Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
2 Cor. 5.10.
For we must all appear, before the Iudgment seat of Christ.
WE have handled,
1. The necessity.
2. The universality.
3. The Judge.
4. The manner of judging. This we are now upon. The Word foreign signifieth both to appear and to be made manifest; we may conjoin the senses, we must so appear, as to be made manifest.
1. To appear; that we must all appear, every individual Person. Four things evince that.
1. The Wisdom and the Justice of the Judge.
2. The Power, Impartiality and Faithfulness of his Ministers.
3. The Nature of the business requireth an appearance.
4. The ends of the Judgment.
1. The Wisdom and Justice of the Judge. Such is his wisdom and perspicuity, that not one sinner or sin can escape him, Heb. 4 13. There is not any Creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. This Scripture informeth us of the perfect knowledge of God, as he is a Judge, without which his Judgment cannot be just and perfect; he knoweth all the persons and causes of men that are brought before him. All things in general, and every thing in particular is manifest to him fully, clearly, and evidently discovered to him, Psa. 69.5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. He is neither ignorant of man, nor any thing in man, who must have to do with him, that is to be judged by him. So Jer. 17.10. I the Lord search the heart and try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and the fruit of his own doing. The force of the reason is this: That seeing we must be judged by a most exact, impartial and alknowing Judge, there can be no hope of lying hid in the throng, or escaping and avoiding the Judgment. It concerneth the Judge of the World to do right, which he cannot do, unless all sins and persons be manifest to him, that he may render to every one according to his deeds.
2. The Power, Impartiality and Faithfulness of his Ministers; Who are the Holy Angels. Much of the work of that day is dispatched by the Ministry of Angels, Matth. 24.31. They shall gather the elect from the four winds. In the particular Judgment they have a Ministry; they convey the Souls of men to Christ, Luke 16.22. Carryed by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom. They that carryed their Souls to Heaven, shall be imployed in bringing their Bodies out of their graves. Now this Ministry is not confined to the Elect only, they do not only carry the corn into the barn, but the tares into the furnace, Matth. 13.39, 40, 41. And the reapers are the Angels. As therefore the tares are gathered together, and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this World. The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom, all things that do offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 'Tis the Angels work to separate the wicked from the Godly, to bind up the tares in bundles; that they may be burnt in the fire. They force and present wicked men before the Judge, be they never so unwilling and obstinate. So in the parable of the drag-net, Matth. 13.49, 50. So shall it be at the end of the World. The Angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. There is a mixture unavoidable of good and bad in the Church, but then a perfect separation, by the Ministry of Angels.
3. The nature of the business requireth our appearance: Partly, because in a regular Judgment no man can be Judged in his absence. Therefore in this great and solemn Judgment we must stand as persons Impleaded to hear what is alledged, and what we can say in our defence. David saith, Psal. 130.3. If thou shouldest mark our iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand, that is, appear in the Judgment, so as to be able to make a defence? So, Psa. 1.5. The ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment. That is, the wicked shall not be able to abide the tryal, have nothing to plead for themselves in the day of their final doom. And yet 'tis said, Rom. 14.10. We must all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ. We shall stand and not stand; stand, that is, make an appearance; and not stand, not able to make any just defence. Festus saith, Acts 25.16. It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to dye before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to Answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. This was Jus Gentium, not to give Sentence of capital punishment against any man, till he were fully heard. Their rule was, They condemned no man unheard. Surely there is all right in this solemn Judgment, he that is to be judged is to be brought into the Judgment. When God arraigned our first Parents (which is a Type of the General Judgment.) He called Adam coram, Gen. 3.9, 10. Adam where art thou? He brought him out of his lurking hole where he had hid himself, he must come into his presence and answer.
And partly, because we cannot appear by a Proctor. The Sentence is a Sentence of life and death, and there is no reason or cause of absence, Rom. 14.12. Every one must give an account of himself to God. Now in the day of Gods patience we have an Advocate who appeareth for us, Heb. 9.24. He doth prevent wrath, represent our wants, and recommend our affairs. But now the Judge cometh to deal with every one in person.
