Sin a Sting

By Benjamin Keach

Parallel

I.  Death is like a venomous serpent, that hath a cruel and tormenting Sting, and this Sting is Sin.

II.  The Sting of some serpents, in the flesh, is very painful, it makes such to cry out exceedingly: so such who feel themselves Stung with Sin, cry out, like as those did in Acts 2:36.  The pain and torment of a wounded conscience is intolerable, as many can experience, and the history of Francis Spira abundantly shows.

III.  The venom or sting of some serpents is mortal, it killeth the body: so Sin, that venom of death and the devil, killeth body soul and spirit.

IV.  If a serpent biteth or stingeth any one part, the venom and contagion spreadeth over all the body, and destroyeth the whole man: so the Sting and poison of Sin, which entered by one man’s offence, hath infected and killed all the lump of mankind, Romans 5:15, 18.  Moreover, he that harboureth but one Sin in his bosom, it will destroy his whole soul if this Sting be but in his tongue, it is like the poison of asps, his life must go for it, without speedy help.

V.  No salve or medicine could heal the bodies of those who are stunned with those fiery serpents in the wilderness, till they looked up to the brazen serpent, no physician on earth could cure them: so no work of man can cure the biting of death and the devil, or Sting of Sin, but the venom thereof rageth and reigneth, tormenting the conscience, until the soul looks up by a true and lively faith of Jesus Christ.

VI.  As the Sting of a serpent must be pulled out, before the person stung can be cured; so Sin must be lifted, pulled, or worked out of the heart and life of a Sinner, by the Spirit, before he can be either healed or saved.

VII.  As some serpents cannot hurt when they have lost their Sting, so death cannot hurt a soul, whose Sin is taken away by Jesus Christ.