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Title page of A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures, London, 1693A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scripturesEzekiel Hopkins, 1693

Text

pp. 10365 passagespart 1 of 2

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.

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THE GREAT EVIL and DANGER OF Little Sins, IN FOUR SERMONS ON St. MATTH. V. 19.

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Whosoever therefore shall break any one of these least Commandments, and shall teach Men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall break any one of these least Cammandments, and shall teach Men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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By EZEKIEL HOPKINS, late Lord Bishop of London-Derry.

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LONDON, Printed by E. H. for NATHANAEL RANEW, at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1693.

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THE GREAT EVIL and DANGER OF LITTLE SINS, FROM

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St. MATTH. V. 19. Whosoever therefore shall break any one of these least Commandments, and shall teach Men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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As it is in this lower World, notwithstanding it is maintained by a continual flux and vicissitude by the perpetual change of one being into another; one corrupting, and another rising up in a new form and shape out of its Ruins; and yet not the least dust of Matter is, or can be consumed; but the same Matter, and the same Quantity still continues which were at first created. So is it with the Law of God; let Scribes and Pharisees corrupt it by their erroneous ⟨p. 43⟩Glosses and false Interpretations, •utting what Forms and Shapes they •ease upon it; yet as it is in the corruption of earthly Bodies, not the least •iece of Matter can perish, or be annihi•ted; so neither in their corrupting of •he Law shall one jot or tittle of it fail. •ot but that the Law did fail of its observation; never yet was it exactly and punctually fulfilled by any, except by •ur Lord Jesus Christ; but yet the Ob•gation and binding Power of it is ever•sting, and shall continue while there • an Earth, and Men upon it; yea, while there is a Heaven & glorified Saints •• it; for the Moral Law is of an eternal validity; on Earth it is a perfect Rule •et down in the Word; in Heaven it is • perfect Nature implanted in the Blessed, from which all their Actions shall low, and by which they shall all be guided to eternity.

As it is in this lower World, notwithstanding it is maintained by a continual flux and vicissitude by the perpetual change of one being into another; one corrupting, and another rising up in a new form and shape out of its Ruines; and yet not the least dust of Matter is, or can be consumed; but the same Matter, and the same Quantity still continues which were at first created. So is it with the Law of God; let Scribes and Pharisees corrupt it by their erroneous ⟨p. 43⟩Glosses and false Interpretations, •utting what Forms and Shapes they •ease upon it; yet as it is in the cor•ption of earthly Bodies, not the least •iece of Matter can perish, or be annihi•ted; so neither in their corrupting of •he Law shall one jot or tittle of it fail. •ot but that the Law did fail of its ob•ervation; never yet was it exactly and •unctually fulfilled by any, except by •ur Lord Jesus Christ; but yet the Ob•gation and binding Power of it is ever•sting, and shall continue while there • an Earth, and Men upon it; yea, while there is a Heaven & glorified Saints •• it; for the Moral Law is of an eternal •alidity; on Earth it is a perfect Rule •et down in the Word; in Heaven it is • perfect Nature implanted in the Bles•ed, from which all their Actions shall low, and by which they shall all be guided to eternity.

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First, That herein he alludes to th• common and corrupt Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees distinguishing God's Commands into great and small. The great Commandments they held to be those only which concerned the external Acts of Religious Worship; such as Fastings and Washings, and Sacrifices, and scrupulous Tithings, with various Gifts and Offerings; these were their great Commandments; but for inward Concupiscence, for unmortified Lusts; for vain Thoughts and sinful Desires, these, they, as a Generation, corrupt in themselves, and Corrupters of others, taught as the Papists now do, either to be no Sins at all, or at most, but venial, so ⟨p. 47⟩long as they did not break forth into Act; and truly the greater part of this Chapter is spent in setting forth the evil of •hose Sins that the Jews accounted to be ••ght and small;¹ as to be angry with our brother, to call him Racha, or thou Fool, •erse 22. To harbour inward Motions •f Concupiscence, ver. 28. To use Divorce, ver. 29. Common Swearing, ver. 34. Private Revenge, ver. 39. Now says our saviour, I am so far from destroying the Law and the Prophets, either by my Doctrine, or by my Practice, as these Men falsely accuse and calumniate me; •hat contrariwise I teach that the violation of those Commands which your Doctors, the Scribes and Pharisees account •mall and little, will bring with them •n heavy guilt, and sore condemnation; or whosoever breaks those Commandments that are commonly vilified and called least, shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

First, That herein he alludes to th• common and corrupt Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees distinguishing God's Commands into great and small. The great Commandments they held to be those only which concerned the external Acts of Religious Worship; such as Fastings and Washings, and Sacrifices, and scrupulous Tithings, with various Gifts and Offerings; these were their great Commandments; but for inward Concupiscence, for unmortified Lusts; for vain Thoughts and sinful Desires, these, they, as a Generation, corrupt in themselves, and Corrupters of others, taught as the Papists now do, either to be no Sins at all, or at most, but venial, so ⟨p. 47⟩long as they did not break forth into Act; and truly the greater part of this Chapter is spent in setting forth the evil of •hose Sins that the Jews accounted to be ••ght and small;¹ as to be angry with our •rother, to call him Racha, or thou Fool, •erse 22. To harbour inward Motions •f Concupiscence, ver. 28. To use Di•orce, ver. 29. Common Swearing, ver. 34. Private Revenge, ver. 39. Now says our •aviour, I am so far from destroying the Law and the Prophets, either by my Doctrine, or by my Practice, as these Men falsly accuse and calumniate me; •hat contrariwise I teach that the violati•n of those Commands which your Do•tors, the Scribes and Pharisees account •mall and little, will bring with them •n heavy guilt, and sore condemnation; or whosoever breaks those Commandments that are commonly vilify'd and called least, shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

1Matth. 5.22, 28, 29.

