The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venning(v) They witness against oppression and covetousness as very sinful. The stoneshall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it (Habakkuk2.11,12). But what do these strange witnesses say? This: Woe to him...! And Woeto him...! Some men's lands and the furrows of their fields cry against them (Job31.38). Perhaps the poor labouring man who ploughed and reaped has not yetreceived his wages (James 5.4). The gold and silver also, even the canker and rustthereof, the moth-eaten garments also, are a witness against these sins (James5.1-3). The ass rebuked the madness of the prophet when he was hastening afteran evil covetousness (2 Peter 2.15,16).(vi) They witness against the sinfulness of refusing the offers of the Gospel and ofgrace. There is a saying, Who but fools refuse gold when it is offered them? Butthere are such fools as refuse Christ and heaven and happiness when they areoffered them, and will not be entreated to be reconciled that they may be saved.But they are set against the glory of God and their own salvation. Against these thestones of the street and the dust of the apostles' feet bear witness (Luke 19.40;9.5;10.10,11). Indeed there is not a sin which the creation as a whole and in itsvarious parts does not bear witness against. The very dullest and worst-naturedcreatures, the ox and ass have excelled man. Even Dives's dogs had morehumanity than Dives himself, and were witnesses against his cruelty. In short,whatever duties the creatures teach they thus convince of and bear witness againstthe sins which are contrary to those duties, and whatever sins they convince of,they teach the duties contrary to them.(3) The creatures are instruments in the hand of God to punish sinnersThis is another proof by them of the sinfulness of sin. And they do this with greatreadiness, as if they were avenging themselves as well as vindicating God. Witnessthe plagues of Egypt. The four elements have often borne their testimony: fireburnt Sodom; water drowned the old world; the earth swallowed up Korah; and theair has conveyed infection in the time of plague. And the sun, moon and stars havebeen warriors and fought in their courses against sin. The beasts of the field andfowls of the air have done likewise. But I will only hint at these things. There aretwo ways in which they show their displeasure and his, whose creatures they are,against sin in punishing sinners:a. By withdrawing their influences. The heavens shall be brass and the earth iron;the one shall neither rain nor drop dew, the other shall not bring forth fruit{Deuteronomy 28.23; Hosea 2.18,22).b. By acting contrary to their ordinary course and nature. For waters to stand as aheap (Exodus 15.8) and for fire not to burn (Daniel 3) are unusual and unnaturalthings. They do this to witness against the unnaturalness of sin, and both thesewere witnesses against the sin of persecuting God's Israel. On occasions thecreatures continue to bear witness of this kind to this day. They are always bearingwitness, though men do not observe it, which only infers their greater sinfulness.This must suffice for the witness of the whole creation. But notwithstanding allthese witnesses it may be said that we cannot put sin to death without a law, and ifthere is no law to condemn sin, we cannot condemn it. Therefore I shall proceed to77