The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

So that these are like a little spark of fire lighting upon tinder or toe, & such like, that if they be not quickly quenched will grow to a great flame. So the danger is great that cones from every one of these, that we so little regard; for there is not the least but it hardens the hart, and withdraws it from God, and makes it more unfit to pray or hear, or do any thing that is good, but more easily to be drawn to any sin. And therefore it is not slightly to be passed over. So that because they break Gods commandment, & are against the law of charity and cane from an evil cause, & bring with them such evil effects, therefore the least imagination, arising in the heart without any agreeing of the mind to put it in practise, is sin and deserves death.

So that these are like a little sparke of fire lighting vpon tinder or toe, & such like, that if they be not quickly quē ched will grow to a great flame. So the danger is great that cōes from euery one of these, that we so little regard; for there is not the least but it hardens the hart, and withdraws it frō God, and maks it more vnfit to pray or heare, or do any thing that is good, but more easily to be drawn to any sin. And therefore it is not slightly to be passed ouer. So that because they breake Gods cō mandement, & are against the law of charitie and cāe from an euill cause, & bring with them such euill effects, therfore the least imagination, arising in the heart without any agreeing of the minde to put it in practise, is sin and deserues death.

The use that we should make of this is for our continual humiliation, that our nature, & the whole frame of our soul & body is such as no minute almost goes over our head but some sin, some evil and vain motion or other, goes through our hart & ariseth from the puddle of our flesh; our nature is like some great firebrand, that if it be never so little stirred, sends forth many sparks on every side. Therefore we must learn in this regard to deny ourselves & to fall down before god beseeching him to heal our nature, & to wash and cleanse it more & more by his holy spirit. Then one hath made one good use of the law when he is so touched with the sight of his sins as that he goes quite out of himself, when the law hath so stopped his mouth as that he can allege nothing in himself, wherefore he should not be damned but relies and casts himself only on the mercies of God in the merits of Christ. Again this teacheth to use all good means to keep our heart from these ill motions, and hinder this firebrand from sparking. First, make a covenant with our eyes to look upon nothing, & our ears to hear nothing, and all our senses to admit nothing into the heart, that may stir up and provoke the naughtiness of it. Secondly, take down the flesh often by fasting and prayer & hearing and such spiritual exercises, for this is the cause why it grows so strong because we do not set ourselves to resist it and fight against it. For if we would beseech God to give a blessing, and use all the good means that he hath appointed