It is knowledge makes men capable of sin, which beasts are not; therefore the more knowledge, (if men be wicked withal) the more sin must necessarily be reckoned to them: so as God doth not simply look what mens actions and affections are, but chiefly what their knowledge is, and accordingly judgeth men more or less wicked. I may illustrate ⟨p. 44⟩this by that comparison, which I may allude unto: That as in Kingdoms, God measures out the wickedness thereof, and so his punishments accordingly, principally, by the guides, the governors thereof, what they are, and what they do; as in the 5. of Jeremiah, the 4. verse it appears; where first God looks upon the poor people, but, he excuseth them, these are foolish, and know not the way of the Lord: and therefore God would have been moved to spare the Kingdom, notwithstanding their sins. But from them at the 5. verse he goes to view the Rules, I will get me to the great men, for these have known the way of the Lord: and when he saw that these had broken the bands, then, how shall I pardon thee for this? So is it in his judgement towards a particular man: when God looks down upon a man, and sees him in his courses exceeding loose, and wicked, he looks first upon those rude affections in him, which are unclean, profane, debauched, greedy of all wickedness; Ay but says he, these are foolish of themselves, but I will look upon his understanding, and upon the superior faculties, which are the guides of these affections, and see what they dictate to these unruly affections, to restrain them: And when he finds that the guides themselves are enlightened, and have known the way of the Lord, and that the will and the affections, though informed with much knowledge, yet break all bands, then how shall I pardon thee? Thee, who art a knowing drunkard, and a knowing unclean person, &c. so as thus to sin, aggravates and maketh sin out of measure sinful.
It is knowledge makes men capable of sin, which beasts are not; therefore the more knowledge, (if men be wicked withall) the more sinne must necessarily be reckoned to them: so as God doth not simply looke what mens actions and affections are, but chiefly what their knowledge is, and accordingly judgeth men more or lesse wicked. I may illustrate ⟨p. 44⟩this by that comparison, which I may allude unto: That as in Kingdomes, God measures out the wickednesse thereof, and so his punishments accordingly, principally, by the guides, the governors thereof, what they are, and what they doe; as in the 5. of Ieremie, the 4. verse it appeares; where first God lookes upon the poore people, but, he excuseth them, these are foolish, and know not the way of the Lord: and therefore God would have beene moved to spare the Kingdome, notwithstanding their sins. But from them at the 5. verse he goes to view the Rules, I will get me to the great men, for these have knowne the way of the Lord: and when he saw that these had broken the bands, then, how shall I pardon thee for this? So is it in his judgement towards a particular man: when God lookes downe upon a man, and sees him in his courses exceeding loose, and wicked, hee lookes first upon those rude affections in him, which are uncleane, profane, debaucht, greedy of all wickednesse; Ay but sayes he, these are foolish of themselves, but I will looke upon his understanding, and upon the superiour faculties, which are the guides of these affections, and see what they dictate to these unruly affections, to restraine them: And when he findes that the guides themselves are enlightned, and have knowne the way of the Lord, and that the will and the affections, though informed with much knowledge, yet break all bands, then how shall I pardon thee? Thee, who art a knowing drunkard, and a knowing unclean person, &c. so as thus to sin, aggravates and maketh sin out of measure sinfull.
