Ye reap iniquity

You reap iniquity.

The meaning is this, you have your hearts desire to bring about your own ends, to have what you plowed for. Sometimes men do plow and take a great deal of pains in that which is evil, and God crosses them; but at other times God lets them reap: that is, do you labor for to promote such a thing though it be not according to Gods mind, it may be God will let you have it; well, you plow for it, and you shall have it; and do you bless your self in that? Oh! wo to you, it is a woful harvest that you have, it is a fearful curse for any man or woman for to have their hearts desires satisfied in their sin, it were a thousand times better that your plowing were to no purpose at all, that all your labors and endeavors were quite lost; you are loth to lose your endeavors in the ways of sin, Oh! but it were a thousand times better that your endeavors were all lost than that you should attain that which you plowed for.

But I find the word that signifies iniquity, is used in Scripture to signify, the punishment of iniquity: for the Hebrews have the same word to signify sin, and the punishment of sin.

Or thus, which I think the Holy Ghost has some aim at, you plow (says he) wickedness, and reap iniquity; the plowing was for their false worship, and their reaping was iniquity: I beseech you observe this note further.

That, the fruit of false worship it is the increase of sin in a nation.

You plow wickedness, for so afterwards it is called, the great wickedness; and the fruit of that, it is the increase of much sin, it brings forth a harvest for sin. When men have striven to set up any false worship, and have gotten it up, what is the fruit of it? There grows presently a formality in religion, men have a religion, and yet they enjoy their lusts, for only the true worship of God is that which will not stand with mens lusts, therefore when men set up any kind of false worship, this will be the fruit, there will be a formality in religion, and this will please men exceeding well, for they can live in worldliness, and licentiousness, and this will be the fruit of it. And verily my brethren, this is one main thing, that makes carnal, loose hearts contend so much for a loose kind of worship, that they may have loosness in their ways so much the more: endeavoring for this kind of evil the fruit of it will be the reaping of iniquity.