30. The believer will walk by this principle: That whatsoever is transacted by men on earth, is eyed by the Lord in heaven

The first principle that believers walk by, is this: That whatsoever is transacted by men on earth, is eyed by the Lord in heaven.

A man may hide God from himself, and yet he cannot hide himself from God. This, even a prodigal could acknowledge: I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight. When a man wishes God to be like himself, it argues that he is vicious; but when he desires to be like God, it indicates that he is virtuous.

A false God would be most acceptable to a false heart. For, their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not for our direction; eyes have they, but they see not our condition; they have ears, but they hear not our supplication; they have hands, but they work not our redemption. These were not the gods that made men; but the gods that men made.

But all things are naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. We cannot always see his will in his works, but he can always discover our works in our will. To him the most hidden roots are as visible as the uppermost branches. Though the place where we sin be to men as dark as Egypt, yet to God it is as light as Goshen.

That advice which one gave to his friend privately, is worthy to be adopted publicly. 'So act towards men, as in the sight of God: and so pray to God, as in the sight of men.' He is a bold thief who will cut your purse while you look in his face.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. The Lord sees faults where men see none. Atoms, which are invisible in the candle-light of reason, are all made to dance naked in the sun-shine of omniscience.

Cato was so grave and so good a man, that none would behave unseemly in his presence: whence it grew to a proverbial caveat, 'Take heed what you do, for Cato sees you!' How reproachful is it to us, that the eyes of a man should have more effect upon our manners, than the penetrating eyes of God!

Momus, one of the heathen gods, is said to have complained of Vulcan, that he had not set a grate at every man's breast. God hath a glazed window in the darkest houses of clay: he sees what is done in them, when none other can. To God's omnipotence there is nothing impossible; and to God's omniscience there is nothing invisible. I never look for those persons to strain at gnats, who will easily and greedily swallow camels.

What is the reason that men do the works of darkness, but that they think they do their works in gross darkness? They suppose that no eye sees them, no not his eye, that doth nothing else but see. And thou sayest, how doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not. Ah, how fain would the hand of man draw a veil over the face of God.

An unsound creature would be an unseen creature. Understand, ye brutish among the people; and, ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? What, will you make him deaf, who gives you ears? and him blind, who gives you eyes? This is acting like a beast among men, and not as a man among beasts. But, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vanity. And this is the vainest thought of them all, that he knows not the vanity of their thoughts.

Reader, you cannot set down your lusts in such characters, but that the eyes of God can read them. As he can save in the greatest extremity, so he can see in the deepest obscurity.

Plato saith of the king of Lydia, that he had a ring, with which, when he turned the head to the palm of his hand, he could see every person; and yet he himself remain invisible. Though we cannot see God while we live, yet he can see how we live. For his eyes are upon the ways of man; and he seeth all his goings. Man may gild over the leaves of a blurred life with the profession of holiness; but God can unmask the painted Jezebel of hypocrisy, and lay her naked to her own shame.

Because sin has put out our eyes, we vainly imagine that it hath put out God's. Because we behold not what he does in heaven for us, we think that he sees not what we do on earth against him.

Men care not what they do, when they believe that God sees not what is done. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. They say, the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. The adulterer waits for the twilight. His sin gets up, when the sun goes down. The time of darkness pays most tribute to the prince of darkness. There are many that blush to confess their faults, who never blush to commit them.

When poor Adam had sinned, he sought not the fairest fruits to satisfy his hunger, but the broadest leaves to cover his nakedness. It is God's gracious eye placed upon us, that makes us religious; and it is our believing eye fixed on him, that keeps us prosperous. What servant is there, who would sleep under the view of his master? or what soldier would appear a coward in the presence of his prince?

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