John xix. 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 gins,' Amos. v. 12., and 'crying sins,' Gen. xviii. 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. E/ek. xvi. 47. Jer. ^\\. 12., "You have done worse than your fathers," — your sins have exceeded tlieirs. Some sins have a blacker aspect than others : to clip the
king's coin is treason, but to strike his per- son 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 tlie offerings under the law, — the sin-offering was greater than the tres- pass offering. — 2. Because some sins are not capable of pardon as others are, there- fore they must needs be more heinous, as the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, Mat. xii. 31. — 3. Because some sins have a greater degree of punishment than others, Mat. xxiii. 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 e-f qually heinous in respect to the object, or the person against whom sin is commit-
ALL SINS NOT EQUALLY HEINOUS.
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ted, viz. the infinite God ; but, in another t>ense, 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. II hat sins may be said io be more heinous than others ?
Ans. 1. Such sins as are committed with- out any occasion offered ; a man swears or is angry, and hath no provocation. Tiie 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 tlioro wae no sacrilico for presumptu- ous sins. Numb. xv.
Quest. JVhat is it to sin presumptnoiisly, tvhich (loth heighten and oggruvale sin, and make it more heinous ?
Ans. To sin presumptuously, is to sin a- gainst convictions and illuminations, or an enlightened conscience, Job xxiv. 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 ? lie knew that of euAT the Jews had delivered him, Mat. xxvii. 18. ; he confessed he found " no fault with him," Luke xxiii. 14.; and his wife sent to him, saying, " have thou no- thing to do with that just man," Mat. xxvii. 19. ; yet for all this, he gave the sentence of death against Christ. Here he sinned pre- sumptuously,— against an enlightened con- science. To sin ignorantly doth something extenuate and pair off the guilt, John xv. 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 illumi- nations 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. Hoto many ways does a man sin against illuminations and convictions ?
Ans. 1. When he lives in the total ne- glect 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 sel- dom 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 hisb lessing. 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. ^^'lu'n a man lives in the same sins he condemns in others, Rom. ii. 1., " Thou that judgest, doest the same thing." As Austin saith of Seneca, ' He wrote against superstition, yet he worshipped those im- ages which he reproved.' One man con- dennis another for rash censuring, yet lives, in the same sin himself; a master reproves liii^ aj)prentice 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 them- selves to be free from those sins. The snuffers must be of gold.
A. 3. Whto a man sins after vows, Ps. Ivi. 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.