An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

If I sin, then thou markest me; and in the 14th Chapter, verse 16. Thou numberest my steps, dost thou not watch over my sin? Thou numberest my steps, What steps? He meaneth not the steps of his outward, but of his inward man: or the steps of his outward man in order to the inward. There is a moral walking, Walk before me, and be upright: walking is conversing or acting: so, Thou numberest my steps, thou tellest my moral motions, the actings of my soul and body, what I do, and what I think, Dost thou not watch over my sin? And again (Chap. 31.4.) Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? That is, how my conversation is ordered, both toward himself, and toward my neighbour? Thus the Lord counteth all our steps, we cannot step aside or tread awry, but he observes us. There are two that keep a record of our lives.

If I sin, then thou markest me; and in the 14th Chapter, verse 16. Thou numbrest my steps, dost thou not watch over my sin? Thou numbrest my steps, What steps? He meaneth not the steps of his outward, but of his inward man: or the steps of his outward man in order to the inward. There is a morall walking, Walk before me, and be upright: walking is conversing or acting: so, Thou numbrest my steps, thou tellest my morall motions, the actings of my soul and body, what I do, and what I think, Dost thou not watch over my sinne? And again (Chap. 31.4.) Doth not he see my waies, and count all my steps? That is, how my conversation is ordered, both toward himself, and toward my neighbour? Thus the Lord counteth all our steps, we cannot step aside or tread awry, but he observes us. There are two that keep a record of our lives.

First, God, he followeth us up and down, as with pen, ink, and paper to write our actings.

Secondly, Our own consciences (which are as God within us) keep a record too, they write our lives, and count our steps. Many cannot read the book of conscience, and so know little that is in it: But a time will come (if conscience be not purged by the blood of Christ) when they shall perfectly read all their sins in the book of conscience. And if conscience, which is Gods deputy, then, much more God, who is the Judge of conscience marketh us if we sin. God needs not judge upon information, but upon his own observation. He will reprove every man whom he doth not pardon: And is able to set before us in order, whatsoever any of us have done. How then do some say, That God sees not sin in his children? Job saith, That God marked his sin; but according to this doctrine, he should rather have said, If I sin, thou dost not mark me. Some through ignorance sin, and see it not, sin and perceive it not; but no man (among all the multitudes of men) can sin unseen, or unperceived by God. If I sin, then thou markest me.