dung Mal. 2. 3. and a menstruom cloath yet thou owest it already as thou art a creature and one debt cannot pay another If then we should goe a begging to all the Angels who never sinned let them lay all their stock together it would begger them all to pay for one sinne no it is not the merit of Angels will doe it for sinne is the transgression the destruction of the Law Psal 109. 1. and the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more worth than heaven and all that is therein Onely though it be thus unconquerably sinfull by all created powers it hath not gone beyond the price that Christ hath paid for it the Apostle compares to this very purpose sinne and Christs righteousnesse together Rom. 5. 15 20. 'T is true sayes hee that sinne abounds and that one sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and instanceth in Adams sinne which staineth all mens natures to the end of the world yet sayes he the gift of righteousnesse by Christ abounds much more abounds to flowing over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 14. as the sea doth above mote-hills Malach. 7. 14. Though therefore it would undoe all the Angels yet Christs riches are unsearchable Eph. 3. 8. hee hath such riches of merit as are able to pay all thy debts the very first day of thy mariage with him though thou hadst beene a sinner millions of yeares afore the creation to this day and when that is done there is enough left to purchase thee more grace and glory than all the Angels have in heaven In a word he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him Heb. 7. 5. let their sins be what they will But then wee must come to him and to God by him and take him as our Lord and King and head and husband as he is freely tendered we must be made one with him and have our hearts divorced from all our sinnes for ever And why not now doe we yet look for another Christ and to allude to us as Naomi said to Ruth Is there yet any more sonnes in my wombe that they may be your husbands So say I Hath God any more such sonnes or is not this Christ good enough or are we afraid of being happy too soon in being married to him But yet if we will have Christ indeed without whom we are undone how shall we thou continue in sinne which is thus above measure sinfull no not in one The Apostle speaks there in the language of impossibility and inconsistencie Christ and the raigne of one sinne they cannot stand together And indeed wee will not so much as take Christ untill first wee have seene more or lesse this vission here and sinne appear to us as to him above measure sinfull naturally we slight it and make a mock of and account it precisenesse to stick and make conscience of it but if once sinne thus appeares to any but in its owne colours that man will looke upon the least sinne then as upon hell it selfe and like a man affrighted feare in all his wayes lest he should meet with sinne and starts at the very appearance of it he weepes if sinne doe but see him and hee doe but see it in himselfe and others and cryes out as Ioseph did How shall I doe this and sinne and then a man will make out for Christ as a condemned man for life as a man that can no longer live oh give me Christ or else I die and then if upon this Christ appeares to him and manifests himselfe as his promise is to thē that seek him Ioh. 14. 21. his heart thereupon will much more detest and loathe it he saw it evill afore Out then it comes to have a new tincture added which makes it infinitely more sinfull in his eyes for he then lookes upon every sinne as guilty of Christs bloud as dyed with it though covered by it the grace of God appearing teacheth us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts The love of Christ constraines him Thinkes he Shall I live in that for which Christ died shall that be my life which was his death did he that never knew sinne undergoe the torment for it and shall I be so unkinde as to enjoy the pleasure of it No but as David when hee was very thirstie and had water of the well of Bethleem brought him with the hazard of mens lives powred it on the ground for sayes hee It is the blood of these men So sayes he even when the cup of pleasures is at his very lips It cost the blood of Christ and so pours it upon the ground And as the love of Christ constraines him so the power of Christ doth change him Kings may pardon Traytors but they cannot change their hearts but Christ pardons none hee doth not make new creatures and all old things passe away because he makes them friends favourites to live with and delight in and if men put on Christ and have learned him as the truth is in Iesus they put off as concerning the former conversation the old man with the deceitfull lusts and he ceaseth from sinne that is from the course of any knowne sin they are the Apostles owne words which shall judge us and if we should expect salvation from him upon any other termes we are deceived for Christ is author of salvation to them onely that obey him Heb. 5. 9. AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST KNOWLEDGE BY THO GOODWIN B. D. LONDON Printed by M. F. for Iohn Rothwell 〈…〉 be sold at the Sun in Pauls Church 〈…〉 M DC XXXVII Contents of Aggravation of sinning against knowledge Doct. TO sinne against knowledge is the highest aggravation of sinning page 34 1. Demonstrations of the point by comparing it with other kinds of sinning 36 How much sins against knowledge doe transcend sins of ignorance 37 1. In sins of ignorance there may be a supposition if he had known it he would not have done it but not so in these ibid. 2. The vast difference between them appears in the repentance God accepts for each a generall repentance for the one not so for the other 39 3. Some kinds of sinning against knowledge exclude from mercy which done ignorantly leave a capacity of it 40 4. Sinning against knowledge is the highest but that of sinning against the holy Ghost 41 6. Reasons 1. Because knowledge is the greatest mercy 42 2. Knowledge is the immediate guide of men in all their waies a man sins against his guide 43 That knowledge is so proved in that an erroneous conscience binds 45 3. Reason Knowledge layeth a further obligation to obedience ibid. Lawes come in force when promulged 46 4. There is the more contempt cast on the law 47 5. In sins against knowledge the will of the sinner closeth more with sin as sin ibid. 6. In sinning against knowledge a man condemnes himselfe 48 Three things handled concerning sins against knowledge ibid.
better than that of purchase or inheritance of and from another for he hath made them All is thine because all comes of thee sayes the same David 1 Chron. 29. 11 12. And all things are not onely of him but through him Rom. 11. 36. that is they cannot stand nor subsist without him Even Kings the greatest and most bountifull of men their bounty is but as that of the clouds which though they showre down plentifully yet they first received all from the Earth below them 3. He must give largely it is not Bounty else Now God is therefore said to be rich in goodnesse because he is abundant in it So we finde it comparing Psal 33. 5. with Psal 104. 24. in which it is said that the earth is full of his goodnesse and his riches which we may judge of by what he sayes in the 27. verse of that 104. Psalme of what an house he keepes and what multitudes he feeds All these saith the Psalmist wait on thee that thou mayest give them meat and thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good King Ahasuerus to shew his bounty made a Feast to his chiefe Subjects but it was but for halfe a yeare and not to all some few halfe yeeres more would well nigh have beggard him but God doth thus continually The greatest and most bountifull of men when they would expresse the largest of their bounty speake but of giving halfe of their Kingdomes so Herod and he did but talk so too But God bestowes whole worlds and Kingdomes as Daniel speakes Dan. 4. 35. and gives them to whom he please 4. He that is bountifull must give all he gives freely and willingly Which though I put together yet may imply two distinct things As first that he that gives must be a free agent in it who is at his choice whether he would give any thing away or no. The Sunne doth much good to the world it affords a large light and even halfe the world at once is full of its glory yea and all this light is its owne not borrowed as that of the Moone and Starres is yet this Sunne cannot be called good or bountifull because it sends forth this light necessarily and naturally and cannot choose but doe so nor can it draw in its beames But God is a free giver he was at his choice whether he would have made the world or no and can yet when hee pleaseth with-draw his Spirit and face and then they all perish Psal 104. 29. Secondly it must be willing by also that is no way constrained nor by extraction wrung from him who is to be called Bountifull A willing mind in matter of bounty is more accepted than the thing 2 Cor. 8. 12. Now of God it is said Dan. 4. 22. that he gives the Kingdomes of the world to whom he will and none swayes him or can stay his hand ver 35. yea hee gives all away with delight So Psal 104. 31. having spoken of feeding every living thing and of other the like works of his goodnesse throughout that Psalme hee concludes with this God rejoyceth in all his workes that is doth all the good he doth to his creatures with delight It doth him good as it were to see the poore creatures feed Last of all looking for no recompence for the time to come This is another requisite in Bounty Sayes Christ Luke 6. 