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Secondly, Those Commandments which •re great in respect of the Lawgiver, may yet be the least in comparison with other Commands of the same Law, which •re indeed thought greatest. Now this ⟨p. 48⟩comparative inequality in the Commandments, is taken from the inequality of the Objects about which they are conversant; some of them concern our Duty to God, others concern our Duty to Man: Now because Man is infinitely less than God, therefore those Commands that relate to our Duty towards Man, may be called less than those Commands that relate to our Duty towards God. Hence, when the Lawyer put a Case to our Saviour, ¹Mat. 22.36. Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law? Our Lord answers him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind; This, says he, is the first and great Commandment. Sometimes this inequality riseth from the Latitude that every Command hath in it: Now this Latitude relateth to our Thoughts, to our Words, and to our Actions. Now because a Thought may be said to be less than a Word, and a Word may be said to be less than an Action, therefore that part of the Commandment that requires Holiness in our Thoughts, may be said to be less than that which requires Holiness in our Speech; and that part of the ⟨p. 49⟩Commandment which requires Holiness in our Speech, than that which requires Holiness in our Lives and Actions. Now, says our Saviour, he that sins against Man, as well as he that sins against G•d; he that sins in a Thought, in a Word, as well as he that sins in his Actions and Conversation: He that breaks these least Commandments shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven. And in this Sense I take the Words. And thus you see what is meant by the least Commandment.

Secondly, Those Commandments which •re great in respect of the Lawgiver, may yet be the least in comparison with other Commands of the same Law, which •re indeed thought greatest. Now this ⟨p. 48⟩comparative inequality in the Commandments, is taken from the inequality of the Objects about which they are conversant; some of them concern our Duty to God, others concern our Duty to Man: Now because Man is infinitely less than God, therefore those Commands that relate to our Duty towards Man, may be called less than those Commands that relate to our Duty towards God. Hence, when the Lawyer put a Case to our Saviour, ¹Mat. 22.36. Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law? Our Lord answers him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind; This, says he, is the first and great Commandment. Sometimes this inequality riseth from the Latitude that every Command hath in it: Now this Latitude relateth to our Thoughts, to our Words, and to our Actions. Now because a Thought may be said to be less than a Word, and a Word may be said to be less than an Action, therefore that part of the Commandment that requires Holiness in our Thoughts, may be said to be less than that which requires Holiness in our Speech; and that part of the ⟨p. 49⟩Commandment which requires Holiness in our Speech, than that which requires Holiness in our Lives and Actions. Now, says our Saviour, he that sins against Man, as well as he that sins against G•d; he that sins in a Thought, in a Word, as well as he that sins in his Actions and Conversation: He that breaks these least Commandments shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven. And in this Sence I take the Words. And thus you see what is meant by the least Commandment.

1Matth. 22.36.

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The Second thing we are to enquire into,¹ is what we are to understand by being least in the Kingdom of Heaven. By the Kingdom of Heaven may be meant, either the Kingdom of Grace set up in the Church on Earth; and thus the Word is so frequently made use of in Scripture, I need not turn you to any Places. Or else by the Kingdom of Heaven may be meant the Kingdom of Glory, established in the highest Heavens. If we take the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Text for the Kingdom of Grace, that is, for the Church and People of God here on Earth, then the Sense runs thus; ⟨p. 50⟩He that breaketh the least Commandment, and teacheth Men so, shall be no true Member of the Church of Christ. But if we take the Kingdom of Heaven here spoken of, to be the Kingdom of Glory; then the meaning is, He that breaks the least Commandment shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, he shall not enter into Heaven at all. Minimus vocabitur in Regno Coelorum, & fortasse ideo non erit in Regno Coelorum, ubi nisi magni esse non possunt, as St. Augustine speaks. He shall be the least in Heaven; that is, he shall not be there at all, because in Heaven there are none but great and glorious ones.

The Second thing we are to enquire into,¹ is what we are to understand by being least in the Kingdom of Heaven. By the Kingdom of Heaven may be meant, either the Kingdom of Grace set up in the Church on Earth; and thus the Word is so frequently made use of in Scripture, I need not turn you to any Places. Or else by the Kingdom of Heaven may be meant the Kingdom of Glory, established in the highest Heavens. If we take the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Text for the Kingdom of Grace, that is, for the Church and People of God here on Earth, then the Sence runs thus; ⟨p. 50⟩He that breaketh the least Commandment, and teacheth Men so, shall be no true Member of the Church of Christ. But if we take the Kingdom of Heaven here spoken of, to be the Kingdom of Glory; then the meaning is, He that breaks the least Commandment shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, he shall not enter into Heaven at all. Minimus vocabitur in Regno Coelorum, & fortasse ideo non erit in Regno Coelorum, ubi nisi magni esse non possunt, as St. Augustine speaks. He shall be the least in Heaven; that is, he shall not be there at all, because in Heaven there are none but great and glorious ones.

1What is meant by being least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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¹First, Therefore the great evil and danger that there is in little Sins appears in this, that the least Sin is a most high Affront and Provocation of the Great God. An Infinite Holiness is opposed, and an Infinite Justice is incensed by them. Though I am not of the Opinion of the Stoic Philosophers, that all Vices are equally heinous; yet this I account certain, that there is in the least Sin as flat a repugnancy and contradiction to the Holy Will of God as in the greatest. Hath not God forbidden vain Thoughts and idle Words, as strictly as he hath forbidden Murder, Adultery, Blasphemy, and Hatred of himself, with all those abominable Sins that defile the mouths of those that name them? And is it not as much his Will that he should be obeyed in those Commands, as in these? Have you any more Dispensation in the Scripture to speak an idle Word, than you have to blaspheme the Name of God? Have you any more liberty allowed you to swear little Oaths, than you have to swear and ban by whatsoever is sacred and holy in Heaven, or dreadful in Hell? Or to take the reverend Name of God in ⟨p. 53⟩vain, more than to curse him to his very Face? Are you more permitted to think evil against your Neighbour, than you are to murder him? No certainly; there are no such Dispensations can ever be found in the Word of God; and I assure you, God will never dispense with any Sin farther than he hath revealed; and why then will you dare to dispense with your selves more in little Sins than in great Sins? Oh, our Consciences will never bear with any patience those great and crying Sins: Will they not? and do you think that God's Holiness will bear with your little Sins? Believe it, these little Sins do arm God's terrible Power and Vengeance against you And as a Page may carry the Sword of a great Warrior after him, so your little Sins do, as it were, bear the Sword of God's Justice, and put it into his hands against you. And woe unto us if the holy and jealous God deal in fury with us for our small Provocations.

