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…

Those also thus sin, and are to be joined with these, who know the terms and condition of salvation, and how they must part with all for Christ, and yet will not come to the price; such do go desperately on against knowledge in a bad estate, and do judge themselves unworthy of eternal life. Thus the young man in the Gospel, he was told, that he was to sell all, and that was the condition, and he knew heaven was worth it, and was convinced of the truth herein, that thus he ought to do, for he went away sorrowful: now if he had not known that he went away without happiness, he needed not have been sorrowful at all; but he knew the bargain of salvation was not struck up, and likewise what it stuck at, and yet still rested in his former condition, and chose rather to enjoy his many possessions: This man now went on in his state against knowledge.

Those also thus sinne, and are to be joyned with these, who know the tearms and condition of salvation, and how they must part with all for Christ, and yet will not come to the price; such doe goe desperately on against knowledge in a bad estate, and doe judge themselves unworthy of eternall life. Thus the young man in the Gospell, he was told, that he was to sell all, and that was the condition, and hee knew heaven was worth it, and was convinced of the truth herein, that thus he ought to doe, for he went away sorrowfull: now if he had not knowne that he went away without happinesse, he needed not have beene sorrowfull at all; but he knew the bargaine of salvation was not struck up, and likewise what it stuck at, and yet still rested in his former condition, and chose rather to enjoy his many possessions: This man now went on in his state against knowledge.

Secondly, as also those who upon the same or like §2ground defer their repentance,¹ these go on in a bad estate, and must needs know they do so; for in that they promise to repent hereafter, and take up purposes to do it, when they have gone on a little while longer, to add drunkenness to thirst, they do thereby profess that there is a work of grace, which they must attain to, ere they can be in the state of grace: for they would not promise so much hereafter, but that they know not how, without such a work, they should be saved. Whilst therefore such shall rest without present endeavouring after it, so long they are judged in themselves to be in a bad estate at present. When men know the curses due to their present estate, and yet say as he,