Heavenly merchandiseHeavenly merchandize

The Devil hath learnt more wit at length than to ask men to throw themselves down from the pinnacle of the Temple prostrate at his feet, at a leap, the very sight and apprehension whereof would appear amazing and frightful; but he hath gotten fair and easy ⟨p. 159⟩winding stairs, where a man shall neither see back from whence he came, nor forward whither he is going; and hath also many a Landing where he may stand still and breath; and thus by slow paces and easy degrees he draws men insensibly away from the Truth: And how many Professors have so been brought to make shipwreck of their Faith? Hence Hells Factors and Cheats would fain persuade men to hearken to them, and say, alas! these are but poor niceties, disputable points, matters of no great moment whether you believe them or no: they are things too small and inconsequential to disquiet the Church with, or deprive themselves of favour and preferment for: But it is very notorious, that men who have suffered their Consciences so to be bribed, and have against the light of them, hearkened to the alluring invitations that have been thus proposed to them, have not made any long time of it, ere they have been deserters, and not staying there, grown to be zealous Persecutors of Religion; except God hath in mercy to their souls awakened and reclaimed them. Know this then that as small a matter as it may look to be, and how high soever the cunning of Seducers ⟨p. 160⟩may persuade you to make of it, yet he that abandons one known Truth, though it look to be of the least size, is a step to the most fearful Apostasy, and if you are once stepped into the way of it, you are under the greatest probability of being lost for ever:

The Devil hath learnt more wit at length than to ask men to throw themselves down from the pinacle of the Temple prostrate at his feet, at a leap, the very sight and apprehension whereof would appear amazing and frightful; but he hath gotten fair and easie ⟨p. 159⟩winding stairs, where a man shall neither see back from whence he came, nor forward whither he is going; and hath also many a Landing where he may stand still and breath; and thus by slow paces and easie degrees he draws men insensibly away from the Truth: And how many Professors have so been brought to make shipwreck of their Faith? Hence Hells Factors and Cheats would fain perswade men to hearken to them, and say, alas! these are but poor niceties, disputable points, matters of no great moment whether you believe them or no: they are things too small and inconsequential to disquiet the Church with, or deprive themselves of favour and preferment for: But it is very notorious, that men who have suffered their Consciences so to be bribed, and have against the light of them, hearkened to the alluring invitations that have been thus proposed to them, have not made any long time of it, ere they have been deserters, and not staying there, grown to be zealous Persecutors of Religion; except God hath in mercy to their souls awakened and reclaimed them. Know this then that as small a matter as it may look to be, and how high soever the cunning of Seducers