All sins not equally heinous
Lord sees endeavours after perfect obedience, this he takes well at our hands; as a father that receives a letter from his child, though there be blots in the letter, and false spellings, yet the father takes all in good part. O what blottings are there in our holy things! but God is pleased to take all in good part. Saith God, "It is my child, and he would do better if he could; I will accept it."
ALL SINS NOT EQUALLY HEINOUS
QUEST. LXXXIII. ARE all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
ANS. Some sins, in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.
John 19:11., "He that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater sin."
The Stoic philosophers held that all sins were equal: but this scripture clearly holds forth that there is a gradual difference in sin; some are greater than others; some are 'mighty sins,' Amos. 5:12., and 'crying sins,' Gen. 18:21. Every sin hath a voice to speak, but some sins cry. As some diseases are worse than others, and some poisons more venomous, so some sins are more heinous. Ezek. 16:47;
Jer. 16:12., "You have done worse than your fathers,"—your sins have exceeded theirs. Some sins have a blacker aspect than others: to clip the king's coin is treason, but to strike his person is a higher degree of treason. A vain thought is a sin, but a blasphemous word is a greater sin. That some sins are greater than others, appears, 1.
Because there was difference in the offerings under the law,—the sinoffering was greater than the trespass offering.—2. Because some sins are not capable of pardon as others are, therefore they must needs be more heinous, as the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,
Mat. 12:31.—3. Because some sins have a greater degree of punishment than others, Mat. 23:14, 24., "Ye shall receive the greater damnation." Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? God will not punish one more than another, but that his sin is greater. It is true, 'all sins are equally heinous in respect to the object,' or the person against whom sin is committed, viz. the infinite God; but, in another sense, all sins are not alike heinous; some sins have more bloody circumstances in them, which are like the dye to the wool, to give it a deeper colour.
QUEST. What sins may be said to be more heinous than others?
Ans. 1. Such sins as are committed without any occasion offered; a man swears or is angry, and hath no provocation. The less the occasion of sin is, the greater is the sin.
A. 2. Such sins are more heinous, that are committed presumptuously. Under the law there was no sacrifice for presumptuous sins, Numb. 15.
QUEST. What is it to sin presumptuously, which doth heighten and aggravate sin, and make it more heinous?
Ans. To sin presumptuously, is to sin against convictions and illuminations, or an enlightened conscience, Job 24:13., "They are of those that rebel against the light." Conscience, like the cherubim, stands with a flaming sword in its hand to deter the sinner; yet he will sin. Did not Pilate sin against conviction, and with an high hand in condemning Christ? He knew that of envy the Jews had delivered him, Mat. 27:18.; he confessed he found "no fault with him," Luke
23:14.; and his wife sent to him, saying, "have thou nothing to do with that just man," Mat. 27:19.; yet for all this, he gave the sentence of death against Christ. Here he sinned presumptuously,—against an
enlightened conscience. To sin ignorantly doth something extenuate and pair off the guilt, John 15:22., "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin," that is, their sin had been less; but to sin against illuminations and convictions, doth enhance and accent men's sins. These sins make deep wounds in the soul; other sins fetch blood, these are a stab at the heart.
QUEST. How many ways does a man sin against illuminations and convictions?
Ans. 1. When he lives in the total neglect of duty. He is not ignorant that it is a duty to read the word, yet he lets the Bible lie by as rusty armour, that he seldom makes use of; he is convinced that it is a duty to pray in his family, yet he can go days and months, and God never hear of him; he calls God father, but never asks his blessing. Neglect of family-prayer doth, as it were, uncover the roof of men's houses, and make way for a curse to be rained down upon their table.
A. 2. When a man lives in the same sins he condemns in others, Rom. 2:1., "Thou that judgest, doest the same thing." As Austin saith of Seneca, 'He wrote against superstition, yet he worshipped those images which he reproved.' One man condemns another for rash censuring, yet lives in the same sin himself; a master reproves his apprentice for swearing, yet he himself swears. The snuffers of the tabernacle were of pure gold; they who reprove and snuff the vices of others, had need themselves to be free from those sins. The snuffers must be of gold.
