All Sins not equally hainous

Quest. Are all the Transgressions of the Law equally heinous?

Answ. Some Sins in themselves, and by reason of several Aggravations, are more hainous in the sight of God than others.

John 19.11. He that delivered me unto thee hath the Greater Sin. The Stoick 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 poysons 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 Coyn is Treason, but to strike his Person is an higher degree of Treason. A vain Thoughr 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 Sin-offering was greater than the Trespass-Offering. (2.) Because some Sins are not capable of Pardon as others are, therefore they must needs he more heinous, as the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, Matth. 12.31. (3.) Because some Sins have a greater Degree of Punishment than others. Matth. 23.14. Ye shall receive greater Damnation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? God would not punish one more than another, but that his Sin is greater. It is true, all Sins are equally hainous in respect of the Object, or the Person against whom Sin is committed, (viz.) The Infinite God. But in another Sence all Sins are not alike hainous. Some Sins have more bloody Circumstances in them, which are like the Die to the Wooll, to give it a deeper Colour.

Quest. What Sins may be said to be more hainous than others?

Resp. 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. (2.) Such Sins are more hainous that are committed presumptuously. Under the Law there was no Sacrifice for Presumptuous Sins, Numb. 15.30.

Quest. What is it to sin presumptuously, which doth heighten and aggravate Sin, and make it more hainous?

Answ. To sin presumptuously, is to sin against Convictions and Illuminations, or an enlightned Conscience. Job 24.13. They are of those that rebell against the Light. Conscience, like the Cherubim, stands with a Flaming Sword in its Hand, to deterr the Sinner, yet he will sin. Did not Pilat sin against Conviction, and with an high hand, in condemning Christ? He knew that of Envy the Jews had delivered him, Matth. 27.18. He confessed he found no fault with him, Luke 23.14. And his own Wife sent to him, Have nothing to do with that just Man, Matth. 27.19. Yet, for all this he gave the Sentence of Death against Christ. Here he sinned presumptuously, against an enlightned Conscience. To sin ignorantly doth something extenuate and pare off the Guilt. John 15.22. If I had not come, ye had had no sin. That is, your Sin had been less. But to sin against Illuminations and Convictions, doth inhance and accent Mens Sins. These Sins make deep Wounds in the Soul. Other Sins fetch Blood, these are a Stab at the Heart.

Quest. How many ways doth a Man Sin against Illuminations and Convictions?

Answ. 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 him Blessing. Neglect of Family-Prayer doth as it were uncover the Roof of Mens Houses, and make way for a Curse to be rained down upon their Table.

2. When a Man lives in the same Sins which he condemns in others. Rom. 2.1. Thou that judgest another dost the same things. As Austin saith of Seneca, He wrote against Superstitions, 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.

3. When a Man sins after Vow. Psal. 56.12. Thy Vows, O God, are upon me. A Vow is a Religious Promise made to God to dedicate our selves 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 Vow, to vow himself to God, and give his Soul to the Devil, must needs be against the highest Convictions.

4. When a Man sins after Counsels, Admonitions, Warnings, 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 in 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 fail there, and split his Ship, it is Presumption; and if he be cast away, who will pity him?

5. When a Man sins against express Comminations and Threatnings. God hath thundered out Threatnings against such Sins. Psal. 66.21. God shall wound the hairy Scalp of such an one as goes on still in his Trespasses. Yet tho 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 Threatnings affright him. He, like the Liviathan, laughs at the shaking of a Spear, Job 41.29. Nay, he derides God’s Threatnings. Isa. 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 approrching, we would fain see it. For Men to see the Flaming Sword of God’s Threatnings brandished, yet to strengthen themselves in Sin, is in an high manner to sin against Illumination and Conviction.

6. When a Man sins under Affliction. God doth not only thunder by Threatning, 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 Vncleanness; he hath wasted his Strength as well as his Estate; he hath had a Fit of Apoplexy, yet tho 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 inhance and make the Sin greater than other Sins: For sinning against an enlightned Conscience,

First, Is full of Obstinacy and Pertinaciousness. Men can 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 & mensura actionis, The more of the Will in a Sin, the greater the Sin. Jer. 18.12. We will walk after our own Devices. Tho 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 sinn’d obstinately and out of Choice.

