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GOD sets your secret sins in the light of his countenance, Psal. 90.8. You can never sin so secretlie, as to hide your sins from God. Study well these Scriptures, Psal. 139.1, to 17, vers. Jer. 23.24. Heb. 4.13. Prov. 5.21. For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pon∣dereth all his goings. Whether your waies are
good or evil, open or secret, they are before the eyes of the Lord, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rectà è regione, right over Gods eyes. He pondereth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He weigheth them in scales; and many of our actions he findeth to be too light. There are some sins so secret that other men might not know them; and some are so secret that a man might not know them himself; as sins of Ignorance, Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errours? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. But no sin can be said to be se∣cret in respect of God; Others see some sin in you, you may see more in your self; But God seeth all: because he is omniscient.
But there ••re many sins which are so secret that we our selves see them not: The causes of this are
But there is no sin can be hid from God, for God seeth the Nature, Number, and Aggravations of secret sins.
Many indeed have vailes for their sins that they may not be discerned by men, but God looks through them: Let me instance in these following sins, that appear to men in the shape of grace, but in the sight of God are manifest sins: Or sins vailed and masked with plausible preten∣ces of good, yet are naked to the sight of God.
1. * 1.2Pride covered with humility; A proud per∣son often appears in the shape of an humble man. In abasing of himself, discommending himself, that another may commend him, crying down himself, that another may cry him up; by dispraising himself he would force and wrest a com∣mendation from other men: But if he discom∣mend himself, do you discommend him too; if he say such a thing was meanly done, if you say, you think so too, a proud man cannot bear it; he cannot hear another say of him what he saith of himself: But this secret pride God seeth.
2. Hypocrisie masked with Zeal; Many seem to be forward in good waies, and zealous in good works; but Self is the end, 2 Kings 10.16. Come see my Zeal, &c.
3. Secret love of the World, covered with pretence of care for their Family; Many have a cloak for the hiding of their covetousness; of which you read, 1 Thes. 2.5. For neither at any time used we flattering words, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; this is seen by God.
4. Secret hatred against mens persons, covered with pretended zeal against mens sins, or covered with plausible expressions of love and amitie. Judas had murdered Christ in his heart, and yet calls him Master with his mouth, and kisseth him, Mat. 26.49. Many have words smoother than oyl, yet have hatred sharper than swords, Psal. 55.21.
5. Vain-glory hidden from men by pretended cha∣rity; Many will do good, relieve the poor, help those that be in distress, but they aime at
esteem amongst men. Matth. 6.1, 2, 3, 4.
6. Self-interest hidden from men by pretence of the good of mens souls, and the glory of God; so a preaching hypocrite may pretend to lay out him∣self for the good of mens souls, and yet may use his Ministry only as a trade to get a living by it.
7. Blasphemous hard thoughts of God, might be hid from men by speaking good words of God.
8. Inward murmurings repinings against Gods Providences, may be hid from men by words of great submission to the will of God.
9. Inward fleshy lustings of heart, and contem∣plative uncleanness, may be kept secret from men by chaste discourse. He may love the presence of a person that is occasion of such secret unclean∣ness, and commit adultery in his heart, and the person not know of it, and the offender speaking chastly all this while: But I warn you in the name of God to strive against these sins, for though they are secret to men, yet God sets them in the light of his countenance. There are three eyes upon you when you are in se∣cret, viz.
1. The eyes of Angels good and bad, and they may see much of your secret wicked∣ness.
2. The eye of Conscience, and this may see more secret sin, than the Angels see in you, the very thoughts of your heart.
3. The eye of God, and his eye seeth more than the Conscience, 1 Joh. 3.20. And this view that God hath of thy secret sins when he sets them
in the light of his countenance hath these four properties.
* 1.3First, It is a clear and distinct view; God seeth all the evil there is in thy secret sin. We have a confused sight of sin, and a dim sight of sin: we see not so much evil in the greatest sin as there is in the least: We see not so much evil in open Prophaneness as indeed there is in a vain thought: But God seeth all distinctly. What a man hath before his eyes, that is a sutable object, at an equal distance, and having a necessary me∣dium he seeth distinctly.
Secondly, It is a full view; As God seeth all the evil in any one secret sin, so he seeth all thy secret sins. Man may know none of them; thou knowest some of them, but God knoweth all. When thou turnest thy back to go into secret to commit sin, Remember then, thou art before Gods face.
Thirdly, It is a constant view; What we have seen with our eyes might be quite razed out of our me∣mories, but not out of Gods knowledge; and when God is said to remember our iniquities no more, it is not to be understood of real Oblivion, but gracious remission.
Fourthly, It is a judicial view; If we speak of the secret sins of an hypocrite or a wicked man, then God sets them in his sight, as a Judge sets before him the crimes of a Malefactor, that they may be read; he accused, convicted, and execu∣ted. If we speak of the secret sins of Gods
people, God sets them before him as a Father doth the miscarriages of his child, not to disin∣herite him for it, but to correct him and cha∣stise him.
These are the properties of Gods viewing our secret sins, and shall not this move thee to watch against them, and abstain from them? Or hast thou not done that in secret in the sight of God, which thou wouldst have been ashamed to do openly in the sight of men? There are six com∣fortable expressions (among others) which the Scripture useth, to set forth Gods free pardon of our sins, viz. That he
There are also six terrible expressions (among others) which the Scripture useth to set forth Gods displeasure against men for sin, viz. That he
If therefore there be any thing in the belie∣ving thoughts of Gods viewing your secret sins, (as doubtless there is very much) be careful that
you abstain from them, and not allow your self in them.
Conside∣rations to watch a∣gainst se∣cret sins. God set∣teth se∣cret sins in the light of his coun∣tenance.
Masked sins dete∣cted.
4 Proper∣ties of Gods view of secret sins.