ANd if we rightly understand our selves, it is contrary to the nature of a true Christian to justifie, or vindicate himself in any thing that may tend to his owne glory and praise, by ascribing any worthinesse to himself from any gifts of Nature that is resident in him, or to endeavour to lessen, or mittigate a sinne, but rather to acknowledge himself to be altogether sinfull and un∣cleane, which was the qualities of all the holy men of God, as the Scriptures doth plentifully expresse; for if we did but truly con∣ceive what sinne is, there is none which we ought to esteeme little or veniall, unlesse it be comparatively, seeing there is none so small but that without repentance is able to sink the soule to eter∣nall* 1.1 damnation, who will think that a slight wound which giveth a sudden in-let to death; but should we grant this errour, of all other sinnes they are most dangerous, both for their frequency and security, the one increasing them to a large heap, and the other so covering them that we see not how they wrong us; so as we see the raine that falls in smallest drops moystens the earth, and makes it more slimy and dirty then a shower which descends vio∣lently, which washeth away but sinketh not in. And as the smallest letters are more hartfull to the sight, then they that are written with a text pen; so those sinnes which are esteemed as small and veniall, and we take no notice of, may soonest prove our fatall overthrow.
And for the better progresse in this question, we will observe* 1.2 the degrees which are to be considered in the nature of sinne, which are three, viz. Appetitus, assentio, & actio. The appetite, or first desire. 2. The perfect assent. 3. The action.
Now the very appetite is restrained in the Morall precept, al∣though it doth not yeeld to the desire, if it doe but tickle us with a delight, it is sufficient to make us guilty; for our Saviour saith