Galatians 6:7–8 cf. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life."

Proverbs 22:8 "He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity;
And the rod of his wrath shall fail."

Psalm 126:5–6 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him."



’T would be a strange and monstrous thing to see
Cherries or plumbs grow on an apple-tree.
Whoever gather’d from the thistle fig’s?
Or fruitless grapes from off the worthless twigs
Of pricking thorns? In nature still we find
All its productions answering to their kind.
As are the plants we set, or seeds we sow,
Such is the fruit we shake, and corn we mow:
And canst thou think, that from corruption’s root
Thy soul shall pluck the sweet and pleasant fruit
Of spiritual peace! Whoever that was wise,
Abus’d himself with such absurdities?
Look what you sow, the very same you’ll reap,
The fruit of what you plant, be sure you’ll eat,
How are they baffled by a subtile devil,
Who hope for heaven, whilst their ways are evil?
Such reasonings here their credulous souls beguile,
At which, in other things, themselves would smile.
Our present acts, though slightly passed by,
Are so much seed sown for eternity.
The seeds of prayers, secret groans and tears,
Will shoot at last into the full-blown ears
Of peace and joy. Blessed are they that sow
Beside these waters, yea, thrice bless’d, that go
Bearing such precious seed: Though now they mourn,
With joyful sheaves they shortly shall return.
Needs must the full-ripe fruits in heaven be good,
When as the seed was glory in the bud.
But oh! the bitter, baneful fruits of sin,
When all the pleasures sinners have therein,
Like faded blossoms to the ground shall fall,
Then they will taste the wormwood and the gall!
What God and conscience now of sin report,
You slight, and with their dreadful threat’nings sport:
But he’ll convince you then your ways are naught,
As Gideon the men of Succoth taught.
If sermons cannot, fire and brimstone must
Teach men how good it is to pamper lust.
When conscience takes thee by the throat, and cries
Now wretch! now sinner! thou that didst despise
My warnings; learn, and ever learning be
That lesson which thou ne’er wouldst learn of me.
The stoutest sinner then would howl and roar,
O sin I never saw thy face before.
Is this the fruit of sin? Is this the place
Where I must lie? Is this indeed the case
Of my poor soul! must I be bound in chains
With these companions? Oh I are these the gains
I get by sin? Poor wretch! I that would never
See this before, am now undone for ever!

~ The Works of John Flavel (Banner of Truth, 1968), 5:125–126.