A30241:404
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. The knowledge of God will make a man keep a good conscience in all things: it will make him take heed of sin in secret, as well as public; it will make him do duties in secret, as well as openly, for whosoever is not afraid to sin in secret, whosoever neglects private duties and holiness, this man knoweth not God, he doth not understand that he is omnipresent, that his eye is every where beholding all things, that darkness and light are all one to him: Oh this is a precious and necessary effect of the knowledge of God, when it makes a man cry out with Joseph, though in the most secret temptation, How can I do this and sin against God, Gen. 39.21. Those wicked men encouraged themselves in their wickedness by this, Doth the Lord see, and is there knowledge in the most high? Psal. 73.11. And on the contrary, he that truly knoweth God dareth not be wanton, unjust, dishonest, because the eye of God is upon him wheresoever he is. David is much affected with this omnipotence and omniscience of God, Psal. 139.2, 4. Thou knowest my downsitting, and uprising, yea ⟨p. 88⟩every thought thou knowest afar off. How could there be such works of darkness, such sins committed in secret that are not fit to be named, but because men do not know God in a right and true manner. By this we see there is little true knowledge of God in most towns, most families, because men live not, as sensible of the just and revengeful eye of God beholding them always.
3. The knowledge of God will make a man keep a good conscience in all things: it will make him take heed of sinne in secret, as well as publique; it will make him do duties in secret, as well as openly, for whosoever is not afraid to sinne in secret, whosoever neglects private duties and holinesse, this man knoweth not God, he doth not understand that he is omnipresent, that his eye is every where beholding all things, that darknesse and light are all one to him: Oh this is a precious and necessary effect of the knowledge of God, when it makes a man cry out with Joseph, though in the most secret temptation, How can I do this and sinne against God,