Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

1 Because we are more apt to fall into secret than into open and public sins. For if we can hide our sins from the eyes and knowledge of men, we are apt to think all is well and safe, and thereupon encourage our selves to sin in secret. The fear of shame and discredit with men, hath great force to restrain men from committing sin in the public view, but in secret few care what they do; and therefore the Murderer and Adulterer are brought in by Job emboldening themselves,¹ saying, No eye seeth us.

1 Because we are more apt to fall into secret than into open and publick sins. For if we can hide our sins from the eyes and knowledge of men, we are apt to think all is well and safe, and thereupon encourage our selves to sin in secret. The fear of shame and discredit with men, hath great force to restrain men from committing sin in the publick view, but in secret few care what they doe; and therefore the Murtherer and Adulterer are brought in by Iob emboldning themselves,¹ saying, No eye seeth us.

1. 1Job. 24. 14

2 Howsoever we may hide our secret sins from the eyes of men, yet it is impossible to hide them from the all-seeing Eye of God,¹ who seeth all, himself unseen of any, being present in all places, beholding both the evil and the good, Proverbs 15. 3. If then thou wilt sin securely, saith Augustine, seek out a place where he seeth thee not, and there do what thou wilt; ²But seeing God is present in all places, it is impossible thou shouldest hide thy sins from his all-seeing Eye; and therefore never be encouraged to sin in hope of secrecy.