Body of Divinity, Book 4 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Degrees of Sinne.
IT was an errour of the aThe Stoicks thought all sins were of an equall nature, because to sin is transilire lineas, to passe the bounds, but some may shoot wider then others, though both miss the mark. The Scripture evidently confutes this opinion, Ioh. 16. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Ezek. 16. 47. 2 Pet. 2. 26, 27. Some sins are compared to Camels, others to Gnats, some to beams, others to motes, some to talents, others to farthings. As there are degrees of graces and vertues, so of sins. He that commits adultery by carnall copulation is a greater sinner then he that looks upon a woman to lust after her: He that cals his brother Raca is not so great a murtherer as he that takes away his life.Stoicks which Tully refuted, and of the Jovinians which Ierome refuted, that all sins were equall. Though all sins be mortall yet they are not equall. They are distinguished in name and really, there are severall punishments, one sin may be heavier and greater then another in divers respects.
In respect of the object, 1 Sam. 2. 25. Zech. 2. 8. Psal. 7. 5. Prov. 3. 29. Exod. 22. 28. Act. 23. 5. Idolatry is a greater sin then theft, the cause Lev. 4. 2. and 6. 2. the Law, quality, Prov. 6. 30, 31. the matter, the soul sinning, Mat. 5. 13. and 10. 15. Luke 12. 27. Iohn 19. 11. the sin of a professour or publike person; the time, 1 Sam. 2. 17. Iohn 9. 41. the place, effects, end, and manner of sinning, as when one knows it to be a sin and commits it, when sins are lived in, one committed in the neck of another, or the same sin is often committed.
There are Fautores, actores, and authores. Sins against the first table caeteris paribus are greater then sins against the second.
A sin against God in that respect is greater then a sin against man.
1. From the object who is so infinitely excellent.
2. The graces which have reference to God, are farre more then the duties to our neighbour.
3. There is a lesse motive to offend God then our neighbour.
4. It doth therefore become a sin, because God is disobeyed whose Law is to love our brother.
5. By proportion, if a sin against our neighbour be lesse which is against his goods then his life, because it is a greater good, then much more concerning God: Life is a greater good then riches, God is to be more esteemed then life or goods are.
6. That which is against a higher end, is a more hainous sin; there are sensuall andSee Shepheards Sincere Convert, c. 3. Peccata spiritualia sunt majoris culpae quam peccata carnalia, non quasi quodlibet peccatum spirituale sit majoris culpae quo…ibet peccato carnali, sed quia considerata hac sola differentia spiritualitatis & carnalitatis graviorae sunt, quam caetera peccata, caeteris paribus▪ Aquinas 1. 2. qu. 73. art. 5. v. plura ibid. spirituall lusts, Eph. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 7. 1. sins of the soul are greater then the sins of the body in that respect, though otherwise there are greater aggravations, therefore the heart is called the good or bad treasure, because it gives all the sinfulnesse to the action.
Inward sins are greater then outward sins, Mat. 5. 27. Psa. 5. 9.
1. They are the causes of outward sins, Mat. 15. 18, 19. and 12. 35. Iohn 13. 2.
2. They are the corruption of the chief part of a man, the understanding, judgement, thoughts, Mat. 6. 22. hence the Apostle praies for sanctification in the Spirit, Eph. 4. 23.
3. They are against the chiefest part of Gods Law in regard of the obligation of it, Rom. 7. it is spirituall, his Law looks to the spirit and soul of a man.
4. From the contrary, inward obedience is farre more acceptable, that is a great complaint by the Prophets, this people draw nigh with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
5. The sins of the Spirit do most imitate and resemble the devil, he cannot be a drunkard, an Adulterer, because he is a spirituall substance, therefore his sinnes are pride, malice, and envy, Rom. 2. 29. the devils are called spirituall wickednesses, Eph. 6. all sin is from Satan per modum servitutis, spirituall sins per modum imaginis.
6. Where there is the greatest delight and union, there is the greter sinfulnesse, they rejoyced to do evill, Amos 3. Sins of the heart are worse then of the life.
