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…

Secondly, when men neglect the getting and obtaining of knowledge, which knowledge might keep & hinder them from sinning, and might make them ⟨p. 54⟩expert in duties. This is as much as to sin against knowledge, although the sins be committed out of ignorance: yet that ignorance being through their own default, it comes all to one: when it may be said of men, as the Apostle doth of the Hebrews, Chap. 5. 12. That for the time they have had to learn, they might have been teachers; they had yet need be taught again the first principles▪ If a man had an Apprentice, who through negligence and want of heeding, and observing what he daily sees and hears about his trade, might have got for his time much knowledge in his trade, whereby he might have saved his master much, which he now hath lost him; and rid and perfected much work, he daily spoils him; such careless blockish ignorance it is just for his master to correct him for, and to charge on him all that waste and loss, because he might have known how to have done better. And therefore even they who thought ignorance in it self no sin (wherein they erred) yet the neglect of knowledge upon this very ground, they thought a great sin, and that it would be so far from excusing sins, as that it would aggravate them. So here we see these Gentiles shall not only be reckoned with for the actual knowledge, they had attained to, and sinned against; but also for what they might have had, and have picked out of the creatures. For so the Apostle brings in this here in the 20. verse, that the power of God being clearly seen in the creatures, they neglecting to spell and read it, so much knowledge as they might have got, God will reckon to them, and aggravate their sins by.

Secondly, when men neglect the getting and obtaining of knowledge, which knowledge might keep & hinder them frō sinning, and might make them ⟨p. 54⟩expert in duties. This is as much as to sin against knowledge, although the sins be committed out of ignorance: yet that ignorance being through their owne default, it comes all to one: when it may be said of men, as the Apostle doth of the Hebrewes, Chap. 5. 12. That for the time they have had to learn, they might have beene teachers; they had yet need be taught againe the first principles▪ If a man had an Apprentice, who through negligence and want of heeding, and observing what hee daily sees and heares about his trade, might have got for his time much knowledge in his trade, whereby he might have saved his master much, which hee now hath lost him; and rid and perfected much worke, hee daily spoiles him; such carelesse blockish ignorance it is just for his master to correct him for, and to charge on him all that waste and losse, because he might have knowne how to have done better. And therefore even they who thought ignorance in it selfe no sin (wherein they erred) yet the neglect of knowledge upon this very ground, they thought a great sinne, and that it would be so farre from excusing sinnes, as that it would aggravate them. So here we see these Gentiles shall not onely be reckoned with for the actuall knowledge, they had attained to, and sinned against; but also for what they might have had, and have picked out of the creatures. For so the Apostle brings in this here in the 20. verse, that the power of God being cleerly seen in the creatures, they neglecting to spell and reade it, so much knowledg as they might have got, God will reckon to them, and aggravate their sins by.