4. The ends of the Judgment require our appearance. They are two. 1. The Conviction of the Parties Judged. God will go upon clear evidence, and they shall have a fair hearing. When there was but one that came without a wedding Garment, and he was examined, the man was speechless, Matth. 22.12. When every one is particularly observed and tryed, there is nothing to reply, but glorifying God, Jude 15. 2ly. Satisfaction of the World in the righteousness and justice of Gods proceeding. When every person is arraigned and every work is manifest it cleareth Gods Justice in rewarding his own, and in punishing the wicked and ungodly. 1. It cleareth his justice in rewarding the faithful, they undergo the tryal, and though they have failings, yet for the main their faith is found to praise, and honour, and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.7. When his people come to be Judged, and have been found obedient to his commands, Faithful under tryals, patient under all sufferings and inconveniencies. 'Tis a faith that may be owned before men and Angels. Christ will confess them before God, Men and Angels, Rev. 3.5. So in, punishing the wicked Josh. 7.19. God is glorifyed by the Creatures conviction and acknowledgement, Psal. 51.4. I acknowledge mine iniquity, that thou mayst be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou Judgest. God is justified when the Creature is rewarded according to his own deservings. God overcometh, and we are cast in the plea and suit.
2. The word signifieth to be made manifest. And so importeth, that we must all be manifested or laid open before the Judgment seat of Christ; our persons must not only appear, but our hearts and ways be tryed. 'Tis said, Luke 12.2. There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hid, which shall not be made known. 'Tis brought as a reason against Hypocrisy; the innocency of Gods Servants is beclowded for a while, and the sin of men lyeth hid for a while, but at length all shall be open, hypocrisy shall be disclosed, and sincerity shall be rewarded. So 1 Cor. 3.13. Every mans work shall be manifested. All the ways and works of wickedness, though acted in never so secret a manner, shall be laid open. The Scripture telleth us at the Judgment, Eccl. 12.14. God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. The final doom shall repeal all the Judgments of this life, and repair them abundantly; many things that are varnished with a fair gloss and pretence here, shall then be found filthy and abominable, and many things disguised with an ill appearance to the World, shall be found to be of God, approved and allowed by him. So 'tis said, 1 Cor. 4.5. That Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God. When every mans intentions and purposes, actions and spring of actions shall be displayed, then they that deserve blame shall be discovered, and the sincere and upright Justifyed and commended. Well then, the Scripture shews they shall be made manifest; and when made manifest. In the general there are two places demonstrate it; one is Psal. 50.21. I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thine Eyes. All the ways and circumstances of sin shall be so represented to the conscience, that the sinner shall not be able to deny or excuse, evade, or forget, but ever be vexed with the remembrance of his past folly, and ever see his sins before him, as if fresh committed. The other place is, Rev. 12.12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before the Lord, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the Book of life, and the dead were Judged out of these things which were written in the Books, according to their works. There are Books, and another Book, there is the Book of conscience and the Book of Gods remembrance, Mal. 3.16. In these Books all things are written which belong to the Government and Judgment of the Rational Creature, our good and evil is all upon record, our means and mercies, and our unthankfulness and unprofitableness under them, Jer. 17.1. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond. Not only in their consciences, but before God, Isa. 65.6. Behold it is written before me. God doth not forget, or pass over, but note and remember. Now these Books are opened at the last day; there is not one Book, but Books; the Book of Scripture is opened as a rule, the Book of Conscience as a witness and the Book of Gods remembrance as the notice, or Judges knowing both persons and facts. But more particularly how are we manifested?
1. By the knowledge of the Judge. We may hide our sins from men, but not from God, from the World, and from our selves, but Christ shall perfectly discover them, and bring them forth into the light, and shew themselves to themselves, and to the World, and all their shifts will not serve the turn. God observeth men now, and observeth them in order to judgment, Psa. 33.13, 14, 15, 16. The Lord looketh from Heaven, he beholdeth all the Sons of men from the place of his Habitation, he beholdeth all the inhabitants of the Earth, he fashioneth their hearts alike, he considereth all their thoughts. Though God resides in Heaven, yet he beholdeth all and every of their actions, yea their most secret thoughts. He fashioneth their hearts alike, Sept. One by one. He is the former of their Souls as well as their Bodys, and knoweth the Operations of their hearts as well as their outward actions. Men think otherwise, Ezek. 9.9. They say, the Lord hath forsaken the Earth, the Lord seeth not. When he came to mark the Mourners, and to distinguish them from the Sinners, Psa. 94.7. They say, the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. These are mens Brutish, Atheistical thoughts, and so go, on and are regardless of the Judgment: But then your Judge shall Convince you upon his own knowledge. A Judge is not disabled from being a witness. The Woman of Samaria said, John 4.29. Come and see a man that told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ? Christ knoweth all that men do, and is able to produce their lives by tale and number, even those passages which were most secret; there needeth no proof to our Judge; for all is open and naked before him.
2. The Good Angels may be produced as witnesses; they have an inspection over this lower World, are Conversant about us in all our ways, and are conscious to our conversasations, Psa. 91.11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee, they shall keep thee in all thy ways. Reverence is pressed upon us in Scripture in this respect, Eccl. 5.6. Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, neither say thou before the Angel, it was an errour. All the business is, what is meant by the Angel. There some understand it of the Angel of the covevenant, the Lord Jesus Christ; who is the Searcher of hearts, who will not be mocked, who cannot be deceived. But why not of the Angels in Heaven? Who are sent forth for the good of the Elect, and observe our behaviour, and who stop us in our sins, as the Angel did Balaam, who said, it is an errour. See Numb. 22.34. So 1 Tim. 5.21. I charge thee before the Elect Angels. Surely the Angels observe our actions, they are sent abroad in the World as the spies and intelligencers of Heaven. So they attend upon congregations, 1 Cor. 11.10. For this cause ought a Woman to have power on her head, because of the Angels. In assemblies for worship more Company meeteth then is visible. Devils and Angels meet there; Devils to divert your minds assoon as you begin to be Serious, to Snatch the good word out of your hearts. Angels observe you, therefore there should be no undecency.
3. Devils may accuse men in that day. The Devil is called, The accuser of the Brethren. The Fathers bring him in pleading thus against the Sinner. Domine sit meus per culpam, qui tuus esse noluit per gratiam: I never dyed for him, could promise him no heavenly Kingdom, but a little sensitive pleasure; Ostende tuos tales numerarios, O Christe, &c.
4. Sometimes the Word of God is made to be our accuser, John 5.45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, there is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust: That is, Moses his Law would accuse and Condemn them. Christ needeth not to bring his complaint and inditement against them. And it teacheth us this truth; That where men remain in their Impenitency and unbelief, both Law and Gospel, Gods justice and mercy, our own consciences, the Spirit resisted by them in his moral swasions, Messengers, means, pains taken on them, will all contribute to make up an accusation against a sinner before the Tribunal of Christ. So John 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that Judgeth him; the word that I have spoken shall Judge him at the last day. The word of the Gospel delivered by Christ that will Judge them. Though there were no other witnesses, yet the grace of God in the word will shew their Condemnation to be just, because of their contempt and neglect. Believers or unbelievers may know their doom aforehand by the word. So Matth. 12.41, 42. The men of Niniveh shall rise in Judgment against this Generation, and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here. So, the Queen of the South shall rise up in the Judgment with this Generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the Earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater then Solomon is here. The means that we have injoyed, shall be produced, and aggravate the Judgment against the neglecters and despisers of the Lords grace. There was a greater manifestation of God in Christ than Solomon: A greater confirmation in Christs resurrection and Infusion of the Spirit, than in Jonahs being delivered out of the Whales belly.
5. The ministers of the Gospel. Their diligence and faithful inculcation of the doctrine of life maketh up a part of the Evidence which is produced to convince sinners, Mat. 24.14. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the World for a witness unto all Nations; First to them, and then against them, compared with Mark 13.9. The preaching of the Word will be a witness that men had warning enough, but that they unthankfully neglected their opportunity, and did cast away their own mercies. So Mark 6.11. Shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them. That signified what a crying sin, and what a punishment, did attend them that contemned the Messages of Salvation sent them by God. 'Tis not only a Testimony before God for the present; but compare Mat. 10.14, 15. Shake off the dust of your feet. And it shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of Judgment. This sheweth you are free of their blood, and if there be no other witnesses this dust shall witness it.
6. Conscience its self shall witness against them, and God will discover our selves to our selves, that we shall see the Judgment is just. As long as men have any Tenderness, conscience speaketh now, but by custom in sinning men stop the mouth of it. But when it speaketh not, it writeth many times; for the present it is silent, and seemeth to take no notice of the sins we commit, but they are all registred and they appear legible. The sad story of our lives is all engraven upon the heart, and when God awakneth the Conscience 'tis all sin. God will open our eyes, not by an holy illumination, but by a forced Conviction, Rev. 20.12. The Books were opened, and one of these Books is conscience, and though it be in the sinners keeping, yet it cannot be so blurred and defaced, but our story will be legible enough, and forgotten sins will stare us in the face, Numb. 32.23. And be sure your sins shall find you out. We forget them now, think we shall never hear of them more. But God can make all occur to memory as fresh as if newly committed, and in an Instant represent the story of an ill spent life, and shew us all the thoughts, words, and actions, that ever we have been guilty of. The Paper goeth white into the Printing-house, but within one instant 'tis Marked within and without, and cometh forth stamped with words, and lines, and sentences. Which were no way legible there before.
7. It will be made Evident by the confession of Offenders themselves: As their Consciences will convince them, so their own tongues will accuse them then. As men now in the ravings of despair will vomit up their own shame, as Judas, Mat. 27.4. I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And Jer. 17.9. At his latter end he shall be a fool. Crying out, Oh fool! Oh mad man! So much more then God can easily, and without other Evidence, convince men by themselves, and make them accuse themselves; he can Judge them out of their own mouths, Luke 19.12. Produce evidence against them out of their own thoughts, and pronounce sentence against them out of their own Consciences, Rom. 2.15. Make mens tongues to fall upon them, Psal. 64.8. He can indeed make use of us, and all that is in us for his own Glory, as having power to do with us what he will, and 'tis much for his honour when he maketh us witnesses against our selves.
8. Wicked men shall accuse one another. In the arraignment of Adam and Eve which I take for a notable presignification of the general Judgment, they transfer it upon one another; the man upon the Woman, Gen. 3.12. The woman whom thou gavest to be with me. And The Woman upon the Serpent; The Serpent beguiled me, ver. 13. So those that draw one another into sin or are drawn by them will impeach one another.
9. The Godly will be brought in as one evidence; to make them manifest, par…ly as they endeavoured to do them Good, Heb. 11.7. Noah condemned the World, and the Saints shall Judge the World, 1 Cor. 6.2. Now by their conversations, hereafter by their vote and suffrage. And partly as they might receive good from them: As the Godly relieved, Luke 16.9. And neglected, Mat. 25. As they might have been visited, and cloathed the Loins of the Poor, Blessed, Job. Chap. 31.20.
10. The circumstances of their evil actions, Jam. 5.3. Your Gold and Silver is ca…kered, the …st of them shall be a witness against you. The circumstances of your sinful actions shall be brought forth as arguments of conviction, Hab. 2.11. The stone shall cry out of the Wall, and the beam out of the Timber shall answer it. Though none durst complain of oppressors, yet the materials of their buildings shall witness against them. A kind of Antiphony heard by Gods justice. The stones of the Wall shall cry, Lord we were built by rapine and violence, the beam shall answer, true Lord, even so it is, the stones shall cry, vengeance Lord upon our ungodly owner, and the beam shall answer, woe to him, because his house was built with blood, though all should be silent yet the stones will not hold their peace.
Vse 1. If we must appear so as to be made manifest, Oh then let us take heed of secret …in, and make Conscience of avoiding it, as well as that which is open, for in time it will be laid open Achan was found out in his Sacriledge, how secretly soever he carryed it, Joshua▪ Chap. 7. Ananias and Sapphirahs Sacriledge in keeping back part of what was dedicated to God, Acts 5. Gebazi in affecting a bribe, 1 Kings. 5.26. Went not my spirit with thee? Meaning his Prophetick Spirit. Doth not God see, and will not he require it? Alas we many times make conscience of acts, but not of thoughts, and yet according to Christs Theology, malice is heart-murther, lustful inclinations are heart Adultery, proud Imaginations are heart-Idolatry, and there may be a great deal of evil in discontented thoughts, and repinings against Providence, Psal. 73.22. shall we repent of nothing but what man seeth? Eph. 5.12. It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. A serious Christian is ashamed to speak of what secure persons are not ashamed to practice; if they can hide it from men, the all seeing-eye of God layeth no restraint upon them; uncleanness usually affecteth a vail of Secresy, but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, Heb. 13.4. 'Tis said God will Judge them, because usually this sin is carryed so closely and cra…tily, that none but God can find them out, but certainly God will find them out; none can escape Gods discovery, all things are naked in his sight. Let no man then Imbolden himself to have his hand in any sin in hopes to hide his Counsel deep from the Lord, and his works in the dark, Isa. 29.15. God knoweth the thoughts of the heart afar off; and Psa. 139.2. Whither shall I go from thy presence, and whither shall I fly from thy Spirit? God knew what the King of Assyria spake in his secret Chamber, 2 Kings 6.12. Knew the secret thoughts of Herods heart, which it is probable he never uttered to his nearest friends, concerning the murthering of Christ, Matth. 2.13. But to end this, consider the aggravations of these sins that are secret and hidden, although to be an open and bold sinner is in some respects more then to be a close, private sinner, because of the dishonour done to God, and Scandal to others, and impudency in the sinner himself, yet also in other respects secret sins have their Aggravations.
1. The man is conscious to himself that he doth evil; therefore seeketh a vail, and covering, would not have the World know it; if open sins be of greater infamy, yet secret sins are more against knowledge and conviction: To sin with a consciousness that we do sin is a dreadful thing, Jam. 4.17. You live in secret wickedness, envy, pride, sensuality and would fain keep it close: This is to rebel against the light and to stop the mouth of conscience, which is awakned within thee.
2. This secret sinning puts far more respect and fear upon men than God, and is palliated Atheism. What, unjust in secret! unclean in secret! Envious in Secret! disclaim against Gods Children in secret! neglect duties in secret! sensual in secret! Oh then wicked wretch, thou art afraid men should know it, and art not afraid God should know it. What, afraid of the eyes of man; and not afraid of the Great God? Thou wouldest not have a Child see thee do that which God seeth thee to do. A Thief is ashamed when he is found, Jer. 2. Can man damn thee? Can man fill thy Conscience with terrours? Can man bid thee depart into Everlasting Burnings? Why then art thou afraid of man, and not of God?
3. The more secret any wickedness is, it argueth the heart is more studious and industrious about it, how to contrive it, and bring it about, as David plotted Vriahs death. And Joshua 7.11. They have stolen and dissembled also, and even put it among their own stuff. And, Acts 5.9. How is it that ye have agreed together to Tempt the Spirit of God; In Secret sins there is much Premeditation, and Craft, and Dissimulation used.
2. VSE is, to shew the folly of them who rather take care to hide their sins then get them pardoned.
1. God hath promsed pardon to an open confession of sin, Prov. 28.13. He that hideth his sin shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy. He hath promised it in mercy, but bound himself to perform it in righteousness, 1 John 1.9. If we confess and forsake our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive them. David pleadeth it, Psal. 51.3. Cleanse me from my secret sin, for I acknowledge my transgression. And God doth certainly perform it to his Children. When David said, I have sinned, 2. Sam. 12.13. against the Lord, Nathan said, the Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. And this he acknowledged with thankfulness, Psa. 32.5. I said I would confess, and thou forgavest. This is the right course which men should take, confess their sin with grief and shame, and reformation; we have not our quietus est till this be done.
2. Notwithstanding all this man naturally loveth to hide and cover his sin, Job 31.33. If I have covered my transgression, as did Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom. More hominum; so Junius, Hos. 6.7. They like men have transgressed the covenant. 'Tis in the Hebrew like Adam; or Adams name is mentioned, because we shew our selves to be right Adams race by hiding and excusing our sin: First, From men we hide them, as Saul dealeth with Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.13, 15. Gehazi with Elisha, Ananias and Sapphira with Peter, Acts 5.8. They heap up sin upon sin to hide former sins; this cometh from their pride joyned with some degree of Atheism, they care not how deep they run into Guilt, so they may avoid shame, and infamy. Or else, Secondly, From our selves, A man seeketh to hide his sin from himself out of self love, left their carnal peace should be disturbed, and Sathan letteth them alone, that they may not discover the right way how they may recover themselves out of his snares; and out of love and affection to sin we roll it as a sweet Morsel in our mouth, and hide it under our Tongue, Job 20.12, 13. They are willing to retain it still: As Abraham was unwilling to put away Ishmael, whom he loved, Gen. 21.11. And therefore see not what we do see, loth to find themselves in a state of wrath, or obnoxious to eternal death. Therefore we all need to pray, Psal. 19.12. Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins. There are many secret sins through ignorance, inadvertancy, partiality or self love, not taken notice of. 3dly. From God, which is worst of all. We all desire to hide our sins, and could with they might be unknown unto him, yea endeavour it. Thus Adam hid himself whem God came into the Garden; when he could shift no longger he transferreth his fault upon Eve, and obliquely upon God himself, Gen. 3. And Cain, Gen. 4. beareth it out to God, first with a plain lie, afterwards with a bold answer, Am I my Brothers keeper?
But is there any such disposition in the Children of God? Yes; David kept silence, Psa. 32.3. Moses pleadeth not the main till God toucheth his privy sore: He pleadeth other excuses, but the fear of his life was the main thing. 'Tis an hard thing to bring the soul to deal openly and ingenuously with God, to draw forth the sin with its circumstances, and lay it before the Lord▪ who knoweth it already.
3. This is folly and a degree of Atheism. We can never hide our sins nor our persons, for we must be made manifest at the last day. God cannot be resisted, nor escaped, nor entreated, nor endured; not resisted, Isa. 27.4. Who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in Battle? I would go through them, and would burn them together. No more than Briers and Thorns can resist a devouring flame. Nor escaped, Jer. 25.35. And the shepherd shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the Flock to Escape. So Psal. 139.7. Whither shall I flee from thy presence? You flee from God as a friend to God as an Enemy. Not entreat him, 1 Sam. 2 25. If one man sin against another, the Judge must judge him, but if a man sin against God, who shall entreat for him? Nor endured, Isa. 33.14. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites; who among us shall dwell with the devouring Fire, who among us shall dwell with everlasting Burning? And Ezek. 22.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? Well then, if men will not now draw nigh unto God, God will find them out in their sins, and bring them into Judgment before him. Since he cannot be blinded, nor resisted, our best way is to take hold of his strength, and make our peace with him, Isa. 27.5. Agree with thine adversary while he is in the way. Better come in voluntarily than be dragged by force: Come humbly, as Benhadads Servants with Ropes about their necks, 1 Kings 20.32. David found more comfort in submission to God, than in standing out against him.