¹First, Therefore the great evil and danger that there is in little Sins appears in this, that the least Sin is a most high Affront and Provocation of the Great God. An Infinite Holiness is opposed, and an Infinite Justice is incensed by them. Though I am not of the Opinion of the Stoick Philosophers, that all Vices are equally hainous; yet this I account certain, that there is in the least Sin as flat a repugnancy and contradiction to the Holy Will of God as in the greatest. Hath not God forbidden vain Thoughts and idle Words, as strictly as he hath forbidden Murder, Adultery, Blasphemy, and Hatred of himself, with all those abominable Sins that defile the mouths of those that name them? And is it not as much his Will that he should be obey'd in those Commands, as in these? Have you any more Dispensation in the Scripture to speak an idle Word, than you have to blaspheme the Name of God? Have you any more liberty allow'd you to swear little Oaths, than you have to swear and ban by whatsoever is sacred and holy in Heaven, or dreadful in Hell? Or to take the reverend Name of God in ⟨p. 53⟩vain, more than to curse him to his very Face? Are you more permitted to think evil against your Neighbour, than you are to murther him? No certainly; there are no such Dispensations can ever be found in the Word of God; and I assure you, God will never dispense with any Sin farther than he hath revealed; and why then will you dare to dispense with your selves more in little Sins than in great Sins? Oh, our Consciences will never bear with any patience those great and crying Sins: Will they not? and do you think that God's Holiness will bear with your little Sins? Believe it, these little Sins do arm God's terrible Power and Vengeance against you And as a Page may carry the Sword of a great Warriour after him, so your little Sins do, as it were, bear the Sword of God's Justice, and put it into his hands against you. And wo unto us if the holy and jealous God deal in fury with us for our small Provocations.

1The least Sin a great Affront of the great God.

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¹Thirdly, That you may see what a complicate Evil every Sin is, take this too, which, though it be a Paradox, yet is it a most sad Truth, That the commission of the least Sin makes you guilty of the greatest Sin; yea, guilty of all Sin imaginable. Hear this therefore, and tremble all you that allow your selves in vain Thoughts or idle Words, and think with your selves, Pish, this is but a Thought; this is but a Word; no, it is not only a vain Thought, or an idle Word; it is Blasphemy, it is Hatred of God, it is Murder, it is Adultery, it is Idolatry; you will say, this is strange Doctrine; if it be, it is the Apostle's Doctrine, ²Jam. 2.10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. As therefore thou wouldst not be found guilty in the great Day of the Lord of all that ever Hell it self was ever impeached for, see that you abhor the commission of the least Sin; for the least Sin will involve thy Soul in the greatest guilt. And the ⟨p. 55⟩Apostle gives an evident Reason of this, ver. 11. For he that said, Do not commit Adultery, said also, Do not kill; now if thou do not commit Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law. The worst thing that can be found in all the Sins that ever were committed, is the contempt of God's Authority. Now there is as much wretched contempt of the Authority of the great God, in the commission of little Sins, as there is in the commission of great Sins. It is the same God that saith, Do not take my Name in vain, who saith, Do not blaspheme me; the same God that saith, Do not murder, hath said also, Be not angry with thy Brother causelessly. Now what is it that makes Blasphemy and Murder such heinous Sins? Truly the Venom and Rancour of them lies in this, That the Authority of that great God who hath forbidden them, is slighted and trampled under foot; and is it not so by small Sins? Nay, let me add,³

¹Thirdly, That you may see what a complicate Evil every Sin is, take this too, which, though it be a Paradox, yet is it a most sad Truth, That the commission of the least Sin makes you guilty of the greatest Sin; yea, guilty of all Sin imaginable. Hear this therefore, and tremble all you that allow your selves in vain Thoughts or idle Words, and think with your selves, Pish, this is but a Thought; this is but a Word; no, it is not only a vain Thought, or an idle Word; it is Blasphemy, it is Hatred of God, it is Murther, it is Adultery, it is Idolatry; you will say, this is strange Doctrine; if it be, it is the Apostle's Doctrine, ²Jam. 2.10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. As therefore thou wouldst not be found guilty in the great Day of the Lord of all that ever Hell it self was ever impeached for, see that you abhor the commission of the least Sin; for the least Sin will involve thy Soul in the greatest guilt. And the ⟨p. 55⟩Apostle gives an evident Reason of this, ver. 11. For he that said, Do not commit Adultery, said also, Do not kill; now if thou do not commit Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law. The worst thing that can be found in all the Sins that ever were committed, is the contempt of God's Authority. Now there is as much wretched contempt of the Authority of the great God, in the commission of little Sins, as there is in the commission of great Sins. It is the same God that saith, Do not take my Name in vain, who saith, Do not blaspheme me; the same God that saith, Do not murther, hath said also, Be not angry with thy Brother causlesly. Now what is it that makes Blasphemy and Murther such heinous Sins? Truly the Venom and Rancour of them lies in this, That the Authority of that great God who hath forbidden them, is slighted and trampled under foot; and is it not so by small Sins? Nay, let me add,³

1Committing little sins, makes men guilty of the greatest.
2Jam. 2.10.
3God's Authority more slighted by little than by great Sins.

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Fourthly, The Authority of the great God seems to be more despised by the commission of small Sins, than by the ⟨p. 56⟩commission of great Sins. Doth it not argue great contempt of God, when you will not obey him in a matter that you your selves count small and inconsiderable? You think, it may be, it is not of much moment or concernment what your Thoughts be, nor what your Words are; but when you hear and are convinced, that all your Thoughts should be holy, and that all your Discourse should be savoury, and such as should minister profit and edification unto others; if after this, you still think it of no great moment, whether they be vain and frothy, or whether they be holy and spiritual; believe it, this shows you to be despisers of God's dominion and authority over you, when his Commands cannot prevail against the least Sin. What a small Matter was it, may some say, for Adam to eat of an Apple in Paradise? But was it not as small a Matter for him to forbear and let it alone? And therefore this small Sin showed no small contempt of God's Authority, who had strictly forbidden it. When we sin, we flatter our selves straight with this; Is it not a little one? Truly if it be but a little one to commit, it is but a little ⟨p. 57⟩•ne to refrain from. It is an Aggravation of Sin, rather than an Excuse, to •y, our Sins are but little ones. It •ews a Heart hardened against God, and bewrays a desperate contempt of all that •e can say to us, or do against us, when •e shall choose rather to thwart and break •is Commands, to venture, or rather •o despise his Power, Wrath and Justice, •an to forgo our little Sins.

