know that already and no body will deny it we are Christians I answer this is the hypocrisy of men hearts their hearts will confesse it to be a truth but in their workes they do deny it The Prophet David speakes of men that were in the visible Church of God aswell as we and that would confesse this truth aswell as we and yet he sayes of many an one of them He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hath hid his face he will never see it Psal 10. 11. And the truth is this is the cause of all the boldnesse of people to goe on in their sinnes or to yeeld to sinne at any time they put this out of their bosomes that God sees them As Ezekiel speakes the land is full of blood the City is full of perversnesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the Earth and the Lord seeth not Ezek. 9. they say so in effect they put God afar of and they doe not consider that hee sees them Beloved there 's none of us all but hath need that this truth shoud be urged upon us that God beholds all iniquity and evill we can never doe amisse but he takes notice of it Thirdly another use is is it so that God sees all mens sins Then this is a terror to all that goe on with a selfe condemning heart O consider what the Apostle sayes if our heart condemne us God is greater then our heart and he knowes all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. q. d. if we have a selfe condemning heart how much more shall we find a selfe condemning God If our own heart can find us out if that can find out our worldlines or our irreverence or our carelesnesse of God how much more wlll God find us out He knowes all our sins better then we our selves and therefore O let us quake all of us to goe on with a selfe-condemning heart it is a bad badge it is a prodigious token of the fearefull judgement of God if wee doe not get our sins done away by the blood of Jesus Christ and by his sanctifying Spirit God will finde us out for hee knowes what we are and what wee doe daily and how we live every day and howre Againe this is a terror to them that are Hypocrites If God could not see a rotten heart he should speed as well as the best O but sayes God I the Lord search the heart J try the reynes even to give every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17. 10. and therefore wo be to such as are otherwise within then they seeme to be without without they are painted sepulchers but within they are full of rottennesse they professe godlinesse but they suffer within a Worldly spirit a guilty conscience a vaine minde an unbelieving heart no love of God no zeale to his glory no feeling of the Churches misery no compassion with the Saints no delight in them that feare God indeed and yet they will goe for Christians forsooth God sees all their workes and will unmask them in his due time either in this world or in the world to come and will poure everlasting contempt on them Fourthly this is comfort to good people for if God see all mens sins then he sees all mens goodnesse much rather what a comfort is this in prayer to consider that he that searcheth the heart knowes what is the minde of the spirit Rom. 8. 17. Hee knowes all thy groanes Hee knowes all thy desires what a comfort is this when ever an honest soule is put to it soundly in temptation when the soule is accused by Satan hardly thought on by men and God lets bitter temptations to come on I say what a comfort is this that God knowes all the good things that are in man all ones affections all ones endeavours ail ones combats against sinne all ones griefes for corruption as Peter sayd Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time But yet this was his comfort that God did know all things Hee had many tokens of Gods gracious goodnesse about him hee had love to Jesus Christ hee had deepe desires to doe all that hee bade him O sayes hee and thou knowest it Againe this is an excellent comfort in time of affliction When Iob was in affliction and his friends scorned him then did hee goe and poure out his Teares unto God and this was his comfort Behold my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high Job 16. 19 20. Againe this an excellent encouragement to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times people generally never looke after God nor holinesse the World lookes after their pleasures and their profits and preferments and friends and the like but Religion and Devoutnesse and Godlinesse of living few people looke after that as though God did not regard what people doe Now beloved when wee heare that God sees all that men doe and markes it and will call all men to accompt what an encouragement is this to serve God as David sayd to Solomon Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Chron. 28. 9. Againe what a comfort is this against false accusations Hee knowes all our innocency when our Neighbours say all manner of evill of us Hee knowes wee doe that in simplicity which others thinke wee doe out of a sinister respect or out of pride or popularity or for applause What a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as Paul sayes the Lord knowes that J lye not as David sayes I have not refrained my lips from Preaching thy Righteousnesse O Lord thou knowest Psal 40. 9. Hee knowes the uttermost endeavours and desires of our hearts is to be as good as wee seeme though the World take us for Hypocrites Hee knowes wee be true men that reverence every power that is of God though the World esteeme us factious and humorous Little does the World thinke what the Saints doe every day what wrastlings with God what conflicts in their mindes they indure this is sufficient the Lord knowes Againe what a comfort is this if wee desire to know our sinnes God is able to shew them unto us Hee can open our eyes to behold them for our humiliation that wee may say with the Prophet I know mine owne iniquities and my sinne is ever before me if we want a right sight of our sinnes at any time it is but going to God Hee knowes them all hee can helpe us to see them aright Fifthly does God know all mens sinnes then this should make us afraid to doe evill at any time or in any place yea in the secretest wee can never do any evill but God will spy us out wee cannot have a thought in our heart but hee does discerne it nor