34. If you give to receive againe as sinners doe this is not thank-worthy but ver 35. so doth not your heavenly Father For sayes he Doe good and hope for nothing againe so shall you be like your Father and then you shall shew your selves true children of the most High In which word he insinuates a reason why God gives all thus because he is so great and so High a God as nothing wee doe can reach him as David speaks Psal 16. 2. My goodnesse extends not unto thee he is too high to receive any benefit by what we doe And even that thankfulnesse he exacts he requires it but as an acknowledgement of our duty and for our good Deut. 10. 12. And so much for the first namely what goodnesse and bounty is and how God is truely good and he onely so But this attribute of his and the effects of it he exerciseth towards all our fellow creatures and did to Adam in Paradise But now to us ward as the Apostle speaks namely the sons of men now fallen hee extendeth and manifests a further riches namely of patience and long-suffering which the devills partake not of the good Angels and other creatures that sinned not are uncapable of For as Christ sayes Luke 6. 35. In what he bestowes on us he is kind to such as are evill and unthankfull Mercy is more than goodnesse for mercy alwaies doth respect misery and because all the creatures are subject to a misery Rom. 8. 20 21 22. of bondage and vanity therefore his tender mercies are over all his workes But yet patience is a further thing than mercy as mercy is than goodnesse being exercised not towards miserable creatures onely but towards sinners and includes in it more three things further towards them 1. Not only that those persons he doth good unto do offend and injure him but that himself also is exceeding sensible of all those wrongs and moved by them and also provoked to wrath thereby it is not patience else So in the 2. of Pet. 3. 9. It is not slacknesse sayes he there God is not slack that is he sits not in heaven as one of the Idol gods that regarded not what acts were kept here below or took not to heart mens carriages towards him but is long-suffering or patient that is he apprehends himselfe wronged is fully sensible of it is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. he hath much adoe to forbear even when he doth forbeare and letteth them alone he exerciseth an attribute a vertue towards them namely patience in keeping in of his anger which is as to keepe fire in ones bosome But secondly this is not all he doth not simply forbeare and restraine his anger but vouchsafeth that time he forbeares them in that they might repent in it and his mercies as meanes leading to repentance So it followes in that 2 Pet. 3. 9. But God is long suffering to us-ward and his long suffering hath this in it not willing that any should perish but come unto repentance So also Revel 2. 21. it is called space to repent And all the blessings he vouchsafeth he gives them as means and guides to leade them on to repentance as here And Mat. 18. 29. Have patience with me and I will pay thee all That is give me a longer day and space to pay the debt in and be willing to accept it when I bring it and let me lye out of prison that I may be enabled to pay it Thirdly there is yet a further thing in his patience
pleaded for thee but if against Mercy it selfe who shall Well if thou goest on thus to doe so still thou hast a hard heart it argues the greatest hardnesse of all other that is the second You use not however it comes to passe to deale thus with the worst of men sinner like to your selves but to them that love you you tender love againe Luke 6. 33. and will you deale so with God Is it a small thing to weary men but you must weary God also sayes Esay 7. 13. Hee thought it infinitely lesse to abuse men than God but you carry your selves as men to men but as devills towards God herein ye have not the hearts of men in you not principles of common humanity whereby ye differ from beasts The cords of love are called the cords of a man Hos 11. 6. the spirit of man breakes melts under kindnesse beasts indeed yee use to prick with goades but the cords of a man are the cords of love no principle being more deepely engraven in mens hearts than this to doe good to those who doe good to you Mat. 5. 46. Nay would ye had herein yet the hearts of beasts The Oxe knowes his owner the Asse his masters cribb but my people have rebelled against mee A sinne so much against nature that he calls upon those creatures who have no more than meere nature in them viz. the heavens to stand astonisht at it But as nature elevated by grace riseth higher than it self so being poysoned with sinne it is cast below it selfe sins against it self and the principles which are begotten in and with it selfe if it were not so how were it possible thou shouldst hate him who never did thee hurt and goe on to wound him who weepeth overthee and despise that in him most which seekes to save thee and load him with sins Amos 2. 