Proverbs.

(Samuel Clark, "The Saint's Bouquet" 1641)

"Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach." Proverbs 22:17

Sin is the spawn of the old Serpent, the source of hell, and the vomit of the Devil.

Sin is more hateful to God than the Devil; for God hates the Devil for sin's sake--and not sin for the Devil's sake.

Sin is like a serpent in our bosoms, which cannot live--but by sucking out our life blood.

The conflict of the godly--is with the defilement of sin. But the conflict of the wicked--is only with the guilt and punishment of sin. The godly hate sin--because it has filth in it to pollute the soul. The ungodly fear sin--because it has fire in it to burn the soul.

The deluge of waters which overflowed all the world, washed away many sinners--but not one sin! The world shall one day be all on fire--yet all that fire, and those flames in hell which follow--shall not purge one sin!

All the evils in the world, serve to give names to sin.
Sin is called poison--and sinners, serpents.
Sin is called vomit--and sinners, dogs.
Sin is called mire--and sinners, sows.
Sin is called darkness, blindness, shame, nakedness, folly, madness, death and whatever is filthy, vile, infective, or painful.

A glutton may fill his belly--but he can never fill his lust. A covetous man may have his house full of money--but he can never have his heart full of money. An ambitious man may have titles enough to overload his memory--but never to fill his pride.

The Devil's last stratagem is, if he cannot beat us down to sin--to blow us up with pride.

Nothing will make God's children so pure, as to wash themselves every morning in their tears of repentance.

Without sound repentance, sin is not accounted as the greatest evil--nor Christ as the greatest good.