Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Part 5
DIRECTION V.
Watch againſt ſecret ſins.HAth God ſpared you in a time of Peſtilence, then if you would live anſwerable, diligently watch againſt ſecret ſins, and let your ſpecial care be about the hidden and ſecret things in Religious Duties. God hath kept you in his Chambers, Iſa. 26.20. Come my people, enter thou into thy Chambers, and ſhut thy doors about thee; hide thy ſelf as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpaſt. God hath hid you from Judgment in the ſecret Chambers of his Protection, and will you hide your ſins in the ſecret corners of your hearts? Or will you allow your ſelf to ſin becauſe you are in your ſecret Chambers? Or will this be to live worthy of Gods ſecret Protection of you, to commit ſecret ſins againſt God? That you are preſerved this is viſible; all that ſee you walking in the ſtreets know this: But Gods way of preſerving you was not only by viſible means, as Antidotes and Cordials, but by the inviſible Guard of holy Angels, Pſal. 91.10. There ſhall no evil befall thee, neither ſhall any Plague come nigh thy dwelling. Ver. 11. For he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy waies. Ver. 12. They ſhall bear thee up in their hands: leſt thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. The reaſon why you have been preſerved is, becauſe God hath cauſed you to dwell in the ſecret place of the moſt high, and hath made you to abide under the ſhadow of the Almightie, Pſal. 91.1. When the Peſtilence was walking in darkneſs, and the Arrows of the Almightie were ſecretly ſhot and flying abroad, He kept you in the ſecret of his Pavilion, Pſal. 37.5. For in the time of trouble he ſhall hide me in his Pavilion: in the ſecret of his Tabernacle he ſhall hide me, he ſhall ſet me upon a rock. As all viſible means would not have been effectual for your preſervation, without Gods ſecret and inviſible watching over you: So abſtaining only from viſible ſins, and performing only that of duty, which is viſible, will not be a ſutable, nor anſwerable return for this great merciemercy: Therefore my advice unto you is, that as Gods goodneſs to you hath been in a ſecret way of preſervation, ſo your care ſhould eſpecially be about ſecret things, and that in two reſpects.
In abſtaining from ſecret ſins.
In maintaining ſecret duties.
Abſtain from ſecret ſins.Firſt, Be careful to abſtain from ſecret ſins. Do not cheriſh ſins in your hearts and thoughts, though they ſhould never proceed to outward act: For a man whom God hath kept in time of Plague, might be no open Swearer, no viſible Drunkard, nor live in open wickedneſs, and yet might walk unworthy of Gods mercy to him. And here I ſhall anſwer theſe two Queſtions.
1. What are thoſe Conſiderations whereby a man ſhould urge his heart to abſtaine from heart and ſecret ſins?
2. What are the helps and means for inabling of a man to abſtain from heart and ſecret ſins?
Queſt. 1. What are thoſe Conſiderations whereby a Chriſtian ſhould urge his heart to abſtain from heart ſins, and ſecret ſins; not to let into the ſecrets of his heart what he can, by watchfulneſs prevent, and not to allow that which notwithſtanding all his diligence he cannot prevent. For there is great difference betwixt having ſin in the heart, and regarding or allowing ſin in the heart, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me. A Chriſtian may have, yea, cannot in this life but have ſin in his heart, but this (not allowed, but groaned under, and lamented for,) ſhall not hinder the audience of his prayers, nor the ſalvation of his ſoul. But the regarding and allowing of it will prevent both.
Conſiderations to watch againſt ſecret ſins. God ſetteth ſecret ſins in the light of his countenance.SECT. I.
Conſiderations to keep you from ſecret ſins.
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 pondereth all his goings. Whether your waies are good or evil, open or ſecret, they are before the eyes of the Lord, foreign rectà è regione, right over Gods eyes. He pondereth, foreign 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 ſecret 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
1. Imperfection of ſelf-knowledge.
2. Exceſs of ſelf-love.
3. Decei…fulneſs of ſin.
4. Cloſeneſs of ſin.
5. Want of watchfulneſs.
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 pretences of good, yet are naked to the ſight of God.
1. Masked ſins detected.Pride covered with humility; A proud perſon 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 commendation from other men: But if he diſcommend 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 charity; 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 himſelf 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 contemplative uncleanneſs, may be kept ſecret from men by chaſte diſcourſe. He may love the preſence of a perſon that is occaſion of ſuch ſecret uncleanneſs, 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 ſecret, viz.
1. The eyes of Angels good and bad, and they may ſee much of your ſecret wickedneſs.
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.
4 Properties of Gods view of ſecret ſins.Firſt, 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 medium 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 memories, 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 executed. 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 diſinherite him for it, but to correct him and chaſtiſe 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 comfortable expreſſions (among others) which the Scripture uſeth, to ſet forth Gods free pardon of our ſins, viz. That he
Caſts them behind his back, Iſa. 38.17.
Blots them out, Iſa. 43.25.
Caſts them into the depths of the Sea, Mic. 7.19
Remembers them no more, Heb. 8.12.
Will be merciful to our unrighteouſneſs, Heb. 8.12.
Hides his face from our ſins, Pſal. 51.9.
There are alſo ſix terrible expreſſions (among others) which the Scripture uſeth to ſet forth Gods diſpleaſure againſt men for ſin, viz. That he
Writes them in a book, Rev. 20.12.
Seals them in a bag, Job 14.17.
Remembers them, Hoſ. 7.2.
Marks them, Pſal. 130.3.
Will viſit them, Jer. 14.10. and 5.9.
Sets them in the light of his countenance, Pſal. 90.8.
If therefore there be any thing in the believing 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.
SECT. II.
Secreſie is no ſecurity.TO keep you from ſecret ſins conſider, That ſecrecy in ſinning is no ſecurity to the ſinner; This is a conſequent of the former, becauſe God ſeeth you in ſecret, therefore you are not ſafe, though your ſin be ſecret. You may ſecure your credit and reputation awhile, by keeping your ſin ſecret from men, but not your happineſs and ſalvation. While your ſin is ſecret you may not be reproached for it by men, but you ſhall be damned for it by God, if it be allowed and not ſincerely repented of. Many ſhall be openly damned for ſecret ſins. Read Pſal. 64. throughout.
It is a ſign of ſincerity.This will be a notable diſcovery of the ſincerity of thy heart, if thou dareſt not allow thy ſelf in ſecret ſins. An Hypocrites greateſt care is converſant about things viſible and manifeſt, viz. His Converſation, Profeſſion, or Open tranſgreſſions, theſe are viſible.
But the things that are ſecret and hid from the eyes of men, in thoſe he is careleſs and negligent. But a true child of God, though he is not careleſs of his converſation, yet he is eſpecially mindful of his affections, and of the ſecret frame of his heart, and of the ſins that lye lurking within him.
God judgeth not by outward appearances.Conſider, God doth not eſteem of men by what they ſeem to be to others, but by what they really are. God doth not judge as man judgeth; Men judge of the heart by the actions of the life but God judgeth of the actions by the heart. Men judge of that which is ſecret and inviſible by that which is open and viſible, but God judgeth of that which is open and viſible, by that which is ſecret and inviſible, Mat. 23.27. Woe unto you Scribes, Phariſees, Hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited Sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanneſs. Ver. 28. Even ſo ye alſo outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within are full of Hypocriſie and Iniquity. Luk. 16▪15. And he ſaid unto them, ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: For that which is highly eſteemed amongſt men, is abomination in the ſight of God. A man might be applauded for that by men, for which he ſhall be condemned by God. That which might ſet a m…n high in the eſtimations of men, might be an abomination unto God.
To allow ſecret ſin is great …mp…iety.It is hainous Impiety for a man to encourage himſelf to ſin becauſe he is in ſecret. 2 Kings 17.9. And the children of Iſrael did ſecretly thoſe things that were not right againſt the Lord their God.— There are many great ſins wrapped up in this, As,
1. Damnable Infidelity; They believe not God ſeeth them, Pſal. 94.7, 8, 9.
2. Deſperate Security; They hide God from their eyes, and then think they are ſafe.
3. Deep Stupidity; A degree further than the former.
4. Daring Inſolency; It is bold preſumption to ſin before Gods face.
Secret ſins provoke GodSecret ſins do provoke God as well as open ſins; God is not like the ſinner that hath better thoughts of ſin, becauſe it is ſecret: The openneſs of ſin might add ſomething to the eclipſing of Gods glory, and to Gods diſhonour, but it addeth nothing to Gods hatred of ſin, becauſe Gods hatred to ſin, as ſin, is infinite.
And grieve the Spirit.Secret ſins will grieve the Spirit of God; And cauſeth him to withhold his influences from thy heart, and to withdraw his preſence from thy ſoul. As,
1. Secret ſins will cauſe the Spirit of God to withdraw his witneſſing preſence, and to ſuſpend his teſtimony.
2. They will cauſe him to withdraw his comforting preſence, that thou ſhalt not have thoſe joyes that thou waſt uſe to find when thou waſt more careful to watch againſt ſecret ſins.
3. They will cauſe him to withdraw his quickning preſence, that thy heart will be left more dead, and more dull, and thy affections will be more flat and cold.
4. They will cauſe him to withdraw his Aſſiſting preſence; that thou ſhalt not be ſo able to perform duty, to reſiſt temptation, to bear affliction. Thus ſecret ſins will make you great loſers by gr…eving and quenching the Spirit of God.
And deſtroy your peace.Secret ſins will exceedingly diſturb the peace of thy Conſcience, They will make great gaſhes in thy ſoul; they will wound ſurely, they will wound ſ…ely and deeply; They may make thee go with a ſorrowful heart unto thy grave; They may coſt thee many a groan, and ſigh and tear, many a prayer and ſtrong cry to God before thy peace may be reſtored, and thy Conſcience healed, and thy heart bound up. They may be the breaking of thy bones, and thy heart too, that thou mayſt think God is thine enemy.
H…nder grace.Secret ſins will hinder the growth of thy grace; A conſtant courſ… of allowed ſecret ſinning, argues the Nullity of grace; and ſecret ſins, through careleſsneſs … by Gods people, will hinder much the encreaſe of grace. They will be like a froſt to the bloſſom; Like a Worm and Caterpiller to the fruits of the Earth. Secret ſins by experience you will find will much hinder your,
1. Faith; That you ſhall not believe ſo ſtedfaſtly.
2. Deſire; You ſhall not thirſt after God and Chriſt ſo ſtrongly.
3. Love; You will not love God and Chriſt ſo Ardently.
4. Delight; You will not delight in God ſo frequently.
5. Hope; You will not hope for Heaven ſo livelily.
6. Evidences; You will not lay claim to heaven ſo confidently.
And fervent prayer, and prevent audience.Secret ſins will hinder your fervent praying, and will ſtop the Audience of your prayers. They will exceedingly damp your affections at the throne of grace, and make you ſneak in the preſence of God, that you cannot have that liberty and confidence in prayer, becauſe Conſcience will be interlining thy prayers, and ſay, Thou prayeſt againſt this ſin, and yet thou didſt not watch againſt it, but didſt knowingly commit it. They will ſtop thy mouth that thou canſt not ſpeak, and they will ſtop Gods ears, that he will not hear, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
Do harden.Secret ſins will harden thy heart, and make thee more prone to commit open ſins. They will ſtrengthen the evil habit of ſin, and make thee more incline to viſible tranſgreſſions, and increaſe the propenſity of thy heart to greater evils. Thus Judas giving way to ſecret covetouſneſs did ripen the Inclination of his heart more and more to betray his Maſter.
Stop communications of Gods ſecrets▪Secret ſins will ſtop the Communications of Gods ſecrets to thee; There are ſome ſecrets of God, which he doth not communicate to any man in this life, Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong to the Lord our God: but things revealed belong to us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law. But there are ſome ſecrets of God that he doth reveal unto his people, and to thoſe that make conſcience of ſecret ſins, Prov. 3.32. But his ſecret is with the righteous. Pſal. 25.14. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant. The Revealed things of the Goſpel are ſecret things to wicked men; the Goſpel is hid to them, 2 Cor. 4.4. Regeneration is a ſecret to them. Faith in Chriſt is … ſecret to them. The joyes of the Spirit, and the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt are things hidden from them. But if you dare not allow your ſelf in ſecret ſinning, you ſhall have many ſecret Intimations of the love of God unto your ſoul; many ſecret illapſes of his Spirit into your heart.
If you make conſcience of ſecret ſin, you ſhall have an open reward.If you make conſcience of ſecret ſins you ſhall have an open reward. What Chriſt ſaith concerning ſecret duties, Mat. 6.6. But thou when thou prayeſt enter into thy Cloſet, and when thou haſt ſhut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in ſecret, and thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret ſhall reward thee openly. This is true alſo of abſtaining from ſecret ſinnings, God will reward you openly.
