WLC 151: What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?

Answer: Sins receive their aggravations, 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. 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. 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. 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.

  1. 1Jer 2:8; 2Job 32:7, 9; Eccl 4:13; 31 Kgs 11:4, 9; 42 Sam 12:14; 1 Cor 5:1; 5Jas 4:17; Lk 12:47–48; 6Jer 5:4–5; 72 Sam 12:7–9; Ezk 8:11–12; 8Rom 2:17–24; 9Gal 2:11–14; 10Mt 21:38–39; 111 Sam 2:25; Acts 5:4; Ps 51:4; 12Rom 2:4; 13Mal 1:8, 14; 14Heb 2:2–3; 12:25; 15Heb 10:29; Mt 12:31–32; 16Eph 4:30; 17Heb 6:4–6; 18Jude 8; Num 12:8–9; Isa 3:5; 19Prov 30:17; 2 Cor 12:15; Ps 55:12–15; 20Zeph 2:8, 10–11; Mt 18:6; 1 Cor 6:8; Rev 17:6; 211 Cor 8:11–12; Rom 14:13, 15, 21; 22Ezk 13:19; 1 Cor 8:12; Rev 18:12–13; Mt 23:15; 231 Th 2:15–16; Jos 22:20; 24Prov 6:30–33; 25Ezra 9:10–12; 1 Kgs 11:9–10; 26Col 3:5; 1 Tim 6:10; Prov 5:8–12; 6:32–33; Jos 7:21; 27Jas 1:14–15; Mt 5:22; Mic 2:1; 28Mt 18:7; Rom 2:23–24; 29Dt 22:22, 28–29; Prov 6:32–35; 30Mt 11:21–24; Jn 15:22; 31Isa 1:3; Dt 32:6; 32Amos 4:8–11; Jer 5:3; 33Rom 1:26–27; 34Rom 1:32; Dan 5:22; Tit 3:10–11; 35Prov 29:1; 36Tit 3:10; Mt 18:17; 37Prov 27:22; 23:35; 38Ps 78:34–37; Jer 2:20; 42:5–6, 20–21; 39Eccl 5:4–6; Prov 20:25; 40Lev 26:25; 41Prov 2:17; Ezk 17:18–19; 42Ps 36:4; 43Jer 6:16; 44Num 15:30; Ex 21:14; 45Jer 3:3; Prov 7:13; 46Ps 52:1; 473 Jn 10; 48Num 14:22; 49Zech 7:11–12; 50Prov 2:14; 51Isa 57:17; 52Jer 34:8–11; 2 Pet 2:20–22; 532 Kgs 5:26; 54Jer 7:10; Isa 26:10; 55Ezk 23:37–39; 56Isa 58:3–5; Num 25:6–7; 571 Cor 11:20–21; 58Jer 7:8–10; Prov 7:14–15; Jn 13:27, 30; 59Ezra 9:13–14; 602 Sam 16:22; 1 Sam 2:22–24

 

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