Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

6 'Chap. 34. An E.rpofition upon the l3ook,of J O g Verf. 22. 'while the workers of iniquity confefs in general the eyesof God behold their ways (theydeny nor in word that God is All-feeing) yet,as they oftenblear the eye of man, fo they are not out of hope toput darknefs and raife amill between thetnfelves and the eye of God Or if they rife not to this vain thought, that they can hide rhemfelves fromGod, yet they come to this, that God hi- deth himfeelf (as not regarding what they do) from them. Hence David affirms of the wicked man, (Pfal. to. t t.) Ile bathfail in his heart, God hash forgotten, he hideth his face, hewill never fee ir. Many fay in their hearts, God feeth them nor, while with their tongues they confefs he isan all- feeingGod. The heart hath a tongue in it as well-as tbaihead, and thefe two tongues feldome fpeak the fame language : While the head-tongue faith, we can- not hide our felves from the fight of God, the heart-tongue of wicked-men will fay, Godwill hide himfelf from us, he will not fee. But if their heart fpeak not thus, then as the Prophet faith, (Ifa. 29. t 5.) They dig deep tohide their counfelsfrom God; lure- lytheyhave a hope to hide their counfels, elfe they would not dig deep tohide them. Their diggingis not proper,but tropical ; as men dig deep to hide what they would nor have feen in the earth; 'fo theyby their wits, plots, and devices, do their belt to hide their counfelsfromGod, and theyfay whofeeth, who know-- rth ? We, furely, are not feen either by God or man. Now 'tis-very natural for finners to endeavour the hiding of themfelves fromGod upon a tWo-fold account; Firft, Toavoid fhame ; All finners are not altogether deboift, all have not alto- gether baffled their own confciences, theyhave akinde'of mode- fly, they wouldnot be feen finning; it troubles them not to do evil,but a fear to be detected in doingit is their trouble. Second- ly, Sinners hide thetnfelves for fear ; fo Adamdid, he was afraid as well asafhamed, 1W& afraid (ffid he)becaufe Iwas naked,and Ihidmyfelf, (Gen. 3. v o.) The Prophet tells us of fuch (Ifa.2. -2 t.)- Theyfhallgo into the clefts of the rock, and into the tops ofthe ragged rocks, forfear oftheLord,andfor theglory ofhis Majefly, whenhefhallarrfetofhake terribly the earth. We finde all forts call io the hills to hide them, for fearof him thatfate on the throne, -andfrom-thewrath ofthe Lamb, (Rev. 6. F s, 16.) Secondly, Obferve. Howmatchfoeverinners attempt, yet they cannot hide them-- felvesfrom Cod. Let

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