Sin cleaves to our words
We should likewise be convinced that, as sin remains in our hearts, so it cleaves to all our words and actions. It is to be feared that many of our words are more than mixed with sin, that they are sinful altogether. Such, undoubtedly, is all uncharitable conversation, all talk that does not spring from brotherly love, all talk that does not agree with that golden rule: what you would want others to do to you, do the same to them. Of this kind is all backbiting, all tale-bearing, all whispering, all evil speaking, that is, repeating the faults of people who are absent. For nobody would want others to repeat his faults when he is absent.
How few there are, even among believers, who are not in some degree guilty of this. Who steadily keeps that good old rule, Of the dead and of the absent, nothing but good? And suppose they do. Do they likewise keep from unprofitable conversation? Yet all of this is unquestionably sinful, and it grieves the Holy Spirit of God. For every idle word that people speak, they will give an account in the day of judgment.
Suppose they continually watch and pray, and so do not enter into this temptation. Suppose they constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips. Suppose they train themselves so that all their conversation may be in grace, seasoned with salt, and fit to give grace to the hearers. Do they not still slide, day by day, into useless talk, in spite of all their caution?
And even when they try to speak for God, are their words pure, free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention? Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves? Is it wholly to do the will of God, and not their own will as well? Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they go on looking to Jesus, and talking with him, all the time they are talking with their neighbor?
When they are reproving sin, do they feel no anger, and no unkind temper, toward the sinner? When they are instructing the ignorant, do they not find any pride, any preference of themselves? When they are comforting the afflicted, or stirring one another up to love and to good works, do they never notice an inward self-congratulation: Now you have spoken well? Or any vanity, a desire that others should think so, and esteem them on that account? In some or all of these ways, how much sin cleaves to the best conversation even of believers. The conviction of that is another branch of the repentance which belongs to those who are justified.
1771 text
11. But we should likewise be convinced, that as sin remains in our hearts, so it cleaves to all our words and actions. Indeed it is to be feared that many of our words are more than mixt with sin; that they are sinful all together; for such undoubtedly is all uncharitable conversation: all which does not spring from brotherly love, all which does not agree with that golden rule, What ye would that others should do to you, even so do unto them. Of this kind is all backbiting, all tale-bearing, all whispering, all evil-speaking; that is, repeating the faults of absent persons: for none would have others repeat his faults when he is absent. Now how few are there, even among believers, who are in no degree guilty of this? Who steddily observe the good, old rule, “Of the dead and the absent――nothing but good.” And suppose they do, do they likewise abstain from unprofitable conversation? Yet all this is unquestionably sinful, and grieves the holy Spirit of God. Yea, and for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account in the day of judgment.
12. But let it be supposed, that they continually watch and pray, and so do not enter into this temptation; that they constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips: suppose they exercise themselves herein, that all their conversation may be in grace seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers: yet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all their caution? And even when they endeavour to speak for God, are their words pure, free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention? Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves? Is it wholly, to do the will of God, and not their own will also? Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they go on looking unto Jesus, and talking with him all the time they are talking with their neighbour? When they are reproving sin, do they feel no anger or unkind temper to the sinner? When they are instructing the ignorant, do they not find any pride, any self-preference? When they are comforting the afflicted, or provoking one another to love and to good works, do they never perceive any inward self-commendation, “Now you have spoke well?” Or any vanity, a desire that others should think so, and esteem them on the account? In some or all of these respects, how much sin cleaves to the best conversation even of believers? The conviction of which is another branch of the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 14 in the 1771 Works. Mark 1:15. Dated at Londonderry, 24 April 1767.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.