so eager to deny himselfe I count all drosse and dung the intentions of his heart were after Christ O sayes he that I might know him Phil. 3. 10. Thirdly the elections and choosings of the heart this is another part of the hearts life no man is dead to that which he chooses rather then any thing else now if we did still choose the wayes of God we could not be dead to them when we are dead to them at any time it is because we could even finde in our heart to make another choyce and therefore if we would know whether our heart is alive unto goodnesse whether doe we choose the way of goodnesse every day before any other way as David sayes I have chosen the way of truth Psal 119. 30. as the Lord sayes of the good eunuches they choose the things that please me Isa 56. 4. Beloved what ever we doe or thinke or speake still there be two wayes propounded to us one that is Gods way another that is our owne way now which doe we choose every day what thoughts doe we choose rather of the two to thinke what words doe we choose what actions what courses when we are together what conference doe we choose when alone what doe we choose there be two kinds of eating and drinking which choose we when we are provoked there be two wayes to take either to be impatient and suffer our passions to arise or to quell them and beat them down which doe we choose doe we say as that good man said Lord let thy han help me for I have choosen thy precepts Psal 119. 173. Fourthly the aversions of the heart ye know the heart it chooses what it likes so there is some thing that it shuns now if thou wouldst know whether thy heart be alive towards God doe but thinke with thy selfe what it uses to shun when thou art angry is it disgrace or sinne it ever shuns some thing or other either what God dislikes or what thou every day and houre something it puts off does it put off things that are offensive to thy flesh or things that are offensive to God Here lies thy hearts life if thy heart be alive towards God it is of this temper to put off those things that are displeasing to God I hate vaine thoughts sayes David Psal 119. 113. marke his heart was of this temper to put of all those things that were contrary to God it may be many of those thoughts his own heart would have rather kept I but when his heart was alive towards God he put them off though I have refrained my feet from every evill way that I may keep thy word Psal 119. 101. now when good things shall be put to a man every day by the word and by conscience and a man hath a refusing heart to them this is a dead heart as God put to Iudah to returne but they refused to returne Jer. 5. 3. God put shame before them for their sinnes but they refused to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. now my brethren examine your bosonies how stand the refusals of your hearts doe you refuse good or evill every day if thou canst refuse temporall evill and not spirituall thou hase a dead heart Fifthly the savourings of the heart this is another peece of the hearts will something there is that every heart savours most and that it is which it is alive unto now then if thy heart be alive unto God it will savour the things of God most it will not onely doe good duties but savour them too not onely heare the word of God but it will have an admirable savour with the heart as the Apostle sayes it will have the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. as the Church sayes to Christ because of the savour of thy good oyntments therefore the Virgins love thee Cant. 1. 3. Oh how it will savour a reproofe how it will relish but if holy things have no sweet savour in thy heart it may be thou canst not for shame of the world not seeme to stand for them thy conscience will not let thee but thou wilt give them a good word and seeme to approve them but there 's no more savour in them then in the white of an egge nay they are irksome and untoothsome they doe not goe merrily down with thee like sweet conserves assure thy selfe thy heart is a dead heart Sixthly the cares of the heart this is another show of the hearts will what the heart is alive to it carketh and careth for it and therefore if thy heart be alive towards God how carefull will it be that it may not offend him yea what care 2 Cor. 7. 11. As the Apostle sayes to Titus I will have thee affirme constantly that they which beleeve in God must be carefull to maintaine good works Tit. 8. 8. therefore if a Minister be alive towards God he will be full of care for his people how he may pull them from their sins how he may draw them to God how he may most doe them good as Paul sayes of Timothy he will naturally care for your Estute Phil. 2. 20. True a man hath many things to doe in the world many cares how to live how to pay rent at quarter day what may become of his poore Children c. I but if the heart be alive towards God it will labour to cast these cares upon God cast all your care upon him 1 Pet. 5. 7. But for heavenly things for the having and keeping of a good conscience it will be full of cares about these things yea it how may get to be more afraid of sinne how may I get a weaned heart from the earth it will be caring how he may be provided for evill times how he may stand in the wofull day Seventhly the appropriating of the heart the esteeming of the heart what 's the hearts jewell that 's the heart most alive to now thinke what does thy heart prize most of all if it be alive towards God he is dearest to thee his will dearer then thine his glory then thy credit his word then thy life as Paul sayes I doe not count my life deare so that I may finish my course with joy Act. 20. 24. this was the Jewell of his heart how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe that he might finish his course so likewise if thy heart be alive love will be like a precious oyntment Psal 133. 2. heavenly wisedome more precious then Rubies Prov. 3. 15. a promise will be precious to the heart 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also faith will be a precious thing 1 Pet. 1. 7. But above all Christ will be precious to the heart to you that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. these are heart Jewels these it endeares most it will rather â—art with any thing then these nay it will morgage any thing to redeeme these againe These things are little
