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…

Fifthly, the more knowledge a man sinneth against, §5the more the will of the sinner is discovered to be for sin, ¹as sin. Now voluntarium est regula & mensur a actionum moralium: willingness in sinning, is the standard and measure of sins. The less will, the less sin: so much is cut off, the less the will closeth with it; at least wise so much is added, by how much the will is more in it: and therefore the highest degree of sinning is expressed to us by sinning willingly, and this after knowledge, Heb. 10. Now ⟨p. 48⟩though an ignorant man commits the act as willingly, as when Paul persecuted the Church, yet he commits it not considered as sin, till he hath the knowledge of it: but then when it is discovered to be sin, and the more clearly it is so discovered, the will may be said to join with it as sin. Therefore the Apostle says, To him that knows to do well, and doth it not, to him it is sin. James 4. 17. because by his knowledge the thing is represented as sin; and so he closeth with it the more, under that notion and apprehension.

Fiftly, the more knowledge a man sinneth against, §5the more the will of the sinner is discovered to be for sinne, ¹as sinne. Now voluntarium est regula & mensur a actionum moralium: willingnesse in sinning, is the standard and measure of sinnes. The lesse will, the lesse sinne: so much is cut off, the lesse the will closeth with it; at least wise so much is added, by how much the will is more in it: and therefore the highest degree of sinning is exprest to us by sinning willingly, and this after knowledge, Heb. 10. Now ⟨p. 48⟩though an ignorant man commits the act as willingly, as when Paul persecuted the Church, yet he commits it not considered as sinne, till he hath the knowledge of it: but then when it is discovered to be sinne, and the more clearely it is so discovered, the will may be said to joyn with it as sinne. Therefore the Apostle sayes, To him that knowes to doe well, and doth it not, to him it is sinne.