[ 1279] To take heed of smaller sinnes, as bringing on greater.
THere is a story of a young Man,* 1.1 that was tempted by the Devill, and his own wicked heart, to commit three sins, as to kill his Father, lye with his Mo∣ther, and to be drunk: The two former he would by no means do, as being things ab∣horrent to Nature; but (thought he) I will yield to the last, because it was the least, which was enough; for being drunk, he killed his Father, and ravished his own Mother: Here now were two horrid ugly sinnes, Murther and Incest ushered in by one that was not of so deep a dye; It concerns us then to take heed of falling into lesser sinnes, they being as in lets to greater; A little Thief put in at the win∣dow, may open the doors for stronger and greater to come in;* 1.2 A wedge small and thin in one part, makes way for a greater, and little sinnes will draw us on to greater; our own hearts will prompt us to all sinne at first, but will labour to draw us on by degrees from lesser sinnes to greater; from sinnes l••sse obnoxious, to sinnes more scandalous, untill we be become abhominable therein, and so without Gods mercy perish everlastingly.