DISCOURSE XX.

THE CHARACTERS OF SIN.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Romans vi. 21.

IT is of the greatest importance to entertain

proper apprehensions of the evil of sin. Hence the scriptures are so large and particular in describing it. They place it before us in every quality, and express it under every allusion that can rouse our indignation, or awaken our fear and our flight. Witness the language of the apostle. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Behold the enemy. Sin is here arraigned and condemned in all the periods of time: the past, the present, and the future. For the past -here is unprofitableness; for the present→→→

here is disgrace: and for the future, here is hell. Let us then consider sin under these three characters. I. as unfruitful. II. as shameful. III. as destructive.

And, I. The apostle asks, what fruit had ye in those things?—The question implies an undeniable negative, and suggests that sin yields no real benefit, no solid satisfaction. It should be otherwise. Sin ought to produce something, for it costs much. It requires the sinner to wage war with himself, to overcome innumerable difficulties, to make the most expensive sacrifices. Now for a man to labour and toil, to give up all the advantages of religion, to sacrifice his soul, his God, his everlasting welfare, and plunge into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone-for nothing! is hard indeed!

And is not this the case? Read the history of wicked nations, families, individuals.-What does the sinner ever gain or enjoy? What that is valuable and satisfactory?-What that deserves the name of fruit? What, that even corresponds with his own expectation ?-The enemy told Adam and Eve that they should be as Gods when his design was to degrade them below the beasts that perish. And thus we read of the deceitfulness of sin; it attracts by flattery; it destroys by delusion.

It looks on with

blandishing smiles, but conceals the cloven foot; it presents the bait, but hides the hook it talks of liberty and indulgence, but this is only to favour its inroads; once admitted, slavery and desolation spread all around. It promises much, but how does it perform? Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue: though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. Sinful gratifications continue no longer than the actions themselves: for then consequences begin to be thought of: reason ascends the throne and scourges; conscience: awakes and condemns. Nor is it easy for the sinner to creep along to the commission of his crimes unseen by reason, unobserved by conscience, and O! when they are lookers on! -how by their warnings and reproaches do they embitter his enjoyment! He finds nothing of that contentment and pleasure which he looked for. As he returns home, with the stain and sting of sin! he sighs inwardly-" And is "this all? O if this deserves the name of pleasure, how short-lived, how worthless, how "6 mean! O that I had hearkened to the voice "of wisdom and kindness, which said, turn ye "not aside from following the Lord-turn ye not

"aside: for then should ye go after vain things who "cannot profit or deliver: for they are vain.

Suppose now a sinner was compelled to rise and answer this question, truly how has sin advanced your well-being? What has it done for you? What has it done for your connexions, for your bodies, for your souls, for your pro perty, for your reputation? Suppose the swearer was to tell us what he has gained by his oaths; the drunkard by his cups; the sensualist by his uncleanness; the prodigal by his extravagance, his idleness, his evil company; yea, the proud, the envious, the malicious, by indulging their vile tempers? Suppose he was to sum up his expences and his savings; to balance his accounts at the end of a year, of a week, of a day-surely he must find that his gains do not counterbalance his loss, his wages do not reward him for his drudgery, his pleasures do not make him amends for his pains.

Let any one as a man of reason consider his weary steps, his mean condescensions, and compliances; his corroding anxieties, and sus picions; his restless desires, and tormenting fears-when under the dominion of some lust or passion to gain a fancy or a feather, to acquire the opinion of some poor worm, to

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pick up a little shining dust, to enjoy some light unsatisfying and low indulgence-and will he not confess that these things are more than unprofitable and vain? Above all what does a christian think when he reviews these wicked courses? He is able now to judge between sin and holiness. He now clearly sees what the practice of sin obliged him to forego, and compelled him to endure: he now clearly sees that it constrained him to live a stranger to his true interest, that it never allowed him one taste of real joy, or one moment of real peace, that it enslaved him, stripped him, starved him.-Since he has served God, he looks back with painful regret upon every hour he spent in the service of sin: it appears to him an hour of inconceivable loss and injury: and he goes on weeping, and taking shame to himself for the part he has acted.

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And this brings us. II. To consider the disgracefulness of sin. Of these unfruitful things, says the apostle, ye are now ashamed. And well they may; for there is nothing in the world so scandalous as sin. Whatever be a man's station, or office, or abilities, sin de. grades all, and renders him vile. It is not a shame to be obliged to labour; it is not a shame