The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningimportunity that the harlot prevailed with the young man, who perhaps was goingabout his business and thought no harm until she importuned him (Proverbs 7.13-21).By lying to men in the name of the Lord, as the old prophet did to the young (1Kings 13.18). The Name of the Lord is a great argument, and very taking withthose who fear him. Therefore some false prophets make pretension to it and turnthemselves into Angels of Light, though they are of the Devil. They quote God'sauthority as the Devil had the impudence to do, though falsely, to our Saviourhimself (Matthew 4.3,4). This is a shrewd way of temptation.By using improper language, and offering insults to men. Some men have lavishtongues and can hardly answer without a 'you lie'. Such is their pride and passionthat they answer rudely and give such ill language as would anger a saint, as thesaying is. People of quality and honour who are used to, and deserve civility willnot bear such provoking words; they will not take them except on the point of theirrapiers and return them to the giver's throat. Great sins are committed from suchbeginnings. Therefore Solomon tells us that a soft answer turns away wrath(Proverbs 15.1), as it did in Judges 8.2,3, but grievous and fierce words stir upanger, as they did in 2 Samuel 19.43, compared with 20.1. God will not allowparents to provoke their children to wrath (Ephesians 6.4). As well as ungenerouswords, bad and unbecoming behaviour, abuses and affronts tempt men to sin.when Jacob's sons had deceived and thereby slain the Shechemites--they madethis surly answer as an excuse to their father, 'Should he deal with our sister aswith a harlot?' (Genesis 34.31). It was as if Shechem's sin justified theirs, and theydid well to be angry! They could not put up with such an abuse and dishonour!Therefore, do not use provoking language, to make men sin.(f) By sending others to ensnare and trap them. Those who employ such decoysare in part guilty of their sin; and Christ Jesus called it tempting, when men of thiskind were employed to entangle and ensnare him. The Pharisees sent theHerodians who should feign themselves just men and praise him into a snare andtempt him into a crime against Caesar. They pretend a case of conscience, but ourSaviour says to this sort of men, 'why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?' They who werethus employed sinned, and so did those who employed them--see the story(Matthew 22; Luke 20). There are only too many more things of this kind, by whichwe may occasion other men's sins. But I will add only one more thing.(g) By declaring a thing otherwise than the truth is, by mincing and equivocating.There are more than enough examples wherein good men have been guilty of this.I mention them, that saints as well as sinners may hear and fear and not dowickedly. Abraham prevailed with Sarah to say she was his sister, by whichPharaoh concluded that she was not his wife, and took her. But when God plaguedPharaoh for so doing, he reasoned the case with Abraham, 'what is this that thouhast done to me? why didst thou not tell me she was thy wife? So I might havetaken her to be my wife...' (Genesis 12). He severely expostulated with andupbraided him, and yet Abraham is at it again in Chapter 20, and meets with amore plain and homely rebuke, and is charged with no less than sin by Abimelech,'Thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin. Thou hast done deedsunto me that ought not to be done' (Genesis 20.9). He lays the sin at Abraham's154