SERMON II. SIN the SICKNE'S's of the SOUL. LUKE V. 31. And Jefus anfwering faid unto them, they that are whole need not a Phyfician: but they that are fick. T HESE Words were spoken by our Saviour in vindication of one part of his conduct, which the envious Scribes and Pharifees had unreasonably impeached. The Cafe was this. Levi the Publican, or Roman Tax-gatherer, who was also called Matthew, Matth. ix. 9. (and was afterwards an Evangelift and Difciple of Christ, being the fame with him who II. Our SERM. who wrote the Gofpel that goes under his Name) fitting at the Receipt of Custom or Toll-booth, and being called by our Saviour to be a conftant Attendant on his Perfon, immediately left all, rofe up, and followed him, ver. 27, 28. Upon this occafion Levi made a great Feaft at his own Houfe, ver. 29. and invited Jesus and his Disciples, and a great Company of Publicans, and other of his Friends, to the Entertainment. Saviour made no fcruple to mix himself with fuch Company, but accepted the Invitation, and went. And this was the action at which the auftere and over-righteous Pharifees took Offence: Not only that he should come to the Entertaiment, but into such a mixed Company, where there were fo many Perfons of ill Repute. This therefore they readily threw in the Teeth of his Difciples, as a thing fcandalous in their Mafter, that he fhould fo familiarly affociate with Persons, whom they (the Pharifees) industriously fhunned, as the chief of Sinners: Ver. 30. But the Scribes and Pharifees murmured against his Difciples, faying, why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners? In Matth. ix. II. which is the place parallel to this, the Charge Charge is levelled directly againft Chrift SERM. himself; Why eateth your Mafter with Publi cans and Sinners? This Charge (though it was the effect of Malice, yet having fomething plausible and popular in it) he thought himself concerned to answer; and therefore replies in the text and verfe following, They that are whole need not a Phyfician, but they that are fick; I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. The plain Sense and Meaning of which words feems to be this. You "mistake the Cafe, if you imagine that I "chufe Persons of such exceptionable Cha→ "racters for my particular and intimate "Friends. My View in converfing fo freely with them is, that I may have a fairer Op cr portunity of doing them good. I attend "them not as their Companion, but as their Physician. And where should the Phy"fician be but among his Patients? It is "therefore out of Compaffion that I vifit " and converfe with them, rather than with "thofe felf-fufficient and felf-righteous Per"fons, who from a fixed and fond Conceit of "their own Health and Soundness, imagine "that they stand in no need of fuch a PhyVOL. II. C « sician, II. SERM. "fician, for I came not to call the Righteous, "but Sinners to Repentance." II. The Words thus introduced and opened, afford us these two plain Obfervations, which I fhall particularly treat and improve. I. That Sin is the Sickness of the Soul. 1. Sin is the Sickness of the Soul. It is a spiritual Malady which infects, diforders, weakens, and (if not removed) kills the Soul as natural Distempers do the Body. In treating this Observation, I fhall, 2. That it is the Sickness, Difeafe, or Diftemper of the Soul. 3. Make Application of the Subject. I fhall not be fo particular and circumftantial in this difquifition as the Matter will very well bear, (that I may not digress too far from the main Subject) but fhall difpatch it in as plain and concife a Manner as I am able. . II. If we would not then be mistaken in our SERM. Notions of Sin, let us attend to the Definition which the Apostle John gives of it, 1 John iii. 4. Sin is a Tranfgreffion of the Law. In general then, that which in any fuppofable Cafe or Circumftance is a plain and wilful Tranfgreffion of the Law of GoD is undoubtedly Sin, for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin, for I had not known Sin (faith the Apostle) but by the Law, Rom. vii. 7. But this wants a more particular Expli cation. The Law of GOD then is twofold: either natural or revealed; the Law of Reafon and the Law of Revelation: the former is immutable, and written in the Heart of Man: the latter, though more particular and explicit, is in fome Cafes alterable; and hath been delivered to the World by holy Men and Prophets, whom GOD at fundry times, and in diverfe manners, inspired for that purpose. But neither of them does or can contradict the other. Because upon that fuppofition God, whofe Laws they both are, would contradict himself. Now that which is a known and wilful Tranfgreffion of either of these C 2 |