"neither sin nor death is something that can be freely laid or east aside as a garment is stripped off. No, it penetrates the marrow of the flesh and the spirit. Thus we see that those who despair in trials are consumed by heartache and wasting away. David felt its power and tyranny horribly when he heard from the prophet Nathan the exceedingly sad reproof: “You are the man” (2 Sam. 12:7). Then he exclaimed: “I have sinned against the Lord!” (v. 13), and with his eyes and heart nothing else than sin and destruction is observed. He would have perished at that very moment if the prophet had not immediately added: “You shall not die; the Lord has put away your sin” (2 Sam. 19:13). So great indeed is the power of despair and sin that it exhausts the body together with the soul.
Therefore you should not sin rashly, confident of obtaining God’s pardon; but you should rely on this pardon and find rest in it only when you are in despair. And here the pastor and the ministers of the church should give assistance; and mercy, which is far greater than sin, should be glorified. Thus Nathan raises David from the dead with this consolation when he says: “The Lord has put away your sin from you. What are you doing? Do you want to die in your sins because of this?” Yet for a long time David could not get over it. For a long time afterwards he struggles with the sting and bite of that sin in spite of the fact that it had been forgiven and pardoned. Look at his exceedingly sad complaints in the Psalms, and you see what harm sin does. It is an intolerable burden and plainly the devil’s poison.
Therefore do not smugly do evil in order that good may come. For even though God uses this crime of the brothers of Joseph for the help of many men and many other examples of His mercy are found again and again, there is still danger that those who are without fear will be seized by death and descend into hell before they can flee for refuge to God’s mercy. For this present account also testifies and shows how difficult it is to come to repentance after sinning, and to believe in this help, namely, that to those who acknowledge their sins God is propitious at no cost for His Sons sake."
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