A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Fourthly, The Authority of the great God seems to be more despised by the commission of small Sins, than by the ⟨p. 56⟩commission of great Sins. Doth it not argue great contempt of God, when you will not obey him in a matter that you your selves count small and inconsiderable? You think, it may be, it is not of much moment or concernment what your Thoughts be, nor what your Words are; but when you hear and are convinced, that all your Thoughts should be holy, and that all your Discourse should be savoury, and such as should minister profit and edification unto others; if after this, you still think it of no great moment, whether they be vain and frothy, or whether they be holy and spiritual; believe it, this shows you to be despisers of God's dominion and authority over you, when his Commands cannot prevail against the least Sin. What a small Matter was it, may some say, for Adam to eat of an Apple in Paradise? But was it not as small a Matter for him to forbear and let it alone? And therefore this small Sin showed no small contempt of God's Authority, who had strictly forbidden it. When we sin, we flatter our selves straight with this; Is it not a little one? Truly if it be but a little one to commit, it is but a little ⟨p. 57⟩•ne to refrain from. It is an Aggravation of Sin, rather than an Excuse, to •y, our Sins are but little ones. It •ews a Heart hardened against God, and bewrays a desperate contempt of all that •e can say to us, or do against us, when •e shall choose rather to thwart and break •is Commands, to venture, or rather •o despise his Power, Wrath and Justice, •an to forgo our little Sins.

Fourthly, The Authority of the great God seems to be more despised by the commission of small Sins, than by the ⟨p. 56⟩commission of great Sins. Doth it not argue great contempt of God, when you will not obey him in a matter that you your selves count small and inconsiderable? You think, it may be, it is not of much moment or concernment what your Thoughts be, nor what your Words are; but when you hear and are convinced, that all your Thoughts should be holy, and that all your Discourse should be savoury, and such as should minister profit and edification unto others; if after this, you still think it of no great moment, whether they be vain and frothy, or whether they be holy and spiritual; believe it, this shews you to be despisers of God's dominion and authority over you, when his Commands cannot prevail against the least Sin. What a small Matter was it, may some say, for Adam to eat of an Apple in Paradise? But was it not as small a Matter for him to forbear and let it alone? And therefore this small Sin shewed no small contempt of God's Authority, who had strictly forbidden it. When we sin, we flatter our selves straight with this; Is it not a little one? Truly if it be but a little one to commit, it is but a little