A. 3. When a man sins after vows, Ps. 56:12., "Thy vows, O God, are upon me." A vow is a religious promise made to God, to dedicate ourselves to him. A vow is not only a purpose, but a promise. Every votary makes himself a debtor, he binds himself to God in a solemn
manner. Now to sin after a vow, to vow himself to God, and give his soul to the devil, must needs be against the highest convictions.
A. 4. When a man sins after counsels, admonitions, warning, he cannot plead ignorance; the trumpet of the gospel hath been blown in his ears, and sounded a retreat to call him off from his sins; he hath been told of his injustice, living in malice, keeping bad company, yet he would venture upon sin; this is to sin against conviction,—it aggravates the sin, and is like a weight put into the scale, to make his sin weigh the heavier. If a sea-mark be set up to give warning that there are shelves and rocks in that place, yet if the mariner will sail there, and split his ship, it is presumption; and, if he be cast away, who will pity him?
A. 5. When a man sins against express comminations and threatenings. God hath thundered out threatenings against such sins,
Ps. 68:21., "God shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses." Yet, though God set the point of his sword to the breast of a sinner, yet he will commit sin. The pleasure of sin doth more delight him, than the threatenings affright him; he, like the leviathan, laughs at the shaking of a spear, Job 41:29. Nay, he derides God's threatenings, Is. 5:19., "Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it;" we have heard much what God intends to do, and of judgment approaching, we would fain see it.
For men to see the flaming sword of God's threatenings brandished, yet to strengthen themselves in sin, is in an high manner to sin against illumination and conviction.
A. 6. When a man sins under affliction. God doth not only thunder by threatening, but hath let his thunderbolt fall; he hath inflicted judgments on a person; he may read his sin in his punishment, yet he sins. His sin was uncleanness; he hath wasted his strength, as well as
his estate. He hath had a fit of apoplexy; yet, though he feels the smart of sin, he retains the love of sin. This is to sin against conviction, 2 Chron. 28:22., "In his distress did he trespass yet more: this is that king Ahaz." This doth enhance and make the sin greater than other sins: for sinning against an elightened conscience: 1. Is full of obstinacy and pertinaciousness; men give no reason, make no defence for their sins, yet they are resolved to hold fast iniquity. This is desperate wilfulness; and, voluntas est regula et mensura actionis, the more of the will in a sin, the greater the sin: Jer. 18:12., "We will walk after our own devices." Though there be death and hell every step, we will march on under Satan's colours. This made the sin of the apostate angels so great, because it was wilful; they had no ignorance in their mind,—no passion to stir them up,—there was no tempter to deceive them, but they sinned obstinately, and out of choice.
A. 7. To sin against convictions and illuminations, is joined with slighting and contempt of God. It is bad for a sinner to forget God, but it is worse to contemn him. Ps. 10:13., "Wherefore do the wicked contemn God?" An enlightened sinner knows that by his sin he disobligeth and angers God; but he cares not whether God be pleased or not, he will have his sin; therefore such an one is said to reproach
God, Numb. 15:30., "The soul that doeth ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord." Every sin displeaseth God, but sins against an enlightened conscience reproach the Lord. To contemn the authority of a prince, is a reproach done to him.—2. It is accompanied with impudency. Fear and shame are banished, the veil of modesty is laid aside, Zeph. 3:5., "The unjust knoweth no shame."
Judas knew Christ was the Messiah; he was convinced of it by an oracle from heaven, and by the miracles he wrought, and yet he impudently goes on in his treason; nay, when Christ said, "He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me," and Judas
knew Christ meant him. And when Judas was going about his treason, Christ pronounced a woe to him, Luke 22:22., yet, for all that, he proceeded in his treason. Thus to sin presumptuously, against an enlightened conscience, dyes the sin of a crimson colour, and makes it greater than other sins.
A. 8. Such sins are more heinous than others, which are sins of continuance. The continuing of sin is the enhancing of sin. He who plots treason, makes himself a greater offender. Some men's heads are the devil's mint-house, they are minting of mischief, Rom. 1:30.,
"Inventors of evil things." Some invent new oaths, others new snares; such were those presidents that invented a decree against Daniel, and got the king to sign it, Dan. 6:9.
