Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

And lastly, this cometh to pass through the cunning malice of our old enemy the devil, who when he cannot at the first thrust into the door of our harts & consciences the greatest sins, doth make way & entrance for them by those which are less. Like unto those, who not being able by any possible means to thrust the fruit into a glass with a narrow mouth in his full ripeness, do put it in when it is young and new knit, and so let it grow, being still nourished with the root, unto his natural bigness, till it have filled the glass; whereby they make that easy by art which is impossible in nature. Or like unto mischievous thieves, who intending to rob a house, and being ⟨p. 157⟩unable any otherwise to enter, do thrust into the window the least of their company, who being entered, openeth and giveth an easy ingress and passage unto those who are of the largest stature. So this malicious gardener Satan, being not able to thrust into our hearts and consciences the evil fruit of sin in his full ripeness, doth put it into them as it were in the bud, knowing that being nourished with the malicious sap, which is derived from the root of our natural corruption, it will quickly grow to his full bigness. And this arch-thief the devil intending to rob us of the riches of Gods graces, and not being able to enter with his most enormous crimes, as it were his associates of the greatest size; doth first thrust into our souls and consciences his smaller sins, the which being entered, open a large door, and give entrance unto all manner outrageous wickedness.

And lastly, this commeth to passe through the cunning malice of our old enemie the diuell, who when hee cannot at the first thrust into the doore of our harts & consciences the greatest sins, doth make way & entrance for them by those which are lesse. Like vnto those, who not being able by any possible meanes to thrust the fruite into a glasse with a narrow mouth in his full ripenes, doe put it in when it is young and new knit, and so let it grow, being still nourished with the roote, vnto his naturall bignes, till it haue filled the glasse; whereby they make that easie by art which is impossible in nature. Or like vnto mischieuous theeues, who intending to rob a house, and being ⟨p. 157⟩vnable any otherwise to enter, doe thrust into the window the least of their companie, who being entred, openeth and giueth an easie ingresse and passage vnto those who are of the largest stature. So this malicious gardener Satan, being not able to thrust into our hearts and consciences the euill fruit of sinne in his full ripenesse, doth put it into them as it were in the bud, knowing that being nourished with the malicious sap, which is deriued from the roote of our naturall corruption, it will quickly grow to his full bignesse. And this arch-theefe the diuell intending to rob vs of the riches of Gods graces, and not being able to enter with his most enormous crimes, as it were his associates of the greatest size; doth first thrust into our soules and consciences his smaller sins, the which being entred, open a large doore, and giue entrance vnto all manner outragious wickednesse.