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…

Now that knowledge and reason is a mans guide, ¹will further appear by this: That even erroneous knowledge doth put an obligation, a bond, and a tie upon a man: which can be in no other respect, but because knowledge is appointed to be a mans guide. Thus if a man thinks a thing (which is in it self common and indifferent) to be a sin, and forbidden, (as Rom. 14. 4.) although the Law forbids it not, yet to him it is unclean, though in Christ it is not unclean, that is, by the Law of Christ. For, this his knowledge and judgement of the thing hath to him the force of a Law: for it propounds it to him as a Law, and as from God; which reason of his, God hath appointed as his immediate guide: and the will is to follow nothing that is evil, which is represented to it, as evil; this is the Law of mere nature in all conditions; therefore if a man should do an action which is in it self good, if he thought it to be evil, he should sin, and so è contra, for he goes against the dictate of nature. So that erroneous knowledge, though against the Law, is a law to me, though not per se, yet per accidens. Now therefore if to go against a false light of conscience be yet a sin, though it proves that the commandment allows the thing was done, and was for it, then to go against the true light of the Law, how sinful is it?

Now that knowledge and reason is a mans guide, ¹will further appeare by this: That even erroneous knowledge doth put an obligation, a bond, and a tye upon a man: which can be in no other respect, but because knowledge is appointed to be a mans guide. Thus if a man thinkes a thing (which is in it selfe common and indifferent) to be a sinne, and forbidden, (as Rom. 14. 4.) although the Law forbids it not, yet to him it is uncleane, though in Christ it is not uncleane, that is, by the Law of Christ. For, this his knowledge and judgement of the thing hath to him the force of a Law: for it propounds it to him as a Law, and as from God; which reason of his, God hath appointed as his immediate guide: and the will is to follow nothing that is evill, which is represented to it, as evill; this is the Law of meere nature in all conditions; therefore if a man should doe an action which is in it self good, if he thought it to be evill, he should sinne, and so è contra, for he goes against the dictate of nature. So that erroneous knowledge, though against the Law, is a law to me, though not per se, yet per accidens. Now therefore if to go against a false light of conscience be yet a sinne, though it proves that the commandement allowes the thing was done, and was for it, then to go against the true light of the Law, how sinfull is it?