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…

And sure, if ignorance lesseneth them, knowledge aggravates; for contrariorum eadem est ratio: therefore he that knows, shall be beaten with many stripes. Yea such difference is there, that God is said to wink at sins of ignorance. Acts 17. 30. The time of this ignorance God winks at. Whiles they had no knowledge, God took no notice: yea and he abates something for such sins, because the creature hath a cloak, hath something to say for its self; (as Christ says, John 15. 22.) but when against knowledge, they have no cloak. Yea farther, Christ makes a sin of ignorance to be no sin, in comparison: So there, If I had not spoken and done those works never man did, they had had [no sin.] (That is) none in comparison, but now they have no cloak, ¹no shelter to award the stripes, or plea to abate of them.

And sure, if ignorance lesseneth them, knowledge aggravates; for contrariorum eadem est ratio: therefore he that knowes, shall be beaten with many stripes. Yea such difference is there, that God is said to wink at sins of ignorance. Acts 17. 30. The time of this ignorance God winks at. Whiles they had no knowledge, God tooke no notice: yea and he abates something for such sinnes, because the creature hath a cloake, hath something to say for its selfe; (as Christ sayes, Iohn 15. 22.) but when against knowledge, they have no cloak. Yea farther, Christ makes a sinne of ignorance to be no sinne, in comparison: So there, If I had not spoken and done those workes never man did, they had had [no sinne.] (That is) none in comparison, but now they have no cloak, ¹no shelter to award the stripes, or plea to abate of them.

1. 1How much sins against knowledge do transcend sins of ignorance.How much sinnes against knowledge doe transcend sins of ignorance.