13. who loades thee daily with his mercies Psal 68. 19. There is a third consideration the text suggests to shew the fearfulnesse of thy sin in this respect and that is that thou goest on every minute sinning and in impenitency by despising his goodnesse to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath to sin against mercy of all other encreaseth wrath thou must pay treasures for treasures spent As thou lavishly spendest riches of mercy so God will recover riches of glory out of thee God will not lose by thee but will reckon with thee in wrath for every offer of patience spent for every sand of long suffering that runs out hee drops in a drop of wrath into his Vialls and it will prove a treasure such a treasure as shall bring in an eternall revenue of glory unto God of all his glory lost and riches spent with advantage such a treasure as will aske an eternity of time to be spent upon thee and yet be never emptied or made lesse and the longer thou goest on the greater heap it will swell unto And dost thou know and consider how fast this treasure fills and how much the longer thou goest on to adde to it still the more thou addest still the last yeere more than all the yeeres before every minutes impenitency adding to this heape and summe as new figures added in a summe use to doe the first is but one the second makes it ten the third an hundred the fourth a thousand and what a summe will this grow to Ay but thou wilt say Tush I am in prosperity in health wealth and ease and to day shall be as to morrow and much more abundant Esay 56. 12. Well but fourthly consider out of the text that there will come a day at last the morrow whereof will be a day of wrath It is treasuring up now but is not brought forth till the day of wrath till which day thou mayest goe on and prosper as Iob giving us the reason why wicked men prosper here sayes Chap. 21. They are reserved to the day of wraths in the plurall because treasures are laid up against then thou art yet spared because thy sins are not yet full and that Treasure is not full as the sins of the Amorites were not and all this thy present prosperity fits thee but for hell So Rom. 9. 22. they are said to be vessells fitted for destruction by long suffering And so Nahum tells us they are but as stubble laid out in the Sunne a drying till it be fully dry Nahum 1. 10. that it may burne the better and like grapes that are let to hang in the Sunshine till they be ripe Revel 15. 16. and so thou for the winepresse of Gods wrath But thy senselesse heart may hap to say I see no such thing and these are but threats I thinke so therefore it is said in the Text that it is a Treasure which as Treasures use to be is hid till that day comes then revealed as the words have it For though thou seest not this day a comming yet God who sits in heaven sees thy day a comming as David sayes Psal 37. 13. who is therefore said to see it because himselfe sees it not and it is a comming faster than thou art aware of it 2 Pet. 2. 3. Damnation slumbereth not though thou dreamest not of it lingreth not as an hue and cry it is sent out and is on its course and will in the end overtake thee and that when thou least thinkest of it as a theefe in the night when thou art asleepe yet dreamest not of it 2 Thes 5. when thou art least prepared for it as in the old world when they were eating and drinking as God watcheth when his child is at the best and ripest and then takes him so he will watch thee to take thee for thy neglect at thy worst and give thee haply no time to prepare they goe downe to hell in a moment Psal 73 9. FINIS IMPRIMATUR THO WEEKES R. P. Ep o Lond. Cap. Domest Gen. 2. Heb. 1. 2. Rom. 1. 2 Sam. 14. 14. Isa 40. Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doct. To sin against knowledge is the highest aggravation of sinning Demonstratiōs of the point by comparing it vvith other kinds of sinning How much sinnes against knowledge doe transcend sins of ignorance In sins of ignorance there may be a supposition if he had known it he would not have done it but not so in these The vast difference between them appears in the repentance God accepts for each A generall repentance for the one not so for the other Some kinds of sinning against knowledge exclude frō mercy which done ignorantly leave a capacity of it Sinning against knowledge is the highest to sinning against the holy Ghost Secondly Reasons which are 6. 1. Because knowledge is the greatest 〈◊〉 2. Reason Knowledge is the immediate guide of men in all their wayes A man sins against his Guide That knowledge is so proved in that an erroneous conscience bindeth Knowledg layeth a further obligation as obedience