548 ( L'phe¡iam.r, Chap.g.. V B R.2.7, ounr no fin have poweron us. Count no finne finall,for fo the Devill wouldhave (mall. it, thatfo thereby he may endanger us for the committing of greater. And know this,that leffer and lighter fins do more infenfibly anddan- geroufly harden the heart then greater ; and he that maketh not con- ference roavoid fmall fins, will come in time to make confcienceof no fin. He that lies inone fin (without labouring to recover himfelfe by repentance) although he counts it but fmall , is fure to fall into Ecc1.to.r3. greater fins : The beginningofafoolifh mansBeechesfaalifhneffe, bat the latter end thereofis trickedmadneffe. David admitted at firft but a little idleneffe hewouldnot goc towane, nor be imployed, but gave him Idle to hiscafe,to take a nap in the afternoone, and by this entertai- ning of idlenefí'e, what followedafter, but luft a whereupon enfued, murder and adultery. They that dwell by the Sea banks will not let a fmall breach lyeunrepayred, for they know it will endanger the lo- fingofmuch ground that will hardly againe be recovered, but with the loffe ofas much inanother place, for the Sea will havehis courfe, and therefore they are very careful' tokeep' the orals in repaire, and to fortifie every place , knowing that fire and water have no mercy : Surely fuch a cafe is this, the inundation and comming in offin and fire ofwickedneffe, if it have once madebut a little breach and is bro ken over the banksof a Chriftian confcience,iris hard to be recovered. Learne therefore this trueChriftian wifdome,to dealewith finne and cat :.y. Satan, as the Apofìle Paul dealt with falte brethren ; Hegave them no place, no notfar an houre. Give no ground to the Devill , not an inch, you know not what you doe , when you give him a little liberty for never fo littlea time ; for he is fuch a one that when heis once let in, will fcarcebe driven out with fire and fword , falling and prayer will hardlyget him out againe. Pre a; Seing thecontinuance offin is an entertainement ofthe devil', it The fearfull doth let us feethe fearefull elate ofmany that live trading themfelves flare of many in evill : the Devill bath fuch hold of them that without Gods al- wholive tra- ding in fin; out mighty power and grace , he will never be removed. It is with the ofwhichthey Devill as with a Serpent, while it flideth upon a thing it is eafily fha- cannot he freed without kenoff; but if it hath wound it felfc with many foldings about this or Gods almighty that, it is not eafily unfalened : So this ferpentineevil' offen, having power. once wound it felfe into the heart and affcélions of a man, it will hard. ly becall out, nothingbut thedivine power of Gods Spirit can drive it out. When Satan is reentred into aman, there is leffe hope ofdif poffefíingordiflodging him againe thenbefore : when now he is re- turned he will ufe more policy , andbring more forces for the ford. fying ofhisnew invafion. In a word , if it be true concerninga man Tins.r8. that never was converted to the faith, that the Devill bath him in ha fnare, andtakes him at hiswill ; Surely much more is it trueofhim that bath cfcaped the fnare of the. Devill , and the Devill hath got him in againe, for now he will looke more narrowly tohim , and make the fnare ftronger then ever before. VERSE 28. VERSE 28. Let him that bathfiolne flealc nomore, but rather let him
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