so exceeding little that to pardon and passe by it can no way impeach thy Justice which shall acquit it selfe well enough in that number which shall justly feele it 's just rigour and as to that number that shall in thine anger suffer these I sue for lose all proportion and become no number so this act of thy mercy being set by that exemplary act of thy Justice shall escape all notice censure Were I but guilty of a little oratory I am perswaded some might easily be cozen'd into a beliefe that the argument were very solid and would well enough hold water What saies naturall reason and unchristened Justice have I rigidly observ'd all thy commandements from my youth hitherto have I justled counter against the world Mat. 19.20 neglected out of conscience and godly feare my profits my pleasures my humors borne the obloquies and frequent scornes of the multitude and shall not a little sin a small erroâ—â— be excused in me Is not this a frequent plea that not only the formall worldling but even Gods servants themselves make and wherein they are wonderfully pleas'd as if forsooth they had well accquitted themselves if they have beene diligent in their callings or the duties of religion O then a little slacking one neglect or ommission may well enough be excused and so sin in the crowde of their vertues passe unseene uncensured So goodnesse must be a stale to sinne and diligence the patrones at least of a small neglect As if by doing well we purchased a liberty to do ill and that we might deale with God as the Romane slaves did with their masters who having serv'd them all the rest of the yeere yet for onst at the Saturnals their masters served them Macrobius so here as if forsooth because we have done God as we thinke reasonable good service and beene indifferently diligent in our callings God must therefore onst or so serve us authorize us to sin a little and excuse us for a little when we have sinned Is not this almost to make God the author of sin and goodnesse monstrously to father her owne contrary Would you not thinke it a monstrous madnesse and strange soloecisme if a master should aske his servant why he had offended in this or that command and he should reply because I am thy servant or because I have served thee well and faithfully in other things Would you not think this servant mad And would you not thinke that master that would accept this answer for a sufficient excuse more mad and foolish than t'other Yet just so do we deale with God Why have we beene bold in this or that matter to offend for onst to omit this or that duty a little too slack of our diligence because forsooth we are his servants because we have heretoforé beene officious and zealous What a strange reason is here we are bad because we have beene good 2. As in this monstrously we would make God the author and goodnesse the excuse and priviledge of sin so secondly it 's a thing we never make any bones of never sticke at to sinne a little so it be but a little it occasion be to step a little out of the way so that we rove not past the outter most declination sin 's of Zodiack Let us go no further then as if there were a Cancer on hell's side as there is in heaven and that we could be retrograde returne when we would fearlesse of the steepnesse of that ascent and unwary of the deceitfulnesse of sinne we stop nor having begun our carere without Gods great mercy till we are carried headlong into the vale of death and plunged in the gulph of eternall misery O my heloved take heed of this killing indulgence to your selves to thinke to sinne a little a little to go aside a little out of the pale of Gods protection O consider what thou dost no more but give the devill a little hold of thy soule no more but begin'st a race from the top and verge of a steep hill no more but teare a little of the writing and covenant betwixt God and thee no more but adde a little thorne to the crowne of Christ And yet I am deceived almost as much as thou art thou dost not these a little but much and highly especially if voluntarily thou sinnest but thy little For first it s a great errour that any finne is little Secondly as great a one that thou canst returne repent and retrive thy selfe being at a fault but thy little First no sinne is little For tell me what is little I would faine know what is little Is a graine of sand little Yes in comparison of a pebble stone But is a graine of sand positively and absolutely little No For in respect of an atome it is great nay that atome is not little neither For if it be quantitative then hath it extension if extension then one part without another and then at least those parts are lesse then the whole and so might I dispute of those parts and the parts of those parts in infinitum I know in regard of animate bodies the best Philosophers are of opinion that they have their praefixed