of abilities to move the affections of their hearers not only to informe their judgements but also to work upon their affections not onely to illighten their understanding but also to stirre up their hearts as Peter sayes I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you up 2 Pet. 1. 13. a Minister is to stirre up his people to stirre their hearts and affections hee may preach a wholsome Sermon and the hearers bee like Mill-posts and not stirred a jot Paul laboured to stirre affections too Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. that is wee labour to work upon your affections and therefore Christ sent a Seraphim with a live coale unto the Prophet Isaiah to touch his lips Esa 6. 6. he had need of live coales in his lips to fire the affections of his auditory So hee sent the Holy Ghost down upon his Apostles in fiery tongues without this the information of the judgement is little worth Religion consists more in the will and the affections of men then in any other faculty of the soule I confesse the Minister must shine too I but he must heat too John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light Fifthly To speak Pro re natâ a Minister hath need of extemporary abilities sometimes hee shall bee called before Councills hee preaches such doctrine as angers the world and therefore he is in danger to be had before Councills and therefore hee had need to have an extemporary faculty that he may answer as hee sees cause as Christ sayes When they deliver you up take no thought how or what yee shall speak for it shall bee given you in that same houre what yee shall speak Matth. 10. 19. sometimes to preach upon short warning as Augustine did when hee relyed upon his Brother Severus to Preach for him hee not comming hee was faine to goe up extempore himself and so hee preacht upon the 95 Psalme So when there was a suddain judgement of God that fell out there in Hippo though Augustine had preacht twice that very day before yet he went up again and preached the third time O sayes hee doe not wonder my deare Brethren Si hodie ter Sermonem c. doe not wonder that I preach thrice this same time it is not without cause c. Again a Minister may be put upon it as Philip was by the Eunuch concerning the meaning of a place of Scripture to speake of it at first sight a Minister must not only have this knowledge in his note-book but in his lips that is to be in a readinesse upon every occasion His lips must preserve knowledge Mal. 2. 7. Sometimes he may come among his people he may light upon their company by chance now if he have not good abilities he cannot doe the part of a Minister As Paul sayes I long to see you to impart unto you some spirituall gift Rom. 1. 11. A Minister when he sees his people he should be a well-stored man to impart some spirituall thing or other to them a word of instruction a word of exhortation a word of admonition when he does but see them he should be able to drop something among them Sixtly to observe seasons to be able to make choice of speciall Texts for speciall occasions For howsoever all Scriptures are full of divine and Heavenly truths yet some Scriptures sit some persons and some occasions better than othersome Aarons bells must be wisely rung sometimes in one tune sometimes in another as the occasion serves A Minister is to change his note as the circumstances do require A Steward in a family must have aswell wisedome to Minister every owne his portion in due season as fidelity to dispence his Masters goods A word fitly spoken in due time is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver Pro. 25. 11. The very Heathen man Commends much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When a man speakes in due season S. Paul had this gift in all his preaching to ponder all circumstances who and what and where when how I made my self a servant unto all saies he that I might gain the more To the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jewes to them that are under he Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law To the weak I became as weake that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. To Beloved we are the ministers of God and we have need of abilities to fit our doctrine to the present time and occasions and persons that we may profit hearers When the Apostle came to Athens he tooke his Text according to the present hint He found an Altar with this inscription To the unknown God and so he spake of that Act. 17. 23 24. He tooke occasion from thence to speake of the God of Heaven and Earth to them When our Saviour Christ saw the woman of Samaria come to draw water hee tooke opportunitie to preach unto her of the living water Joh. 4. 10. Ministeriall gifts are for this very purpose as the Prophet sayes The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season Isa 50. 4. It is noted of John Baptist that when he saw the Scribes and Pharises came in to heare him he had about with them O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to slie from the wrath to come q. d. What do you make here yee are Hypocrites ye are vile wretched persons repent or else you 'l to hell This was now in due season So when a Drunkard comes in we should let fly at him Weepe and howle yee drunkards See what God saies of you to whom is wo but to you See what the Scripture sayes of your courses yee shall never inherit Gods Kingdome none of you as the Apostle speaks So when Whoremongers step in we should give them their doome O ye Whoremongers Adulterers God will judge you one day This is like the former and the latter Raine Then it comes when the ground hath need of it So when a Minister observes seasons then the word comes when the soule hath need of it It comes pat as we say Then people may see a speciall providence in it I see a speciall providence of God that the Minister should speak of such a Theme this day that he should hit so right upon my sin when a man hath beene cozening then to come to Church and there heare of it againe When a man hath beene swearing and lying then to turne in to the preacher and heare of that very sinne and the danger of it and the damned estate of the commit of it When a man hath beene thinking to do evill then to sit in his seat and heare his evill ript up and all his secrets laid open and wo
