402 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. mess of God, is an effectual means to humble it under his mighty hand. God judgeth not as man judgelk. We judge by the seeing of the eye and hearing of the ear, according to outward appearances and evidences; but God searcheth the heart. We judge upon what is between man and man, God principally upon what is between himself and man. And what do we know or understand of these things l what is there in the hearts of men, what pur- poses, what contrivances, what designs, what corrupt affections, what sins, what transactions have been be- tween God and them ; what warnings he bath given them, what reproofs, what engagements they have made, what convictions they have had; to what use they were putting their lives, their substance, their families 1 Alas !. we know nothing of these things, and so are able to make no judgment of the proceedings of God upon them; but this we know, that he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, yea, in the most terri- ble of them. And when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed, ah! how glorious will be his drowning of the old world, firing of Sodom, swallowing up of Dathan and Abiram in the earth; the utter rejection of the Jews, with all other acts of his providence seeming to be accompanied with severity ! And so will he be glo- rious in our own trials, inward or outward. God is Judge of all the world, all ages, times, places, persons; and disposes of all, so that they may tend to the good of the whole and his own glory in the uni- verse. Our thoughts are bounded, much more our ob- servations and ability to measure things, within a very small compass. Every thing stands alone to us, where-
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