The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venning(1) In giving occasion for it beforehand. It may more than probably be said thatsuch sins would not have been committed but for such occasions being given.(a) By neglecting what might and ought to be done for its prevention. He who,when he can and ought, does not hinder a sin, contributes to its production, aswhen men neglect to instruct or teach those who are under their charge, whetherthey are ministers, parents or heads of families (Ezekiel 3.17-20). It was theapostle's rejoicing that in this case he was pure from the blood of all men (Acts 20.26,27). Many a child and servant, when they have come to prison and execution,have made this sad complaint, My parents or my master never gave me warning;they never showed me the danger of sin or instructed me in the way of the Lord,the way of righteousness and holiness! Beware of this! And when sin begins to budand blossom, nip it by reproofs and discipline, or else you may be charged with sinas old Eli was (1 Samuel 3.13) Crush the cockatrice while in the egg; dash thebrats against the wall while young! If you are silent or indulgent, children andservants take it for consent and approbation, as men misinterpreted God's holdinghis peace (Psalm 50.21). Inclinations will come into acts, and acts into customs andhabits, if not checked and restrained. But if you thus deal with them early, you mayprevent a great deal of sin; indeed, it is the best proof of your love (Proverbs13.24). And it may be that they will say, as David did to Abigail, 'Blessed be theLord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thyadvice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shedblood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand' (I Samuel 25.32-33). In thesame way someone may say, I would have been an adulterer today, and anothermay say, I would have been a drunkard today, if you had not given me counsel andcorrection; if you had not given me a helping hand, I would have sinned today; oh,blessed be thou of the Lord! Think of it, is it not better to hear them blessing youthan cursing you? Therefore prevent sin all you can.Solon, a heathen, gives good advice, 'Do not spoil your children, lest you weep infuture.' Too many people laugh at their children's cunning shifts, their fibbing andlying; but this laughing may cost you weeping, when you (and before they) are old.It was a law among the Lacedaemonians, that if any of the ancients saw a youngone sinning, and did not reprove him, they should undergo the same punishmentwith the offender.(b) We may occasion other men's sins and be guilty of their crimes, by doingsomething which we ought not to do; thus acting we further other men's sinning. Ifwe are superiors we may do this by way of command. Some men are so wickedthat they command others to be wicked, who are so wicked as to obey theircommands. Absalom commanded his servants to kill his brother Amnon and theyobeyed (2 Samuel 13.28). Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name to certain elders tohire sons of Belial--for so false witnesses are called--that they might accuse Nabothof blasphemy and then stone him to death (1 Kings 21). Indeed, David himself wasguilty of this sin, and therefore it is spoken of as his only sin (1 Kings I5.5). Somehave made laws to command men to sin, as if they should sin cum privilegio andwith authority (Daniel 3.10; 6.7-9). And how many masters command theirservants to say they are not at home when they are, and to commend theircommodity for one of the best no matter how bad it is, and to do that which it isnot lawful to do on the Sabbath day. Now, since poor servants are under awe and152