Thirdly, From the offender, and his temper and quality and advan- tages; as —
1. Sins against light and knowledge ; there is more of the nature of sin in such acts. Sin is a breach or violation of the law ; the more we know of the law, the greater is the offence. Therefore sins are greater or lesser as we have more or less knowledge : James iv. 17, ' Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin ; ' 1 Tim. i. 13, ' Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly,' I that offered injury to God and men and saints, yet, fjXeijOrjv, '1 obtained mercy.' Why ? I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Sins against knowledge are greater than those committed out of simple ignorance. Ignorance doth not excuse ; it doth not cease to be sin though com- mitted ignorantly, because of the obligation that is upon the creature ta
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON FSALM XIX. 13. 393
know his Creator's will ; yet it is not a sin so grievous and heinous ; there is more malice and violence offered to the principles of conscience in sins asrainst knowledo;e.
2. The voluntariness and wilfulness of it, when men freely and obstinately give up themselves to do evil, and not only do the sins, but have pleasure in them that do them, Rom. i. 32. Their souls delight to see others as bad as themselves ; this is malice and doing despite to the Spirit of grace : Heb. x. 29, ' Of how much sorer punishment, sup- pose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace ? '
3. When men have received many mercies. Men cannot endure to have their kindness despised. Josepli thought it ingratitude to wrong his master, who had committed all things to him. Gen. xxxix. 9 ; and shall we wrong God ? Every sin is not a sin against knowledge, but every sin is a sin against mercies. There is a common love which all receive, food and raiment. It is their charge, Eom. ii. 4, that they despise not his kindness and the riches of his goodness. But his people have tasted his love in Christ. Every sin of yours is a stab at the heart : John vi. 67, * Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away ? ' Is this the fruit of all his tender love sealed to you by the Spirit ? Ps. Iv. 12, 13, ' It was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.' David took it ill from Achitophel, and Christ from Judas. From a professed enemy we could expect no better ; but from a friend, it is grievous ; you have tasted of his bread, and been fed with hidden manna.
4. You have more opportunities to be acquainted with the will of God : Rom. ii. 9, ' Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, to the Jew first, and also to the gentile.' To the Jew first, because more advantages and opportunities : Mat. xi. 23, ' And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell ; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained unto this day.' Yea, they have not only external means, but experiences to the contrary : Num. xiv. 11, 'And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me ? and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs which I have showed among them ? ' When God trained' them up in a constant course of experiences, but especially inward ex- periences, to break with God after all, how heinous is this ! After they have tasted his love, Heb. iv. 6 ; after experience of his multiplied favours : Jer. ii. 5, ' Thus saitli the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me, and are walked after vanity, and are become vain ; ' Micah vi. 3, ' 0 my people ! what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee ? testify against me.' You have had some experience of the sweetness of God's ways. What I return to Egypt after a sight of Canaan ? Men loose their lust, and fall off from God. You have had experience of the evil of sin. Yoir havesmarted once or twice, yet will you venture again ? Send the othei fifty, 2 Kings i. 11 ; James iv. 2, ' Ye lust, and have not ; ye kill, and
S94 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. VI.
desire to have, and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.' You have many times repeated this. This is a plain contest with God, a kicking against the pricks. It hath cost you dear, and still you will be meddling with forbidden fruit : Jer. ii. 19, ' Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee ; know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.' Like foolish children, who remember the beating no longer than it smarteth. We are not yet whole of the old wounds ; we should remember the former anguish and stings of conscience : Ps. li. 8, ' Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.' We have found how tedious and bitter this course of sinning hath been.