Remedy (3). The third remedy against this third device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is solemnly to consider, That it is sad to stand with God j \>r a trifle. Dives would not give a crumb, therefore he .should not receive a drop, Luke xvi. 21. It is the greatest folly in the
1 An Italian having found his enemy at advantage, promised him if he would deny his faith, he would save his life. He, to save his life, denied his faith, which having done, he stahhed him, rejoicing that by this he had at one time taken revenge both on body and soul. [See authorities, Note 3, page 14 G.]
2 A young man being long tempted to kill his father, or lie with his mother, or be drunk, he thought to yield to the lessor, viz. to be drunk, that he might be rid of the greater; but when he was drunk, he did both kill his father, and lie with his mother. [Related, with authorities, in Wanley's Wonders, book iv. c xviii. : probably a refer- ence to an extraordinary legend of Judas Iscariot. See Mrs Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art, vol. i. p. 235 ; but cf. the old Italian legend of St John Chrysostom, ibid., p. 317.— G.]
2 Cor. II. 11.] against satan's devices. 2 J
world to adventure the going to hell for a small matter. ' I tasted but a little honey,' said Jonathan, ' and I must die,' 1 Sam. xiv. 29. It is a most unkind and unfaithful thing to break with God for a little. Little sins carry with them but little temptations to sin, and then a man shews most viciousness and unkindness, when he sins on a little temptation. It is devilish to sin without a temptation ; it is little less than devilish to sin on a little occasion. The less the temp- tation is to sin, the greater is that sin.1 Saul's sin in not staying for Samuel, was not so much in the matter, but it was much in the malice of it ; for though Samuel had not come at all, yet Saul should not have offered sacrifice ; but this cost him dear, his soul and kingdom.
Tt is the greatest unkindness that can be shewed to a friend, to adventure the complaining, bleeding, and grieving of his soul upon a light and a slight occasion. So it is the greatest unkindness that can be shewed to God, Christ, and the Spirit, for a soul to put God upon complaining, Christ upon bleediug, and the Spirit upon grieving, by yielding to little sins. Therefore, when Satan says it is but a little one, do thou answer, that often times there is the greatest unkindness shewed to God's glorious majesty, in the acting of the least folly, and therefore thou wilt not displease thy best and greatest friend, by yield- ing to his greatest enemy.
Remedy (-i). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan, is seri- ously to consider, That there is great danger, yea, many times most danger, in the smallest sins. 'A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,' 1 Cor. v. 6. If the serpent wind in his head, he will draw in his whole body after. Greater sins do sooner startle the soul, and awaken and rouse up the soul to repentance, than lesser sins do. Little sins often slide into the soul, and breed, and work secretly and undiscernibly in the soul, till they come to be so strong, as to trample upon the soul, and to cut the throat of the soul. There is oftentimes greatest danger to our bodies in the least diseases that hang upon us, because we are apt to make light of them, and to neglect the timely use of means for removing of them, till they are grown so strong that they prove mortal to us. So there is most danger often in the least sins. We are apt to take no notice of them, and to neglect those heavenly helps whereby they should be weakened and destroyed, till they are grown to that strength, that we are ready to cry out, the medicine is too weak for the disease ; I would pray, and I would hear, but I am afraid that sin is grown up by degrees to such a head, that I shall never be able to prevail over it ; but as I have begun to fall, so I shall utterly fall before it, and at last perish in it, unless the power and free grace of Christ doth act gloriously, beyond my present apprehension and expectation. The viper is killed by the little young ones that are nourished and cherished in her belly : so are many men eternally killed and betrayed by the little sins, as they call them, that are nourished in their own bosoms.2
1 It was a vexation to king Lysimachus, that his staying to drink one small draught of water lost him his kingdom ; and so it will eternally vex some souls at last that for one little sin, compared with great transgressions, they have lost God, heaven, and their souls for ever. [Plutarch. Cf. Bp. Jeremy Taylor, vol. iv. p. 457 (Eden).— G.]
2 Caesar was stabbed with bodkins. Pope Adrian was choked with a gnat. A
22 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 COR. II. 11.
I know not, saith one, whether the maintenance of the least sin be nol worse than the commission of the greatest: for this may be of frailty, that argues obstinacy. A little hole in the ship sinks it; a small breach in a sea-bank carries away all before it; a little stab at the heart kills a man; and a little sin, without a great deal of mercy, will damn a man.1
Remedy (5). The fifth remedy against this device of Satan, is solemnly to consider, That other saints have chosen to suffer the worst of tor- ments, rather than they would commit the least sin, i. e. such as the world accounts.* So as you may see in Daniel and his companions, that would rather choose to burn, and be cast to the lions, than they would bow to the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. When this pecchaddillo,* in the world's account, and a hot fiery furnace stood in competition, that they must either fall into sin, or be cast into the fiery furnace, such was their tenderness of the honour and glory of God, and their hatred and indignation against sin, that they would rather burn than sin ; they knew that it was far better to burn for their not sinning, than that God and conscience should raise a hell, a fire in their bosoms for sin.4