An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Sin is the punishment of sin: Thy children sinned against him, and he gave them into the hand of their sin;¹ he never goes unpunished for sin, who sins and repents not. Thou, Lord (saith one of the Ancients) hast decreed it, and so it is, That every evil mind is it's own scourge. The Apostle tells us (Heb. 10.31.) that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God: it is indeed; ⟨p. 26⟩and it is as fearful a thing to fall into the hand of deadly sins, or dead works. How dreadful a thing is it to be under the power and tyranny of our own hearts. The committing of sin is worse then the enduring of trouble? The Lord doth not only punish men according to their sins, but he makes their sin their punishment, yea, their sins are their punishers. He puts them into the hand of sin, as into the hand of a tormentor. A Heathen could threaten a wicked man,² thus, His manners shall be his revenge. Holiness carries its reward with it, and though no creature will recompense the good we do, yet doing good is a recompense. In keeping the Commandments of God, there is an exceeding great reward, Psal. 19.11. The act of keeping them is a reward, as well as the issue. A good work is pay enough to the worker. So also is an evil work, Prov. 1.32. The turning away of the simple shall slay him. A simple child, that will not be ruled, counselled or ordered (such Solomon speaks of, Ye simple ones, how long will ye love simplicity? That is, your own foolish, vain ways.) The turning away of such simple ones from the counsel of the wise, shall slay them. The way of sin is death, as well as the end or wages of it. As faith the Proverb of the Ancients (they are the words of David concerning Saul, 1 Sam. 24.14.) Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon him. David knew that Saul was a man so wicked, that he needed no other revenger but his own self, his own sin would bring misery enough upon him: therefore, saith he, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, that is, the punishment of wickedness proceedeth from the wicked man himself. Observe the occasion of those words, it was, when some about David advised him to slay Saul;