+20 II. IV. atm./hams, andCafes. ofCenfäietzee Chap. ¢.z z: Womullwithitargthe"fiat beginnings of fin, and labour to quench our fiery lui vhen they are kill kindled inus, i Thef. 5.22. Abftain from all ap- pearance ofevi/1: andSt. Jude advifed,that welhould be fo far from entertain- that we:f9ioitld haterhegarment fportedby the:fleth, Jud. 21. 23, Thirdly. Ifwe wouldget the victory over our finfull fulls, we mull prevent . themwithall peed take them tnap'rovided, andfet uponthem before they be aware : For the longerwe defer the fight, the more difficult, and doubtful! we Make the vi&ory. Ïf efine,le them out onebyone as they appear to us , we !hail eafnly overcome them but if we give th.:ni time to mutter their Forces, and ro come in Troops again(( us,. we (hall not be able towiehfland their power: wethould therefo:e ( as Pharaoh) drown them in the tearsof true repentance as loon as they are born : we mutt defiroy fin in its firfl conception, and not fuffer it ro receive birth, andbreath inour words, and actions, leaf+ it grow to our de= firuelion,jam. I. I S. Sin when it isfissiflied bringsf o>tth death. hence Sr.. Asia f? in, Capsat Serpent's obf rva : quoá eft caput Serpentis's prima peccati fuggefifio. Obferve well the Serpents head, that thou mayefl the give it a mortal]: wound : andwhat is this Serpents head, but the Eft furgettion of fin : and St. Cypriasr faith, Diabolip, imsstitil/ationtbks obviandxm eft, seccotaberfever; débet dent ;n Serpentcmformetur. Withíland the Divels fiat allurin; motions , neither let . us cherifh the Snake till it grow to a Serpent. Sin is an unlimited evil( which admits ofno bounds, if we let it have full liberty toenlarge it fell, like Éhaa his cloud, &c. and ifwe do not this, we are not fo wife for our fouls, as we are a- bout Earthly things : If fire be. tall into our boíoms, we wiillprefently call it out: and quench it when it firft takeshold of our houles : we mend our garments when the rent is final( : we prefently flop the gap" when. the water hath made a breach in the bank, &c. why then fhould we not deal fo with fin, which is a greater evil, and more dangerous , Vel cxigaa fcintilla f ammam ingentem ac- cendit, G" {ion<inem faptnusnerd ?,,pets femen perdidit , faith Mazranzsn:T+te leaf} fpark ii time grows to a great flame, and oft times the feed of the Viper hash cdefirod a man : Letus therefore fhun the leaf( fault, feting, though it be ftìall, it Will quickly be great ifwe let it go on. AALna11 Error in the. begin- ning of the way, may become gitat the endof the journey. Sin isa Gangrene which if"let alonewill devoure all : and therefore here , if ever the Phyfitians Rule is good, Ciro, longe, rarde: Flit from it fpeedily : go far enough, and is will be toofoon ifever we return to itagtin. Togive way to the frill motions offinis verydangerous, as appears by the examples_ of_ rain, Solomon, Jonas, Sampfon, Herod, fudas,ire, Fourthly, We mull not think any finfb-fmall, as willingly to commit it, and to continue in it without repentance : But contrarywife we amid the rather flit from the !call fin, becaufé naturally we are apt to flight and neglect fuch. Non eft minimums in vita haminum neglmere míxima, faith _Eufebiva : Its not the leaf+ thing in a mans life to negte& fuch things; asfeem ro be leaf(, and I know not of what faults we maybe Iecure, feeinr we knoll be juds.edforfins of ignorance, and give an account dour idle words gird thtr,ar,hts. For Which end let us con- fider. r. That even by the haftfins Gods Law is tranfsreffed, his Juice violated, aíid his wrath provoked. Hence St. 11;cram faith Net conideres feted ;larva peccate,fed good ínagnua fit Deree, cr.i difplicent. Do not confider the fmallnefs ofthy fins, but the greatnefsof thy God who is difpleafed with them: and St, Aìtflin adds, Nsellsem eni a ?etcawl, aide° par rim, good vies crefcat nenlettam. Non enim cOnidetandtme quidferric,fed-ep4emof fenderit, there is no fin fo little which being negle&&ed d®th not ina¢xfe , and ave rout+ not confider what are have done , but how great he is whoa we . have offend; ed. z. Con
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