An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

What pain the Jews travelled in when they Apostatized from God to Idols, Tophet, and the Valley of Hinnon, where they offered their Children in the fire to Moloch, are abundant witnesses. Did God put them to such pain in his service? God called them to offer their Beasts in Sacrifice to him: But they offer their Children in Sacrifice to that abominable Idol. Wicked men live under a hard task-master.

What paine the Jewes travelled in when they Apostatiz'd from God to Idols, Tophet, and the Valley of Hinnon, where they offered their Children in the fire to Moloch, are abundant witnesses. Did God put them to such paine in his service? God called them to offer their Beasts in Sacrifice to him: But they offer their Children in Sacrifice to that abominable Idol. Wicked men live under a hard task-master.

Now besides all these outward pains which either are concomitants, or consequents of wickedness: There is an inward pain far worse then these. Inward pain ariseth sometimes upon the disappointment of his hopes. A wicked man is exceedingly pained with labour in the attaining of his end, but he is much more pained with grief, when he cannot attain his end; he hangs between hope and fear, ⟨p. 91⟩while he is at work (for he that cannot walk by faith to his end, shall meet with fears enough before he comes at it) but when his sense tells him that he cannot come at it, he falls into the gulf of despair. Besides this pain of fear that he shall not, and that of despair, when he cannot compass his designs or ends: He is often afflicted with a fiercer pain then either of these, even with the gripes and gnawings of his own evil conscience for the evil he hath done. This pain follows some wicked men all the days of this life; and it shall be the portion of all wicked men after death. Eliphaz aims at this in the next Verse, while he saith, A dreadful sound is in his ears; there I shall further insist upon it. We have yet another very considerable part of the wicked mans misery held forth in the close of this Verse.

Now besides all these outward paines which either are concomitants, or consequents of wickednesse: There is an inward paine farre worse then these. Inward paine ariseth sometimes upon the disappointment of his hopes. A wicked man is exceedingly pained with labour in the attaining of his end, but he is much more pained with griefe, when he cannot attaine his end; he hangs betweene hope and feare,