572 Chap. 3 i. An Expofition upon the Books of J o a. Verf.agl the finwhich he feeth ; though evil! be done out of the Eye of all the world, yet it is naked and manifeft in his fight,with whom we have to doe. The clofeft- heart-fin is ps cleare to God as that which is written in the foreheai, and 'tis as hateful! alwayes, fornetimes more ; For though open finsas to the danger of In.. felting others are worfe then fecret fins, yet if wee confider the fpirit of the firmer, fecret fins are the worft. How greatlydoe they provoke God who while they fin againft him, would allo impofe uponhim ; fo thofe Idolaters in fecret hoped they fhould Ezek. 8. iz.) when they fayd, GodJha11 not fee it, bee bath for- Taken the earth : if wee can but kcepe our felves from the eye of c-nan ( fayd they) we need not feare the eye ofGod,we can eafily put a blind upon him, As he that hides his fin by not confeffing it, lo be that thinks it hidden while he is committing it, fhall not profper. A good deed the more fecret it is, the better it is in the fight of God; And an evill deed the more fecret it is, the worfe it is in the fight ofGod. Fourthly , In that 7óbadds in the next verle (fuppofing his . fin were Caret ) itwere an Iniquity to bepuniflied. Note. Secret fine fbafl not got unpunifbed. A humane Judgecan punifh no finbut what is proved by wit- nefs. Heart iniquitiesfall not under any humane fentence. But heart-fins the molt hidden fins (hall not efcape adivine fentence. As the moil fecret good workes done by man to man, and the molt fecret holy worfhip of God, fhall receave a reward from God ( Math. 6.46.) ben thou doefi alms, let not thy left hand knowwhat thy right band dock ; that thinealme: may be in fecret : eflndthyfather which fetch in fecret , himfelfe (hall reward thee openly. Andwhen thou prayeß enter, into thy clofec and fhut thy deare, &c, and thyfather that feeth inferret , ihall reward thee openly. Now, I fay, as good,fo evill workers in fecret (hall be re- warded (each in their kind) openlyby God who feeth in fecret, Fifthly, Obferve. The heart t.* fpecially to be looked to in svorl ip. As we are not accepted byGod in trueworfhip, though we draw neere to him with our lips,ifour hearts arefeare from him; .fa, 29.
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