1. They are more abundantly in the heart then in the life, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
2. They are continually in the heart. Rom. 2. Sin that dwels in me. Evil thoughts are 1. A transgression of the Law as well as outward acts, the Law saith, thou shalt not lust, Deut. 15. 9. some sins are perfected in the thought, as envy and malice, though they come not into act, the Devils wrath, malice, envy, make him an unclean spirit. 2. We are called to repent of thoughts, and ask pardon of them, Act. 8. 22. See I…. 55. 7. the heart is the seat of the thoughts, God cals for the heart. 3. Consider the multitude of our vain thoughts.
7. They are as incompatible with grace and sanctification as outward grosse sinnes are, for that is a holy nature, and regeneration is chiefly in the understanding and will.
8. They do more strongly oppose the Spirit of God which works upon the soul first and the intellectuall parts.
9. The cure of these is harder, partly because they are more rooted, and partly because they are more unperceivable, and also because there are not those bridles toAll evill is worst in the fountain, Mat. 21. 31. A Caution. Sensuall lusts deprive us of communion with God, we can never give them content, they are disquieting and debasing lusts. Spirituall lusts usually assault the highest persons, men of greatest parts, Rom. 1. 30▪ Elymas, Achitophel, Ieroboam, Machiavel, and of high condition, the very Saints are apt to be proud of spirituall gifts, these lusts are more subtle and deceitfull then sensuall lusts, they are not easily discerned, and have specious pretence…, one is not soon convinced of spirituall pride. The operation of spirituall lusts is more vehement and impetuous, the body moves slowly but the thoughts swifter then the Sun. Sensuall lusts make us like a beast, spirituall like the devil, Iudas is called Satan, curb them which might be in outward sins: there disgrace hinders, and the Laws of men: There are peccata carnalia & majoris infamiae, & spiritualia & majoris culpa▪ Gerson. Yet outward sins in some respects are above these.
1. Because they are more scandalous and offensive.
2. Outward acts strengthen inward corruptions more.
3. They sometimes argue a more senselesse and cauterized conscience.
4. There are greater means and motives against these, a mans natural conscience tels him that these outward acts are sins.
Sins of omission are great sins, there are great threatnings against them, Ier. 20. 25. they fit the heart for doing evill, Psal. 14. 4. the not doing of good is the doing of evill.
They are the great sins of our lives, and go beyond sinnes of commission in these particulars.
1. The greatnesse of the evil of sin is to be measured by the greatnesse of the Law,There is in Christ both active and passive obedience, his active answers the precept, his passive your transgression of the prohibition. Poena damni in hell answers to sins of omission, as sensus to those of commission. When Satan tempted Eve, he first turned the heart from God. Malum commissionis & omissionis in aliquibus conveniunt & in aliquibus differunt, conveniunt 1 Qund utrumque contra legem. 2 Quod utrumque etiam est privatio rectitudinis debita & per legem requisitae. Differunt tamen 1 Quia malum omissionis est contra praeceptum affirmativum: Commissionis contra praeceptum negativum. 2 Differunt ratione fundamenti; quia malum commissionis immediatè semper fundatur iu actu aliquo aut habitu; malum omissionis non sed in ipsa anima, nullo actu, aut habitu ita, medio. Barlow exercit. 2. that is the greatest Law in which the minde of the Law-giver is most. In every commandement there is a precept and prohibition, the precept commands duty, the prohibition forbids sin, omissions are against the precept the main thing, the curse is but the accidentall part. He breaks the first Commandement, hath not Jehovah for his God, who doth not love, fear, trust in him; as well as he that sets up an Idol to worship him.
2. The first and main evil of sin was in the omission. Sin first draws away from God before it enticeth, Iam. 1. 22. Ier. 2. 13. To speak exactly, there is no sin but that of omission, it is a deficiency and coming short of the rule.
3. The state of unregeneracy lies mainly in the sins of omission, there is much more evil in a state of sin then in the act of it, Eph. 2. 12. the reign of sinne is more seen in omission then commission, there is a higher act of soveraignty in the negative voice, then in any positive Law.
4. The ground of every sin of commission is a sin of omission, turning away the soul from God, Psa. 14. 1, 2. Iob 15. 4. Iam. 1. 14. negligentiam in orando semper aliqua notabilis transgressio sequitur, Iohn 20. 24, 25. Rom. 1. 21. compared with 24. 2 Thes. 2. 10.
