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…

First, by concealing it: the Apostle indeed says §1in a certain case, Hast thou knowledge? keep it to thy self. ¹He speaks it of opinions, or practices about things indifferent, which might scandalize the weak; but if thou hast knowledge, which may edify thy brother, thou oughtest to communicate it. Socrates, knowing there was but one God, said, in his Apology for his life, that if they would give him life, upon condition to keep that truth to himself, and not to teach it to others, he would not accept life upon such a condition: and I remember he expresseth his resolution in words very nigh the same words the Apostles used, Acts 4. 20. whether it be better to obey God than men, judge you: and, we cannot but teach the things we have heard and seen, says Christ: for knowledge is a thing will boil within a man fervent, and cannot be imprisoned: It is light, and the end why light was made, was to be set up to give light. And Christ argues from an apparent absurdity to put a light under a bushel, which may give light to all the house; Hast thou knowledge of God and of his ways, thou canst not but speak (if withal thou hast but a good heart) to all in the family, to thy wife in thy bosom, &c. God took it for granted, that Abraham would teach his children what §2he should know from him: The same disposition is in all the children of Abraham.²

First, by concealing it: the Apostle indeed sayes §1in a certaine case, Hast thou knowledge? keepe it to thy selfe. ¹He speakes it of opinions, or practices about things indifferent, which might scandalize the weake; but if thou hast knowledge, which may edifie thy brother, thou oughtest to communicate it. Socrates, knowing there was but one God, said, in his Apologie for his life, that if they would give him life, upon condition to keep that truth to himselfe, and not to teach it to others, hee would not accept life upon such a condition: and I remember he expresseth his resolution in words very nigh the same words the Apostles used,