termes of magnitude upwards and downewards their maximum quod sic and minimum quod non their minimum quod sic and maximum quod non but there is nothing in the whole universe that is absolutely and positively little And this I affirme not onely in bodies but all accidents whether qualities actions or whatsoever to which in any manner we attribute quantitie and the affections of it Tell me then what is a little sinne Sin being an aberration from the right way measure me the true distance of that aberration measure me the line that measures that distance Omne quantum est divisibile in semper divisibilia thou wilt finde a kinde of infinitenesse in it For each line is infinitely divisible The truth then is we call some sinnes little not that any is absolutely and really so but only in respect of some greater So that our justification in this kinde would prove but like the Pharisees meerely comparative Luk. 18.11 I thank God I am not as other men nor even as this Publican Be not then so nerre a papist in thine opinion that as they hold some sinnes veniall thon as absurdly holdst some sinnes little or the Pharisees that hold some of Gods commands to be but little ones Matth. 5.19 Be not deceived saith S. Paul for because of these things Eph. 5.6.3 4 5. what things Eph. 5.6 Sinnes which the world esteemes but little of fornication called but a trick of youth all uncleannesse covetousnesse nay he names lesse yet filthinesse foolish talking jesting even for these things let no man deceive you with vaine words as if these were but little petty trifles of sinne toyes not worth the heeding for whatever how light soever you may thinke of them Vers 6.7 even
trust in him or arme us with undaunted confidence against an appearance of danger but as if there were no God or as if that God slumbered and slept Psal 121.4 and intermedled not in the government of the world as the Stoicks fondly dreamed we shrinke and tremble at sight of every danger and to secure our selves thinke it a surer way to run to unlawfull shifts then relye on the assureance of Gods providence And as if Gods hand were too short to reach from Heaven we thinke it a farre safer way to catch hold of that which is next us even any poore unlawfull and therefore helpes shift which our owne reasons shewes unto us So wanting that eye of faith which is the evidence of things not seene and looking onely with the eye of sence Heb. 11.1 we judge that God nor sees nor regards because we see not him Each new danger awakes a new distrust What testimonies had God given to the captive Jewes of Egypt of an especiall love to them that for their sakes had shewed the strength of his mighty arme Exod. 13.14.16 in so many unheard of wonders Is it in the belief of man that any danger could beget their distrust Yet see Exod. 12.29 they are no sooner redeemed by the death of so many soules as that night of horrour caused that might indeed be red for them and blush at their so fowle so monstrous distrust but they on the first occasion are ready to undervalue their deliverance and wish rather to have served the Egyptians Exod 14.10.11.12 then to dye as they feared in the Wildernesse A deliverance may yeild us comfort for the present but as if of a transeunt nature it ends there and seldome doe we improve it to arme us in the future so relying on transitory and vaine helpes every assault of danger looses the joynts and shakes the strongest of our weak built resolutions If God should say to us in our misery as he did unto the two blind men Matt. 9.29 According to your faith be it unto you it would be ill with us each affliction would overcome us and the shrinking of our faith soone call on us misery enough to overwhelme us our owne despaire would open us a gulfe a grave wherein we should bury together both our selves and hopes Matth. 27.60.60 upon which like that great stone rowled upon Christs Sepulcher our miseries should lye with so great weight as would crush and at last shrinke us into the lowest pit of hell If God should not finde a better motive in his owne infinite goodnesse a better cause in his own Sonne to deliver us when we are oppressed alasse what danger what misery so poore that is not too strong for the weakenesse of man What could our knowledge foresee What could our wisedome prevent of those evils we did foresee What could our vaine and transitory helpes overcome Nay the Eye of our knowledge being disturbed by our feare would present evils with more horrour nay should not our knowledge hurt not help us whiles it lookes through the false perspectives of confidence and feare it so making evils greater or lesse then indeed they are Yea and should not our wisedome rather hurt then helpe us while relying on the opinion of it own abilities it rather makes us secure when it could not make us safe Yea and should not the best meanes our