The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission

3. That when they are called to the performance of this or that Duty, they neglect it with this excuse, that it is but one Duty they live in the neglect of, or it can be no great matter for once to omit it. Reader, I shall handle these severally, and show first, that these foolish excuses which men please themselves with, do cause Omissions, and then direct to the cure of each severally.

3. That when they are called to the performance of this or that Duty, they neglect it with this excuse, that it is but one Duty they live in the neglect of, or it can be no great matter for once to omit it. Reader, I shall handle these severally, and shew first, that these foolish excuses which men please themselves with, do cause Omissions, and then direct to the cure of each severally.

1. The first excuse is, that Omissions are small sins, and this Opinion is generally rooted in all men. Because they do not fly in the face of Conscience, disturb the light of Reason, trouble the Societies where, and debauch the persons amongst whom we live, as some sins of Commission do; therefore thy fancy (for it is but a fancy) that they are light and little, and no great matter is to be made of them. When once a man hath sucked in this poisonous Opinion, no wonder if his heart swell, and his life swarm with such sins. For when his Nature hath a reluctancy against the positive Precepts, (much more than against the negative) and his lazy temper sets him farther off, and he believes that they are Peccadilloes, and little taken notice of by God; yea, that a pardon in the High Court of Heaven is allowed in course for such small offences; what should hinder but he should abound and continue in them to the end of his life, unless his judgment of them be altered.

1. The first excuse is, that Omissions are small sins, and this Opinion is generally rooted in all men. Because they do not fly in the face of Conscience, disturb the light of Reason, trouble the Societies where, and debauch the persons amongst whom we live, as some sins of Commission do; therefore thy fancy (for it is but a fancy) that they are light and little, and no great matter is to be made of them. When once a man hath suckt in this poysonous Opinion, no wonder if his heart swell, and his life swarm with such sins. For when his Nature hath a reluctancy against the positive Precepts, (much more than against the negative) and his lazy temper sets him farther off, and he believes that they are Peccadilloes, and little taken notice of by God; yea, that a pardon in the High Court of Heaven is allowed in course for such small offences; what should hinder but he should abound and continue in them to the end of his life, unless his judgment of them be alter'd.