Again, let man set before him sins against knowledge, or great sins; and this will be a means to humble you, for what is the sin against the holy Ghost, but sinning against knowledge upon an obstinate will in despite of God and the Spirit: and that the sin of knowledge is a great sin appears in Acts 17. 30. At the time of their ignorance 1God winked; that is, so long as you wanted the means of knowledge, both of knowing me and my Spirit, I little regarded it, I winked at it, that is, I esteemed it not so great, but past it over; but now the cause is altered, since I came in my own person, and preached unto you: now I will not wink at your sin as before, I will not ⟨p. 215⟩pass it over as I did before; but I will behold you in another manner. After the knowledge of sin to fall into it, and then not to be humbled, is to slight a sin, and to slight a sin after the committing of it, is more dangerous then the sin it self, wounds the soul more, provokes Gods wrath against a man the more; as a servant after a fault committed, when his Master tells him of it, if he shall then slight it, as not regarding it, the slighting of it, incenses his Master more against him, then the fault it self; therefore if you would be humbled, apply sin unto the soul, and come from the general, unto particular sins, especially fasten your hearts upon great sins: that rule in Logic holds true, that generals work not, but particulars are prevalent: As I said before, when sin lieth like a burden at the foot, it hurts not, but when it is laid upon the shoulders, then it hurteth: saving knowledge breaks the heart, and humbles the soul: on the contrary ignorance hardens more and more: this we see in Joh. 4. in the woman of Canaan, the reason wherefore she received not Christ, was, because she wanted 2knowledge, to know her own estate; general conference, and exhortations to receive Christ will not serve till Christ comes in particular unto her, and tells her in plain words, that she is an harlot; until then, she little regarded him, then she can bestir her self, then she can confess, and be humbled: and thus he dealt with Paul in this place, Paul why persecutest thou me, and thus he ⟨p. 216⟩3dealt with Adam, what hast thou done, hast thou 4eaten, &c? thus he dealt with Peter, John 21. 15. &c. Lovest thou me, feed, feed, feed, &c:
Againe, let man set before him sinnes against knowledge, or great sins; and this will be a meanes to humble you, for what is the sinne against the holy Ghost, but sinning against knowledge upon an obstinate will in despight of God and the Spirit: and that the sinne of knowledge is a great sinne appeares in Acts 17. 30. At the time of their ignorance 1God wincked; that is, so long as you wanted the meanes of knowledge, both of knowing mee and my Spirit, I little regarded it, I wincked at it, that is, I esteemed it not so great, but past it over; but now the cause is altered, since I came in my owne person, and preacht unto you: now I will not wincke at your sinne as before, I will not ⟨p. 215⟩passe it over as I did before; but I will behold you in another manner. After the knowledge of sinne to fall into it, and then not to bee humbled, is to slight a sinne, and to slight a sinne after the committing of it, ismore dangerous then the sinne it selfe, wounds the soule more, provokes Gods wrath against a man the more; as a servant after a fault committed, when his Master tels him of it, if he shall then slight it, as not regarding it, the slighting of it, incenses his Master more against him, then the fault it selfe; therefore if you would be humbled, apply sinne unto the soule, and come from the generall, unto particular sinnes, especially fasten your hearts upon great sinnes: that rule in Logicke holds true, that generalls worke not, but particulars are prevalent: As I said before, when sinne lyeth like a burthen at the foote, it hurts not, but when it is laid upon the shoulders, then it hurteth: saving knowledge breakes the heart, and humbles the soule: on the contrary ignorance hardens more and more: this wee see in Ioh. 4. in the woman of Canaan, the reason wherefore she received not Christ, was, because she wanted 2knowledge, to know her owne estate; generall conference, and exhortations to receive Christ will not serve till Christ comes in particular unto her, and tels her in plaine words, that she is an harlot; untill then, shee little regarded him, then shee can bestirre her selfe, then shee can confesse, and bee humbled: and thus hee dealt with Paul in this place, Paul why persecutest thou mee, and thus hee ⟨p. 216⟩3dealt with Adam, what hast thou done, hast thou
- 1Acts 17. 30.
- 2John 4.Iohn 4.
- 3Acts 9. 4.
- 4Gen. 3. 11.