owne wisedome could supply us with rather hurt then helpe us when they should prove onely like broken reeds to which when we should leane Isa 36 6 they breake and so runne into our hands Pessimus in dubiis augur timor Statius lib. 1. Thebaid Feare is the worst Counsellor Yet these transitory helpes are the forts of our greatest strength and they to which we owe both the most of our trust and thanks We deifie nature and relye on selfe-unable meanes as if a redeemed captive should reverence the sword and not the man that used it to his rescue Alas these things we trust to they are but agent of the first and prime cause things which in themselves carry an equall indifference to be as well the Ministers of his vengeance as mercy Heat the greatest comfort of sublunary things so that it is called the Father of generation yet how often hath that father like Saturne eaten his owne children Moysture the mother of generation yet often hath her wombe proved a tombe and swallowed up her owne issue There is nothing in the world proved either by more frequent or more demonstration then providence yet nothing in our practise more questioned Who beleeves God further then he sees him Where is the faith of those ancient worthies that beleeved above against hope Heb 11. against the evidence of sence Rom. 4.18 and beyond the possibility of nature when naturall reasons might call their faith absurd foolish impossible If God come Luk. 18.8 shall be finde faith upon the earth shall he not finde it is vanished into its object and become a thing not seene Heb. 11.1 Or if we have any faith 't is but all sensitive and must take information from our eye our eare our senses Ioh. 4.48 Give the Jewes a signe and then perhaps they will beleeve Ioh. 20.25.27.28 Give Thomas an ocular demonstration Let him see the print of the Nailes in our Saviours hands let him thrust his fingers into his side and then he will acknowledge my Lord and my God Give me some ground for my faith to walke on otherwise I must needs be at the brink of despaire I cannot like Peter walke upon the water Matth. 14.29.30 or if I doe the rising of a wave shall dash my confidence into despaire and as if every hollow of the waves were to become my grave my faith and I must both sinke and I cry out with him in despaire Lord save me I perish But O Lord doe not thou make good our feares to us O be not in so remote a distance as our diffidence would set thee nor yet as a judgement of our distrustfull fears withdraw thy protecting favours What use shall I make of that hath beene said but even that of the Psalmist I will go unto the mountaine Psa 121.1 2. from whence my help cometh Learne to looke with the eye of faith more than reason or sense and then shall we see a guard of innumerable Angels incircling us pitching their Tents about our Tâ—bernacles 2 Kin. 6.17 Psal 34.7 and let the miseries of wanting it increase our desire to get it one graine of which even no bigger than a graine of Mustard-seed Matt. 17.20 if we were owners of we might remove a mountaine but wanting faith a danger that is but as a graine of Mustard-seed is able to move us But be that trusteth in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion Psa 125.1 that shall never be moved but standeth fast for ever No evill shall come
which followes in these words O let me escape thither But before I passe to the request and last argument here stands in a parenthesis a passionate Epanalepsis set downe by way of interrogation is it not a little one In which having done with the matter of the words the Rhetorick only is left to our observation It is a little one O let me escape thither and is it not a little one In which words methinkes I finde as somewhat of passion so much of a compassionate indulgence so that I know not what more winning and affectionately moving could have been spoken A right piece of true Rhetorick that woes the affections like a right artist like one that would derive both powerfull and pathetically into his auditory his owne notions his owne sence and like a common Genius of the whole body animate the whole company with one and the same soul This is the true end of all Rhetorick both prophane and sacred ducere affectus to take and lead the affections quoquo velis which soever way you please And to doe that is there any way but through the understanding Which being truely and undoubtedly so I can but wonder for understand I doe not what end they have proposed to themselves whose preaching is more affectedly obscure then Delphian Oracles or Egyptian Ieroglyphicks that indeed make good in a bad sence that of the Apostle that calls preaching prophesying 1 Cor. 14 3. that have mouthes nay words and speak not and would make good that curse upon their auditors to be of those that hearing heare and understand not Isa 6 9. 