Fourthly, The Authority of the great God seems to be more despised by the commission of small Sins, than by the ⟨p. 56⟩commission of great Sins. Doth it not argue great contempt of God, when you will not obey him in a matter that you your selves count small and inconsiderable? You think, it may be, it is not of much moment or concernment what your Thoughts be, nor what your Words are; but when you hear and are convinced, that all your Thoughts should be holy, and that all your Discourse should be savoury, and such as should minister profit and edification unto others; if after this, you still think it of no great moment, whether they be vain and frothy, or whether they be holy and spiritual; believe it, this shews you to be despisers of God's dominion and authority over you, when his Commands cannot prevail against the least Sin. What a small Matter was it, may some say, for Adam to eat of an Apple in Paradise? But was it not as small a Matter for him to forbear and let it alone? And therefore this small Sin shewed no small contempt of God's Authority, who had strictly forbidden it. When we sin, we flatter our selves straight with this; Is it not a little one? Truly if it be but a little one to commit, it is but a little ⟨p. 57⟩•ne to refrain from. It is an Aggravati•n of Sin, rather than an Excuse, to •y, our Sins are but little ones. It •ews a Heart hardened against God, and •ewrays a desperate contempt of all that •e can say to us, or do against us, when •e shall chuse rather to thwart and break •is Commands, to venture, or rather •o despise his Power, Wrath and Justice, •an to forgo our little Sins.

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¹Sixthly, Little Sins have in them ordinarily less of Temptation than othe• Sins have, and therefore they have mo• of wilfulness in them. If it be no excu• of Sin, yet certainly it is a ground o• pity and commiseration, when those fall into the Commission of Sin, who a• assaulted and haunted with most violent and eager Temptations; when the Devi• will not let them alone for a moment time, but pursues them from place to place, and though they once and again eject and resist him, yet still he forceth his Temptations upon them: If such a• these are at length overcome by those impudent importunities of that Evil One this their yielding requires our pity, and i• may be shall more easily obtain God• pardoning Grace and Mercy. But thou that ordinarily committest those tha• thou callest Little Sins, hast no such alleviation for them. What Temptation canst thou plead? Doth the Devil continually dog thee with such solicitations and persuasions, that though thou wouldst yet thou canst not resist; no• certainly, when the Powers of Hell ar• themselves against a Soul, it is to more advantage, than the Commission of a ⟨p. 59⟩•ittle Sin, Little Sins have scarce any •ny other Temptation to enforce them •esides the commonness and customariness of committing them.

¹Sixthly, Little Sins have in them ordinarily less of Temptation than othe• Sins have, and therefore they have mo• of wilfulness in them. If it be no excu• of Sin, yet certainly it is a ground o• pity and commiseration, when thos• fall into the Commission of Sin, who a• assaulted and haunted with most violen• and eager Temptations; when the Devi• will not let them alone for a moment time, but pursues them from place to place, and though they once and again eject and resist him, yet still he forceth his Temptations upon them: If such a• these are at length overcome by those impudent importunities of that Evil One this their yeilding requires our pity, and i• may be shall more easily obtain God• pardoning Grace and Mercy. But thou that ordinarily committest those tha• thou callest Little Sins, hast no such alleviation for them. What Temptation canst thou plead? Doth the Devil continually dogg thee with such sollicitations and perswasions, that though thou wouldst yet thou canst not resist; no• certainly, when the Powers of Hell ar• themselves against a Soul, it is to more advantage, than the Commission of a ⟨p. 59⟩•ittle Sin, Little Sins have scarce any •ny other Temptation to inforce them •esides the commonness and customari•ess of committing them.

1Little Sins have but little temptation in them.

:88p. 59–60

The two great Arguments by which •e Devil prevails in all his Temptations, •he Pleasure and Profit; now both of •hese do usually attend the big and more •ulky Sins; but Little Sins have usually •is aggravation left upon them, that if Men will commit them, they shall be•ome Sinners for nothing. Tell me what profit hath the Profane Spirit to be continually stewing and soaking a lust in his •wn thoughts. What profit or pleasure •ath the Common Swearer for to think himself to be but a Little Sinner in •apping out his Oaths against God and Heaven. (Were I an Epicure says one •oth piously and ingeniously) I would •ate Swearing: Were Men such as sold themselves unto all manner of sensual Delights, yet is there so little can be •trained from this common Sin that it can hardly bear the countenance or presence of a Temptation. Now if it be not the violence of Temptation that makes you •o Sin, it can be nothing else but your ⟨p. 60⟩own wilfulness that makes you thus to Sin. Now wilfulness is the measure o• all guilt, according as your Sins are more or less wilful, so are you the more or le• sinful. Now it is not the Devil's Temptations, but your own wilfulness that run• you upon the Commission of Little Sins; and this is it that aggravates and heightens them; you Sin voluntarily without compulsion, and so by Mystery of Iniquity you make your selves Great Sinners by committing Little Sins.

The two great Arguments by which •e Devil prevails in all his Temptations, •he Pleasure and Profit; now both of •hese do ususally attend the big and more •ulky Sins; but Little Sins have usually •is aggravation left upon them, that if Men will commit them, they shall be•ome Sinners for nothing. Tell me what •rofit hath the Profane Spirit to be con••nually stewing and soaking a lust in his •wn thoughts. What profit or pleasure •ath the Common Swearer for to think •imself to be but a Little Sinner in •apping out his Oaths against God and Heaven. (Were I an Epicure says one •oth piously and ingeniously) I would •ate Swearing: Were Men such as sold •hemselves unto all manner of sensual Delights, yet is there so little can be •trained from this common Sin that it can •ardly bear the countenance or presence of a Temptation. Now if it be not the •iolence of Temptation that makes you •o Sin, it can be nothing else but your ⟨p. 60⟩own wilfulness that makes you thus to Sin. Now wilfulness is the measure o• all guilt, according as your Sins are more or less willfull, so are you the more or le• sinfull. Now it is not the Devil's Temptations, but your own wilfulness that run• you upon the Commission of Little Sins; and this is it that aggravates and heightens them; you Sin voluntarily without compulsion, and so by Mystery of Iniquity you make your selves Grea• Sinners by committing Little Sins.

