A62053:564
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission wherein is discovered, the nature, causes, and cure of those sins / by Geo. Swinnock.
London: printed for Geo. Swinnock, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 44: Another cause of Omissions, is vain excuses men have, that Omissions are little sins, w…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The less, Reader, the thing is for or about which thou sinnest, the greater is thy Sin. Believe it, that by which thou wouldst excuse thy sin doth increase it. It ⟨p. 436⟩hath been formerly said, If a man will break his faith, it should be for a Kingdom, for something of worth; yet this Sinner were a loser, though by breaking his Faith, he could gain the whole Earth; what then is that man who will lye and forswear himself for a penny. Though no man should presume upon Sin, because its present profit will be great; yet there is more unkindness, more folly, and more sinfulness in sinning for a little. Some like Eagles, will not stoop at flies, scorn to sin for a small matter; others as Ants will be busy about the least dust, will break the Law for a very little; the former are bad, the latter worse.
The less, Reader, the thing is for or about which thou sinnest, the greater is thy Sin. Believe it, that by which thou wouldst excuse thy sin doth increase it. It ⟨p. 436⟩hath been formerly said, If a man will break his faith, it should be for a Kingdom, for something of worth; yet this Sinner were a loser, though by breaking his Faith, he could gain the whole Earth; what then is that man who will lye and forswear himself for a peny. Though no man should presume upon Sin, because its present profit will be great; yet there is more unkindness, more folly, and more sinfulness in sinning for a little. Some like Eagles, will not stoop at flies, scorn to sin for a small matter; others as Ants will be busie about the least dust, will break the Law for a very little; the former are bad, the latter worse.
6. The less they are, the more they call for thy care and caution; for they are the harder to be cured. As a wound made with a Bodkin, if deep, is hardlier cured than a wound with a Sword, because the Orifice is so small, and presently almost closeth up, and so the wound bleedeth inwardly, often to the death of the Patient. It's much more difficult for the Mariner to avoid Quicksands, that are hurried hither and thither,