An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

If their sins be but slips, the Lord will make them know what they have done.

But there seemeth to be a great aggravation in the Text, upon these transgressions, which more than intimates that they are no small ones; for 'tis added, And their transgressions, That they have exceeded.

Some read the words in the Present Tense, or time, He showeth them their transgressions, when they exceed or prevail: As if the meaning were, God doth not suffer the sins of righteous persons to grow too potent and prevalent upon them, but takes them in time, and •ips their sins in the bud, when he sees they begin to ⟨p. 227⟩grow strong upon them, least if let alone, they might be foiled by them, and so fall into open scandal, or be hardly with-drawn from them. It is no easy thing to master and mortify a lust, when once it hath got head, and therefore it is a very gracious work of God, to show a man his sin convincingly, and humble him for it, when he perceives it rising in strength. This is a pious sense and profitable. We read it in the past time, When they have exceeded.

Some read the words in the Present Tense, or time, He sheweth them their transgressions, when they exceed or prevail: As if the meaning were, God doth not suffer the sins of righteous perfons to grow too potent and prevalent upon them, but takes them in time, and •ips their sins in the bud, when he sees they begin to ⟨p. 227⟩grow strong upon them, least if let alone, they might be foyled by them, and so fall into open scandal, or be hardly with-drawn from them. It is no easie thing to master and mortifie a lust, when once it hath got head, and therefore it is a very gracious work of God, to shew a man his sin convincingly, and humble him for it, when he perceives it rising in strength. This is a pious sense and profitable. We read it in the past time, When they have exceeded.