A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 54 (Question 14)
SERMON LIV.
QUESTION XIV.
WHAT is Sin?
ANSWER.
Sin is any want of Conformity to, or Tranſgreſſion of the Law of GOD.
OUR Catechiſm, having taken notice of the woful miſchiefs, which man had do…e to himſelf by Sinning; throwing himſelf from, and ſo loſing that good eſtate in which God made him at the firſt; commora…es upon this ſad contemplation, and calls us to ſtand ſtill and make enquiry, what Sin this is that hath done all this harm, and undo…e mankind? And it muſt needs be ſome fearful thing, which hath produced ſo fearful an effect. We are here therefore invited to take notice of Sin.
I. IN the general nature of it; more particular conſiderations about it will follow afterwards. Here then are two Particulars in the Anſwer to be obſerved,
1. The Rule to which Sin bears a relation, or by which it is denominated; viz. the Law of God.
2. The relation itſelf which Sin bears to this Rule, ſet forth in two things;
1. By way of defect; a want of conformity.
2. By way of exceſs; a Tranſgreſſion. And theſe are the things now to be ſpoken to.
I. CONCERNING the Law unto which Sin hers a relation. The particular treating of it in it's nature, and parts, will follow to be p…ſned afterwards, (when we come to enquire into the duty which God requires of man.) Here only ſo much may be taken notice of concerning it, as may help us in the diſcovery … nature of Sin, which may be gather… up in theſe following Concluſions,
1. The Law of God is that Idea or Platform …ording to which God determined to govern mankind. It is the rule of ſpecial Government. God made all creatures for ſome end, … they were to be led to that end by ſome rule: and every creature hath a rule ſuited to it's nature, according to the wiſdom and pleaſure of Him who is Lord of the creation. Man being a cauſe by counſel, and capable of acting deliberately, and voluntarily, was treated withal in the way of a Covenant, in which he had a work appointed him, and wages promiſed him; now this Law referred to his work, and was the condition of the firſt Covenant. It was that which God revealed to be his will concerning man's duty. He had therefore laid it out in his decree, in which reſpect the Law is an everlaſting rule: for though God did not from Eternity purpoſe, that man ſhould actually obey it; yet it was an everlaſting decree, that it ſhould be man's duty ſo to do, and that he ſhould ſtand or fall accordingly. And hence the judgment ſo paſſeth upon men, Iſai. 19.20.
2. THIS Law was given unto man at firſt for the rule of his bedience. God was pleaſed to reveal it unto man as ſoon as he had made him, to be his ſquare and compaſs; it paſt into a command, it was to tell him what was good, Mich. 6.8. and he was to meaſure himſelf and all his actions by it; he was to do nothing without an eye to it, it was to tell him what was right, what wrong: and he was by precept obliged to keep within the bounds of it, in all his thoughts, words, and deeds; and neither to come ſhort of, nor to go beyond it. Iſai. 8.20. To the law and to the teſtimony: if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them.
3. THE ſubject-matter of this Law, is all that which God bath revealed to man as his duty. There is a law of creation, which was the idea according to which God decreed in himſelf to make the World, and each ſeveral ſorts of Being in it. And there is a law of Providence, according to which he hath determined to manage all the affairs of the World, and every individual creature in it, to the end he hath appointed them; but theſe laws are not the Rule we now ſpeak of. God propoſed them to Himſelf, and they … Wiſdom not this … made of …
4. THE … of …pan… is the reaſ… … Touching the Law given to the Angels. It … to cut … …ſe, … about it. But unreasonable creatures are under a other law or rule, from which they cannot ſwee…e voluntarily and for that … are not capable of f…n…g: … indeed there are … but reaſonable creatures … actively … their rule, a … it … as a commands … are meetly pa…ve; thoſe … underſtand and …. He … it …s ſo … No inter…r loſt of creature … receive this.
5. THE equity of th… Law is … in the good will and … of God. There are ſome who uſe that diſtinction, viz that ſome things, are good breaſt God … that, and other things are … what God …ſe they are …: but we are to remember that God is Good eſs itſelf, and all Goodneſs is fountained in Him. and dervies them Him. The infinite wiſdom of God is inſeparable from his ſovereign will, He therefore by that accommodates his Laws, to the ſtate and deſign; or the creature all of which reſult from his … will … 1. …. 11. It is He who hath make all thoſe corrections of things, which we … in the would, or they had never been, He will therefore is given as the higheſt reaſon of every law: … the …, is that which ſubscribes the warrant, … let… us to diſpute it. And the equity of this founded in the …; God is a great King, creatures we all from him, and owe themſelves to him. … and Lawgiver are jo…ed together, ….
