1 but doth daily break them in thought k, word, and deed 1. Q. 50. Are all tranfgreffions of the law of God equally hainous in themselves, and in the fight of God? A. All tranfgreffions of the law of God are not equally hainous: but fome fins in themfelves, and by reafon of several aggravations, are more hainous in the fight of God than others m, Q. 151. What are thofe aggravations that make fome fins more bainous than others? A. Sins receive their aggravations. my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: k Gen. vi. 5. And God faw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imaginátion of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen. viii. 21. And the Lord faid in his heart, I will curfe the ground no more for man's fake; for the imagina tion of man's heart is evil from his youth: / Rom. iii, 9. - We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under fin; v. 10. as it is written, There is none righteous, no not one: V. 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that feeketh after God. v. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one: v. 13. Their throat is an open fepulchre with their tongues they have ufed deceit, the poifon of afps is under their lips: v. 14. Whofe mouth is full of curfing and bitterness. v. 15. Their feet are fwift to shed blood. v. 16. Destruction and mifery are in their ways: V. 17. and the way of peace have they not known. v. 18. There is 1. From no fear of God before their eyes. v. 19. Now we know that what things foever the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. James iii, from verse 2, to 13. for in many things we offend all, 150. m John xix. 11. Jefus anfwered, Thou couldst have no pow. er at all against me, except it were given thee from above, therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin. Ezek. viii. 6. ——— But . turn thee yet again, and thou shalt fée greater abominations. v. 13.Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt fee greater abominations that they do. v. 15. -Turn thee yet again, and thou fhalt fee greater abominations than thefe. John v. 16. If any man fee his brother fin a fin which is not unto death, he shall afk, and he shall give him life for them that fin not unto death. There is a fin unto death: I do not say that he fhall pray for it. Pfal. lxxviii. 17. and they finned yet more against him, by provoking the most High in the wildernefs. v. 32. For all this they finned ftill: and be-. lieved not for his wonderous works. v. 56. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his teftimonies. offending n 1. From the perfons offending n : If they be of riper age, greater experience or grace p; eminent for profeffion q, gifts r, place, office t; 151. Jer. ii. 8. The priests faid not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law, knew me not: the paftors also tranfgreffed against me, and the prophets prophefied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. • Job xxxii. 7. I faid, Days should fpeak, and multitude of years fhould reach wifdom, v.9. Great men are not always wife: neither do the aged understand judgment. Eccl. iv. 13. Better is a poor and a wife child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. p 1 Kings xi. 4. For it came to pafs when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. v. 9. and the Lord was angry with Solomon, becaufe his heart was turned from the Lord God of Ifrael, which had appeared unto him twice. 92 Sam. xii. 14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou haft given great occafion to the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme, the child that is born unto thee fhall furely die. I Cor. v. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and fuch fornication as is not fo much as named among the Gentiles, that one fhould have his father's wife. James iv. 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is fin. Luke xii. 47. and that fervant who knew his lord's will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to his will, thall be beaten with many guides to others, ftripes. v. 48. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few ftripes. For unto whomfoever much is given, of him fhall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will afk the more. Jer. v. 4. Therefore I faid, Surely thefe are poor, they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. v. 5. I will get me unto the great men, and I will speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. t 2 Sam. xii. 7. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man, thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, I anointed thee king over Ifrael,-v. 8. and I gave thee thy mafter's house, and thy mafter's wives into thy bofom, and gave thee the houfe of Ifrael and of Judah and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee fuch and fuch things. v. 9. Wherefore haft thou defpifed the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his fight? Ezek. viii. 11. and there ftood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Ifrael, and in the midft of them ftood Jaazaniah the fon of Shaphan, with every man his cenfer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incenfe went up. v. 12. Then faid he unto me, Son of man, haft thou seen what the ancients of the house of Ifrael do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they thers v, and whofe example is likely to be followed by o thers w. 2. From the parties offended; if immediately against God y, his attributesz, and worthip a; against Christ, and his grace b; they fay, The Lord feeth us not, the Lord hath forfaken the earth. v Rom. ii. 17. Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God; v. 18, and knoweft his will,-v. 19. and art confident that thou thyfelf art a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness, v. 20. an inftructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes,-v. 21. Thou therefore who teacheft another, teacheft thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man fhould not teal, dost thou fteal? V. 22. Thou that fayeft a man fhould not commit adultery, doft thou commit adultery? thou that abhorret idols, doft thou commit facrilege? v. 23. Thou that makeft thy boaft of the law, through breaking the law, difhonoureft thou God? v. 24. For the name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles, through you. w Gal. ii. 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. v. 12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcifion. v. 13. and the other Jews diffembled likewife with him, infomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their diffimulation. v. 