The Hateful Evil of Sin

The hatefull Evil OF SIN, Discoursed of in A SERMON, Shewing that SIN Unrepented of will be bitterness in the Latter END.

*Psalm. 36:2.* He Flattereth himself in his own Eyes, until his Iniquity be found to be Hatefull.

The title of the Psalm shows that it was written by David the servant of the Lord. There are but two Psalms in which he is so styled, and both of them were written after his being anointed King. He had taken up a holy resolution to serve God in whatever capacity he did sustain whether private or public. No man nor creature is capable of a higher advancement than to be accepted as God's servant. To be styled David the servant of the Lord, is a greater honor, than to be styled David the King of Israel.

As for the time when this portion of Scripture was penned, that is not particularly expressed. A judicious expositor has conjectured that David wrote it when Abiather came to him, and acquainted him with what Saul had done in murdering Ahimeleck, and all the priests at Nob. Hence a wicked man is described and characterized from the example of Saul, in the first [illegible] of this Psalm: The transgression of the wicked says within my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes. He seems to intimate that once he had too great a charity for Saul, supposing that he might sin out of infirmity, melancholy, or passion, rather than out of malice; but now he was convinced in his heart and conscience, that Saul was a very wicked man. That he was wholly destitute of the [illegible] fear of God; his murdering the priests of the Lord was an evidence of it. Such actions were done by him as were inconsistent with the fear of God.

As for the words at present to be insisted on, there have been various translations, and so various interpretations of them, which (as not being much to edification) I shall not trouble you with. But as they are before us, two things are affirmed concerning the wicked man. (1.) That he flattereth himself in his iniquity: he is secure notwithstanding the sin he has been guilty of: he pleases himself with vain imaginations concerning his present and future happiness. (2.) The Psalmist affirms that sin will at last appear in other colors before the wicked man than at present it does. It will be found to be hateful. Now iniquity is sweet, but the time shall come when it will be bitter: though at present it appears in false colors, as if sin were a desirable thing, it will in the end of all appear to be a most detestable thing. The DOCTRINE therefore from the words, is, That although sinners may flatter and please themselves with vain imaginations to the contrary, it is certain that sin will at last appear to be a most odious thing.

The particulars contained in this doctrine may be expressed in three PROPOSITIONS, all which are implied in it.

THE END