By their nature, and by the circ.u.mstances that attend them.
Q. What do you mean by their nature?--A. I mean when they are very gross in themselves (2 Chron 33:2; Eze 16:42).
Q. What kind of sins are the greatest?--A. Adultery, fornication, murder, theft, swearing, lying, covetousness, witchcraft, sedition, heresies, or any the like (1 Cor 6:9,10; Eph 5:3-6; Col 3:5,6; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 21:8).
Q. What do you mean by circ.u.mstances that attend sin?--A. I mean light, knowledge, the preaching of the Word, G.o.dly acquaintance, timely caution, &c.
Q. Will these make an alteration in the sin?--A. These things attending sinners, will make little sins great, yea greater than greater sins that are committed in grossest ignorance.
Q. How do you prove that?--A. Sodom and Gomorrah wallowed in all or most of those gross transgressions above mentioned: yea, they were said to be sinners exceedingly, they lived in such sins as may not be spoken of without blushing, and yet G.o.d swears that Israel, his church, had done worse than they (Eze 16:48), and the Lord Jesus also seconds it in that threatening of his, "I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee" (Matt 11:24; Luke 10:12).
Q. And was this the reason, namely, because they had such circ.u.mstances attending them as Sodom had not?--A. Yes, as will plainly appear, if you read the three chapters above mentioned.
Q. When do I sin against light and knowledge?--A. When you sin against convictions of conscience, when you sin against a known law of G.o.d, when you sin against counsels, and dissuasion of friends, then you sin against light and knowledge (Rom 1:32).
Q. When do I sin against preaching of the word?--A. When you refuse to hear G.o.d"s ministers, or hearing them, refuse to follow their wholesome doctrine (2 Chron 36:16; Jer 25:4-7, 35:15).
Q. When else do I sin against preaching of the Word?--A. When you mock, or despise, or reproach the ministers; also when you raise lies and scandals of them, or receive such lies or scandals raised;[9] you then also sin against the preaching of the Word, when you persecute them that preach it, or are secretly glad to see them so used (2 Chron 30:1,10; Rom 3:8; Jer 20:10; 1 Thess 2:15,16).
Q. How will G.o.dly acquaintance greaten my sin?--A. When you sin against their counsels, warnings, or persuasions to the contrary; also when their lives and conversations are a reproof to you, and yet against all you will sin. Thus sinned Ishmael, Esau, Eli"s sons, Absalom and Judas, they had good company, good counsels, and a good life set before them by their G.o.dly acquaintance, but they sinned against all, and their judgment was the greater. Ishmael was cast away (Gen 21:10), Esau hated (Gal 4:30), Eli"s sons died suddenly (Mal 1:2; 1 Sam 2:25,34, 4:11), Absalom and Judas were both strangely hanged (2 Sam 18; Matt 27).
Q. Are sins thus heightened, distinguished from others by any special name?--A. Yes; they are called rebellion, and are compared to the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23), they are called willful sins (Heb 10:26), they are called briars and thorns, and they that bring them forth are "nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned" (6:7,8).
Q. Are there any other things that can make little sins great ones?--A. Yes; as when you sin against the judgments of G.o.d.
As for example, you see the judgments of G.o.d come upon some for their transgressions, and you go on in their iniquities; as also when you sin against the patience, long-suffering, and forbearance of G.o.d, this will make little sins great ones (Dan 5:21-24; Rom 2:4,5).
Q. Did ever G.o.d punish little children for sin against him?--A.
Yes; when the flood came, he drowned all the little children that were in the old world: he also burned up all the little children which were in Sodom; and because upon a time the little children at Bethel mocked the prophet as he was a going to worship G.o.d, G.o.d let loose two she-bears upon them, which tore forty and two of them to pieces (2 Kings 2:23,24).
Q. Alas! what shall we little children do?[10]--A. Either go on in your sins, or remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come (Eccl 12:1).
Q. Why do you mock us, to bid us go on in our sins? you had need pray for us that G.o.d would save us.--A. I do not mock you, but as the wise man doth; and besides, I pray for you and wish your salvation.
Q. How doth the wise man mock us?--A. Thus; "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things G.o.d will bring thee into judgment" (Eccl 11:9).
Q. What a kind of mocking is this?--A. Such an one as is mixed with the greatest seriousness; as if he should say, Ay, do, sinners, go on in your sins if you dare; do, live in your vanities, but G.o.d will have a time to judge you for them.
Q. Is not this just as when my father bids me be naught if I will: but if I be naught he will beat me for it?--A. Yes; or like that saying of Joshua, "If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve"; serve your sins at your peril (Josh 24:15).
Q. Is it not best then for me to serve G.o.d?--A. Yes; for they that serve the devil must be where he is, and they that serve G.o.d and Christ, must be where they are (John 12:26; Matt 25:41).
Q. But when had I best begin to serve G.o.d?--A. Just now: "Remember NOW thy Creator," NOW thou hast the gospel before thee, NOW thy heart is tender and will be soonest broken.
Q. But if I follow my play and sports a little longer, may I not come time enough?--A. I cannot promise thee that, for there be little graves in the churchyard; and who can tell but that thy young life is short; or if thou dost live, perhaps thy day of grace may be as short as was Ishmael"s of old: read also Proverbs 1:24-26.
Q. But if I stay a little longer before I turn, I may have more wit to serve G.o.d than now I have, may I not?--A. If thou stayest longer, thou wilt have more sin, and perhaps less wit: for the bigger sinner, the bigger fool (Prov 1:22).
Q. If I serve G.o.d sometimes, and my sin sometimes, how then?--A.
"No man can serve two masters." Thou canst not serve G.o.d and thy sins (Matt 6:24). G.o.d saith, "My Son, give me thine heart" (Prov 23:26). Also thy soul and body are his; but the double-minded man is forbidden to think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (1 Cor 6:20; James 1:7,8).
