The Seamans Companion, Sermon 3
THE Sea-mans Preservative IN Foreign Countreys. SERMON III.
Psal. 139.9, 10.
If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea; even there shall thy right hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
IN this Psalm the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God, are the subjects of the Psalmists Meditation; and these Attributes are here promiscuously discoursed, not only because of the near affinity that is betwixt their Natures; but because the one is the demonstration of the other: It is evident God knows all things, because he fills all places. Touching the Omniscience of God, he discovers the infinite perfection of that Attribute by the particular, and exact notice it takes of all our ways. Ver. 3. Thou compassest my paths, and art acquainted with all my ways: Of all our words, Ver. 4. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Yea, of all our thoughts; and that not only in the instant of their conception, but long before they were conceived. Ver. 2. Thou understandest my thoughts afar off, even from eternity. Thus he displays the Omniscience of God. And then to make demonstration of the truth, and certainty of this Doctrine of Gods Omniscience, he proves it from his Omnipresence, q. d. He that fills all things, cannot but know all things. Now Gods presence fills Heaven, yea, and Hell too, Ver. 8. And all parts of the Earth and Sea, even the remotest, Ver. 9, 10. And therefore no Creature, nor action of any Creature, can escape his cognisance. It is not here, as among men; if a malefactor be condemned by the Laws of one Kingdom, he may escape by flying into another; but it is far otherwise here, for, saith the Psalmist, (personating a guilty fugitive indeavoring to make an escape from the arrest of Gods Justice) If I take the Wings of the Morning, and flee into the uttermost parts of the Sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
In which words you have these two things mainly remarkable.
1. The greatest security and incouragement to a sinner supposed.
2. That supposed security and incouragement utterly destroyed.
1. The greatest security and incouragement to a sinner supposed.Alludit ad celerimam radiorum solis excursinem, qui momento ab oriente ad occidentem perveniunt. Calvin. If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea. Where two things seem to offer towards his Protection.
First, The Place; the remotest part of the Sea, by which you are to understand the most obscure nook in the Creation; farthest removed from any inspection or observation.
And secondly, His swift and speedy flight, after the commission of sin, to this supposed Refuge and Sanctuary: It is here supposed, that a sinner should flie as swift as the light of the Sun, which in a moment shines from the East to the West, and so the meaning is, Could I flee with a celerity equal to the Sun, or his Beams of Light; which breaking forth in the Morning, do in an instant inlighten the remotest part of the Hemisphere. Could I as swiftly flee to the most obscure, remote, solitary place in all the World. Thus the sinners security is supposed.
2. This supposed security and incouragement is utterly destroyed.Non accipitur deducere pro viam monstrare; Sed deducet me manus tua tanquam custos captivum sibi commissam deduxit. Vatab. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. The leading hand of God is not here to be understood, as a directing or guiding hand, to shew the fugitive sinner the the way of his escape; but contrarily, Thy hand shall lead me, as a Keeper leads his prisoner back to the place of custody, from which he indeavored an escape. And the following clause is exegetical; Thy right hand shall hold, or detain me. Viz. In strict custody. So that the sum of all, is this.
Doctr. That the whole World affords no place of secrecy or security for a sinner to escape the observing Eye, and righteous Hand of God.
Jonah fled from the Lord to Tarshish; but could he escape so? No, the Lord sent a Storm after him which brought back the fugitive. Jonah 1.3, 4. We read Isai. 29.15. of such as dig deep, to hide their counsels from the Lord. (i. e.) They plot contrive and study to conceal their wicked designs, to sin with greatest secresie and security. But, what can possibly be a covering from him, to whose sight all things are naked and manifest? Where can a sinner be hid from him, whose presence fils Heaven and Earth? Jere. 23.24. The Scripture gives full proof to this great Truth. It is clear from Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. And again, Job 34.21, 22. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings; there is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Who ever goes about to conceal a sin in secret, attempts a foolish and impossible design. Psal. 44.21. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro, through the whole Earth, 2 Chro. 16.9.
Now in the handling of this point, I purpose to shew you.
