There must be a hatred and loathing of sin in our confessions. We must confess it with all the circumstances, the time when, and
place where. We must aggravate our offences, as David did: 'Against thee
have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight;' Psalm 51:4; and as the apostle:
'I was a blasphemer, I was a persecutor,' I was thus and thus. He did not extenuate his sin, and say, the rulers commanded me so to do; but, 'I persecuted the church' out of the wickedness of mine own heart. A true
Christian will not hide his sins, but lay them open, the more to abase himself before God. This aggravating of our sins will make them more vile
unto us, and us more humble in the sight of them. True reformation of
life is ever joined with an indignation of all sin, there is such a contrariety
in the nature of a child of God against all evil.
[1.] We should therefore first hate sin universally; not one sin, but
every kind of sin, and that most of all which most rules in us, and which
is most prevalent in our own hearts. A sincere Christian hates sin in
himself most. We must not hate that in another which we cherish in
ourselves.
[2.] We should hate sin the more, the nearer it comes to us, in our children
and friends, or any other way. It was David's fault to let Absalom his son
go unreproved in his wicked practices, and Eli for not correcting his sons.
We see what came of it, even their utter overthrow.
[3.] He that truly hates sin will not think much to be admonished and
reproved when he errs. A man that hath a bad plant in his ground, that
will eat out the heart of it, will not hate another that shall discover such an
evil to him; so if any one shall reprove thee for this or that sin, and thou
hate him for it, it is a sign corruption is sweet to thee.
- Richard Sibbes (Josiah's Reformation, Sermon 2)
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