:89p. 60–62

¹Seventhly, Little Sins do maintain the trade and course of sinning. The Devil cannot expect always to receive such returns of great and crying Impieties, but yet when he keeps the stock of Corruption going, and drives on the trade of sinning by Lesser Sins, believe it Corruption will be on the thriving hand, and you may grow rich in guilt, and treasure up to your selves Wrath against the Day of Wrath, by adding those that you call Little Sins unto the heap. It is not possible that any sinner in the World should be always raging against God by daring and staring Sins; for though the principle of Corruption ⟨p. 61⟩•ms still to exert its utmost strength, •et the Faculties in which it dwells, and •y which it acts, cannot bear so constant an intentness; there must be therefore in the vilest sinners some Intermission, but yet in this Intermission there is •he continued practice and course of •mall Sins, that tack and unite them together; betwixt the Commission of one •ross Sin and another, intervenes a constant neglect and forgetfulness of God, • constant hardness of Heart, a constant •anity and unfruitfulness of Life; and •y these though sinners look upon them •s small Sins, yet they still plod on in •he way to Hell and Destruction without any stop or interruption. In sharp Diseases the violence of the Fit doth not •ast so long as the Disease lasts, at times •here is an Intermission, but still there is • constant Distemper in the Body: So when the pang of a violent Sin is well over, yet still there remains a constant Distemper in the Soul, which though it be not outrageous, yet still continues the Souls Disease, and will bring it to its Death at last. In the Fortification of a City or Town, all the Ramparts are not Castles and Strong holds, but between ⟨p. 62⟩Fort and Fort there is a Line drawn tha• doth as it were join all together an• makes the place Impregnable. So is • in the Fortification of the Soul by Sin all Sins are not Strong holds of Satan they are greater and grosser Sins, but between these is drawn a line of smalle• Sins so close that you cannot find • Breach in it, and by these the Heart i• fenced against God. Now is it nothing that your Little Sins fill up all the void spaces of your Lives? Is it nothing tha• you no where lie open to the force and impression of the Holy Spirit?

¹Seventhly, Little Sins do maintain the trade and course of sinning. The Devil cannot expect always to receive such returns of great and crying Impieties, but yet when he keeps the stock of Corruption going, and drives on the trade of sinning by Lesser Sins, believe it Corruption will be on the thriving hand, and you may grow rich in guilt, and treasure up to your selves Wrath against the Day of Wrath, by adding those that you call Little Sins unto the heap. It is not possible that any sinner in the World should be always raging against God by daring and staring Sins; for though the principle of Corruption ⟨p. 61⟩•ms still to exert its utmost strength, •et the Faculties in which it dwells, and •y which it acts, cannot bear so con•tant an intentness; there must be there•ore in the vilest sinners some Intermissi•n, but yet in this Intermission there is •he continued practice and course of •mall Sins, that tack and unite them to•ether; betwixt the Commission of one •ross Sin and another, intervenes a con•tant neglect and forgetfulness of God, • constant hardness of Heart, a constant •anity and unfruitfulness of Life; and •y these though sinners look upon them •s small Sins, yet they still plod on in •he way to Hell and Destruction without any stop or interruption. In sharp Diseases the violence of the Fit doth not •ast so long as the Disease lasts, at times •here is an Intermission, but still there is • constant Distemper in the Body: So when the pang of a violent Sin is well over, yet still there remains a constant Distemper in the Soul, which though it be not outragious, yet still continues the Souls Disease, and will bring it to its Death at last. In the Fortification of a City or Town, all the Ramparts are not Castles and Strong holds, but between ⟨p. 62⟩Fort and Fort there is a Line drawn tha• doth as it were joyn all together an• makes the place Impregnable. So is • in the Fortification of the Soul by Sin all Sins are not Strong holds of Sathan they are greater and grosser Sins, but between these is drawn a line of smalle• Sins so close that you cannot find • Breach in it, and by these the Heart i• fenced against God. Now is it nothing that your Little Sins fill up all the voi• spaces of your Lives? Is it nothing tha• you no where lie open to the force and impression of the Holy Spirit?

1Little Sins maintain a trade of Sin.

:90p. 62–64

He by his Convictions batters the greater and more heinous Sins of your Lives, bu• these Strong holds of Satan are Impregnable, and give him the repulse; he seeks to enter in by the Thoughts, but these are so fortified by Vanity and Earthly mindedness, and a thousand other Follies, that though they are but Little Sins, yet swarms of them stop up the passage, and the Soul is so full already that there is no room for the Holy Spirit to enter. There's not a sinner here that if he will make an Impartial search within him, but will find the experience of this in his own breast: When at any ⟨p. 63⟩•me you have flown out into the Commission of any boisterous and notorious Wickedness, have you not afterwards •und that you live in a more constant •king and allowance of little Sins. When once a Man is stunned by some heavy •ow, a small nip or pinch is not then felt •y him: And when once Conscience is deadened by the stroke of some great and •andalous Sin, afterwards it grows less sensible of the guilt and evil that there • in smaller Sins; and thus you live in •hem without pain and regret, till you •ll into some notorious Wickedness that •ore hardens the Heart and more fears •he Conscience; and what is this but to •n round from Sin to Sin, from a small •in to a great Sin, and from a great Sin •o a small Sin again, till Hell put a period to this Circle; what is this now, •ut for the Devil to get ground upon •ou by great Sins, and to keep it by little Sins, whereby he drives on and keeps up •he trade of Sin, and when God shall •ast up your Accounts for you at the last Day, you will find that the Trade hath •gain'd you no small loss, even the loss of •our Immortal Souls. Now although •he evil and danger of committing little ⟨p. 64⟩Sins hath been made very apparent in the forementioned particulars, yet because Men are very prone to indulge and excuse themselves herein, I shall add some farther Demonstrations of their aggravated Guilt in these following particulars: Which will serve greatly for the confirmation of the truth of the Doctrine.

