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THE DANGER OF LITTLE SINS
IT must be confessed, that amongst those who profess a high regard for the Gospel, there are some who speak of it in terms, which, to say the least, have an antinomian and licentious aspect. In their zeal against self-righteousness, they are apt to represent the law as altogether abolished: knowing that we are no longer under the law as a covenant, they express themselves as if we were freed from it also as a rule of life. But we must never forget that the Gospel is a “doctrine according to godliness;” and that “the law, so far from being made void through faith, is established by it.” In the words preceding the text, our blessed Lord had said, that “he came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them: and in the words before us, he teaches us to infer from thence the undiminished authority of the sacred code.
To elucidate his assertions, we observe,
I. That the commandments of God are universally to be obeyed—
It is certain that some commandments are of more importance than others—
[There can be no doubt but that the moral precepts, which are founded in our relation to God and to each other, are of more importance than the positive institutions, which are founded only in the sovereign will of God. Our Lord himself, comparing the divine institution of paying tithes with the exercise of judgment, mercy, and faith, calls the latter “the weightier matters of the law:” though at the same time he determines, “These ought ye to have done; and not to leave the other undone.”
The positive institutions may even be set aside, if they interfere with our discharge of moral duties. A strict observance of the Sabbath is enjoined: but, if a work of necessity or of mercy demand our attention, we are at liberty to engage in it, notwithstanding we thereby violate the sacred rest of the Sabbath: for God has said, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice.”
Indeed, even in the moral law itself, there is a difference between the duties of the first and of the second table; those which relate to God being more important than those which relate to man. Hence our Lord says, that “to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, is the first and great commandment.”]
But the authority on which every one of them stands is the same—
[God is the great lawgiver: and whatever his command be, it is, as long as it is in force, binding upon all to whom it is given. We are no more at liberty to abrogate one than to set aside another. If we allowedly violate any one of them, we do, in effect, violate them all [Note: Jam_2:10-11.]. If any two be absolutely incompatible, the positive precept, as I have observed, gives way, and ceases for the time to be a command. So if two moral precepts such as that of obeying a parent, and of obeying God, be irreconcileable, obedience to God is then of superior and paramount obligation. God himself has assigned limits to man’s authority, beyond which we are not commanded to obey him. Man cannot dispense with any of the divine commandments: they can be repealed by that authority only which first established them. Neither in theory nor in practice are we at liberty to make them void: we must both “do” them ourselves, “and teach” the observance of them to others. We must not add any thing to them, nor take any thing from them. The injunctions which God has given us on this head are strict and solemn [Note: Pro_30:5-6. Deu_12:22.]: and, if we presume to violate them, it is at the peril of our souls [Note: Rev_22:18-19. Deu_27:26.].]
It is intimated that some will both “do and teach” them: which leads us to observe,
II. That an unreserved respect for all of them is characteristic of the true Christian—
Ungodly men have but little reverence for the divine commands—
[The Pharisees of old laid a far greater stress on ceremonial than on moral duties; on “washing pots and cups,” than on cleansing the heart: and they actually made void some of the commandments by their traditions [Note: Mat_23:25-28; Mat_15:3-6.]. The Papists do the same at this day, denying the sacramental cup to the laity, commanding the consecrated wafer to be worshipped, and granting pardons and indulgences to those who are able to pay for them. Would to God that there were no such impieties among Protestants also! It is true, we do not acknowledge any power in the Pope to dispense with the laws of God: but we take the power into our own hands, and deal as freely with the commands of God as ever the Pope himself can do. One commandment is deemed uncertain, another unreasonable, another unnecessary; and all are reduced to the standard which we ourselves approve. As for the penalties with which they are enforced, “we puff at them,” and assure both ourselves and others that they shall never be executed.]
But the true Christian dares not thus to insult his God—
[It is his habit to “tremble at the word [Note: Isa_66:2.].” When once he hears, “Thus saith the Lord,” his mouth is shut; and he sets himself immediately to obey the divine command. Instead of complaining that “any commandment is grievous [Note: 1Jn_5:3.],” he loves the whole law; he accounts it “holy, and just, and good.” He would not have any part of it lowered in its demands on any account [Note: Psa_119:128.]. His desire is rather to have his soul “cast into the very mould of the Gospel [Note: Rom_6:17. the Greek.],” and to be transformed perfectly into the image of his God. His prayer is, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed [Note: Psa_119:80.]:” let me “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God [Note: Col_4:12. 2Co_7:1.]” — — —]
The Christian’s disposition towards the commands of God ought to be cultivated by every one of us, since it is certain—
III. That on such a respect for them depends our everlasting happiness—
Nothing less than this will suffice to prove our sincerity—
[It is allowed, without any great difficulty, that heinous violations of God’s law will affect our eternal state: but smaller transgressions are considered as of but little consequence. But this does not accord with our Lord’s assertions in the text. There we are told that the breach of one single law will be fatal, yea, though it be the least of all the commandments of God. We are not to understand that the unintentional and unallowed defects in our obedience will prove fatal to us: for who then could be saved? but any evil which we allow and justify, or, as the text expresses it, which we “do and teach,” will certainly exclude us from the kingdom of heaven. The text might seem to import that such conduct would only diminish the degree of our happiness in heaven: but our Lord elsewhere warns us, that it will entirely exclude us from heaven; and that our only alternative is, either to part with sin altogether, or to suffer the penalty of sin, eternal death [Note: Mat_18:8-9.].]
But where obedience is unreserved, it will receive a glorious recompence from God—
[That there is no merit in our obedience, is allowed: but that our obedience shall receive a reward of grace, every page of the inspired volume declares — — — The more perfect our conformity to God’s law, and the more energetic our maintenance of its authority have been, the higher testimonies of God’s approbation we shall most assuredly receive; and our exaltation in heaven shall be proportionably “great.” Peculiar sanctity and zeal may subject us to reproach from men; but it will meet with honour from God: for he has said, “Them that honour me, I will honour.”]
Learn then from hence the importance of,
1. A renewed heart—
[The unregenerate heart “neither is, nor can be subject to God’s law [Note: Rom_8:7.].” We “must be born again,” and be “renewed in the spirit of our minds,” before we can truly say, “I delight to do thy will, O God; yea, thy law is within my heart [Note: Psa_40:8.].” — — — Let us then seek to be made “new creatures in Christ Jesus.” Then shall we be prepared both to “do” the commandments ourselves, and to “teach” them to those around us.]
2. A faithful ministry—
[Many, in fact, say unto their ministers, “Prophesy not unto us right things; prophesy unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits [Note: Isa_30:10.].” But to what purpose would it be to comply with their wishes? In what could such ministrations end? “If the blind lead the blind, must they not both fall into the ditch?” On the contrary, if we “do” the whole revealed will of God, as far as we are enabled, “and teach” it faithfully unto others, we have reason to hope that we shall have many to be “our joy and crown of rejoicing” in the last day. Instead of complaining, then, that your minister is too strict either in his life or preaching, be thankful that you have a minister, who desires to live for no other purpose than “to save himself and them that hear him.”]
3. A pure conscience—
[“Who can understand his errors?” says David; “O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.” Truly it is no easy thing to be a Christian. Let us examine carefully whether there be not some secret unsubdued lust within us, some worm at the root of our gourd. If there be, woe unto us; “Except we repent, we shall surely perish.” If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things: but if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God [Note: 1Jn_3:20-21.].” “Then shall we not be ashamed, when we have respect unto all his commandments [Note: Psa_119:6.].”]