6. … God;s revealing this Law to man, …,
1. Ly… of nature: thoſe inſcriptions …, which are on the hearts are …. Men are therefore … i. e. though they have not the … law yet it is on their natures; and … 17. there conſciences are brought in giving …. This inſcription was at the firſt full a … on ma…s heart, in his ſtate or integr…y; it was co…ally extenſive to his rule; for he was created i… knowlege. But i… fallen man it is much obliterated; and there are but ſome ſcattered fragments, and moth eaten reliefs of it to be obſerved; and theſe ſ… blurted as ſcarcely legible.
2. BY the tranſcript of …. When man had almoſt utterly loſt his rule, God … to of it … the Scripture; where … the law …, which was given to one People, and …, law which was accommodated i… civils, to a People under ſuch a p…r…agogy, there is all to the law m…r…, which was more univerſal perpetual, and …; of which our Saviour lays Mat 5.10, 11. T… not that I am come … verily I joy … you, it … from the law, … be …. And with reſpect to this publication …, is that in M…ch. 6.8. He hath … what is good; and what … my Gods.
7. … goodneſs of this Law appears in the it … of uſe. There was not only an equity i… it, obliging man to the obedience of it, and making him juſtly guilty in ca… …; but there was a goodneſs in it too, with reſpect to man, for whom it was appointed. And therefore that is one of the …p…thets which the Apoſtle put upon it, Rom. 7.12. The commendment is good. And the goodneſs of it for man, was herein to be ſee…, that he was directed by it in the way to live for ever, i. e. to be happy (Iſal. …. 2 Rom. 10. J…w 1.20.) It was neceſſary that man ſhould have a law to frame his life by, without it he could not be happy; he had been in the dath, without light: in a wilderneſs without a way, and ſo muſt have been loſt. Now the ſcope of the rule was to point man to bleſſedneſs; to pleaſe God, and enjoy his ſavour, which is his life.
8. MAN's Obedience properly conſiſted in his … to the …. When in all things be anſwered it, then was be to be eſteemed obdient unto God, then, and only then, when he was juſt as broad in his being and actions as the law; when being laid by it, he neither wont beyond it, nor tell ſhort of it, Iſal 5…. according to this therefore is man to be meaſured in a moral conſideration. And this leads us to the ſecond thing offered us in the anſwer under conſideration, viz.
II. T… relation that Sin bears to this Law. We read in, 1. Joh. 3.4. Whoſoever committed ſin, … alſo the law: for ſin is the trangreſſion of the law. The word, Tranſgreſſion, according to the ſtrict meaning, and vulgar acceptation of it, is ſhort of expreſſing the full ſenſe of the Greek word that is here uſed. The word Anomi…, ſignifies a miſſing the law or rule, yea every miſſing of it: and, if ſo we underſtand the word, Tranſgreſſion, it comprehends the ſubſtance of what is intended. The Engliſh of the word is, a being without l…te. Sin then is a being or doing beſides the rule: it is called a departing, Dan. 9.11. Now this is expreſſed in the Anſwer, both in the defect, and the exceſs the forever whereof relates to the ſins of emiſſion, the latter to thoſe of commiſſion. For our better and more diſtinct u…derſ…an…g of the nature of Sin under theſe expreſſ…s …ſerve theſe things.
1. THAT in every … of the Late, th…e which a neg…t… …d …. O…ie…ce properly co…ſiſts …, …a… n…a… cannot be ſaid truly to …bey, but when …e doth ſomething. Iſal. 56.2. … 2.10. Now it is not every act that a man doth, which is obedience, but only that which is regular. He…ce the command doth two things 1. It prints …o what is to be done; it tells us what is duty, or what are theſe actions, in which we are to obey the pleaſure of God revealed in his word. 2. It ſet …t…s t…ts, by excluding of the oppoſite; it therefore tells us what is not to be done, and how it is not to be done, this is the negative part, a…d the other is the affirmative: and there is no affirmative but hath it's negative; yea, under whatſoever form the precept is delivered, the other is always included. When the law ſaith, Thou ſhalt not kill; it intends, thou ſhalt preſerve the life thou are concerned in. When it ſaith, Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy, it …fies, thou ſhalt not propha…e any part of holy time, &c.
2. HENCE men are liable to Sin two ways, viz. either by not doing, or by doing amiſs; either by neglect of, or by going beſide the rule: the former of theſe is called a Sin of emiſſion, the latter of commiſſion.
