such qualifications, such colours are cast upon all sins; as now up & down the world, gross sins are called into question, whether they be sins or no: & the great transgressions ⟨p. 18⟩of the Law are counted small matters, necessary evils, or inconveniences, tolerated to avoid other evils: and what is he counted, but a curious and precise fool, which stands upon them: Ignorance after five and thirty years preaching, is counted no sin, blind devotion in Gods service, no sin, lip labour in praying, vain and customable swearing, mocking of religion, and the professors thereof, no sin: profaning of the Sabaoth, contemning of preachers, abusing of parents no sin: pride in apparel, superfluity in meats, beastly & ordinary drunkenness, fornication, no sins. Nay, deceits, cozenages, oppressing, usury, notorious ⟨p. 19⟩bribery, and covetousness, that mother sin; these are counted no sins: these beams are made but moats by profane men, & they are so minced and carved, or there is some such necessity of them, or some such other flourish or varnish must be cast upon them, as that they are little or none at all. Alas, alas, is not that a simple and a silly search where such blocks as these are, lye unespied? what are moll-hills, when such mountains are not seen? Moats will be little regarded, where such beams are not discerned: but it is clear, that therefore there is no true trial, nor diligent search made: for a true convert will search his hart for all, and ⟨p. 20⟩will spare none: He deals in searching his own heart, as a good Justice of peace in searching for Traitors or Seminary Priests. He seeks not superficially, but most exactly, & leaveth never a corner unsought, and he thinks great sins to be infinite, and little sins great, and judgeth no sin so small, but that it deserveth the anger of God, and therefore he wonders at the mercy of God, which throws us not all down to hell in a moment:
But alas, the practise of the world is far otherwise, great sinnes are little sinnes, little sinnes are no sinnes: Nay, after a little custome, great sins are so little or nothing, and so at last men make no bones of grosse and grieuous sinnes: and for the most parte men search so superficiallie, that they scarce finde any thing to be sinnes: such excuses are made, such distinctions are deuised, such mittigations, such qualifications, such colours are cast vpon all sins; as now vp & downe the world, grosse sinnes are called into question, whether they bee sins or no: & the great trangressions ⟨p. 18⟩of the Law are coū ted small matters, necessarie euils, or inconueniences, tollerated to auoyd other euils: and what is hee counted, but a curious and precise foole, which stands vpon them: Ignorance after fiue and thirtie yeares preaching, is counted no sinne, blinde deuotion in Gods seruice, no sinne, lippe labour in praying, vaine and customable swearing, mocking of religion, and the professours thereof, no sinne: prophaning of the Sabbaoth, contemning of preachers, abusing of parentes no sinne: pride in apparell, superfluitie in meates, beastly & ordinarie drunkennes, fornication, no sinnes. Nay, deceits, cosonages, oppressing, vsurie, notorious ⟨p. 19⟩briberie, and couetousnesse, that mother sinne; these are counted no sinnes: these beames are made but moates by prophane men, & they are so minced and carued, or there is some such necessitie of them, or some such other flourish or varnish must bee cast vpon them, as that they are little or none at all. Alas, alas, is not that a simple and a silly searche where such blockes as these are, lye vnespyed? what are moul-hilles, when such mountains are not seene? Moates wil be little regarded, where such beames are not discerned: but it is cleere, that therefore there is no true tryall, nor diligent search made: for a true cōuert wil search his hart for all, and ⟨p. 20⟩will spare none: He deales in searching his own heart, as a good Iustice of peace in searching for Traitors or Seminarie Priests. Hee seekes not superficially, but most exactly, & leaueth neuer a corner vnsought, and he thinkes great sinnes to be infinit, and little sinnes great, and iudgeth no sin so small, but that it deserueth the anger of God, and therefore he wonders at the mercy of God, which throwes vs not all downe to hell in a moment:
