Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

Ver. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the C O R IN T H 95 So thofe that draw one another into 'fin or are drawn by them will Impeach one ano= titer. 9. The Godly will be brought in as one evidence ; to make them manifeft, partly as they endeavouredto do them Good, Heb. II. 7. Noah condemned the World, and the Saints /ball judge the World, s Cor. 6. z, Now by their converfations, hereafter by their vote. and fuffrage.And partly as they might receive good from them : As the Godly relieved, Luke 16. 9. Midneglected, Mat. 25. As they might have been vifited, and cloathed the Loins of the Poor, BleiTed, yob. Chap. 3i. zo. IC. The cis cumflances of their evil aaioas, Jam. g. 3, Tour Goldand Silver is cankered, the rs of them !hall be a witnefs again)/ you. The circumftances of your finful anions Thal! be brought forth as arguments of convinion, Hab. z. A I. The one Jhall cry nut of the Wall, and the beam out of the Timber /hall anfwer it. Though none durft complain of oppreffors, yet the materials of their buildings shall witnefs againft them. A kind of Antiphony heard by Gods juftice. The (tones et the Wall shall cry, Lord we were built by rapine and violence,thebeam (hail anfwer, true Lord,even fo it is,the ftones )hall cry, vengeance Lord upon our ungodly owner,and the beam fhall anfwer,woe to him,becaufe his houle was built with blood,though all fhould be filent yet the ¡tones will not hold their peace. Z/fe r. If we muff appear fo as to be made manifeft, Oh then let us takeheedof ferret fin, and make Confcienceofavoiding it, as wellas that which is open, for in time it will be laid open. Achan was found out in his Sacriledge, how fecretly foever he carryed ir, yofhua, Chap.7. Ananias and Sapphirahs Sacriledge in keeping back part of what was dedicated to God, Alls 5. Gehazi in affe&ing a bribe, r Kings. 5. z6. Went not myfpirit with thee ? Meaning his Prophetick Spirit. Doth not God fee, and will not he require it t Alas we many times make contcience of ads, but notof thoughts, and yet according to Chrifls Theology, malice is heart- murther, luftful inclinations are heart- Adultery, proud Imaginations are heart - Idolatry!! and there maybe a great deal of evil in difcontented thoughts, and repinings againft Providence, Pfal. 73. 22. 'gull we repent of nothing butwhat man feeth t Eph. 5. is. It is a fhame evento fpeak of thofe things which ttredone of them in fecret. A ferions Chriftian is afhamed to fpeak ofwhat fecure perfons are not afhamed to pra &ice; if they can hide it from men,the all feeing -eye of God layeth noreftraint upon them ; uncteannefs ufually affe&etha vail of Secrefy, but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, Beb. t 3.4. 'Tis faid God will Judge them, becaufe ufually this fin is carryed fo clofely and craftily, that none bur God can find them out, butcer- tainly God will find them out; none can efcape Gods difcovery,all things are naked in his fight. Let no man then Imbolden himfelf to have his hand in any fin in hopes to hide his Counfel deep from theLord, and his works in the dark, Ifa.zq. I S. God knoweth the thoughts of the heart afar off ; and 'Pfa. 139.2. WhitherJhall Zgo from thyprefence, and whither /hall Iffy from thy Spirit? God knew what the King of Aflyria fpake in his fecret Cham- ber, z Kings 6. 11. Knew the fecret thoughts of Herod: heart, which it is probable he never uttered to his neareft friends, concerning the murthering of Chrift, Matth. a. 13. But to end this, confider the aggravations of thefe fins that are fecret and hidden, although to be an open and bold finner is in Tome refpe&s more then to bea clofe,private finner,becaufeof the difhonour done to God,and Scandal toothers, and impudency in the finner himfelf, yet alto in other refpe&s fecret fins have their Aggra- vations. r. The man is confcious to himfelf that he doth evil ; therefore feeketh a vail, and co- vering, would not have the World know it; if open fins be of greater infamy, yet fecret fins are more againft knowledge and convinion : To fin with a confcioufnefs that we do fin is a dreadful thing. yam. 4.17. You live in teeter wickednefs, envy, pride, fenfuality and would fain keep it clofe:T his is to rebelagainft the light and to ftop the mouth of con- fcience, which is awakned within thee. 2. This fecret finning puts far more refpe& and fear upon men than God, and is pain- aced Atheifm. What,unjuft in fecret ! unclean in fecret ! Envious in Secret I difclaim a- gainft Gods Children in fecret!negle& duties in fecret! fenfual in fecret! Oh then wicked wretch, thou art afraid men should know it,and art not afraid God fhould know it. What, afraid ofthe eyes of man ; and not afraid of the Great God ? Thou wouldeft not have a Child fee thee do that which God feeth tle ro do. A Thief is afhamed when he is found, yer. z. Can man damn'thee ? Can man fill thy Confcience with terrours ? !Can man bid. thee depart into Everlafting Burnings ? Why then art thou afraid of man, and not of God ? The

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