i. 16. _Cease to do evil._
One of the pretexts by which wicked men endeavour to excuse their
neglect of religion is, that many of the doctrines of the Bible are
mysterious. They are so necessarily, and that they are so is one
proof that the Bible is from God. But however mysterious the
doctrines of Scripture may be, its precepts are plain enough. How
plain is the command of our text! No man can even pretend that he
does not understand it. If he does not obey it, he will not be able
to plead that it is beyond his comprehension. We have--+I. A
universal requirement.+ Certain of the precepts of Scripture concern
only certain classes of individuals (sovereigns, subjects, husbands,
wives, &c.), but this command concerns us all. Your name is written
above it, and it is a message for _you._ +II. A most reasonable
requirement.+ It is wrong that needs justification, not right. The
worst man in the community will admit that he _ought_ to "cease to do
evil." And he _can,_ if he will, not in his own strength, but in that
which God is ever ready to impart to every man who desires to turn
from sin. And not only ought and can men "cease to do evil," it will
be to their advantage to do so. Sin has its "pleasures," but they are
but "for a season," and they are succeeded by pains and penalties so
intense that the pleasures will be altogether forgotten. To exhort
men to "cease to do evil," is to exhort them to cease laying the
foundation for future misery.[1] On every ground, therefore, this is
a most reasonable requirement. +III. A comprehensive requirement.+ It
is not from certain forms of evil, merely, but from evil in all its
forms, that we are required to abstain. "Cease to do _evil!_"[2] Sin
must be utterly forsaken! not great and flagrant sins only, but also
what are called "little sins."[3] These destroy more than great
sins.[4] One sin is enough to keep us enslaved to Satan.[5] +IV. An
imperative requirement.+ This is not a counsel, which we are at
liberty to accept or reject; it is a command, which we disobey at our
peril; a command of One who has full power to make His authority
respected. +V. A very elementary requirement.+ Men who have laid
aside certain evil habits, such as drunkenness, swearing, &c., are
apt to plume themselves on what they have done, and to regard
themselves as paragons of virtue. But this is a mistake. Ceasing to
do evil is but the beginning of a better life; it is but the pulling
up of the weeds in a garden, and much more than this is needed before
"a garden" can be worthy of the name. Those who have ceased to do
evil must "learn to do well."[6]