e 14'editationf. 113 do not bring it into pra fife:Tbisthenmuttbeforcibletomakev to ioynea godly lifewith good knowledge,and good workes with alively faith,ifbefore the Lord we will not beac- comptedfooles. Ver19. Afoolemaketh a mocl eoffinne: but amongthe righteous there isfauour. He heart of man is fraught and filledwith much groffe and filthie corruption : but Tnoneisworfethen that which is here fpoken of, that a man tltould make a light mat- ter offinne. It is ftrange and very tnonttrous that it fhould befo, and yet by this placewe feeit doth often fb fall out.Yea inanotherplacetheholyGhoft doth teltifie,(and we know Feaeef to thathis tellimonie is true)that thePoledash makeeuenafportaed apaflime offnne.Our owne mcke olporte daytswill confirme thefame. Forcomevnto an adulterer toa fake witnefe bearer,and to offnne. fuck groffe inners, tell them that God isangrie with them, that he will be avenged on them,as he bath been upon othersfor fuchfinnes,and what I pray you willthey do?Surely lrethat isfilthie will be more filthie, and thefalfe witneffe will mockeatiudgetnent. And what is thisbut tomakea mucke anda ieft at fins nay,what is it but to makeaGodoffin, andto ferueit in fleade ofGod ? andhowdo theygrowvnto this heightandexceffeof fin? Surely onechide rank is,becaufe they benotplagued like other men,becaufe themercyof Pfal.7,. God dothhedge theinin on cuery fide, and becaufèthey.pairetheirtime inprofperitie and plcafure.O what amonftrousthingis thisthat aman fhouldbemadeàiforfe bythe goodnes ofGod?how miferable is thatman that wit make the metricofGodan occafionofhis own Rom.z,ef.y, miferie?and howvnthankfull is he,thatthemorebenefits the Lorddothbellow vpcnhim, themorehe will heape fin vpon finne?uay,howworthily is he deftroyed that will abufe the vnfpeakeable lopingkindnes ofthe Lord to hisowndeftruaaion? Andthat there fhould be fuch,the ApoftlePeterforetold vs,In the fattertimes (faithhe)fhallcome mockers,wisich[hall x.Pes+ aske forthe commingof theLord, asthoughhewould not comeat alt. Butthere abufe the goodnes and bountieofthe Lord,whowould that al fhuld bebrought to repentance.They therforedo treaffirevp Wrathfor themfelues againft thedayofwrath,wherem else fonneof , GodThal cousein iudgement and fiercewrath,againft them thathaue made a mockeof flu., andhaue not been led to repentance through his long patienceand louingkindnes. Now feeingthe iudgement ofGodwill lay /soldofall thofe that fie ifs finne,and feeing wecanneuer comeout offin fo longas we make fuels light account of it let vs know thatalthough one finne is lellè then another, and although a finne in thought may be counted alittle finne, in refpe&ofa finne in outward a& : yetin very deedeand before the Lord no finne will beecounted little. For the infiniteiuftice and mercieof God is vio- late euen by the leaft finne, and thereforeno finne canbe counted little. Forrum the leali Light¡rraes finne isfufficientlyable to condemneand confoundvs fromtheprefenceofGod. Againe, wmt, ifthe Lord fhould let the lealifinne vpon our confciences, and fuller our confciences to God. checke vs forit, and Satanhimfelfe to burthenvs with at : doubtleffe itwould be fo Beanie and grieuous,thatwefhould not bee able toabide it.How then canwemakelight account euen ofthat finne, which ofall otherfeemeth leali ? Moreouer, theLordwill not onely condemne the wicked as for their great, fo for their Iefferfrnnes: but hee will very tharplÿcorrefl, yeaandfeuerelypunifh rums his deareft children for thofe finnes,whichin oureyes do feememolt finall.Thus was Adam throwne tightsmrdfmat out ofParadifeforeating ofthe forbidden fruite. Mafes for fpeakingof an angrie wordf"nes;nappm dyed romifedland.Ewechiaranceirr,: i' p if but fhew his treaiures tothe Ambafadors ofBabel, and fort aacfnnethey,werc all reerelypaai- caried into Babel: yea theholy temple was fgoyled, theholyvcffels wereprophaned and filed in this their gloriewas giuen into theenemies hand.7ofiab didgoetowarreagainfthis enimie and world, the eninnesofGod, and thatonely tokeepethem out of hisowne land :yet becaufehedid not askecounfellattheLord, therefore he was flainein the battell. What thanes arelee then there? and yetfeehow fharplyythe Lord did punilh them inhis ownechildren: and can it be then that any finne [Mould be counted light Betides, though it were grauntod thatframe finnein it lelfewere but little, yeeforthis caufe could it not becounted little,be- L 3 tuft
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