The law unsealed

3. Ignorance natural, or proceeding from paucity of means, or less occasion to learn, though it doth not fully, yet in part excuseth: Hence it is said, they that know not the Masters will, shall be beaten with few stripes; but Corazin, and Bethsaida, and other places, having plenty of means, shall not in the least be sheltered under that excuse, Matth. 11. 22, 23, 24.

4. In some things we would distinguish betwixt sinning ex ignorantia out of ignorance, and sinning ignoranter ignorantly; one may do a thing out of ignorance (as Paul persecuted the Church) that would not have done it had he known it; it was not malice but ignorance that led Paul to that sin of persecuting, this excuseth in part; but to do a thing ignorantly, is when a man is more immediately the cause of his own ignorance, as when by drunkenness, passion, hatred, malice, &c. a man is so blinded and prejudiced, that he cannot discern what is duty, and what is sin: So some of the Pharisee were, who might have seen that Christ was God, and to be acknowledged as such, but prejudice marred it. Thus a sin considered in it self may be less, which being considered more completely, will be found a far greater guilt; as suppose one in drunkenness swear, commit Adultery, or in passion commit Murder, the Murder or Adultery considered in themselves, as done in drunkenness, ⟨p. 30⟩or passion, are less, then when done in soberness; or deliberately; yet these sin• being completely considered, the person is more guilty, because he hath Murder and Drunkenness, or Murder and Passion, both to answer for, which Drunkenness or Passion he caused to himself by his unwatchfulness, and all the effects that follow upon these are to be imputed to him, both as the actor and procurer of that which is the occasion, or rather the cause of them. Thus ye see how many ways ignorance breaketh this Commandment.

4. In some things we would distinguish betwixt sinning ex ignorantia out of ignorance, and sinning ignoranter ignorantly; one may do a thing out of ignorance (as Paul persecuted the Church) that would not have done it had he known it; it was not malice but ignorance that led Paul to that sin of persecuting, this excuseth in part; but to do a thing ignorantly, is when a man is more immediately the cause of his own ignorance, as when by drunkenness, passion, hatred, malice, &c. a man is so blinded and prejudiced, that he cannot discern what is duty, and what is sin: So some of the Pharisee were, who might have seen that Christ was God, and to be acknowledged as such, but prejudice marred it. Thus a sin considered in it self may be less, which being considered more compleatly, will be found a far greater guilt; as suppose one in drunkenness swear, commit Adultery, or in passion commit Murder, the Murder or Adultery considered in themselves, as done in drunkenness,