A. 9. Those sins are greater which proceed from a spirit of malignity.
To malign holiness is diabolical. 'Tis a sin to want grace, 'tis worse to hate it. In nature there are antipathies, as between the vine and laurel. Some have an antipathy against God, because of his purity,
Isa. 30:11., "Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."
Sinners, if it lay in their power, would not only un-throne God, but un-be God; if they could help it, God should no longer be God. Thus sin is boiled up to a greater height.
A. 10. Those sins are of a greater magnitude, which are mixed with ingratitude. God cannot endure of all things to have his kindness slighted. God's mercy is seen in reprieving men so long,—in wooing them by his Spirit and ministers to be reconciled,—incrowning them with so many temporal blessings: now, to abuse all this love, when
God hath been filling up the measure of his mercy, that men should fill up the measure of their sins, this is high ingratitude, and doth make their sins of a deeper crimson. Some are worse for mercy. The vulture (saith Aelian) draws sickness from perfumes: so the sinner
contracts evil from the sweet perfumes of God's mercy. The English Chronicle reports of one Parry, who being condemned to die, queen
Elizabeth sent him his pardon; and after he was pardoned, he conspired and plotted the queen's death: just, so some deal with God; he bestows mercy, and they plot treason against him, Isa. 1:2.,
"I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." The Athenians, in lieu of the good service Themistocles had done them, banished him their city. The snake, in the fable, being frozen, stung him that gave it warmth. Certainly sins against mercy are far more heinous.
A. 11. Those sins are more heinous than others, which are committed with delectation. A child of God may sin through a surprisal, or against his will, Rom. 7:19., "The evil which I would not, that do I."
Like one that is carried down the stream involuntarily; but, to sin with delight, doth heighten and greaten the sin; a sign the heart is in the sin, Hos. 4:8., "They set their heart on their iniquity," as a man follows his gain with delight: Rev. 22:15., "Without are dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." To tell a lie, is a sin; but to love to tell a lie, is a greater sin.
A. 12. Those sins are more heinous than others, which are committed under a pretence of religion. To cozen and defraud is a sin, but to do it with a Bible in one's hand, is a double sin. To be unchaste, is a sin; but to put on a mask of religion to play the whore, makes the sin greater: Prov. 7:14, 18., "I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows: come let us take our fill of love." She speaks as if she had been at church, and had been saying her prayers: who would ever have suspected her of dishonesty? But, behold her hypocrisy; she makes her devotion a preface to adultery, Luke 20:47.,
"Who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers."
The sin was not in making long prayers, (for Christ was a whole night
in prayer), but to make long prayers, that they might do unrighteous actions, did make their sin more horrid.
A. 13. Sins of apostasy are more heinous than others. Demas forsook the truth, 2 Tim. 4:10., and afterwards became a priest in an idoltemple, saith Dorotheus. To fall, is a sin; but to fall away, is a greater sin. Apostates cast a disgrace upon religion. The apostate (saith
Tertulian) seems to put God and Satan in the balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the devil's service, and proclaims him to be the best master. In which respect the apostate is said to put
Christ to "open shame," Heb. 6:6. This dyes a sin in grain, and makes it greater. It is a sin not to profess Christ, but it is a greater to deny him; not to wear Christ's colours is a sin, but to run from his colours is a greater sin. A pagan sins less than a baptized renegado.
A. 14. To persecute religion, makes sin greater, Acts 7. To have no religion, is a sin; but to endeavour to destroy religion is a greater.
Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious journies, and ran more hazards, to vex and oppose the Jews, than all his predecessors had done in obtaining victories. 'Herod added yet this above all, that he put John in prison," Luke 3:20. He sinned before by incest; but, by imprisoning the prophet, this added to his sin, and made it greater.
Persecution fills up the measure of sin, Mat. 23:32., "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers." If you pour in a porringer of water into a cistern, that adds something to it; but pour in a bucketfull or two, and that fills up the measure of the cistern; so persecution fills up the measure of sin, and makes it greater.
A. 15. To sin maliciously makes sin greater. Aquinas and other of the schoolmen place the sin against the Holy Ghost in malice. The sinner doth all he can to vex God, and despite the Spirit of grace, Heb.
10:29. Thus Julian, who threw up his dagger in the air, as if he would