The Ugliness of Sin (1)

How to discern the ugliness of sin. In what way are we to look upon the ugly thing, sin, to make it uglier to us? Beloved, if we would think right about sin, let us see it in the casting of Adam out of paradise (Gen. 3:23, 24), and us in him. See it in the destruction of the old world, and the Jews carried to captivity, and in the general destruction of Jerusalem. But if you would indeed see the most ugly colours of sin, then see it in Christ upon the cross, see how bitter a thing it was to his righteous soul, sending forth strong cries to his Father, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Mark 15:34). If sin but imputed to Christ as our surety, so affected him who was the God-man, and lay so heavy upon his soul, what will it do to those that are not in Christ? See sin therefore chiefly in the death of Christ. How odious it is to God, that it could be purged in no other way than by the death of his beloved Son. Sin is another matter than we take it to be. We must consider the attributes of God, his anger against sin because of his justice and holiness. Beloved, men forget this. So odious is sin to the holy nature of God, that he left his Son while he struggled with his wrath for it; and so odious was sin to the holy nature of Christ, that he became a sacrifice for the same. So odious are the remainders of sin in the hearts of the saints, that all that belong to God have the Spirit of Christ, who works as fire to consume and waste the old Adam little by little out of them. No unclean thing may enter heaven (Rev. 21:27). Those that are not in Christ by faith, that have not a shelter in him, must suffer for their transgressions eternally, 'Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire’ (Matt. 25:41); so holy is God that he can have no society and fellowship with sinners.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Christ's Sufferings for Man's Sin, Works, vol. 1, pp. 358-59
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