5. The greatnesse of sin is measured by the mischief it doth the sinner, sins againstA sin of omission is an aversion of the heart from God and duty in some thing commanded, as that of commission is a conversion or turning to the creature an something forbidden, Iud. 5. 23. Ier. 10. 25. 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8. 1 Cor. 9. 16. There is en aversion from God before there is a conversion to the creature, Iam. 1. 14. the Gospel are greater then those against the Law, sins of commission make the wound, sins of omission keep you from the plaister, Iohn 3. ult.
6. These are the sins which Christ will mainly enquire after, Mat. 25. 42, 43.
We should loathe sins of omission which in the world are little made of, 1 Sam. 12. 23. Wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel, saith Paul. Peter and Iohn say, We cannot but speak the things which we have heard. These omissions directly oppose the will, law, and honour of God, as well as the committing of foul faults. 2. They will damn us as well as commissions. 3. They will make way for grosse evil deeds.
There are three sorts of omissions,
1. Totall, non-performances, not praying, reading, hearing, meditating; Psal. 14 4, ….
2. Seldome performances, intermission or performing of duties unevenly, 1 Thes. 5. 17. Col. 4. 2.
3. Sleighty performances, when we keep a tract of duty, but do it customarily, pray not fervently and spiritually, Rom. 12. 11.
Sins against the Gospel are greater then sins against the Law.
1. The more Laws are transgrest the greater the sin. There are three sorts of Laws.
1. The Law of nature, which teacheth to do good to them that do good to us. Mat. 5. 43.
2. The morall Law, which requires subjection to whatever God commands.
3. The Law of faith, Rom. 3. 27. which requires subjection to God in his Son: all these are broken by sinning against the Gospel.
2. The more of the minde of the Law-giver is in the Law, the greater is the sinne, Mens legis est lex: Gods minde is clearly seen in the Gospel, viz. the exalting of himself in his Son, Pro. 8. 30.
3. The more any one sins against light, the greater the sin, there was never such a discovery of the filthinesse of sin, nor of the justice of God upon sin, it could not be purged but by the bloud of God, Acts 12. 28. See Ephes. 5. 26. never such a discovery of Gods grace as in the New Covenant, a second Covenant was never tendred to the Devils.
4. They are sins against higher love; God loved Adam and the Angels Amore amicitiae, they had never offended him, he loved us Amore misericordiae, Rom. 5. 8. he loved Adam and Angels in themselves, us in Christ, Eph. 1. 6.
5. These sins make way for the sin against the holy Ghost, Matth. 12. 32. Objectum hujus peccati non est lex sed Evangelium.
The sins of Gods people are greater then others sins.
In eadem specie peccati gravius peccat fidelis quam infidelis, Grace aggravates and heightens sin. They sin 1. Against the highest light, Ps. 51. 6. 2. The highest love, peculiar goodnesse, electing love.
Of all sins to be without God, or out of Covenant with God, is the greatest sin;By the greatnesse of the precept we may judge of the greatnesse of the transgression, Mat. 22. 38. it is against the great command in the Law, the first Commandment, and the great promise in the Gospel.
Those sins wherein a mans self is the object are the worst of all sins, self-deceit is the worst of all deceits, and self-murder is the worst of all murders.
The degrees of sin in a mans own heart, or the conception, birth and perfection of sin there.
First, Injection or suggestion from Satan, which stirs up the lusts in the heart,1. Fomes seu depravatio inhaerens. 2. Suggestiones cogitationum & affectuum, id est, quando depravatio originalis movet se aliqua inclinatione. 3. Delectatio. 4. Consensus. 5. Ipsum opus. Chemnit. loc. Commun. 1 Iohn 5. 19.
Secondly, The soul receives the thought, there must be Partus cordis as well as seminarium hostis. Bernard. Iob 17. 11.
Thirdly. Delectatio, the soul is pleas'd with such thoughts, so Eve.
Fourthly, Upon this the will consenteth, then lust is conceived.
Fifthly, There is a consultation in the soul how to bring this into act, Rom. 13. 14.