an argument from Gods judging of men to prove that God must needs see O sayes he it is he that chastiseth the hea hen shall not hee correct hee that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know vers 10. q. d. yee deny God to be judge if hee say hee does not know how can he correct them will he judge men for that he knowes not what no if he be the judge of the whole World he must needs know all that men doe The use of this is First is it so that God knowes all mens sinfull courses if men be dead-hearted he knowes it if they be heartles in good duties he knowes it though they would be loth that men should know what they are and doe keepe it from them yet they cannot dawb it before God he knowes it then this may serve to confute them that say God does not know sin This was Averroes his opinion who sayes God does not know sin God knows all that ever he knowes by knowing of himselfe and how can hee know sin because hee can see no such thing in himselfe I answer this is to derogate from the knowledge of God and to deny the perfection of it True sin is an evill yea the greatest evill of all evills yet the knowledge of it is good nay it were strange to say that God does not know who sin against him that were a pity if men be abused wee say it were pity but that they should know of it and if wee doe love them wee tell them who they be that abuse them and what the abuses are Certainly God knowes who doe abuse him and how people carry themselves towards all his Commandements and worship it is a part of his perfection to know it Againe we our selves may know sin and may know sin by the contrary as wee know what darknesse is by the contrary which is light and shall we say that God doe not know it God damnes all the wicked one after another for it and therfore he does know it nay we see that God brings secret things to light here in this World when people had thought that no body should ever come to know it yet hee does often bring secret sinnes to light here in this World how much more at the last day And though God knowes all that ever he knowes by looking upon himselfe and sin be not there but nothing but good and goodnesse it selfe yet hee can know it as a Medium to bring good out of it And so it is good as he wils it and therefore hee decrees it and therefore he must needs know it and know it in himself For the permission onely of it is in himself and the acting which is evill is out of himselfe neither does it follow that Gods understanding should become vile by knowing so many vile things as Vorstius and others do blasphemously astirme thence they would conclude their cursed Atheisticall axiomes we indeed may make our selves vile by looking upon vile and base things because we cannot keepe our hearts from savouring of them whose end is damnation c. who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. that is their minde becomes vile by so doing Hereby people come to be unacquainted with God and with Heavenly things They know how to buy and sell how to earne and get gaine how to plough and sow and such earthly things and they do so savour their minds that they make their minds base with them and therefore we are commanded to ennoble our minds and understandings for these things make them vile and therefore we should think of them no oftner then needs must for our minds are debased by base objects This is to be meant in regard of us not as though any thing that God hath made were vile but our corruption makes us vile when we looke upon vile things we are apt to run a whoring after them and our affections to bee hampered by them but God can daily and every howre see and looke what vile things men doe for he keepes a continuall and an uninterrupted hatred of them as the Psalmist sayes he is angry with the wicked every day so hee hates their courses every day Againe does God know all mens sins then this confutes the Anomists that say God cannot see the sins of his people God sees no sin in his people say they abusing that place there of Balaam Hee hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seene transgression in Israel Numb 23. 21. what 's this but to pervert Scripture hee speakes there of the eye of his Justice He does not speake of the eye of his Knowledge He speakes of such things as is in the wicked That indeed God doe not see in his people for it is not there to be seene otherwise if Gods people sin God makes them know and confesse that hee sees it as David sayes O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee Psal 69. 5. The garments of salvation that God puts upon his people are not to hoodwinke Gods Al-seeing Knowledge but to keep of the destroying Angell Secondly another use is to condemne the most sorts of men that doe not consider of this truth they little thinke that God sees all their doings I feare there is hardly any among us that will seeme to deny but that God can see all his wayes and yet we see it is too apparent by mens lives that few men do believe this indeed There is this vile Atheisme sculking in all our hearts naturally otherwise we durst not doe as wee doe that either God is such a God as the Epicures made him that sits in Heaven and regards not what men doe here below or at least we doe not charge this truth on our hearts that God sees us this is the cause of all the sinnes that are among us That there is so much luke warmenesse in the better sort so much heartlesnesse in holy performances before God so much wickednesse among others for why if men did seriously consider that Gods sees all and markes all nay hee markes all that men do so curiously that hee can set them in order before them all that ever they have done Psal 50. 21. in the same order that they committed them marke he can set before us in order all that ever we doe from day to day this sin then and that sin then such a sin wee did at such a time such sins in the morning such at noone such the last night such lusts were in our hearts in such a place and such in such a place hee can set them in order before us he knowes them so well and will too before he hath done I say if wee did charge this upon our soules we could not live so loosely as we doe You will say yea but we are Christians why do you tell us such a known truth what need so many arguments to prove that God knowes all our sinnes wee