Gods husbandry

Secondly, the hypocrite (though perhaps he be not defiled with the grossest and foulest acts of evil, yet) makes no bones of evils of the same kind, in smaller degrees, but commits them freely without check of conscience, or any remorse of humiliation for them afterwards.¹ This is manifest by the Pharisees misinterpreting of the Law, to serve their turns this way: they condemned murder, but allowed revenge: they blamed forswearing, or perjury, smaller oaths they take none heed unto; they forbade adultery, but took no care to cut off the hand, and pull out the eye (that is, to mortify the wantonness and impurity of their senses); as our Saviour shows in that place they should have done. Doubtless the course of their lives was answerable to their interpretation of the Law; and their lives were as crooked, as they would make the ruler to seem. Contrarily, the true Christian (though sometimes he may be overcome in tentation to commit some gross sin, yet) is usually careful to resist all the degrees of sin, even the ⟨p. 62⟩very beginnings; and the first risings thereof in heart, as our Saviours more narrow interpreting of the Law (declaring the scantling of a godly mans endeavours above the Pharisees) doth manifestly convince. He looketh to the motions and desires of his heart, and suffers not the lesser evils to go unobserved, and unlamented. So the difference is manifest in the first part of a good life, freedom from sin.

Secondly, the hypocrite (though perhaps he be not defiled with the grossest and foulest acts of euill, yet) makes no bones of euils of the same kind, in smaller degrees, but commits them freely without checke of conscience, or any remorse of humiliation for them afterwards.¹ This is manifest by the Pharisies misinterpreting of the Law, to serue their turnes this way: they condemned murder, but allowed reuenge: they blamed forswearing, or periurie, smaller oathes they take none heede vnto; they forbad adulterie, but tooke no care to cut off the hand, and pull out the eye (that is, to mortifie the wantonnesse and impuritie of their sences); as our Sauiour shewes in that place they should haue done. Doubtlesse the course of their liues was answerable to their interpretation of the Law; and their liues were as crooked, as they would make the ruler to seeme. Contrarily, the true Christian (though sometimes he may be ouercome in tentation to commit some grosse sinne, yet) is vsually carefull to resist all the degrees of sinne, euen the