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gofpel. I faid unto Peter before them all, If thou being a Jew, liveft after the manner of Gentiles, and the not as do the Jews, why compelleft thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? x Mat. xxi. 38. But when the husbandmen faw the fon, they said among themselves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us feize on his inheritance, v. 39. and they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and flew him. J1 Sam. ii. 25. If one man fin against another, the judge fhall judge him; but if a man fin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?→→→→ Acts v. 4.-Thou haft not lied unto men, but unto God. Pfal. li. against thee, thee only have I fin ned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be justified when thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judgeft. Rom. ii. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnets, and forbearance, and long-fuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? a Mal. i. 8. And if ye offer the blind for facrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and fick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleafed with thee, or accept thy perfon? faith the Lord of hofts. v. 14. But curfed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male and voweth and facrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, faith the Lord of hofts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. b Heb. ii. 2. For if the word fpoken by angels was stedfast, and every tranfgreffion and disobedience received the Holy Spirit c, his witnefs d, and workings e; against fupe riors, men of eminency f, and fuch as we ftand especially related and engaged unto g; against any of the faints b, particularly received a juft recompence of reward; v. 3. How fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation, Heb. xii. 25. See that you refufe not him that speaketh: for if they efcaped not who refufed him that fpake on earth, much more fhall not we efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven. Heb. x. 29. Of how much forer punishment, fuppofe ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God,-Mat. xii. 31. Wherefore I fay unto you All manner of fin and blafphemy fhall be forgiven unto men; but the blafphemy against the Holy Ghoft fhall not be forgiven unto men. v. 32. And whofoever fpeaketh a word against the Son of man, it fhall be forgiven him: but whofoever fpeaketh against the Holy Ghoft, it fhall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Eph. vi. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. e Heb. vi. 4. For it is impoffible for those who were once enlightened, and have tafted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, v. 5. And have tafted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; v. 6. If they fhall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance :— f Jude verfe 8. Likewife alfo thefe filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, Numb. xii. 8.- Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my fervant Mofes? v. 9. And the anger of the Lord was. kindled against them, and he departed. Ifa. iii. 5.-The child fhall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. Prov. xxx. 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it. 2 Cor. xii. 15. And I will very gladly fpend and be fpent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the lefs I be loved. Pfal. Iv. 12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have born it; neither was it he that hated me, that did magnify himfelf against me, then I would have hid myself from him. v. 13. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance. v. 14. We took fweet counsel together, and walked unto the houfe of God in company. v. 15. Let death feize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell; b Zeph. ii. 8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, v. 10. This fhall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themfelves against the people of the Lord of hofts. v. 11. The Lord will be terrible unto them:-Mat. xviii 6. But whofo fhall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the fea. cularly weak brethren i, the fouls of them or any other k, and the common good of all or many 1. 3. From the nature and quality of the offence m. If it be against the exprefs letter of the law u, break many commandments, fea. 1 Cor. vi. 8. Nay, you do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. Rev. xvi. 6. And I faw the woman drunken with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus :... 1 Cor. viii. 11. And through thy knowledge fhall the weak brother perish, for whom Chrift died? . 12. But when ye fin so against the brethren, and wound their weak confcience, ye fin against Christ. Rom. xiv. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a ftumbling block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. v. 15. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkeft thou not charit ably. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Chrift died. V. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offend ed, or is made weak, k Ezek. xiii. 19. And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, to lay the fouls that should not die, and to fave the fouls alive that fhould not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies. 1 Cor. viii. 12. But when ye fin fo against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye fin against Chrift Rev. xviii. 13. (The merchandife of gold) and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frank incenfe, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beafils, and sheep, and horfes, and chariots, and flaves, and fouls of men. Mat. xxiii. 15. Wo unto you, fcribes and pharifees, hypocrites; for ye compafs fea and land to make, one profelyte, and when he is made, ye make him two fold more the child of hell than yourselves. / Theff. ii. 15. Who both killed the Lord Jefus, and their own prophets, and have perfecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: v. 16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be faved.---Josh. xxii 20. Did not Achan the fon of Zerah commit a trespass in the accurfed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Ifrael? and that man perifhed not alone in his iniquity. m Prov. vi. 30. Men do not des fpife a thief, it he steal to fatisfy his foul when he is hungry: v. 31. But if he be found, he fhall refore feven fold, v. 32. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding: he that doth it deftroyeth his own foul. v. 33. A wound and difhonour shall he get, and his reproach fhall not be wiped away. And fo on to the end of the chapter. n Ezra ix 10. And now, O our God, what fhall we fay after this? for we have forfaken thy commandment V. II. Which thou hast commanded by thy fervants the prophets, faying, The land unto which ye go to poffefs it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people,v. 12. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their fons, nor... |
