The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningforbidden, from all kinds and sorts of sins, the enumeration of which would beendless.(a) Watch against that which may be most properly called your own sin, that towhich you are most inclined, and which most easily besets and conquers you. Itwas David's crown of rejoicing, that he had kept himself from his iniquity, 'I wasalso upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity' (Psalm 18.23). Hekept himself not only from that which was charged upon him by others to be hisiniquity in relation to Saul, but as most interpreters take it, that which was the sinof his inclination; as one might say, from the sin of my particular complexion andconstitution, my nature's darling sin. Are you young? Then avoid the sins commonto this age; 'flee youthful lusts' (2 Timothy 2.22) or the lusts of youth. There aresome lusts almost peculiar to youth: (i) ambition, vainglory and pride (1 Peter 5.5),which is most evident in their odd, fantastic dress and eccentric manners, as thattext implies, and especially in not submitting to the elders. (ii) the gratifying of thesensual appetite and carnal inclination. They are much for the lust of the eye and ofthe flesh too, as well as for the pride of life. Ecclesiastes tells us that they are muchset upon pleasure, the young man's favourite (11.9 and 12.1). The prodigal, whowas the younger brother, in this way wasted his estate, his time and himself; hespent all on back and belly, on riotous living. It was a young man whom Solomonsaw going away to her house (Proverbs 7.7) which leads to hell. (iii) Another lust ofyouth is self-conceit, too much proneness to be wise in their own eyes. They thinkold men fools, but old men know that they are fools. Their conceit puffs them upand makes them incapable of instruction and very unteachable-Rehoboam and hisyoung counsellors will save us the labour of giving other examples (1 Kings 12). Itis for this reason that the Apostle would have Titus exhort young men to bediscreet or sober minded. Flee then all these and any other youthful lusts. Make themost haste you can from them; do not only creep or go or run or ride, but flee.Are you old? Hear then, you old men (Joel 1.2). What shall we hear?, you will say.Take heed of the sins and lusts of old age (Titus 2.2). When men are dying andhave one foot in the grave, when they are about to give up the ghost, yet, like thethief on the cross, they will be sinning. Take heed of Solomon's old-age sin, a kindof dotage which suffered him to apostatize (1 Kings 11.3). Be sound in the faith(Titus 2.2). Take heed of the peevishness of old age; be patient, says the text.Take heed of the covetousness of old age; be charitable, says the text. Be fruitfulin your old age, that your latter end may be better than your beginning, and thebetter because, it may be, your beginning was bad. Seek that your last days maybe your best days, and so you may die in a good old age, which may be best donewhen you die good in old age, and are such as St. Paul the aged who had finishedhis course. It is a crown and glory to be an old good disciple, as Mnason was (Acts21.16).(b) Take heed of the sins which men and women are guilty of, as relatives, and asthey stand in relation to one another. Are you a husband or a wife? Beware ofbeing false, or only reigning love. Are you a parent or a child? Are you a master ora servant? Beware of the sins which attend any of the relationships in which youstand. I had, indeed, intended to have detailed the sins, but they are so commonlywritten of and known that I shall forbear, and only suggest the direction andcounsel, which I have often thought may be of great and good use, namely, that143