Here then,
(1.) A ſin of emiſſion is a want of actual conformity to the low of God: When men neglect, or do not, that which God requires of them by his precept. Whatſoever God bids us to do, we are under a m…ral obligation to do it, and we bring a curſe upon our ſelves by neglecting. Gal. 2.10. Cauſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the late t… do them. And there is as real ſin in not doing what God commands us, as there is in doing of that which he hath forbidden us; and this is actual ſin; becauſe though as to the performance it ſelf, there is rather a not acting, yet there is always an act of the will conſenting to ſuch a neglect; whether it be through ſinful ignorance; or more high handed rebellion. Now this omiſſion reſpects either,
1. THE Heart: When there is not an inward approbation of, and love to the law of God, he cannot receive it. 1. Cor. 2.14. But the natural man …ceiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him: neither as be know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. The command doth not pleaſe men, they do not ſee that beauty, excellency, deſireableneſs in it, which it deſerves to be acknowledged for, and therefore cannot take delight in …t. Rom. 7.22. they look not upon it as a rule of life.
2. THE Life: When men do not their duty which li… upon them, either unto God or unto men; they do not perform the will of God. Though men do nothing, yet they ſin becauſe they are bound to do by precept; a…d therefore God oſtent…nes, in his word, th…eatens men for not doi…g. Many are apt to think, it they ſit ſtill and I trend from act…g… they are o… t…e ſurer ſide; but this is a great miſtake. Why is God's ju…y threat…ed to be pour… out upon th…ſe that … not upon his na…e Jer. 10.25.
(2.) A ſin of com…ſſion is, when men do thoſe things which are againſt or beſide th… L…w. And indeed all that is beſide it is againſt it; becauſe that is a c…mpleat rule for all the actions of men. W…e men act, …ut they do not act by rule, then they do tranſgreſs, i. e, they go beſide the law, it is …. There is nothing that we can co…cern, our ſelves about, but there is a law to direct u…. Though there are things indifferent in themſelves, yet there are no actions of men ultimately indifferent, but are either right or wrong; and there is a direction about the… in the word of God. W…en the law ſaith thus, and men do otherwiſe, they ſin. All actions are as ſo many arrows that are ſh… by men, the law directs to the mark they ſh… be ſhot at, and tells men how they ſh…ld ſh…o… them. All that miſs here do ſin in ſo do …. Now there are Three things in which th… miſſing eſpecially diſcovers it ſelf.
1. WITH reſpect to the matter of th… action. It is then beſides the law, when it thwarts the letter of it. The rule preſcribes the things themſelves which are to be done, the action it ſelf is required of us, not to do this, or to do ſomething elſe beſides i…, is the moſt groſs and appare…t ſinning of all; and this is that only which men can directly and immediately charge upon others, ordinarily.
2. IN regard of the principle from whence the action proceeds. A man may ſai… in his duty, and be guilty before God of ſi…ing againſt Him, in the very action wherein he keep; moſt cloſe to the letter of the law, and others cannot charge tranſgreſſion upon him. We are therefore here to obſerve; that there is an habitual and ſpiritual conformity to the law, which is required of all men; which conſiſts in the Image of God, or that righteouſneſs and true holineſs, from whence our obedience is to fl…w; and this was beſtowed upon man in creation; and he hath loſt it by his own default; but ſtill it is h…s ſin that he wa…ts it; yea the very want of it is part of his original ſin, which is in all men by vertue of the apoſtacy, as will hereafter be made to appear. When therefore men have not a principle of Sanctification in them or do not exert it in their actions, they ſin; becauſe they fall ſhort of the rule, which requires that entire love in every duty that is done by us, which can only commend us to God; …d where it is wanting, all that is done fl…ws from the corruption which is in man, which is enmity to the law of God, and is not, cannot be ſubject. Rom. 8.7.
3. IN the end that it is done for. The law of God is to direct man to his laſt end … it therefore requires man to level his actions right, and let him do never ſo plauſibly, yet it be have a ſi…ter a… in what he doth, he falls ſoul with the command, and comes under the guilt tranſgreſſing it. That is a precept of univerſal influence. 1 Cor. 10.21. Whether therefore ye eat or drinker whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. John therefore ſinned in doing God's command, though he did it with a great deal of zeal, becauſe he aimed at his own politick ends; and not at the glorifying of God. And that is the fault God enargeth upon them about their faſting, Zuch. 7.5. When ye faſted and married in the fifth & ſeventh month, even thoſe ſeventy years, did ye at all juſt unto me, even to me? Any action of ours, which ceaters ſhort of God as the laſt end, is a Sin. And this may ſuffice for the nature of Sin in general.