1. That men are often induced to sin, upon hopes of secresie and concealment.
2. That to sin upon these Encouragements, strongly argues their natural Atheism: They think they are safe, if men know it not; they reckon not upon Gods discovery of them.
3. That these incouragements to sin, are vain things, it being impossible any place can hide a sinner from God; and how it appears, that the Eye of God is, and must needs be upon us, and our actions, where-ever we are, and how closely soever we indeavor to hide them. And then apply it,
First, Men are often induced to commit sin upon the hopes of secresie, and concealment. Sin (especially some kinds of sin) carry so much shame and odium in them, that it restrains men from the open practice of them; but if Satan can perswade them, they shall never be divulged to their reproach, they will venture upon them. See that Text, The eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me, and disguiseth his face, Job 24.15. Reckoning himself secure, if he can carry his wickedness under a vail of darkness, not caring what wickedness he doth, so he may do it undiscerned. It is not the acting of sin, but the discovery of it that puts them into terrors. So it is added with respect, both to the Adulterer, and the Thief. Vers. 17. The morning is to them as the shadow of death, if one know them; they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. i. e. If a man, especially a man in Authority, a Magistrate meet them, it is as if the Image of death passed before them in a vision. So those Idolaters, Ezek. 8.12. Son of man, hast thou seen what the antients of the house of Israel do in the dark; every man in the house of his imagery? For they say, the Lord seeth us not. They conclude all is well, if nothing appear. This incouragement of Secresie is the great argument, by which Satan prevails with men to commit any sin that hath shame or danger attending it. But his promises of concealment are usually made good, as his promises of great wealth are to Witches. This is the incouragement.
Secondly, Next I will make it evident to you, that to sin upon this incouragement argues Atheism of him that commits it. This is plain, for did men believe the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God, such an incouragement to sin as secresie could have no force with them. Thus when the Antients of Israel practised their Idolatry in the dark, it is plain they thought God saw them not. Ezek. 8.12. For they say, the Lord seeth us not, the Lord hath forsaken the Earth. (i. e.) They did not really believe Gods Omnipresence and Omniscience. And Job tells us Chap. 31.26, 27, 28. That if he had beheld the Sun in his brightness, (i. e.) To admire and worship it as a God: Or, his heart been secretly inticed; he should have denied the God that is above. Every one that is inticed to sin upon the incouragement of Secresie, doth so far deny the God that is above. If such a man did really believe there is a God that sees him, whose eyes are as flames of fire, Revel. 1.14. To whom the darkness and the light are both alike. Psal. 139.12. It were impossible he should be so terrified at the discovery of a Creature, and so secure and wholly unconcerned at the discovery of God: It could not be, that the observation of the great God, should not so much trouble them, as the observation of a little child.
Thus we find the inward thoughts of mens he…rts, concerning God, discovered by th…r bold attempts upon secret sins. Isa. 29.15. Wo to them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark; and they say, Who seeth us, and who knoweth us. They think if their works are shrowded under a vail of darkness, they are safe enough: If they can escape the Bar of an Earthly god (a Magistrate) they shall never be accountable at any other Bar. We have another sad instance of the same impiety in Psal. 73.11. And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most high? If men did not fan…y to themselves, there is no God, or (which is all one) that he is like unto themselves, one that cannot see in darkness; they could never incourage themselves as they do, to sin upon such a foolish pretence.
Thirdly, But my proper business in this place, is to prove, That these incouragements to sin are vain things; that no sinner can hide himself from the Eye of God. This is plain both from Scripture and Reason.
