Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Fourthly, if the number of them can thus amaze, O what shall the root of them do? Committed out of ignorance in the midst of light; out of knowledge against the evidence of conscience; out of presumption and forestalling ⟨p. 229⟩of pardon, abusing and subordinating the mercies of God to the purposes of Satan, not knowing that his goodness should have led me to repentance; out of stubbornness against the discipline, out of enmity against the goodness, out of gall and bitterness of spirit against the power and purity of Gods holy Law?

Fourthly, if the number of them can thus amaze, O what shall the roote of them doe? Committed out of ignorance in the midst of light; out of knowledge against the evidence of conscience; out of presumption and forestalling ⟨p. 229⟩of pardon, abusing and subordinating the mercies of God to the purposes of Satan, not knowing that his goodnesse should have led me to repentance; out of stubbornnesse against the discipline, out of enmitie against the goodnesse, out of gall and bitternesse of spirit against the power and purity of Gods holy Law?

Fifthly, not the root only, but the circumstances too¹ add much to the life that is in sin. See how notably Saint Austen aggravates his sin of robbing an Orchard when he was a Boy, that which others less acquainted with the foulness of sin might be apt enough but to laugh over. First, it began in the will, and the members followed, I had a mind, and therefore I did it. Secondly, I did not do it for want of the things, but out of the naughtiness of my heart, and my inward enmity to righteousness. Thirdly, I did it not with any aim at fruition of the fruit, but only of the sin; it was not my palate, but my lust which I studied to satisfy. Fourthly, the apples I stole were very unapt to tempt, no relish, no form in them to catch the eye, or allure the hand, but the whole temptation and rise of the sin was from within. Fifthly, I did it not alone, there were a troop of naughty companions with me, and we did mutually cherish and provoke the itch of each others lust. Sixthly, it was at a very unseasonable time of night, when at least for that day we should have put a period and given a respite unto our lusts. Seventhly, it was after we had spent much time before (and should now at least have been tired out) in pestilent and foolish sports. Eighthly, we were immodest in our theft, we carried away great loads and burdens of them. Ninthly, when we had done, we feasted the Hogs with them, and our selves ed upon the review and carriage of our own lewdness. Lastly, the chief sport and laughter which we had was this, that we had not only robbed, but deceived the honest en, who had never so bad an opinion of us, as that we