A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

That Sin which we call ours, should be most watched against, and most hated above all others. As a Man should be afraid of the Meat of which he hath once surfeited, so the Sin that hath once prevailed over us, we should be more cautious against. It is nothing for a sordid Spirit to be less proud, or a proud Man to be less covetous; or a covetous Man to be less sensual, or a sensual Man to be less passionate; still a Christian is tried by the revenge he takes upon his own Sin, his master-Lust. Again, not only Sins which lie at a distance from our Interest, but Sins that bring us most Profit and Advantage: In these things God tries us, it is the offering up of our Isaac, our Darling. In a corrupt World, some things bring Credit and Profit; but as for the right Hand, the right Eye, we must pluck out the ⟨p. 29⟩one, and cut off the other: Mat. 5.29, 30. If thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell. And if thy right Hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell. Cannot we do so much for God, and for Grace's sake?

I might give you several Reasons; one Sin is contrary to God as well as another. There's the same aversion from an eternal Good in all things, though the manner of Conversion to the Creature be different. Again, one Sin is contrary to the Law of God as well as another; there's a contempt of the same Authority in all Sins. God's Command binds, and it is of force in lesser Sins as well as greater; and therefore they that bear any respect to the Law of God, must hate all Sin. Psal. 119.113. I hate vain Thoughts; but thy Law do I love. God hath given a Law to the Thoughts, to the sudden workings of the Spirit, as well as to Actions that are more deliberate: and therefore if we love the Law, we should hate every lesser Contrariety to it, even a vain Thought. And all Sin proceedeth from the same Corruption; therefore if we would subdue and mortify it, we must renounce all Sin. He that hateth any Sin as Sin, hates all Sin; for there's the same reason to hate every Sin. Hatred (Philosophers say) is to the whole Kind. A Man that hates a Toad as a Toad, hates every one of the Kind; with the same kind of hatred must we hate every Sin. Again, one Sin let alone is very dangerous. One Leak in a Ship, if unstopped and neglected, may endanger the Vessel. One Sin let alone, and allowed and indulged, may quite ruin the Soul. A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump. A Man may ride right for a long time, but one turn in the end of his Journey brings him quite out of the way. If you do many things, yet if you commit any Sin with leave and licence from Conscience, you are guilty of all Sin: