What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?

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Sins receive their aggravations, 1. From the persons offending: if they be of riper age, greater experience or grace, eminent for profession, gifts, place, office, guides to others, and whose example is likely to be followed by others. 2. From the parties offended: if immediately against God, his attributes, and worship; against Christ, and his grace; the Holy Spirit, his witness, and workings; against superiors, men of eminency, and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto; against any of the saints, particularly weak brethren, the souls of them, or any other, and the common good of all or many. 3. From the nature and quality of the offense: if it be against the express letter of the law, break many commandments, contain in it many sins: if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions, scandalize others, and admit of no reparation: if against means, mercies, judgments, light of nature, conviction of conscience, public or private admonition, censures of the church, civil punishments; and our prayers, purposes, promises, vows, covenants, and engagements to God or men: if done deliberately, wilfully, presumptuously, impudently, boastingly, maliciously, frequently, obstinately, with delight, continuance, or relapsing after repentance. 4. From circumstances of time and place: if on the Lord’s day, or other times of divine worship; or immediately before or after these, or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages: if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled.

Proofs

  • Sins receive their aggravations, 1. From the persons offending: (Jeremiah 2:8)
  • if they be of riper age, (Job 32:7, 9; Ecclesiastes 4:13)
  • greater experience or grace, (1 Kings 11:4, 9)
  • eminent for profession, (2 Samuel 12:14; 1 Corinthians 5:1)
  • gifts, (James 4:17; Luke 12:47–48)
  • place, (Jeremiah 5:4–5)
  • office, (2 Samuel 12:7–9; Ezekiel 8:11–12)
  • guides to others, (Romans 2:17–24)
  • and whose example is likely to be followed by others. (Galatians 2:11–14)
    1. From the parties offended: (Matthew 21:38–39)
  • if immediately against God, (1 Samuel 2:25; Acts 5:4; Psalm 5:4)
  • his attributes, (Romans 2:4)
  • and worship; (Malachi 1:8, 14)
  • against Christ, and his grace; (Hebrews 2:2–3; 7:25)
  • the Holy Spirit, (Hebrews 10:29; Matthew 12:31–32)
  • his witness, (Ephesians 4:30)
  • and workings; (Hebrews 6:4–6)
  • against superiors, men of eminency, (Jude 8; Numbers 12:8–9; Isaiah 3:5)
  • and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto; (Proverbs 30:17; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Psalm 55:12–15)
  • against any of the saints, (Zephaniah 2:8, 10–11; Matthew 18:6; Revelation 17:6)
  • particularly weak brethren, (1 Corinthians 8:11–12; Romans 14:13, 15, 21)
  • the souls of them, or any other, (Ezekiel 13:19; 1 Corinthians 8:12; Revelation 18:12–13; Matthew 23:15)
  • and the common good of all or many. (1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Joshua 22:20)
    1. From the nature and quality of the offense: (Proverbs 6:30–33)
  • if it be against the express letter of the law, (Ezra 9:10–12; 1 Kings 11:9–10)
  • break many commandments, contain in it many sins: (Colossians 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:10; Proverbs 5:8–12; 6:32–33; Joshua 7:21)
  • if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions, (James 1:14–15; Matthew 5:22; Micah 2:1)
  • scandalize others, (Matthew 18:7; Romans 2:23–24)
  • and admit of no reparation: (Deuteronomy 22:22, 28–29; Proverbs 6:32–35)
  • if against means, (Matthew 11:21–24; John 15:22)
  • mercies, (Isaiah 1:3; Deuteronomy 32:6)
  • judgments, (Amos 4:8–11; Jeremiah 5:3)
  • light of nature, (Romans 1:26–27)
  • conviction of conscience, (Romans 1:32; Daniel 5:22; Titus 3:10–11)
  • public or private admonition, (Proverbs 29:1)
  • censures of the church, (Titus 3:10)
  • civil punishments; (Proverbs 27:22; 23:35)
  • and our prayers, purposes, promises, (Psalm 78:34–37; Jeremiah 13:5–6, 20–21)
  • vows, (Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Proverbs 20:25)
  • covenants, (Leviticus 26:25)
  • and engagements to God or men: (Proverbs 2:17; Ezekiel 7:18–19)
  • if done deliberately, (Psalm 36:4)
  • wilfully, (Jeremiah 6:16)
  • presumptuously, (Numbers 15:30; Exodus 21:14)
  • impudently, (Jeremiah 3:3; Proverbs 7:13)
  • boastingly, (Psalm 52:1)
  • maliciously, (3 John 10)
  • frequently, (Numbers 14:22)
  • obstinately, (Zechariah 7:11–12)
  • with delight, (Proverbs 2:14)
  • continuance, (Isaiah 57:17)
  • or relapsing after repentance. (Jeremiah 34:8–11; 2 Peter 2:20–22)
    1. From circumstances of time (2 Kings 5:26)
  • and place: (Jeremiah 7:10; Isaiah 26:10)
  • if on the Lord’s day, (Ezekiel 23:37–39)
  • or other times of divine worship; (Isaiah 58:3–5; Numbers 25:6–7)
  • or immediately before (1 Corinthians 11:20–21)
  • or after these, (Jeremiah 7:8–10; Proverbs 7:14–15; John 13:27, 30)
  • or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages: (Ezra 9:13–14)
  • if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled. (2 Samuel 16:22; 1 Samuel 2:22–24)
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