Youth's Magazine,  9 (1836), 379–85.

The Deceitfulness of Sin

J F, Tewkesbury

Genre:

Homily

Subjects:

Immorality, Light, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biblical Authority, Instruments


    Likens sin to 'a clear stream of which we seem to see the bottom': '[t]he perspective vision will surely deceive us, and the floods of iniquity assuredly overwhelm us'. Observes that '[s]in has, from its very nature, what may be called a natural affinity for what is in any degree similar to itself; that is, there is not the least offence that can be committed, but increases the enormity of what has been previously accumulated, and imparts to the aggressor a tendency to commit more; just as every particle of mercury added to a globule increases its bulk and enlarges its sphere of attraction'. Compares the way of sin to 'an inclined plane, on which having once ventured' it is difficult to find a stopping place. (381) Observes that sin causes us to estimate time and eternity falsely: 'Perhaps we are not outraging propriety in comparing the word of God to an excellent telescope which brings the scenes of eternity home to our minds; but sin snatches this heavenly glass from our hands, or seeks to invert the faithful instrument, and thus to represent the end of life, which is near at hand, to be far distant, and to throw impending eternity quite out of our view' (383).



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