Fifthly consider, That what your sins do want in regard of other mens sins in bulk and magnitude, you may make up in number. Suppose thou hast not been a drunkard, an adulterer, an oppressor, yet thou hast many small sins, thou hast many secret and small failings: now remember, many small sins may sooner ⟨p. 138⟩damn thee, then a few greater sins: I may make use of that pertinent Scripture, in Jer. 5.6. Wherefore a Lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a Wolfe of the evenings shall spoil them; a Leopard shall watch over their cities, every one that goeth out hence shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their back-slidings are increased. Vers. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this? &c. Because their transgressions were many, therefore God comes with a question, How shall I pardon? Beloved, suppose thy sins be not great, yet if they be many small sins, God may put this question to you, How shall I pardon you? Let me tell you a paradox, That small sins are as hardly, yea, more hardly pardoned, then greater sins are. And the reason is, because a man is not so apt to repent for small sins, as he will be for great, because they are not so visible, and therefore conscience not so apt to do its office to put a man upon repentance; that is the reason of Christs speech, Verily I say unto you, that Publicans and harlots shall go to heaven before them, why? because the Pharisees did depend upon their righteousness, and did not see their little small sins: a Publican, a harlot, that could not but by the light of nature see their extortion, their wickedness, and harlotry, they should go to heaven before them, that Christ should ⟨p. 139⟩tell them of their sins and they repent of them. Therefore though your sins be but small, yet they may be many, and that will greaten your sins: a many small sins may run thee into deeper arrearages unto God, then a few grosser evils. O then let me persuade you, that none of you would presume on pardon, because you have not fallen into greater and grosser evils. Thus much for the first branch of the Use.
Fifthly consider, That what your sins do want in regard of other mens sins in bulk and magnitude, you may make up in number. Suppose thou hast not been a drunkard, an adulterer, an oppressor, yet thou hast many small sins, thou hast many secret and small failings: now remember, many small sins may sooner ⟨p. 138⟩damn thee, then a few greater sins: I may make use of that pertinent Scripture, in Jer. 5.6. Wherefore a Lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a Wolfe of the evenings shall spoil them; a Leopard shall watch over their cities, every one that goeth out hence shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their back-slidings are encreased. Vers. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this? &c. Because their transgressions were many, therefore God comes with a question, How shall I pardon? Beloved, suppose thy sins be not great, yet if they be many small sins, God may put this question to you, How shall I pardon you? Let me tell you a paradox, That small sins are as hardly, yea, more hardly pardoned, then greater sins are. And the reason is, because a man is not so apt to repent for small sins, as he will be for great, because they are not so visible, and therefore conscience not so apt to do its office to put a man upon repentance; that is the reason of Christs speech, Verily I say unto you, that Publicans and harlots shall goe to heaven before them, why? because the Pharisees did depend upon their righteousnesse, and did not see their little small sins: a Publican, a harlot, that could not but by the light of nature see their extortion, their wickednesse, and harlotry, they should go to heaven before them, that Christ should ⟨p. 139⟩tell them of their sins and they repent of them. Therefore though your sins be but small, yet they may be many, and that will greaten your sins: a many small sins may run thee into deeper arrearages unto God, then a few grosser evils. O then let me perswade you, that none of you would presume on pardon, because you have not fallen into greater and grosser evils. Thus much for the first branch of the Use.
