(Psal. 130.3.) If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity, implying that the Lord doth not mark (in the sense here intended) if thou shouldest mark iniquity) O Lord, who shall stand? The word in that Psalm rendered to mark, notes, first, to watch, or to observe with exactest diligence,1 and is therefore in the Noun rendered a watch Tower, upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done, and of all persons that pass by, or approach and come near. A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower, is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers, and passages, all that his eye can reach: So saith the Text, If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man, and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us, Who could stand? That is, make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and trial before thee? Secondly, The word signifieth to keep in mind, to lay up, to have, as it were, a store and stock, a memorial or record, of such and such things by us. In that notion it is said (Gen. 37.11.) Josephs Brethren envied him, but his Father observed the saying; he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams, he laid it up, and did not let it pass away as a Dream, or as a vision of the night: Thus in the Psalm, If the Lord should mark iniquity, if he should treasure up our sins in his memory, and keep them by him, who were able to stand when accounted with? The Lord in a way of grace, seeth as if he saw not, and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss, as he is said to have done at those times, the times of ignorance, when not only many things, but even every thing was done amiss, and out of order, in the dark Gentile world, before the approach of Gospel light, (Acts 17.30.) And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but new commandeth all men every where to repent. That is, the Lord took little notice of those untaught times, in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times; concerning which, he gave command to his Apostles, Go and teach all Nations; and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times, is but little to what he might.
(Psal. 130.3.) If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity, implying that the Lord doth not mark (in the sense here intended) if thou shouldest mark iniquity) O Lord, who shall stand? The word in that Psalm rendred to mark, notes, first, to watch, or to observe with exactest diligence,1 and is therefore in the Noun rendred a watch Tower, upon which a man is placed to take observation of all things that are done, and of all persons that passe by, or approach and come neer. A Watch-man placed upon a high-Tower, is bound industriously and critically to observe all Passengers, and passages, all that his eye can reach: So saith the Text, If thou shouldest mark as a Watch-man, and eye with rigour every thing that passeth from us, Who could stand? That is, make good his Cause in the day of his judgement and tryal before thee? Secondly, The word signifieth to keep in mind, to lay up, to have, as it were, a store and stock, a memorial or record, of such and such things by us. In that notion it is said (Gen. 37.11.) Josephs Brethren envied him, but his Father observed the saying; he marked what Joseph spake about his Dreams, he laid it up, and did not let it passe away as a D•eam, or as a vision of the night: Thus in the Psalm, If the Lord should mark iniquity, if he should treasure up our sins in his memory, and keep them by him, who were able to stand when accounted with? The Lord in a way of grace, seeth as if he saw not, and winks at us oftentimes when we do amiss, as he is said to have done at those times, the times of ignorance, when not only many things, but even every thing was done amiss, and out of order, in the dark Gentile world, before the approach of Gospel light, (Acts 17.30.) And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but new commandeth all men every where to repent. That is, the Lord took little notice of those untaught times, in comparison of that strict notice which he will take of these times; concerning which, he gave command to his Apostles, Go and teach all Nations; and yet the strictest notice which he takes of our sins in these times, is but little to what he might.
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