The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningsuch grant in the 1st blessing; since sin our appetite has been more carnivorous.Our clothes witness against sin, for in the Hebrew the same word signifiestreachery or prevarication and a garment; the clothes that cover our nakedness tellus that sin despoiled us of better robes, that is, of our innocence. The dust tells usthat, having sinned, we must return to dust. Also the vanity and disappointments,and hence the vexations we meet with from things created, witness against sin.(i) The creation witnesses against atheism (Romans I.20). He that has said in hisheart that there is no God is called a fool by every creature. The very idea of acreature supposes a God, and we may more reasonably argue that there is nothingthan that there is no God. The fact that the creatures are made proves the FirstCause, and who is that but God? It is so clear from the creation, says the apostle--that is, the eternal Godhead--that men are left without excuse (Romans 1.20). Rainfrom heaven is God's witness of his being and of his being good. as the apostleinfallibly concludes (Acts 14.I5-18). Creation and providence. which is creationupheld and continued, are witnesses for God, so that we may say with Job: 'Asknow the beasts and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air and they shalltell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the seashall declare unto thee that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this' (Job 12.7-9). Ifthere is any being, there is a God, says the creation.(ii) The creatures witness against ingratitude. They witness against man's failure toacknowledge how indebted he is to God. Even the dullest among the creatureswitnesses against this (Isaiah 1.3). God upbraids the ingratitude and rebellion ofIsrael with the gratitudes and services that the ox and the ass pay their owners.The rivers of waters return continually to pay their acknowledgments to thefountain-general, the sea (Ecclesiastes 1.7). These waters upbraid those who makeno returns but bad ones to God. They say in effect, what Moses did in words, 'Ofoolish people and unwise, do ye thus requite the Lord evil for good!'(iii) The creatures bear witness against the idleness of man, and the sinfulness ofthat state. Man was not to be idle in paradise, and every man should have a callingto follow and should follow his calling. The apostle says, he that will not labourmust not eat. From idleness comes no good, yet alas how many busy-bodies thereare who do nothing but idle away their days! To these the creatures speak by theirindustry, and Solomon refers the sluggard to the ant to learn (Proverbs 6.6-11). Itis not only, Go to the infidel (for he that provides not for his family is worse than aninfidel); but it is, Go to the ant. Perhaps your wife and children lack certainconveniences, even necessities, while you are idle. Go to the ant, thou sluggard!(iv) They bear witness against ignorance and its sinfulness; against man's failure toobserve divine appointments, and the judgments of God (Jeremiah 8.7-8). Thestork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; the turtle, the crane and theswallow observe the time of their coming, but my people (however wise they thinkthey are) do not know the judgment of the Lord? Though they pretend skill indiscerning the face of the sky, yet they discern not the signs of the times; theyscarcely know what time of day it is, nor that it is the day of their visitation (Luke12.56;19.44)76