In theſe you have leaſt help from others.Be moſt careful againſt ſecret ſins becauſe in theſe thou haſt least help, and leaſt aſſiſtance from others. If thy ſin be viſible, thy friend may reprove thee, and he may help to recover thee. If thy ſin be viſible, thy enemy may reproach thee for it, and that may occaſion thy repentance. But if thy ſin be ſecret, thou wilt not have theſe helps nor occaſions of repentance; and therefore where thou art leaſt capable of advantages and helps from others, therein be the greateſt friend unto thy ſelf.
Thus if you would walk anſwerably for Gods hiding of you in the ſecret of his. Tabernacle in time of danger live not in a courſe of ſecret ſins; and for your help herein I ſhall next proceed to the ſecond Queſtion. viz.
SECT. III.
WHat are the helps and means for the enabling of a Chriſtian to abſtain from heart-ſins, and ſecret ſins.Que. 2. Helps againſt ſecret ſins. God his eye.
1. Fill your mind with actual, believing thoughts of Gods all-ſeeing eye. When you are tempted to ſin in ſecret, conſider God ſeeth you: All the thoughts of your heart, and all the motions of your affections are known to him, 2 Cor. 4.2. But have renounced the hidden things of diſhoneſty, not walking in craftineſs, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifeſtation of the truth, commending our ſelves to every mans conſcience in the ſight of God. Pſal. 139.11. If I ſay the darkneſs ſhall cover me, even the night ſhall be light about me. Ver. 12. Yea, the darkneſs hideth not from thee, but the night ſhineth as the day: the darkneſs and the light are both alike to thee. It is the Atheiſm and Infidelity of mens hearts that encourageth them to ſin, becauſe it is ſecret.
2. E…e judgment to come.Firmly believe, and often think of the judgement to come. Then will God make manifeſt every ſecret thing; The thoughts of the heart ſhall then be revealed. If thou wouldſt not have thy ſecret ſin produced at the laſt day, and publiſhed befo…e all the world, do not commit i…, … 12.14. For God ſhall bring every work i…to …dgmen…, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Rom. 2.16. In the day w… God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Ch…iſt, according to my Goſpel. 1 Cor. 4.5. Therefore …udge working before the time, untill the Lord come, who both ſhall bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the cou…ſels of the hearts, and then ſhall every man have praiſe of God.
3. Deep hatred.Get a deep ro…ted hatred in thy heart to ſin. He that hateth ſin truly will not indulge himſelf in committing ſin ſecretly: For true hatred of ſin will ſet the ſoul with ſtrongeſt oppoſition againſt it, at all times, and all places: Hatred to ſin as ſin, will be to all ſin, whether open or ſecret. He that hates a Toade, will hate it in his Chamber or Cloſet, as well as in the Field; yea, the nearer it is to him (if in his Bed) his hatred is raiſed ſo much the more: and, the nearer ſin is to your heart, the more you ſhould hate it. He that can ſin ſecretly, when he will not openly, it is not becauſe he hates the ſin, but becauſe he hates the diſgrace, which that ſin would expoſe him to before Men.
4. True fear.Poſſeſs thy heart with the true fear of God: Fear of ſhame, and leſſening our eſteem among Men, might keep from open ſins; but the fear of God doth ſteel and Antidote the heart againſt all ſins: When our reſtraint from ſin is terminated in God, it will be a general preſervative againſt all ſorts of ſin.
5. Uprightneſs of heart.Get, and increaſe in uprightneſs of heart; the more of ſincerity, the leſs in ſecret ſinning. Hypocriſie is conſiſtent with a conſtant courſe of ſecret ſin, but ſincerity of heart doth diminiſh the acts and habits of ſin.
6.Deſign Gods approbation. Make it your great deſign to have the approbation of God: He that doth hunt after the commendation of Men, will be good when Men do ſee him; but, he that ſeekes for the approbation of God, endeavours to be good at all times, and in all places: Rom. 2.29. But, he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whoſe praiſe is not of Men, but of God. 2 Tim. 2.15. Study to ſhew thy ſelf approved unto God.
7. Be watchful.Be very watchful over your heart when you are alone: and over your outward Senſes when you are in Company. He that doth not diligently watch, will frequently ſin: there will be many ſecret ſtirrings of Unbelief in your heart, and of Pride, and of Vain-Thoughts, either injected by the Devil, or ariſing from the Corruption in your own heart: A ſecret enemy muſt be watched more narrowly, and ſo muſt ſecret ſins.
