| Question | Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? |
|---|---|
| Answer | Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. 1 |
The Baptist Catechism Set to Music
Benjamin Beddome’s Exposition
Are all our sins known to God?
Yes.
They are before his face,
Hosea 7:2
And are all sins heinous in the sight of God?
Yes.
They provoke him to anger,
Deuteronomy 9:18
But are they all equally so?
No.
Turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations,
Ezekiel 8:15
And will the punishment of sin be proportioned to the aggravations of it?
Yes.
These shall receive greater damnation,
Mark 12:40
Do sins receive their aggravations from the persons offending?
Yes.
My people is risen up as an enemy,
Micah 2:8
Are the sins of old persons more heinous than those of others?
Yes.
See what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark,
Ezekiel 8:12
And of ministers?
Yes.
Both the prophet and the priest are profane,
Jeremiah 23:11
And of magistrates?
Yes.
He shall give Israel up because of Jeroboam who did sin,
1 Kings 14:16
And of eminent professors?
Yes.
Of whom is Hymenius and Alexander,
1 Timothy 1:20
Do sins also receive their aggravations from the persons offended?
Yes.
Against whom do ye sport yourselves,
Isaiah 57:4
Are those sins peculiarly aggravated which are immediately committed against God?
Yes.
If a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?
1 Samuel 2:25
And against Christ?
Yes.
When the husbandmen saw the Son, they said among themselves this is the heir, come let us kill him,
Matthew 21:38
And against the person of the Holy Ghost?
Yes.
The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men,
Matthew 12:31
And against superiors?
Yes.
Were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Numbers 12:8
And against whole bodies and communities?
Yes.
And Joshua said, why hast thou troubled us, the Lord shall trouble thee this day,
Joshua 7:25
And against the souls of men?
Yes.
To slay the soul that should not die, and to save the soul alive that should not live,
Ezekiel 13:19
Doth presumption aggravate sin?
Yes.
The soul that do thought presumptuously reproacheth the Lord,
Numbers 15:30
And knowledge?
Yes.
To him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin,
James 4:17
And reproof?
Yes.
He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall be suddenly destroyed,
Proverbs 29:1
And perseverance in sin?
Yes.
He went on frowardly in the way of his heart,
Isaiah 57:17
Are sins against the light of nature aggravated sins?
Yes.
There is such fornications among you as is not so much as named among the Gentiles,
1 Corinthians 5:1
And deliberate sins?
Yes.
He deviseth mischief upon his bed,
Psalm 36:4
And public sins?
Yes.
Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel,
2 Samuel 16:22
Are sins against mercies greatly aggravated?
Yes.
Thus Solomon turned from the Lord who had appeared unto him twice,
1 Kings 11:9
And sins against judgments?
Yes.
For all this they sinned still,
Psalm 78:32
And sins against express commands?
Yes.
We have forsaken thy commandments which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets,
Ezra 9:10–11
And sins against our own covenants and engagements?
Yes.
Thou saidst, I will not transgress,
Jeremiah 2:20
Is it an aggravation of sin to commit it without shame?
Yes.
Were they ashamed? nay, they were not at all ashamed,
Jeremiah 6:15
And with delight?
Yes.
Their soul delighteth in their abominations,
Isaiah 66:3
And to boast of it?
Yes.
Whose glory is in their shame,
Philippians 3:19
May the place also be an aggravation of sin?
Yes.
In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly,
Isaiah 26:10
And the time?
Yes.
Is it a time to receive money and garments and olive-yards and vineyards?
2 Kings 5:26
Should we take notice of the aggravations of sin in our confessions?
Yes.
Aaron shall confess the iniquity of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,
Leviticus 16:21
But though aggravated may we hope that it will be pardoned?
Yes.
Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities: I, even I, am he that blotted out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
Isaiah 43:24–25
The Westminster Larger Catechism
| Question | Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God? |
|---|---|
| Answer | All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. 1 |
| Question | What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others? |
|---|---|
| Answer | Sins receive their aggravations, 1. From the persons offending: 1 if they be of riper age, 2 greater experience or grace, 3 eminent for profession, 4 gifts, 5 place, 6 office, 7 guides to others, 8 and whose example is likely to be followed by others. 9 2. From the parties offended: 10 if immediately against God, 11 his attributes, 12 and worship; 13 against Christ, and his grace; 14 the Holy Spirit, 15 his witness, 16 and workings; 17 against superiors, men of eminency, 18 and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto; 19 against any of the saints, 20 particularly weak brethren, 21 the souls of them, or any other, 22 and the common good of all or many. 23 3. From the nature and quality of the offense: 24 if it be against the express letter of the law, 25 break many commandments, contain in it many sins: 26 if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions, 27 scandalize others, 28 and admit of no reparation: 29 if against means, 30 mercies, 31 judgments, 32 light of nature, 33 conviction of conscience, 34 public or private admonition, 35 censures of the church, 36 civil punishments; 37 and our prayers, purposes, promises, 38 vows, 39 covenants, 40 and engagements to God or men: 41 if done deliberately, 42 wilfully, 43 presumptuously, 44 impudently, 45 boastingly, 46 maliciously, 47 frequently, 48 obstinately, 49 with delight, 50 continuance, 51 or relapsing after repentance. 52 4. From circumstances of time 53 and place: 54 if on the Lord’s day, 55 or other times of divine worship; 56 or immediately before 57 or after these, 58 or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages: 59 if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled. 60 |