Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from several texts of Scripture, opened and applied. 1.…Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1.…

Eleventhly, when a man shall commit a sin clean to the contrary after persuasion, and long deliberation, as in Jeroboam, Saul, and Ahab; these committed their sins but once or twice: Saul had a commandment from Samuel not to do it, he had many days deliberation upon it, yet he did; which lost him his soul. David committed greater sins, yet God counted them nothing, because he did not cast God away: but Saul had cast him off; so Jeroboam set up the calf on deliberation, and contrary to the persuasion of the Prophet, therefore God cast him off. This was Balaam's sin, who deliberated what he should do, yet having a secret ⟨p. 15⟩desire of reward, did curse Israel; which made God cast him off: this was the sin of Francis Spira, who was smitten for committing of a sin of deliberation.

Eleventhly, when a man shall commit a sinne cleane to the contrary after perswasion, and long deliberation, as in Ieroboam, Saul, and Ahab; these committed their sinnes but once or twice: Saul had a commandement from Samuel not to doe it, he had many dayes deliberation upon it, yet hee did; which lost him his soule. David committed greater sinnes, yet God counted them nothing, because he did not cast God away: but Saul had cast him off; so Ieroboam set up the calfe on deliberation, and contrary to the perswasion of the Prophet, therefore God cast him off. This was Balams sinne, who deliberated what he should doe, yet having a secret ⟨p. 15⟩desire of reward, did curse Israel; which made God cast him off: this was the sin of Francis Spira, who was smitten for committing of a sinne of deliberation.

Twelfthly and lastly, when a man shall make no conscience of small particular sins, wherein his judgement is convicted that they are sins, it's a sign sin hath dominion over him: this is plain by Scripture; He that is not faithful in the greatest, he may do it, yet not be faithful. Again by reason, if a small sin be a sin against God, then why make you no conscience of the least? for God is offended with these as well as with the greatest: so if ye make conscience of the greatest of the duties of Gods worship, why do you not also of the least duties? for God is pleased with these, as well as with the other. Some say they will be religious, but they need not be so precise as some scrupulous men are: but let them examine themselves: if the least sins be sins, they must also make conscience of them: so if we must keep an hour of the Sabbath, there is the same reason of the rest of the hours; so for idle speeches, and fashioning of our selves to the world; so if we seek for preferment or riches, it is contrary to the commandment of God: seek not to be rich; for they that will be rich, drown themselves in perdition and destruction: so we must not keep company with evil and unsanctified men: examine how we practise this in all duties commanded, let us try our selves by abstaining from occasions, whether we refrain our selves from the temptations of objects; for our speech