8. Suppreſs firſt motions of ſin.Suppreſs the firſt motions of ſin: cruſh this Cockatrice in the Egge: do not dally with ſecret Temptations unto Sin: abſtain from every appearance of ſecret ſins: If you are too much given to contemplative Uncleanneſs, avoid ſuch things as may occaſion it, as beholding of Objects, &c.
9. Senſe of Gods love.Get a deep Impreſsion of Gods kindneſs and mercy into thy ſoul: Many of Gods Mercies to thee are ſecret Mercies, which none can infallibly ſee in thee, but thy ſelf: as Grace, and the love of God ſhed abroad in thy heart: and, let the ſenſe of Gods ſecret love to thee keep thee from ſecret ſinnings againſt God, then wilt thou ſay with Joſeph, when he was tempted to ſecret uncleanneſs, Gen. 39.7, 9, 10. How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God?
10. Secret duties.If you would be kept from ſecret ſins, be much in ſecret duties: He that hath all his duties abroad, will have a neſt of ſecret ſins at home: And this brings me to the ſecond general Head about ſecret Good.
SECTION IV.
Secret duties.SEcondly, Maintain ſecret Duties, and eſpecially mind the ſecret things of Publick Duties: this part conſiſteth of two Branches,
Maintain ſecret Duties.
Minde Secret things in Publick Duties.
I. Keep up a conſtant courſe of ſecret Duties: Be much with God when you are alone: Let not all your Religion lie without doores: eſpecially be much in the Practiſe of theſe four Duties in ſecret.
1. Be much in ſecret Prayer: This hath been the practice of the holy Men of God, ſo Jacob, Gen. 32.24. And Jacob was left alone: and there wraſtled a Man with him, while the breaking of the day. In this you have the Example of Chriſt himſelf, who was much in ſecret Prayer, Ma…. 14.23. And when he had ſent the Multitudes away, he went up into a Mountain apart to Pray, and when the evening w…s come he was there alone. You have ſome ſecret burdens upon your heart, you have ſome ſecret and hidden workings of ſin in your ſoul, which is not convenient for you to expreſs in the hearing of others; take time then to do this when you are alone in ſecret: You have the command of Chriſt alſo for this ſecret duty, as well as his practiſe and example, Mat. 6.6.
2. Be freqent in ſelf-examination in ſecret: When you are alone, be much in converſing with your ſelf, and often in looking down into your own heart, enquiring after the truth of grace, and your growth therein: after the Mortification of ſin, and your growth therein: Pſal. 4.4. Stand in awe and ſin not: commune with your own hearts upon your bed, and be ſtill. Commune with your ſelf, whether you ſet a due valuation upon the meanes of Grace: whether you thrive in holineſs, according to the time and meanes that you have had: Commune with your ſelf, whether your Converſation be ſuitable to your Profeſſion, and, as becomes the Goſpel: whether you are fit to die, and prepared for another World: in your ſecret Chamber commune with your own hearts about ſuch things as theſe.
3. Be much in ſecret Reading of the Word of God: A Worldling, when he is alone, will ſpend much time in Reading over his Writings, his Bonds and Bills, his Leaſes and Acquittances: and, will not you take as much pains in ſecret reading of the Word of God, which are the Writings upon which you muſt both build your Evidences for Heaven, and try them by.
4. Be much in ſecret meditation: When you are alone, let your thoughts be dwelling upon the Life to come, in thinking of your future happineſs; Oh, what Inward warmth may you have, when you are alone, if you would but fill your minde with ſome believing fore-thoughts of the Life to come.
SECTION V.
II. Secret things in Publick duties.MInde ſecret things in Publick Duties: As your preſervation is viſible, but (as I have noted before) the moſt effectual meanes of your preſervation were ſecret and inviſible: you have not ſeen the way that God hath taken in keeping you; he hath ſecretly kept you by his Power; he hath given a ſecret Charge to his Angels over you; So, let your Duties (that God requires ſhould be Publick and Viſible) be ſo: But then, let your principal care be about the ſecret and inviſible things of publick and viſible duties.
The ſecret and inviſible things in publick duties, which we are to mind, are
Good,
Bad.
I will inſtance in ſix of each of them.
Six things in a gr…cious heart in publick Duties, are ſecret and inviſible.
1. The communion that a gracious heart hath with God in publick duties, is ſecret and inviſible: You may hear a Mans Expreſſions, and you may ſee his Tea…es, and he…r his Groanes, but, whether he have true communion with God, is ſuch a ſecret, that none can know but himſelf.
