It will be bitter in your belly!

(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)

"The wages of sin--is death." Romans 6:23

The 'ways of sin' may have popular approval--but they shall also have divine abhorrence marked upon them.

This Delilah may please us for a time--but she will betray us at last!

Though Satan's apples may have a fair skin--yet they certainly have a bitter core!

Methinks the flaming sword in one hand, and the golden scepter in the other hand--should guard us from the forbidden tree; and make our hearts like wet tinder to all the sparks of Satan!

Reader, if you behold nothing but pleasure in the commission of sin--you will experience nothing but the most dreadful pain in the conclusion of sin! "The wages of sin--is death." All workmen should have their wages; and it is only reasonable that those who employ you--should pay you. But, however you may delight in the works of sin--you will by no means relish the wages of sin! Ah, what wise man would toil so long in sin's drudgery--whose wages are no better than eternal misery!

Though all sins are not equal in their nature--yet all sins are in their very nature, deadly. "The wages of sin--is death." The candle of man's life is blown out--by the wind of his lusts! The corruption of nature--tends to the dissolution of nature. Reader, you began to be sinful--when you began to be mortal. If you had never had anything to do with sin--death could never have had anything to do with you.

It is at that vile enemy, SIN--which God shoots all His arrows!

Sin is like a serpent in your bosom--which stings you! Sin is like a thief in your closet--who plunders you! Sin resembles poison in the stomach; or a sword to the heart--both of which tend to death! Like John's little book--sin may be sweet in your mouth--but it will be bitter in your belly!

The foul dregs--lie at the bottom of the vessel. The golden cup of sin--is filled with the most poisonous ingredients! Sinner, that which is now like a rose flourishing in your bosom--will in a very little time be like a poisoned dagger at your heart!

While such a 'Judas' kisses--he kills! While the ivy twines round the oak--it eats out its sap.

If sin were not so delightful--it would not be so deceitful. Like a cunning angler--sin shows the bait, but conceals the hook! If you, O man, are found nibbling at the bait--you may justly expect the hook! O think, you who now boast in nothing so much as sin--that there is a time approaching, when you will be ashamed of nothing but sin! You will be eternally sinful--but you cannot be eternally joyful. In hell, all that sugar will be melted, in which this bitter pill of sin was wrapped! Hell is too hot a climate--for wanton delights to live in!

The pleasures of sin are but for a season--but the torments of unpardoned sin are of an eternal duration! Death will turn all the waters of pleasure--into blood! The serpent of sensual delight--always carries a deadly sting in its tail! All the blaze of worldly pomp--will soon end in midnight darkness and horror!

It is better to make your lodgings in a bed of snakes--than in the forbidden bed of sinful lusts!

When the pale horse of death goes before--the red horse of wrath follows after! When the sinner's body goes to the worms to be consumed--then his soul goes to hell to be tormented! A wise man knows, that it is far better to forego the pleasures of sin here--than to undergo the pains of wrath hereafter!

"There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed, feasting lavishly every day." What pleasure does Dives now reap in hell, from all the choice banquets he sat down to, on earth? "I am in agony in this fire!" The stench and torment of everlasting burnings--will take away the sweetest perfumes which ever covered sin!