I might give you several reasons. One sin is contrary to God as well as another. There is the same aversion from an eternal good in all things, though the manner of conversion to the creature be differ- ent. Again, one sin is contrary to the law of God as well as another ; there is a contempt of the same authority in all sins. God's command binds, and it is of force in lesser sins as well as greater ; and therefore they that bear any respect to the law of God must hate all sin : Ps. cxix. 113, *T hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love,' God hath given a law to the thoughts, to the sudden workings of the spirit, as well as to actions that are more deliberate ; and therefore, if we love the law, we should hate every lesser contrariety to it, even a vain thought. And all sin proceedeth from the same corruption ; therefore, if we would subdue and mortify it, we must renounce all sin. He that hateth any sin as sin hates all sin, for there is the same reason to hate every sin. Hatred, philosophers say, is to tlie whole kind. A man that hates a toad as a toad hates every one of the kind ; with the same kind of hatred must we hate every sin. Again, one sin let alone is very dangerous. One leak in a ship, if unstopped and neglected, may endanger the vessel. One sin let alone, and allowed and indulged, may quite ruin the soul. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. A man may ride right for a long time, but one turn in the end of his journey brings him quite out of the way. If you do many things, yet, if you commit any sin with leave and license from conscience, you are guilty of all sin : James i. 10, ' Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all,' as one condition not observed, forfeits the whole lease. There is an indenture drawn between us and God, and every article of this covenant must be observed. If we
74 ser:\ions upon titus ii. 11-14. [Ser. Ill,
■willingly give way and allowance to the least breach, we forfeit all the grace of the covenant.
Use 1. Direction what to do in the business of mortification. We must deny all ungodliness, not a hoof must be left in Egypt. Grace will not stand with any allowed sin ; and in demolishing the old build- ing, not one stone must be left upon another.
1. In your purpose and resolution, you must make Satan no allow- ance ; he standeth bucking, as Pharaoh did with Moses and Aaron ; first he would let them go three days into the wilderness ; then he per- mitted them to take their little ones with them ; but they would not go without their cattle, their flocks and their herds also ; they would not leave anything, no not a hoof behind them. So the devil would have a part left as a pledge, that in time the whole man may fall to bis share : 2 Kings v. 18,' In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon ; when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.' We would grant Christ anything, so he would excuse us in our beloved sins. We complain of the times, and set up a toleration in our hearts ; some right hand or right eye that we are loath to part with. Something there is wherein we would be excused, and expect an allowance ; either outward, as in fashions, customs, ways of profit and advantage ; or inward, some passions and carnal affections that we would indulge. Grace will not stand with any allowed sin. Herod did many things, but he kept his Herodias stul. He turneth from no sin that doth not in his purpose and resolution turn from all sin ; he doth not break off an acquaintance with sin, but rather make choice what sin he will keep, and what he will part with. The apostle speaks. Col. ii. 11, of ' putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.' We must not cut off one member or one joint, but the whole body, totuiii corpus, licet non iofaliter, the whole body of sin, though we cannot wholly be rid of it. Dispense not there where Christ hath not dispensed.
2. We should often examine our hearts, lest there lurk some vice whereof we think ourselves free : Lam. iii. 40, ' Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.' Complete reformation is grounded upon a serious search and trial. As those that kept the pass- over were not to have a jot of leaven in their houses, and therefore they were to search their houses for leaven, such a narrow search should there be to discover whatever hath been amiss. Commune with your- selves. Is there not a jot of leaven yet left ? somewhat that God hateth, some correspondence with God's enemies ? Is there nothing left that is displeasing to God ? Thus should we often bring our hearts and our ways and the word together.