He by his Convictions batters the greater and more hainous Sins of your Lives, bu• these Strong holds of Sathan are Impregnable, and give him the repulse; he seeks to enter in by the Thoughts, but these are so fortified by Vanity and Earthly mindedness, and a thousand other Follies, that though they are but Little Sins, yet swarms of them stop up the passage, and the Soul is so full already that there is no room for the Holy Spirit to enter. There's not a sinner here that if he will make an Impartial search within him, but will find the experience of this in his own breast: When at any ⟨p. 63⟩•me you have flown out into the Commission of any boisterous and notorious Wickedness, have you not afterwards •und that you live in a more constant •king and allowance of little Sins. When •nce a Man is stunn'd by some heavy •ow, a small nip or pinch is not then felt •y him: And when once Conscience is •eadned by the stroak of some great and •andalous Sin, afterwards it grows less •ensible of the guilt and evil that there • in smaller Sins; and thus you live in •hem without pain and regret, till you •ll into some notorious Wickedness that •ore hardens the Heart and more fears •he Conscience; and what is this but to •n round from Sin to Sin, from a small •in to a great Sin, and from a great Sin •o a small Sin again, till Hell put a pe•iod to this Circle; what is this now, •ut for the Devil to get ground upon •ou by great Sins, and to keep it by little Sins, whereby he drives on and keeps up •he trade of Sin, and when God shall •ast up your Accounts for you at the last Day, you will find that the Trade hath •gain'd you no small loss, even the loss of •our Immortal Souls. Now although •he evil and danger of committing little ⟨p. 64⟩Sins hath been made very apparent in the forementioned particulars, yet because Men are very prone to indulge and excuse themselves herein, I shall add some farther Demonstrations of their aggravated Guilt in these following particulars: Which will serve greatly for the confirmation of the truth of the Doctrine.

:91p. 64–66

¹First, Consider little Sins usually are the damning and destroying Sins. There are more beyond comparison that perish and go down to Hell by the Commission of little Sins, than by those that are more Notorious and Infamous; here perisheth the Hypocrite, and here the formal Professor; here perisheth your honest civil neighbourly Man, that is so fair and upright in his dealing that you can see nothing that is gross and scandalous by him: Oh! but yet the blood of their precious and Immortal Souls runs out and is spilt for ever thorough those insensible wounds that little Sins do make: Yea hereby commonly perisheth the Profane Sinner also, for it is usually but the Commission of one small Sin more that fills up the measure of their ⟨p. 65⟩iniquities, and makes them fully ripe •or Damnation; sometimes indeed God •oth by some signal Stroke of his Vengeance strike the sinner through and through in the Commission of some bold •nd daring Sin; but usually the last Sin •f the worst of Men is but of the lesser •ze, and though God hath formerly •orn many great impieties from such persons, yet is he at last so provoked by •ome little Sin that he will wait no lon•er, but snatcheth the sinner away in his wrath and throws him down into Hell. This is an Argument how dreadfully provoking small Sins are, that usually upon the Commission of one of them God puts an end to his patience and forbearance: It is not all the great and crying •ins of a Mans Life that brings so much misery upon him, as a little Sin that inks him down into Eternal Torments •oth. Usually the last Sin that a sinner •nters into Hell by is but a little Sin: Take it therefore as a warning from God, henceforth never more despise any Sin •s slight because it is small. We have a •nown Proverb among us, that when a •east hath his full load, one straw more will break his Back. Believe it, sirs, it is ⟨p. 66⟩most certainly true in the present Case many Christians have been a long time sinners against God and their own Souls adding iniquity to iniquity, and some o• you may already have your full load, • beware how you ever venture upon th• Commission of another Sin, though it b• but a little and a slight Sin, yet this slight and small Sin added to the rest may brea• and sink you for ever into Hell;

¹First, Consider little Sins usually are the damning and destroying Sins. There are more beyond comparison that perish and go down to Hell by the Commission of little Sins, than by those that are more Notorious and Infamous; here perisheth the Hypocrite, and here the formal Professor; here perisheth your honest civil neighbourly Man, that is so fair and upright in his dealing that you can see nothing that is gross and scandalous by him: Oh! but yet the blood of their precious and Immortal Souls runs out and is spilt for ever thorough those insensible wounds that little Sins do make: Yea hereby commonly perisheth the Prophane Sinner also, for it is usually but the Commission of one small Sin more that fills up the measure of their ⟨p. 65⟩•niquities, and makes them fully ripe •or Damnation; sometimes indeed God •oth by some signal Stroke of his Vengeance strike the sinner through and •hrough in the Commission of some bold •nd daring Sin; but usually the last Sin •f the worst of Men is but of the lesser •ze, and though God hath formerly •orn many great impieties from such •ersons, yet is he at last so provoked by •ome little Sin that he will wait no lon•er, but snatcheth the sinner away in his •rath and throws him down into Hell. This is an Argument how dreadfully •rovoking small Sins are, that usually •pon the Commission of one of them God puts an end to his patience and for•earance: It is not all the great and crying •ins of a Mans Life that brings so much misery upon him, as a little Sin that •nks him down into Eternal Torments •oth. Usually the last Sin that a sinner •nters into Hell by is but a little Sin: Take it therefore as a warning from God, •enceforth never more despise any Sin •s slight because it is small. We have a •nown Proverb among us, that when a •east hath his full load, one straw more will break his Back. Believe it, sirs, it is ⟨p. 66⟩most certainly true in the present Case many Christians have been a long time sinners against God and their own Souls adding iniquity to iniquity, and some o• you may already have your full load, • beware how you ever venture upon th• Commission of another Sin, though it b• but a little and a slight Sin, yet this sligh• and small Sin added to the rest may brea• and sink you for ever into Hell;

1Little Sins usually are the damning Sins.