2. The joyes that a Chriſtian hath in publick duties, are ſecret and inviſible joyes: expreſſions of joy and praiſe may be heard, and outward diſcoveries of joy there may be▪ but this joy it ſelf is a ſecret thing: Whether you have indeed true ſpiritual joy in publick duties, none can know but your ſelf.
3. The principle that puts a Man upon publick duties, is a ſecret and inviſible thing: Whether you Pray or Pre…ch, or do any publick duty, out of a Principle of love and fear of God, is ſuch a ſecret, that none can tell but your ſelf.
4. The manner, in which publick duties are performed, is a ſecret and inviſible thing: Whether there be the exerciſe of Faith, and Repentance for Sin, and love to God, and deſire after Spiritual things, is ſuch a ſecret, that by-ſtanders cannot know.
5. The end a Man propounds unto himſelf in publick duties, is ſecret and inviſible: Whether a Duty be done for the glory of God, for the good of others, for the enjoying more communion with God, for more ſtrength againſt ſin, or whether it be for ſelf-intereſt, and carnal ends, is onelyonly known to a Mans own Conſcience: Your duties Men may ſee, but your end they cannot ſee.
6. The peculiar aim and deſign of a gracious ſoul, in publick duties, againſt ſome peculiar ſin, and ſecret corruption, is a ſecret and inviſible thing: a Man may be heard to pray againſt a boſome, darling luſt, but, whether his deſign is to get down the power of this ſin, is onelyonly known unto himſelf. Theſe be the ſix things in publick duties that are ſecret, which you muſt eſpecially labour after in all ſuch duties.
SECTION VI.
Secret evils in publick duties to be avoided.SIx things in publick duties, that are evil, but yet ſecret and inviſible: as there hath been ſome ſecret danger which you have been in, when you have not diſcerned it, and, ſome ſecret infection God hath kept you from; ſo in publick duties (the ſame may be in ſecret duties alſo) there are ſome ſecret evils you are to watch againſt.
1. There may be ſecret unbeliefe lurking in the heart, when a Man in Prayer is pleading particular Promiſes with his mouth: you may hear a man urge the Promiſes of God for removal of evil, for obtaining of good; but, whether he act faith upon theſe Promiſes, or whether there be not in the mean while ſecret unbelief, doubting of the truth of this Promiſe, or eſpecially of the application of it to himſelf, is known onelyonly to himſelf, it is a ſecret to thoſe that joyn with him.
2. Hypocriſie in publick duties is a ſecret thing: Whether your heart be upright and ſincere with God, or falſe and hypocritical, is a ſecret unto others; yea, ſometimes it is ſuch a ſecret that might not be known by a Man himſelf.
3. Inward-heart-Pride in publick duties is a ſecret thing: A Man may be full of ſelf-loathing-expreſſions, and of humble geſtures, and yet his heart might be lifted up with ſpiritual pride, and ſelf admirations, and towring thoughts of his own worth and excellency, and ſuitableneſs and freedom of expreſſion, and a by-ſtander cannot perceive it.
4. Dulneſs and deadneſs of heart in duty is a ſecret thing: A Man might h…ve lively expreſſions in publick Prayers, and ſeeming warmth of affection, and ſuch things that might affect and warm the hearts of others; and yet his own heart be dull and lukewarm, yea qui…e cold in that duty.
5. Wandring thoughts, in publick duties, are ſecret things: A man may uſe the Name of God, and the Attributes of God, and yet his thoughts may be upon ſomething elſe: others may ſee you engaged in the duty, and ſee your outward geſtures, but are ſtrangers to the ſecret wandrings of your mind.
6. The inclination of the heart to ſin, in publick duties, is a ſecret thing: A Man may confeſs ſin, and bewaile it with Tears, and beg for power againſt it, and yet he may have a ſecret inclination of heart to this very ſin, and ſecret purpoſes of heart to keep it, and a ſecret fear, leaſt God ſhould hear his Prayers, which he makes againſt this ſin; Whether you hate that ſin in your heart, which you bewaile with your Tongue, is known onelyonly to your ſelf: and, if indeed you know it your ſelf, it is a good degree of ſelf-knowledge. Thus, as God hath kept you in an inviſible manner, and moſt by inviſible and ſecret means, and preſerved you from ſecret and inviſible danger that you have been in: If you would live in ſome meaſure anſwerably to ſo great a Mercy, you muſt have a ſpecial care of minding the ſecret and inviſible things in Chriſtianity, and abſtain from ſecret and inviſible ſins.