The Christian's manual in three parts ... / by L. Addison ...

XXVI.

And having thus brought your Thoughts and Words to the Test, you are in like manner to deal with your Actions, in order to find out their obliqui∣ty and pollution. And because every Christian is no less ac∣countable for the good he has omitted when it was in his pow∣er, than for the evil he hath committed when he might have prevented it: You are therefore, in the search of your Actions, to begin with the things you have left undone, which you ought to have done; and then to proceed to consider the things that you have done, which you ought not to have done. The former are usually call'd sins of Omission; the latter, sins of Commission. And here give me leave to tell you, that

besides a search into the sorts, you are also to seek into the degrees of your sins: For though sins consider'd naked in themselves, and as bare transgressions of a Rule, may seem to be all equal; yet looked upon in the circum∣stances wherewith they are clo∣thed, some will manifestly ap∣pear greater than other. And though no sin whatsoever, can be said to be little, every one being a transgression of that Law which God has appointed to be the Instrument of his own Glory, and mans Salvation; yet there are circumstances which raise even little sins into high provocations.