detection11. Sinners of every description commit in secret what they would not dare to perpetrate, if they knew that the eyes of their fellow-creatures were upon them. But whence is this, unless from the atheistical conceit that God is not privy to their actions, or from an utter forgetfulness of his presence? Such conduct however is folly in the extreme : for God's eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good1." " The darkness is no darkness to him : the night and the day to him are both alike :" and, as he observes, so will he also " bring to light, the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart k," as a ground of that sentence which he will one day pass upon all the workers of iniquity.
Let this be remembered in reference to all the sins we have ever committed in secret ; and let it teach us to seek the re- mission of them while yet the day of mercy is continued to us.]
2. How vain are the hopes of the hypocrite !
[It is no very difficult matter to impose upon men : yea, we may also deceive our ownselves ; but we cannot deceive God. However specious our conduct may be, he will discern our corrupt motives and principles, and will judge us according to the real quality of our actions. There is one way, and only one, in which we can hide our sins from God ; and that is, by fleeing to the Lord Jesus Christ for refuge: then, though God will behold the sinner, he will not behold the sin ; for it shall all be " blotted out as a morning cloud," and be " cast behind him into the depths of the sea :" the vilest sinner in the universe, if he " be found in Christ," shall be " com- plete1," " without spot or blemish m." Such a hiding-place is Christ11 ; and such shall be the felicity of all that believe in him0. But it is in vain to hope that by any other means we shall escape the wrath of God : for " all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do ;" and every sin not purged away by the blood of Jesus shall be visited with just and everlasting judgments.]
3. How secure are they who put their trust in God !
[Many of the enemies with whom the Christian has to contend, are hidden from his view : but neither they nor any of their devices are concealed from the eyes of God. He is everywhere present to protect his people, and to defeat the plots of their adversaries. He it is that has given to our ene- mies the strength and wisdom which they exert against us ; and he engages that " none of the weapons which they form against us shall prosper p." " Let the weak then say, I am
h Jobxxiv. 15 — 17. > Prov. xv. 3. k 1 Cor. iv. 5.
1 Col. ii. 10. '" Eph. v> 27. n Isai. xxxii. 2.
0 Acts x. 43. p Isai. liv. 16, 17.