- be sure your sin:
- If the persons concerned prevaricated, and so imposed on men, or if they afterwards refused to fulfil their engagement, God would most certainly detect and expose their wickedness, and inflict condign punishment upon them. Of all the ways, says Dr. South, to be taken for the prevention of that great plague of mankind, Sin, there is none so rational and efficacious as to confute and baffle those motives by which men are induced to embrace it; and among all such motives, the heart of man seems to be chiefly overpowered and prevailed upon by two, viz. secrecy in committing sin, and impunity with respect to its consequences. Accordingly, Moses, in this chapter, having to deal with a company of men suspected of a base and fraudulent design, though couched under a very fair pretence, as most such designs are, endeavours to quash it in its very conception, by secretly applying himself to encounter those secret motives and arguments, which he knew were the most likely to encourage them in it. And this he does very briefly, but effectually, by assuring them, that how covertly and artificially soever they might carry on their dark project, yet their sin would infallibly find them out. Though the subject and occasion of these words are indeed particular, yet the design of them is manifestly of an universal import, as reaching the case of all transgressors, in their first entrance on any sinful act or course. "Ifª thou doest well,ª° shalt thou not¹ be accepted?ª and if¹ thou doest not¹ well,ª° sinª liethª° at the door.ª And unto¹ thee [shall be] his desire,ª and thou¹ shalt ruleª° over him." {Gen 4:7} + "And Judahª said,ª° What¹ shall we sayª° unto my lord?ª what¹ shall we speak?ª° or how¹ shall we clear ourselves?ª° Godª hath found outª°¹ the iniquityª of thy servants:ª behold,¹ we [are] my lord'sª servants,ª both¹ we,¹ and [he] alsoª with whomªª the cupª is found.ª°" {Gen 44:16} + "Thou hast setª° our iniquitiesª before¹ thee, our secretª° [sins] in the lightª of thy countenance.ª" {Psa 90:8} + "If I say,ª° Surely¹ the darknessª shall coverª° me; even the nightª shall be lightª about¹ me.²" {Psa 139:11} + "Let not¹ an evil speakerªª be establishedª° in the earth:ª evilª shall huntª° the violentª manª to overthrowª [him]." {Psa 140:11} + "Evilª pursuethª° sinners:ª but to the righteousª goodª shall be repayed.ª°" {Prv 13:21} + "Woeª unto the wicked!ª [it shall be] illª [with him]: for¹ the rewardª of his handsª shall be givenª° him." {Isa 3:11} + "Behold,ª the LORD'Sª handª is not¹ shortened,ª° that it cannot save;ª°¹ neither¹ his earª heavy,ª° that it cannot hear:ª°¹ ... But¹¹ your iniquitiesª have¹ separatedª° betweenª you and your God,ª and your sinsª have hidª° [his] faceª from¹ you, that he will not hear.ª°¹" {Isa 59:1-2} + "For¹ our transgressionsª are multipliedª° before¹ thee, and our sinsª testifyª° against us: for¹ our transgressionsª [are] with¹ us; and [as for] our iniquities,ª we knowª° them;" {Isa 59:12} + "Tribulationª andª anguish,ª uponª everyª soulª of manª that doethª° evil,ª of the¹ Jewª first,ª and²¹ also² of the Gentile;ª" {Rom 2:9} + "Thereforeª judgeª° nothingªª beforeª the time,ª untilªª the¹ Lordª come,ª° whoª bothª will bring to lightª° the¹ hidden thingsª of darkness,ª andª will make manifestª° the¹ counselsª of the¹ hearts:ª andª thenª shall every manª haveª° praiseª ofª God.ª" {1Co 4:5}
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