Q. Do you find many such little children as I am, serve G.o.d?--A.
Not many; yet some I do, Samuel served him being a child (1 Sam 3:1). When Josiah was young he began to seek after the G.o.d of his father David (2 Chron 34:3). And how kindly did our Lord Jesus take it, to see the little children run tripping before him, and crying, Hosannah to the Son of David? (Matt 21:15,16).
Q. Then I am not like to have many companions if I thus young begin to serve G.o.d, am I?--A. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it"
(Matt 7:14). Yet some companions thou wilt have. David counted himself a companion of all them that love G.o.d"s testimonies (Psa 119:63). All the G.o.dly, though grey-headed, will be thy companions; yea, and thou shalt have either one or more of the angels of G.o.d in heaven to attend on, and minister for thee (Matt 18:10).
Q. But I am like to be slighted, and despised by other little children, if I begin already to serve G.o.d, am I not?--A. If children be so rude as to mock the prophets and ministers of G.o.d, no marvel if they also mock thee; but it is a poor heaven that is not worth enduring worse things than to be mocked for the seeking and obtaining of (2 Kings 2:23,24).
Q. But how should I serve G.o.d? I do not know how to worship him.--A.
The true worshippers, worship G.o.d in spirit and truth (John 4:24; Phil 3:3).
Q. What is meant by worshipping him in the spirit?--A. To worship him in G.o.d"s Spirit and in mine own; that is, to worship him, being wrought over in my very heart by the good Spirit of G.o.d, to an hearty compliance with his will (Rom 1:9, 6:17; Psa 101:1-3).
Q. What is it to worship him in truth?--A. To do all that we do in his worship according to his word, for his word is truth, and to do it without dissimulation (Heb 8:5; John 17:17; Psa 26:6, 108:19,20). You may take the whole thus, Then do you worship G.o.d aright, when in heart and life you walk according to his word.
Q. How must I do to worship him with my spirit and heart?--A. Thou must first get the good knowledge of him. "And thou, Solomon my son," said David," know thou the G.o.d of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart" (1 Chron 28:9). Mind you, he first bids know him, and then serve him with a perfect heart.
Q. Is it easy to get a true knowledge of G.o.d?--A. No; Thou must cry after knowledge, and lift up thy voice for understanding.
"If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of G.o.d" (Prov 2:4,5).
Q. How comes it to be so difficult a thing to attain the true knowledge of G.o.d?--A. By reason of the pride and ignorance that is in us, as also by reason of our wicked ways (Psa 10:4; Eph 4:18,19; t.i.tus 1:16).
Q. But do not every one profess that they know G.o.d?--A. Yes; but their supposed knowledge of him varieth as much as do their faces or complexions, some thinking he is this, and some that.
Q. Will you shew me a little how they vary in their thoughts about him?--A. Yes; Some count him a kind of an heartless G.o.d, that will neither do evil nor good (Zeph 1:12). Some count him a kind of an ignorant and blind G.o.d, that can neither know nor see through the clouds (Job 22:13). Some again count him an inconsiderable G.o.d, not worth the enjoying, if it must not be but with the loss of this world, and their l.u.s.ts (Job 21:9-15). Moreover, some think him to be altogether such an one as themselves, one that hath as little hatred to sin as themselves, and as little love to holiness as themselves (Psa 50:21).
Q. Are there any more false opinions of G.o.d?--A. Yes; There are three other false opinions of G.o.d. 1. Some think he is all mercy and no justice, and that therefore they may live as they list (Rom 3:8). 2. Others think he is all justice and no mercy, and that therefore they had as good go on in their sins and be d.a.m.ned, as turn and be never the better (Jer 2:25). 3. Others think he is both justice and mercy, but yet think also, that his justice is such as they can pacify with their own good works, and save themselves with their own right hand (Job 40:14); contrary to these scriptures (Habb 1:13; Isa 45:21).
Q. How then shall I know when I have the true knowledge of G.o.d?--A.
When thy knowledge of him and the holy Scriptures agree.
Q. The Scriptures! Do not all false opinions of him flow from the Scriptures?--A. No, in no wise; it is true, men father their errors upon the Scriptures, when indeed they flow from the ignorance of their hearts (Eph 4:18).
Q. But how if I do not understand the holy Bible, must I then go without the true knowledge of G.o.d?--A. His name is manifested by his Word: the Scriptures are they that testify of him (John 17:6-8, 5:39). And they are able to make the man of G.o.d perfect in all things, and wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 3:15,16).
Q. But what must one that knoweth not G.o.d do, to get the knowledge of G.o.d?--A. Let him apply his heart unto the Scriptures (Prov 22:17, 23:12). "As unto a light that shineth in a dark place,"
even this world, "until the day dawn, and the day star arise in his heart" (2 Peter 1:19,20).
Q. But how shall I know when I have found by the Scriptures the true knowledge of G.o.d?--A. When thou hast also found the true knowledge of thyself (Isa 6:5; Job 42:5).
Q. What is it for me to know myself?--A. Then thou knowest thyself, when thou art in thine own eyes, a loathsome, polluted, wretched, miserable sinner; and that not anything done by thee, can pacify G.o.d unto thee (Job 42:5; Eze 20:43,44; Rom 7:24).[11]
Of Confession of Sin.
Q. You have shewed me, if I will indeed worship G.o.d, I must first know him aright, now then to the question in hand, pray how must I worship him?--A. In confessing unto him (Neh 9:1-3).
Q. What must I confess?--A. Thou must confess thy transgressions unto the Lord (Psa 32:5).