82 and seeing see and perceive not Act 28.26 And indeed I wonder at the patience of them that heare such who are delt with as the Foxe did with the storke Who inviting the storke to a feast powr'd his liquor into so slat and shallow a dish that the poor stork was only a spectator while the Fox lapt up the meat his long bill being unable to dip in that shallow platter For you that heare such I know not in that regard what you loose if you sleep whilst such preach for if they will not make you auditors I know not why you should in the Church onely be spectators But for such Preachers I would upon the pardon of a question give them I think good counsell What need they labour an houre not to be understood Is it not a more compendious way if they would not be understood to say nothing 2. There is an other sort that on the contrary as the former make preaching prophesying so these in as bad sense would make good that of the Apostle of some that call preaching foolishnesse as if because preaching must not be gareish 1 Cor. 1.21.23 it must therefore be sordid T is beyond the patience of an understanding man to beare the rankenesse of their undigested meditations and God sure but for our punishment never made such Ambassadors It is beyond both my purpose and skill to prescribe the best way who acknowledg my selfe in the lowest classe of learners But sure there is a latitude wherein men may both please and profit and it will prove best when men learne first the inclination of their owne Genius and seeke to perfect that whether in the kinde of prosecution or action Much of imitation is distort and lame I have with a perfunctory touch done with this and come to Lots affirmative request O let me escape thither God prescribes Lot the way to escape flye to the mountaine Lot replyes O not so my Lord for I cannot c. there 's a nè sic of disobedience O not so and there 's a nè fortè that is his distrust and then behold this Citle is better there is confidence 1. Man 's a distrustfull creature and yet man 's a presumptuous creature For is there any climax in sinne whose highest step we have not reached If the basenesse and abjectednesse of our feares shrinke us as low as hell the swolne pride and height of our presumption preaches us as high as heaven so that with a saucie presumption we dare capitulate and indent with God nay even chalk him out the way with a not so my Lord but behold a better conveniency O let me escape thither thither to Zoar one of the five Cities of the plaines 2. Man you see desires to serve God easily and cheaply would have the way to heaven downe the hill the way broad strawed with violets and roses good store of merry companions along with him and at the end a wide and open gate that might be hit blindfold O who then would not goe to heaven He thinkes it not for the state of so glorious a Palace to have so narrow a Gate It 's that that offends many and makes them turne back againe to Sodom that the way should be so narrow set with thornes of afflictions that scratch and pull back a solitary and melancholick way as many think through disgraces and reproaches 2 Cor. 6.8 c. loaden with an heavy yoake an heavy crosse Matth. 11.29 that all the way must professe patience Luk. 9 23. and invite a second blow after the first Luk. 21.19 and at the end agate that to get through they must creep low as the dust Matth. 5.39 and so straight that to get through a man must leave his wealth Matth. 7.14 his dearest sins nay even his flesh The Israelites way to the spirituall Canaan is through a sea of sorrow made big with their owne teares that goes high with their owne sighes with a spirituall Pharaob full of rage and at their heeles through a Wildernesse where there are all things that threaten death and no sustenance for life Deut. 8.15 no bread no water no flesh no houses a long way through deserts and wildernesses amongst many fiery serpents through many enemies O these are the things that make many a one returne againe towards Egypt Act. 7.39 and goe on merrily in the wayes of death Prov. 7.23 till a dart strike through his soule Men will with much adoe perhaps be brought to desire to escape the spirituall Sodom but not by the mountaine O that 's up hill and against the haire but by the way of the Plaines of Zoar all would escape O sayes every one let me escape but thither this way by Zoar and my soule shall live We would be content to invert that petition thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven to thy will be done in heaven as it is on earth that our pleasure might rather be Gods service then Gods service our pleasure Most men deeme the man in the Gospel a foole to buy so deare a bargaine when he found the Pearle Matth 13.46 that is to part with all that he had to purchase it What needed this cost without doubt say they heaven ' may be had at an easier rate and he but over-bought his