Secondly, To sin against Convictions and Illuminations, is joyn’d with slighting and contempt of God. It is bad for a Sinner to forget God, but it is worse to contemn him. Prov. 10.13. Wherefore do the wicked contemn God? An enlightned Sinner knows that by his Sin he disobligeth and angers God; but he cares not whether God be pleased or no, he will have his Sin. Therefore such an one is said to reproach God. Numb. 15.30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord. Every Sin displeaseth God, but sins against an enlightned Conscience reproach the Lord. To contemn the Authority of a Prince, is a Reproach done to him.

Thirdly, It is accompanied with Impudency. Fear and Shame are banished, the Vail of Modesty is laid aside. Zeph. 3.5. The Vnjust 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 Wo to him, Luke 22.22. yet for all that he proceeded in his Treason. Thus to sin presumptuously, against an enlightned Conscience, dies the Sin of a crimson Colour, and makes it greater than other Sins.

(3.) Such Sins are more hainous than others, which are Sins of Continuance. The continuing of Sin is the inhancing 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. Inventers 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.

(4.) Those Sins are greater which proceed from a Spirit of Malignity. To malign Holiness is Diabolical. ’Tis a Sin to want Grace, it is worse to hate it. In Nature there are Antipathies, as between the Vine and Lawrel. 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 Unthrone God, but Unbe God. If they could help it, God should be no longer God. This Sin is boil’d up to a greater height.

(5.) 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, in crowning 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 theit 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 Queens 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 hainous.

(6.) Those Sins are more hainous than other, which are committed with Delectation. A Child of God may sin through a Surprizal, 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.

(7.) Those sins are more hanous than others, which are committed under a pretence of Religion. To couzen and defraud is a sin, but to do it with a Bible in ones 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 the greater. Prov. 7.14. 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 Hypocrisie; she makes her Devotion a Preface to Adultery. Luke 20.47. Who devour Widows Houses, and for pretence make long Prayers. This 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.

(8.) Sins of Apostacy are more hainous than other. Demas forsook the Truth, 2 Tim. 4.10. and afterwards became a Priest in an Idol Temple, saith Dorotheus. To fall is a sin, but to fall away is a greater sin. Apostates cast a Disgrace upon Religion. The Apostate (saith Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in the Ballance, and having weighed both their Services, prefers the Devils Services, 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 dies 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.

(9.) To persecute Religion, makes sin greater, Acts 7.22. To have no Religion is a sin, but to endeavour to destroy Religion is a greater. Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious Journies,¹ and run more hazards, to vex and oppose the Jews, than all his Predecessors had done in obtaining Victories. Herod added this above all, that he put John in Prison. 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. Matth. 23.32. Fill you up 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 Bucket full or two, and that fills up the measure of the Cistern. So Persecution fills up the measure of sin, and makes it greater.

(10.) To sin malitiously, makes sin greater. Aquinas and other of the School-men place the sin against the Holy Ghost in Malice. The Sinner doth all he can to vex God, and despight the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10.29. Thus Julian, who threw up his Dagger in the Air, as if he would have been revenged upon God. This swells sin to its full bigness, it cannot be greater. When a Man is once come to this, blasphemously to despight the Spirit, there is but one step lower he can fall, and that is to Hell.

(11.) & ult. It aggravates sin, and makes it greater, when a Man not only sins himself, but endeavours to make others sin. 1. Such as teach Errors to the People, who decry Christ’s Deity, or deny his Vertue, making him only a Political Head, not an Head of Influence; who preach against the Morality of the Sabbath, or the Immorality of the Soul. These Mens sins are greater than others. If the Breakers of God’s Law sin, what do they that teach Men to break them? Matth. 5.19. 2. Such as destroy others by their bad Example. The swearing Father hath taught his Son to swear, and damned him by his Example. These Mens sins are greater than others, and they shall have an hotter place in Hell.

Vse. You see all sins are not Equal, some are more grievous than others, and bring greater Wrath; therefore especially take heed of these Sins. Psal. 19.13. Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins. The least sin is bad enough, you need not aggravate your sins, and make them more hainous. He that hath a little Wound will not make it deeper. Oh beware of those bloody Circumstances which greaten your sin, and make it more hainous. The higher a Man is in sinning, the lower he shall lie in Torment.