:93p. 66–68

¹Secondly, Consider this: Small Sin what they want in weight usually they do more than make up in number, and therefore are as pernicious to the Sou• as the greatest Sins can be. Hence David prays, Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errors, cleanse thou me from secret Sins. ²Secret Sins must needs b• the least and smallest Sins, seeing they are so small that he that commits then cannot discern them; but yet as they are small, so are they numerous, wh• knows how often he thus transgresseth, wh• can understand his errors? Therefore ⟨p. 67⟩cleanse thou me, O Lord, from these secret •ins. A Ship may have a heavy burden of Sands as well as of Millstones, and •ay be as soon sunk with them. And •uly small Sins though they should be • small as Sands, yet commonly they •e as numerous as the Sands too; and •hat odds then is there between them •d the greatest Sins? Every thought •ou thinkest, and every word thou •eakest in an unregenerate State and con•tion there is Sin in it, and though most • them possibly are but little Sins, yet • multitude of them alone are able to •nk you down into the lowest Hell. •our Consciences start back and are •frighted, as indeed they ought, at a temptation to Murder, Incest, Blasphemy, or any of those more horrid Sins, •at are the prodigies of corrupt Nature, lose Sins you dare not so much as commit once: And yet thousands of thou•nds of lesser Sins, such as sinful Thoughts, •le Words, petty Oaths, commodious Lies; lose proceed from you without either •riving against them, or mourning for •em. Why now, Sirs, do you more fear tolerable and everlasting Wrath, for •e single Commission of a great Sin, ⟨p. 68⟩than you do for the frequent and repeated Commission of less Sins? Truly • cannot precisely tell you, whether you had not as good Blaspheme God once, a• take his Name in vain often; whether it be not as good to Murder once, as to hate always: The frequency of little Sins makes their guilt so great and thei• punishment so intolerable, that the vilest Sins you can imagine shall have nothing to exceed them in, unless it be the horror of the Name of that Sin. An• yet it fares with us as it did with th• Israelites, we tremble more at one Goliath than we do at the whole Army of th• Philistines.

¹Secondly, Consider this: Small Sin what they want in weight usually they do more than make up in number, and therefore are as pernicious to the Sou• as the greatest Sins can be. Hence David prays, Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errours, cleanse thou me from secret Sins. ²Secret Sins must needs b• the least and smallest Sins, seeing they are so small that he that commits then cannot discern them; but yet as they are small, so are they numerous, wh• knows how often he thus transgresseth, wh• can understand his errours? Therefore ⟨p. 67⟩cleanse thou me, O Lord, from these secret •ins. A Ship may have a heavy bur•en of Sands as well as of Milstones, and •ay be as soon sunk with them. And •uly small Sins though they should be • small as Sands, yet commonly they •e as numerous as the Sands too; and •hat odds then is there between them •d the greatest Sins? Every thought •ou thinkest, and every word thou •eakest in an unregenerate State and con•tion there is Sin in it, and though most • them possibly are but little Sins, yet • multitude of them alone are able to •nk you down into the lowest Hell. •our Consciences start back and are •frighted, as indeed they ought, at a •emptation to Murder, Incest, Blas•emy, or any of those more horrid Sins, •at are the prodigies of corrupt Nature, •ese Sins you dare not so much as com•it once: And yet thousands of thou•nds of lesser Sins, such as sinful Thoughts, •le Words, petty Oaths, commodious Lyes; •ese proceed from you without either •riving against them, or mourning for •em. Why now, Sirs, do you more fear •tolerable and everlasting Wrath, for •e single Commission of a great Sin, ⟨p. 68⟩than you do for the frequent and repeated Commission of less Sins? Truly • cannot precisely tell you, whether you had not as good Blaspheme God once, a• take his Name in vain often; whethe• it be not as good to Murder once, as to hate always: The frequency of little Sins makes their guilt so great and thei• punishment so intolerable, that the vilest Sins you can imagine shall have nothing to exceed them in, unless it be the horror of the Name of that Sin. An• yet it fares with us as it did with th• Israelites, we tremble more at one Goliah than we do at the whole Army of th• Philistines.

1Little Sins what they want in weight they do more than make up innumber.
2Psal. 19.12.

:95p. 69–71

Thirdly, ¹Consider it is very difficult •o convince Men of the great Evil and Danger that there is in little Sins, and •herefore it is very difficult to bring them •o Repentance for them. Indeed this is •he great and desperate Evil that there •s in small Sins, that Men will not be persuaded that they are Evil. Flagitious wickednesses are usually self condemning; they carry that brand upon them that makes them evident to every Mans Conscience that they come from Hell, and will certainly lead to Hell; ²and therefore the Apostle, Rom. 1.33. after he had reckoned up a black Catalogue of Sins, tells them in the last verse, that though they were Heathens, ⟨p. 70⟩yet they knew the Judgments of God, that they that committed such things were worthy of Death. But now the guilt of little Sins is not so apparent, the eye of a mere natural Conscience looks usually outward to the Life and Conversation, and if that be plain and smooth, it sees not or dispenseth with the lesser Sins of the Heart: Hence is it that we so seldom confess or mourn for those that we call lesser Sins? When is it that we are deeply humbled for the Omission of duties, or for the slight and perfunctory performance of them? these we look not upon as deserving Damnation, and therefore we think they need no Repentance. Nay, are we not so far from judging and condemning our selves for them, that we seek out pretences to excuse and lessen them, calling them Slips, Failings, and unavoidable Infirmities: ³And as Lot said of Zoar, is it not a little one, and our Souls shall live. What, can I think there is so much danger in a foolish Thought, in a vain and inconsiderate Word? Can I think that the great God will torment his poor creatures for ever, for a Thought, for a Word, for a Glance? yes believe it unless these Sins be done away in the ⟨p. 71⟩Blood of Christ, there is not the least of them but hath an infinite Evil in it, and an infinite Wrath following of it: If you will not now be convinced of it, you shall be then when with dread and astonishment you shall hear God calling your little Sins by other Names than you now do; you call them Failings and Infirmities, but God will call them Presumptions and Rebellions? What you say is but a vain Thought, shall be arraigned as Treason against God, as Atheism and Soul Murder:

Thirdly, ¹Consider it is very difficult •o convince Men of the great Evil and Danger that there is in little Sins, and •herefore it is very difficult to bring them •o Repentance for them. Indeed this is •he great and desperate Evil that there •s in small Sins, that Men will not be perswaded that they are Evil. Flagitious wickednesses are usually self condemning; they carry that brand upon them that makes them evident to every Mans Conscience that they come from Hell, and will certainly lead to Hell; ²and therefore the Apostle, Rom. 1.33. after he had reckoned up a black Catalogue of Sins, tells them in the last verse, that though they were Heathens, ⟨p. 70⟩yet they knew the Judgments of God, that they that committed such things were worthy of Death. But now the guilt of little Sins is not so apparent, the eye of a meer natural Conscience looks usually outward to the Life and Conversation, and if that be plain and smooth, it sees not or dispenseth with the lesser Sins of the Heart: Hence is it that we so seldom confess or mourn for those that we call lesser Sins? When is it that we are deeply humbled for the Omission of duties, or for the slight and perfunctory performance of them? these we look not upon as deserving Damnation, and therefore we think they need no Repentance. Nay, are we not so far from judging and condemning our selves for them, that we seek out pretences to excuse and lessen them, calling them Slips, Failings, and vnavoidable Infirmities: ³And as Lot said of Zoar, is it not a little one, and our Souls shall live. What, can I think there is so much danger in a foolish Thought, in a vain and inconsiderate Word? Can I think that the great God will torment his poor creatures for ever, for a Thought, for a Word, for a Glance? yes believe it unless these Sins be done away in the ⟨p. 71⟩Blood of Christ, there is not the least of them but hath an infinite Evil in it, and an infinite Wrath following of it: If you will not now be convinced of it, you shall be then when with dread and astonishment you shall hear God calling your little Sins by other Names than you now do; you call them Failings and Infirmities, but God will call them Presumptions and Rebellions? What you say is but a vain Thought, shall be arraign'd as Treason against God, as Atheism and Soul Murder:

1It's difficult to convince men of the evil of little Sins.
2Rom. 1.33.
3Gen. 19.20.

:97p. 72–73

¹Fourthly, Consider that the allowance an• cordial approbation but of the least Sin is • certain sign of a most rotten and hypocritical Heart. Be thy Conversation never s• blameless, be thy profession never so glorious, be thy Duties and Services never s• pompous; yet if there be the secret reservation and allowance but of the leas• Sin; all this is no more than so much vain show and pageantry:² What says the Apostle, Jam. 1.26. If any Man among you seem t• be Religious, and bridleth not his Tongue that Man deceiveth himself, his Religion is vain: Why, is it not strange that after so many prayers daily put up to God after an eminent profession, and a considerable progress made in the ways of God that yet both the sincerity and success o• all this should depend upon so small • thing as the tip of a man's Tongue? If tha• be allowed to run at random into impertinences, not to say into Debaucheries and Profaneness, all your Duties, all you• Prayers, all your Profession is blown away by the same Tongue that uttered them and all your Religion will be in vain; and let me add, This seeming Religion will en• only in shame and confusion at the last when the Soul and Conscience of a sinner ⟨p. 73⟩shall be ripped open at the great Day before Men and Angels, and that little Sin that kept God and Christ and Eternal Salvation out, shall openly be showed •o all the World, and laughed at by all •he World; that such a Sin should keep • Man from Heaven and Eternal Happiness. And therefore says David, ³Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I •ave respect unto all thy Commandments. To have respect to some of God's Commandments, and not to all, is now Hypocrisy and will at last be shame and confusion. It is a most certain Truth, •hat though the Commission of the grea•est Sin be consistent with the truth of Grace, yet so is not the approbation of •he least Sin. Oh! what a severe and critical thing is true Holiness, that will no more allow the least Transgression than •he greatest; nor more tolerate the de•ilement of Dust in our Hearts than a Dunghill. We have all of us need therefore to pray with David, Psal. 139.23.⁴ Search me, O Lord, and try my Heart, try me and know my Thoughts, and see if •here be any evil way in me;

¹Fourthly, Consider that the allowance an• cordial approbation but of the least Sin is • certain sign of a most rotten and hypocritica• Heart. Be thy Conversation never s• blameless, be thy profession never so glorious, be thy Duties and Services never s• pompous; yet if there be the secret reservation and allowance but of the leas• Sin; all this is no more than so much vain show and pageantry:² What says the Apostle, Jam. 1.26. If any Man among you seem t• be Religious, and bridleth not his Tongue that Man deceiveth himself, his Religion is vain: Why, is it not strange that after so many prayers daily put up to God after an eminent profession, and a considerable progress made in the ways of God that yet both the sincerity and success o• all this should depend upon so small • thing as the tip of a man's Tongue? If tha• be allowed to run at random into impertinencies, not to say into Debaucheries and Prophaneness, all your Duties, all you• Prayers, all your Profession is blown away by the same Tongue that uttered them and all your Religion will be in vain; and let me add, This seeming Religion will en• only in shame and confusion at the last when the Soul and Conscience of a sinner ⟨p. 73⟩shall be ript open at the great Day before Men and Angels, and that little Sin that kept God and Christ and Eternal Salvation out, shall openly be shew'd •o all the World, and laughed at by all •he World; that such a Sin should keep • Man from Heaven and Eternal Happiness. And therefore says David, ³Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I •ave respect unto all thy Commandments. To have respect to some of God's Commandments, and not to all, is now Hypocrisy and will at last be shame and •onfusion. It is a most certain Truth, •hat though the Commission of the grea•est Sin be consistent with the truth of Grace, yet so is not the approbation of •he least Sin. Oh! what a severe and cri•ical thing is true Holyness, that will no more allow the least Transgression than •he greatest; nor more tolerate the de•ilement of Dust in our Hearts than a Dunghill. We have all of us need there•ore to pray with David, Psal. 139.23.⁴ Search me, O Lord, and try my Heart, try me and know my Thoughts, and see if •here be any evil way in me;

1The least sin allow'd is a sign of an hypocritical Heart.
2Jam. 1.26.
3Psal. 119.6.
4Psal. 139.23.

THE GREAT EVIL and DANGER OF LITTLE SINS, FROM

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

THE GREAT EVIL and DANGER OF LITTLE SINS, FROM