Aggravation of sin and sinning against knowledge. Mercy. Delivered in several sermons upon divers…Aggravation of sinne and sinning against knowledge. Mercie. Delivered in severall sermons upon divers…

For secondly,¹ God hath appointed knowledge as the immediate guide of men in all their ways, to bring them to salvation and repentance, for to that it leads them. It is that same [Greek or Hebrew], as the Philosopher called it: and therefore the Law, Rom. 7. 1, 2. is compared to an Husband, (so far as it is written in, or revealed in the heart) that as an Husband is the guide of the wife in her youth, so is the Law to the heart. And whereas beasts are ruled by a bit and bridle, God he rules men by knowledge. And therefore if men be wicked, notwithstanding this light, they must needs sin highly, seeing there is no other curb for them, as they are men, but this: if he will deal with them as men, this is the only way; and therefore if that will not do it, it is supposed nothing will.

For secondly,¹ God hath appointed knowledge as the immediate guide of men in all their wayes, to bring them to salvation and repentance, for to that it leads them. It is that same 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as the Philosopher call'd it: and therefore the Law, Rom. 7. 1, 2. is compared to an Husband, (so farre as it is written in, or revealed in the heart) that as an Husband is the guide of the wife in her youth, so is the Law to the heart. And whereas beasts are ruled by a bit and bridle, God hee rules men by knowledge. And therefore if men be wicked, notwithstanding this light, they must needs sinne highly, seeing there is no other curbe for them, as they are men, but this: if he will deale with them as men, this is the onely way; and therefore if that will not doe it, it is supposed nothing will.

1. 12. Reason. Knowledge is the immediate guide of men in all their ways: A man sins against his Guide.2. Reason. Knowledge is the immediate guide of men in all their wayes: A man sins against his Guide.