The great danger of the least Sin. [ 1745]
A Dram of poyson diffuseth it self to all parts,* 1.1 till it strangle the vital spirits, and turn out the Soul from the body; How great a matter, a little fire kind∣leth? Iam. 3. 5. It is all one, whether a man be killed with the prick of a lit∣tle thorn, or with the hewing of a broad sword, so he be killed: We have seen a whole arm impostumated with the prick of a little finger;* 1.2 A little Postern open∣ed, may betray the greatest City. Thus a little Sin infects a great deal of Righ∣teousnesse; If Sathan can but wound our heel, (as the Poets feign of Achilles) he will make shift to kill us there, even from the heel to send Death to the heart; If the Serpent can but wriggle in his tayl by an ill thought, he will soon get i•• his head by a worse action; hence is it, that Christ calls hatred, murther; a wan∣ton eye, adultery; because that besides the possibility of the Act, they are the same in the intention of heart; let no tang of corruption come to the least part, i•• thou desirest to preserve the whole.