The Scriptures speak full home to this truth. Prov. 5.21. The ways of a man are before the Lord; and he pondereth all his paths. To ponder or weigh our paths, is more than simply to observe and see them. He not only sees the action, but puts it into the ballances, with every circumstance belonging to it, and tries how much every ingredient in the action weighs, and what it comes to. So that God hath not only an universal inspection upon every action; but he hath a critical inspection into it also. The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 1 Sam. 2.3. So Jere. 13.25, 27. Thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falshood. I have seen thy Adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredoms and abominations. q. d. Thou forgatest there is a God in the Heavens that beheld thee, and didst verily believe all was safe, because secret from man. In this falshood or cheat put upon thee, by the devil, and thine own Atheistical heart thou didst trust. But I have seen thee, and all thy secret leudness. It is a Proverb among sinners, Si non caste, tamen caute. Carry the matter, if not honestly, yet warily: If thou have a mind to sin, yet order it so, that the World may be never the wiser. But how vain a thing is this? If men do not, the Lord doth see it. I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord. Jer. 29.23. Thus the Scripture speaks roundly and fully to the point in hand.
But because the Atheism of the World is so great, and it is an hard thing to convince men of this great truth, so as to over-aw them from any secret sin by it, I will by rational arguments demonstrate the truth to every mans conscience, and give you plain and full evidence, that how secretly soever men carry their sinful designs, yet the Lord must needs be privy to them; and it is impossible they should escape his cognisance.
1. For first, he that formed all, cannot but know all. The Workman cannot be supposed to be ignorant of any part of his own work. Now God is the Former of all things; every place, and every person he hath made. Where then shall the workers of iniquity hide themselves? You have the folly of sinners, in thinking to conceal themselves from the Eye of God, convinced and reproved by this very argument. Isai. 29.15, 16. Wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord, and their words are in the dark; and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely, your turning of things upside down, shall be esteemed as the Potters clay. For shall the work say to him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed, say of him that framed it; he hath no understanding? q. d. Think ye by deep-laid designs, by the advantage of darkness, by moulding and new moulding your crafty designs in your heads, as the clay is moulded now into this, then into that shape by the Potters hands, to hide it from me? O bruitish Creatures, and without understanding! Am not I the God that formed you? And can it be supposed, I should not know the most secret thoughts, plots, and designs of mine own Creatures, who cannot contrive a design, nor conceive a thought without me? How absurd is this? Find out a place which God made not, or a Creature which he formed not; and then your pretences to that Creatures concealment from God, in such a place, may have some colour. And this Argument is again urged to convince the bruitish Atheist. Psal. 94.8, 9, 10. Ʋnderstand ye bruitish among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chasteneth the Heathen, shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. So that it is the vainest of all vanity in the World, to think of hiding your sins from the Lord.
2. He that sustains all, cannot but know, and discern all. You that seek to hide counsel from the Lord, know you not, That in him you live, move, and have your being? Acts 17.28. Do not you derive that very power from him, which you abuse, to sinning against him? And do you depend necessarily, and continually upon God for all? Must he give you the power to move, and by that power can you move beyond him, and get out of his reach? Cannot you think a thought without him, and yet can exclude him from those very thoughts which you had no power to conceive, but from him? Exercise but common Reason in the case, and it will hiss at your absurd designs.
3. He that governs all, can be ignorant of nothing. There is a perpetual influence of Providence, swaying and governing all the Creatures, and all their actions; else the very ligaments of Nature would crack, and the World break up and disband. This Providence extends it self to the least and lowest of Creatures, and their actions. Luk. 12.6. A Sparrow falls not to the ground without it.Deus maximus in minimis. The great God hath something to do about the most minute and inconsiderable things, yea, the most contingent and uncertain things, as is the disposal of a Lot, Prov. 16.33. And indeed, this Omniscience of God, is that which is necessary to his Universal Government. How shall he rule that person, or in that place, which he knows not? Indeed Earthly Governors may do so: It is not necessary they have a personal immediate cognizance of each place and person in their dominions; it is enough that they be virtually and mediately governed by them; but it is not so with God. It is necessary his eye should immediately see all the parts of his Dominion. He could not rule the World, if he were not an Omniscient God. Psal. 66.7. He ruleth by his power for ever, his eyes behold the Nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
4. He that hath set a spy to observe, and note what every man doth, cannot but know his actions, how secret soever they be. Now so it is here, God sends a spy with you to observe and record your most secret actions and thoughts, in every place; I mean your own Consciences, from whose observation none of your ways can possibly be exempt. The sense of this made the Heathen say, Turpe quid ausurus, te sine teste time. When thou art attempting a sinful act, fear thy self without any other witness, Conscience is privy to your most secret designs and thoughts. 1 Kings 2.44. Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart, (i. e.) thy Conscience, is privy to. And if Conscience know all, God must needs see and know it. So the Apostle reasons, from the lesser to the greater. 1 Joh. 3.20. If our heart condemn us (which is there put for our conscience) God is greater then our hearts, and knoweth all things. If the spirit of a man knows the things of a man, much more he that formed that spirit, and indowed man with it.
5. He that knows things more secret and unsearchable, than our most secret actions can be, must needs know them, how secret soever they be. Now there are many things more close and secret, than any action of ours can possibly be, and yet God knows them. The thoughts of the heart are more secret, than any external action, so secret, that no Creature can search them; the Devil himself hath but a conjectural guess at them. But the Lord telleth unto man what is his thought. As in Amos 4.13. So Jer. 17.10. I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins. i. e. The most obscure, inward, and deep secrets lodged in the heart: Nay, which is more, he not only knows our thoughts when they are formed, and conceived in the heart, but long before their conception. Psal. 139.2. Thou knowest my thoughts afar off. Divines generally interpret it from eternity; even so long before they were actually thought, he foreknew every thought we would think; and what can be imagined more secret, and undiscernable, than a future thought?
Now if this be known to him, how much more our thoughts formed into projects and designs, and these executed by external actions? O deceive not your selves with hopes of secresie; nothing can be a secret to him that knows the counsels of all hearts.
6. He that providentially brings to light the most secret contrivances of men, and publishes them before all Israel, and before the Sun, must needs see them, and know them. How closely had Achan covered his wickedness? He never suspected a discovery; yet God brought i… to light. With how much contrivance was the sin of David covered, yet Go… discovered it. Thou didst this thing secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun. 1 Sam. 12.12. Histories abound with Examples of God bringing to light murders, so secretl… committed, that it was impossible the… should ever be revealed in this World without a miracle of Providence; and yet so they have been brought to light. Bessus having committed such a murther, fancied the Swallows that were chattering in the Chimney, had said Bessus killed a man; and thereupon confessed the fact. How secure were the contrivers of the Popish Powder-plot, that Catholick Villany, in a double sense having sworn all their accomplices to secresie, and managed the whole design so closely, that Guy Faux upon the discovery of it, said, The Devil must needs be the discoverer of it. How easie were it to expatiate upon this theam? But I will not be tiresome in instances: All ages are the witnesses of this truth. Who then can deny or question that great confessed truth. Dan. 2.28. There is a God in Heaven that reveals secrets: And if he reveals them, he must needs know them.
7. He that will judge all secrets, cannot but know them. Now God will judge the secrets of men in that great day. Rom. 2.16. God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Eccle. 12. ult. The Judge of the Whole Earth, will not judge at random, his Judgment will be infallible, because his Omniscience is so. His eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings; for he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God. Job 34.21, 23.
So that the truth of this point, is beyond all controversie and contradiction, That the whole World affords no place of secresie or security for a sinner, to escape the observing eye, and righteous hand of God.
The Uses follow in these Inferences.
1. Inference. If this be so, then time, place, and opportunity, how much soever they seem to promise secresie and concealment, should never further a temptation to sin.
Suppose all circumstances concurring, so that in the eye of Reason, you seem secured from the shameful consequences of sin; yet methinks the consideration of this truth should sufficiently deter you from a wicked purpose. Prov. 5.20. And why wilt thou, my son, he ravished with a strange woman? And imbrace the bosome of a stranger? For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. There be four things which strengthen temptations to sin; and particularly the sin of uncleanness upon Sea-men. First, The absence of lawful Remedies. Secondly, The presence of alluring objects. Thirdly, The instigation of wicked examples. Fourthly, And the hopes of concealment, being remote from their acquaintance: So that their sins, in probability, shall never disgrace them. This last circumstance is not the least: O how many hath it prevailed upon! But I hope you will never yield to this temptation, whose heart and strength is broken by this consideration of the Eye of God upon you. A chaste Woman being once sollicited to folly, told him that sollicited her, She could never yield to the motion, till he could find a place where God should not see.
Nay, my friends, it should do more than restrain you from the gross acts of of sin, it should powerfully curb the very thoughts and first motions of sin in your hearts. That was the use holy Job made of this truth. Job 31.1, 4. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think, upon a Maid? Doth he not see my ways, and count all my steps?
Suppose you should carry your wickedness so close, that none on Earth should know it; yet the Lord sees it, and will bring it into judgment; and your own Conscience is privy to it. I pray Sirs tell me, Is it not a great comfort to a malefactor, that he acted his crime so closely, that none but the Judge, and one authentick witness more (whose testimony is as good as a thousand) beheld it? Why this is the case of all secret sinners. But to press home this great and necessary truth more particularly, I beseech you to consider.
1. God doth not only behold you, but beholds you with detestation and abhorrence in your ways of iniquity; it is a sight that grieves him to the heart. Gen. 6.5, 6. And the Lord saw the wickedness of man was great on the Earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, was only evil continually. Here was wickedness, great wickedness breaking out externally, and evil, only evil, and that continually working internally. So that, both heart and life were evil extensively, intensively, and protensively. This the Lord saw, and how it affected him, the sixth Verse tells you. And it repented the Lord he had made man on the Earth, and it grieved him at the heart. Ah it cuts him to the heart, to see your sinful hearts and courses. Nothing can be so contrary to the pure and holy Nature of God, as this is. This made the Prophet admire how his patience could indure such a sight. Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look upon iniquity; wherefore lookest thou upon, them that deal treacherously? &c. As if he should say, Lord how canst thou behold thy self affronted by vile Creatures, and hold thy hands from avenging it? O the stupendious patience of God!
2. It doth not only grieve him to the heart, but it puts his patience to the greatest tryal and exercise in beholding it. Therefore he is said, To indure with much long-suffering. Rom. 9.22. It doth, as it were, create a conflict betwixt his patience and justice. He is so provoked by your sin, that he expresses it as a difficulty to bear it. Amos 2.13. I am pressed under you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves. Burthened till the Axle-tree of infinite Patience, be ready to crack under the weight.
Nay thirdly, He doth not only see your evils, but he Registers and Records them, in order to a day of reckoning with you for all together, except ye repent. Deut. 32.34. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my Treasures? A Metaphor taken from the Clerk of the Assize, who seals up the Bag of Inditements against the time of tryal. You think if you can bl…d the eyes of men, all is well, you shall hear no more of it; Ah, but it is sealed up among Gods Treasures, (i. e.) The things he Records and reserves for the day of account.
4. God doth not only see you, but he will also one day make you see your selves, and your ways, and that with horror and consternation. You think you shall taste nothing but the sweet and pleasure of sin; but how are you deceived? The days are coming, when sin that is now pleasant, shall be turned into Wormwood and Gall. You will not see the evil of it, and, because you see it not, you think God doth not. These things (saith God) hast thou done, and I kept silence; and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Psal. 50.21. God sees them now, and he will make you see them too, by opening your eyes in this World graciously, or in that to come judicially.
5. God doth not only see your ways, but he will make all the World see them too. For, there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed, nor covered, that shall not be made known, Matth. 10.26. There is a day when God will make manifest the hidden counsels of the heart, 2 Cor. 4.5. When that which hath been spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in Closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house tops, Luk. 12.3. Well then, when ever the occasions and opportunities of sin are presented to you, under this incouragement of Secresie, I beseech you remember this truth, that no place can hide you from the Eye of God. He sees all your ways, yea, he sees them with abhorrence; the sight of them is the greatest exercise of his patience: His sight of them, is not a transient glance, but he sees and records your evils, they are sealed up among his Treasures: He sees, and will make you see them too with horror, when he shall set them in order before you. He sees them, and will make Angels and Men see them in the great day. O then never let Secresie any more incourage you to sin.
2. Inference. What prodigious Sinners must they be, that seek no covert for their sin in darkness, but with an impudent face declare, yea, glory in their shame? Who are not ashamed to sin openly with a bare face, and a Whores forehead? These are sinners of the first magnitude. They declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not. Isai. 3.9. It is natural to man to indeavor to hide his sin as Adam; and you see from the Text, guilty sinners fain would (if it were possible) flie to any obscure corner from the observation of God and Men; and it is a Mercy, God hath planted such an affection, as shame is, in the Soul of Man, to be a Bridle to restrain his exorbitant Lusts. But yet there is a generation of monstrous sinners, who have so far unmanned themselves, That they are not at all ashamed when they commit abominations, neither can they blush. Jer. 6.15. If there be any remains of shame left in them, they exercise it upon a wrong object: They are ashamed of that which would be their glory, and glory in that which is their shame; they add impudence to their sin, and blush not to proclaim that which others study to conceal.
Such a vile temper as this, shews a man even ripe for wrath; he hath even filled up his measure, and is come to the very culminating point and top of wickedness. There be some men arrived to such a degree of holiness, that all that converse with them, judge them even ripe for Heaven: They speak the Dialect, and have the very savor of Heaven upon them. Others are come to such a prodigious height of impiety, that understanding men cannot but conclude they are nigh unto damnation; they speak the very language, and have the very scent of Hell upon them. Such are they that openly declare their sin as Sodom, and glory in their shame.
Thus we see some Drunkards will glory in their strength, to pour down Wine and strong Drink, and can boast of the number of their Cups. Some Adulterers can glory in their acts of wickedness, not sufficing themselves to damn their own Souls, but laboring to infect and corrupt as many as they can by their filthy tongues, that they may draw them into the same misery. We can hardly tell how to screw up sin one peg higher than this. First to practise sin, then defend it then boast of it. Sin is first a Mans burthen, next his custom, next his delight, and then his excellency. Lord, whither is man faln! that holiness should ever be his disgrace, and sin, yea, the vilest of sins his glory! O the power of Divine Patience!
3. Inference. If the Eye of God searches every obscure corner in the World, to behold the evil that is committed there; then certainly the Eye of God cannot but look into every secret place in the World, to see the good that is done there. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil, and the good. Prov. 15.3. The good as well as the evil, yea, he beholds with delight… the good done in secret.
As some sinners seek corners to act their wickedness in, and cannot satisfie themselves to commit sin in the light (for as our Saviour saith. Joh. 3.20. H… that doth evil, hateth the light) so o… the contrary, a truly godly man seeks corners to pray in, to meditate in, and to examine his own heart in, and thinks these duties of godliness can never be managed with too great a privacy; not that he is in the least ashamed of his duty, no, that is not the reason, but he is afraid of hypocrisie, when duties lie too open, and exposed to the eyes of men. A sinner takes his full liberty to vent his corruptions, when he can do it in secret; and a Saint takes his full liberty to vent and exercise his Graces, when no eye but the Eye of God sees him. Thou, when thou prayest (saith our Saviour) enter into thy Closet, and shut thy door, and pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father (which seeth in secret) shall reward thee openly. O how much better is it, both as to your present comfort, and future account, to get into a corner to pray; than to whore, or drink? To pour out your Souls to God graciously, than to pour out your lusts against God so wickedly? How contrary are the principles of Grace and corruption? The study of sinners is to hide their evils from the eyes of men, the study of a Saint is to hide his duties from the eyes of men: The sinner would not have the World suspect what he hath been about, nor would the Saint have all the World know what he hath been about. The way of an Adulterer is as the way of an Eagle in the Air, or as a Serpent upon a Rock. (i. e.) A secret way, where they leave no prints or tracks behind them. So is the way of an adulterous Woman, she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. Prov. 30.19, 20. By wiping the mouth, is there meant Preventing all suspition; suffering no sign of the action to remain upon them: So contrarily, a gracious person that hath been with God in secret Prayer, or Fasting, when his duty is ended, he labors to avoid all ostentations. And therefore you have the caution from Christ, Matth. 6.17, 18. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret. The meaning is, carry thy private duties so close, that none may know what passeth between God and thee: When thou hast been entertained in secret with hidden Manna, a Feast of fat things, wipe thy mouth in an holy sense, (i. c.) Wipe off suspition of hypocrisie and vanity by a prudent and humble concealment.Non est Religio ubi omnia patent. Religion doth not lay all open, as we say; as sinners have their secret pleasures, their stoln Waters which are sweet to them: So the Saints have their secret delights in God, their hidden Manna, which no man knows but he that eateth of it. And as the Eye of God vindictively beholds the one, so it delightfully beholds the other; and so you find it. Cant. 2.14. O my Dove, (saith Christ to the Church) th… art in the Clefts of the Rocks, in the secret places of the Stairs: Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance comely. Let this incourage you to secret duties; let not others find more pleasure in secret Lusts, than you can do in God and secret duties.
4. Inference. Doth the Eye of God see all the evil and wickedness that is committed in all the secret corners of the World, how admirable then is the Patience of God towards the World! who can imagine, how much wickedness is secretly practised in a Town, or City every day? Or, if all the villanies that are perpetrated in a small circumference, in one day, were known to us, we should admire, that God doth not make us like Sodom, for judgment and desolation before the next day: What then are the innumerable swarms of sin, which are as the Sand upon the Sea-shore, from all the parts and corners of the Earth! Alass, there is not the ten thousandth part of the grosser sort of wickednesses committed in the World, that ever comes to our eye or ear; and if it did, we cannot estimate the evil of sin, as God doth; nor feel with that resentment, the burthen of it, as he doth; and yet the long-suffering God forbears it with infinite patience. Surely his power was not more discovered in making the World, than it is in forbearing to destroy it again, for the wiekedness that is in it. But the World stands for the Churches sake that is in it. And were it not, that the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a small remnant, we had been as Sodom, we had been like unto Gomorrah, Isai. 1.9. There is also an elect remnant to be called and gathered by the Gospel, out of it, in their several generations; and when that number shall be accomplished, God will set fire to the Four quarters of it, and it shall lie in white Ashes; till then, the long-suffering of God waiteth.
5. Inference. If God see all the secret wickedness that is committed in every corner of the World; how clear is it, that there is a judgment to come, and that this judgment will be exact?
That there is a judgment to come is by this manifest, that there is abundance of sin committed in the World, which never comes to light here, nor never will in this World. It is true, some mens sins are open, and the judgments of God upon them are as open, but it is not so with all. The Apostle saith, 1 Tim. 5.24. Some mens sins are open before-hand, going before-hand to Judgment, and some mens, they follow after. Some mens sins are written as it were in their foreheads, every one fees them, but others follow after, are not discovered till the day of the revelation of the secrets of all hearts; and then that which is now done in closets shall be proclaimed as upon the housetops: though they were never put to shame for their sins in the places where they committed them, yet God will shame them, before Men and Angels. This is the day to judge secrets. 1 Cor. 4.5.
And, as it is certain, there will be such a judgment, so it is certain this judgment will be exact; for the Judge of all hath seen all: Whatever he charges any Man with, hath been acted before his face. Psal. 90.8. Thou settest our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Here can be no mistake, the Omniscient God will judge for what he hath seen; For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings, for he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God. The meaning is, he cannot mistake in his judgment, being Omniscient, and having seen all the ways of man; so that there can be no plea offered by any man for a reverse of his sentence.
O then let us be exact and careful, as well in our secret as in our open actions; for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Eccles. 12. ult.
6. Inference. Lastly, If the Eye of God be in every place upon us, and all our Actions: Then let those whose condition of life, hath sent them out of the eyes and observations of their Parents and Masters, keep the sense of Gods Eye upon their hearts, as ever they would escape sin and ruine.
It is no small advantage to young unprincipled persons, to live under the Discipline of pious and careful Governors; but it often falls out, that they are early Transplanted into another Soyl, sent into Foreign Countreys in order to their Education or Imployment; and as often are there corrupted and debauched by the evil examples of the places where they reside, they learn another Language or drive another Trade than that their Parents or Masters designed them for. But if the sense of this great Truth, might accompany them where-ever they are, O what a Soveraign Antidote would it prove against those deadly Poysons of Temptations! This alone would be a sufficient Preservative. If our Children and Servants have but the awful sense of Gods Eye upon them, we may turn them loose in the wide World without fear.
If Providence shall direct this discourse to your hands, my Hearts desire and prayer for you is, That the Spirit of the Lord would imprint this great Truth upon your hearts. And I am the more moved to ind…avor your Preservation, upon the consideration of the apparent danger you are in, and the manifold disappointments and mischiefs that must unavoidably follow the corrupting of your tender years. The danger you are in is great, whether you consider
First, The infecting catching nature of sin. No Plague is more infectious and insinuating than sin is. Many are the wiles, devices, stratagems, and baits, Satan lays to draw you into sin, 2 Cor. 2.11. Or
Secondly, The pronity that is in your own Nature, to close with the offers and temptations that you are tried with, it is as great a wonder, if you escape, as that one that lives in a Pesthouse, should remain healthy; or that dry Tinder should not catch, when thousands of sparks flie about it, and light upon it. Or
Thirdly, The absence of all those means by which you have formerly been preserved from sin. You are now without the Ordinances of God, the Family Duties, the Admonitions, Counsels, Examples, and Observations of your Parents, Masters, and Friends: All which have been of great use to keep you from sin, and repress the vanities of youth. Or lastly,
Fourthly, The manifold furtherances to Temptations which your Age affords, Childhood and Youth are vanity. Inconsiderateness, rashness, injudiciousness, and the want of experience, do all cast you into the very snare. See how the Holy Ghost hath signified the danger of persons at your age, in Prov. 7.7.
All these things do greatly indanger you. And if any, or all of them together, prevail to the vitiating and corrupting of you, then what a train of sad consequences will follow upon it! For first,
1. The Great God will be dishonored and reproached by you, even that God whose distinguishing Mercies are now before your eyes, and should be admired by you. That caused you to spring up in a better soil, and not from Idolaters in a Land of Darkness.
2. Conscience will be wounded and polluted with guilt; and though at present you feel not the remorse and gnawings of it, yet now you are preparing for it. The sins of youth, are complaints and sorrows of old age. Job 13.26.
3. The hearts of your Friends (if Godly) will be grieved and greatly troubled, to find their expectations and hopes disappointed; and all those Prayers for you, and Counsels bestowed on you to come to nothing. If an unequal match by Esau was such a grief of heart to Isaac and Rebecca, what will prophaness and uncleanness be to your Parents? Gen. 26.34.
4. The serviceableness and comfort of your whole life, will in all probability be destroyed by the corruption of your youth. If Blossoms be withered, and Buds nipt, what Fruit can be expected? To conclude,
5. Your precious and immortal Souls are hazarded to all Eternity. And what shall it profit a man to gain the whole World, and lose his own soul; or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matth. 16.26.
All this mischief may be happily prevented by the serious consideration of this point, you have now been reading. For if God shall fix that Truth in your Hearts by Faith, then
First, Instead of running with others into the same excess of riot, you will keep your selves pure and unspotted in an unclean defiling World. You will answer all temptations to sin, as Joseph, did Gen. 39.9. How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.
Secondly, Instead of joyning with others in sin, you will mourn for the sins of others. You will say with David, Psal. 120.5. Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesheck, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar. Your soul, like Lots, will be vexed from day to day with the filthy conversations of the wicked. 2 Pet. 1.17, 18.
Thirdly, Instead of returning to your Countrey with a wounded name and conscience, you will return full of inward Comfort and Peace, and to the joy of all your Friends and Relations.
Fourthly, To conclude, you will give fair incouragements to the expectations of all that know you, of becoming useful instruments for the glory of God, and benefit of the World in your Generation. O therefore beg of God, that this Truth may be deeply ingraven upon your Hearts.