USE I. LEARN hence what need there is of Preaching the Law, if we deſire that Sinners ſhould be brought to a ſight of their ſin. Some there be who are all for Goſpel preaching, as they pleaſe to call it; he nothing but comforts and conſolations by Jeſus Chriſt, and they like not any other Preachers but ſuch. But we muſt remember that conſolation is …ffe…ed too ſoon to Men, if it come before ſin is diſcovered to them. Jeſus Chriſt came to ſave his People from their ſins; and in order to their coming to Him, ſo as to partake in his Salvation, it is require …at they be convinced of their ſin, and t…r miſery by it, that ſo they may ſeek unto Him for this deliverance: for …les men are whole they ſee not their need of the phyſitian. Now it is by the Law that we come to the knowledge of Sin. Rom. 7.7. What ſhall we ſay then? Is the law ſin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known ſin, but by the law: for I had not know loſt, except the law had ſaid, Thou ſhall not covet. It is true, the law ought always to be diſpenſed with reſpect to the Mediator, elſe it is only to drive men to deſperation; but it is be neglected, and not taught at all, that will be to let men alone in their carnal ſecurity, and ſuffer them to live altogether without apprehending their need of a Saviour.
USE II. THIS will tell us that there is no ſin, that can be of it's own nature little. The Papiſts tell us of trivial ſins, that are next of kin to …o ſi…s; that are ſo ſmall & trivial things, that it is an eaſy matter to obtain pardon for them. Yea practically; who is there that doth not ſhew that he hardly regards ſome ſins; can eaſily commit them, and is not much troubled for them? Well; we are here aſſured that there is no ſin but is a croſſing or thwarting of the holy law of God; it is therefore an act of diſobedience to his command, a riſing up againſt his authority. And remember what God judgeth of all ſin, His law threatens death for every one. Ezek. 18.4. Th… ſoul that ſin…th, it ſhall die. And ſurely that ſin that a man muſt die not is not a little one; for there is no injuſtice with God: the ſentence then is righteous; and let every Sinner think of it ſolemnly, and then call any ſin little again, if he dares … is true, firs …ffer c…rc…mſtantially, and in themſelves; but there is in every ſin a want of that … God which we owe to him, and a … ourſelves againſt a holy …ea, and … rul…, which is given us to guide us i… … great … thereby an expoſing of … ſelves to … …ſt wrath of the Great God.
USE … LEARN … with C… puniſh … …to Etern… … Carnal minds are …nt to enter…a… themſelves with prejudices here and are ready to change God with undue r…g… but it is becauſe thy do not conſider want Sin is. Did men think what a great King God is, and what … things they are; wh… homage they owe … Him: and then remember that every ſ… is a putting themſelves as in direct oppoſition, … holy law, and a righteous God, it would … them to ſilence. This will ſtop all … one day. If we worm, cannot bear … from our fellow worms, how ſhould the … and lofty One, who is in…ely above … take ſuch from us, who are in every … ſtriking at his Glory?
USE IV. HOW careful then … of as be of Sinning. Here is ſufficient … warning to us, to take hee I how we … our ſelves in any Sin. Conſider then, … by Sinning you loſe the great end of your lives, which was to glorify God. Rom. 3.8. For all ha… ſinned, and came ſhort of the glory of God. The law againſt which you … is God's law, and H… ſtands …gaged to … againſt you all the affronts which y… … time offer to it; and how …arful is your haz…d then? By Sinning you directly … poſe God in his very command, and ſet yourſelves to under …ine his honour; and wh… was there reſiſted God and proſpered? … ſin is of a ſeparating nature, it makes … fearful diſtance between God and you. … 59.2. … your inquiries have ſeper… … you and your God, and your ſins have … from you, that he … hear. And there is no reader way to periſh, then to be … of from God. By every Sin you are laying … more wrath for your ſelves. Rom. 2.5. … after thy …ardneſs and impenitent heart, … ſa…ſt up to thy ſelf; wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. And how fearful a trade is thus? Let then all Sinners fly to Chriſt to de… the dominion of Sin in them: and let … learn, to be more watchful over our … and careful in our lives, that we be not … away by our own hearts, Satan's Temprations and the ſnares of the World, to do that … thing which God's Soul hateth.
[AUGUST 8. 1692.]