Then & Now · 13 of 28

10. All Christians Have Their Secret Sins

Tenthly, Take many things together. All Chriſtians have their ſecret Sins. Pſal. 19. 12. Who can underſtand his errors? cleanſe thou me p. 71 from ſecret faults. Secret not only to other men, but himſelf; even ſuch ſecret ſins as grew from errours which he underſtood not. ‘Tis incident to every man to erre, and then to be ignorant of his errours. Many ſins I ſee in my ſelf, ſaith he, and more there are which I cannot eſpy, which I cannot find out: nay, I think ſaith he, that every mans ſins do ariſe beyond his accounts. There is not the beſt, the wiſeſt, nor the holieſt man in the world, that can give a full and entire liſt of his ſins; Who can underſtand his errors? This interrogation hath the force of an affirmation; Who can? No man, no not the moſt perfect and innocent man in the world. O friends, who can reckon up the ſecret ſinfull imaginations, the ſecret ſinful inclinations, or the ſecret pride, the ſecret blaſphemies, the ſecret hypocriſies, the ſecret Atheiſtical riſings, the ſecret murmurings, the ſecret repinings, the ſecret diſcontents, the ſecret inſolencies, the ſecret filthyneſſes, the ſecret unbelievings, p. 72 &c. that God might every day charge upon his ſoul? Should the beſt and holieſt man on earth, have but his ſecret ſins every day written in his fore-head, it would not only put him to a crimſon bluſh, but it would make him pull his hat over his eyes, or cover his face with a double ſcarfe. So 1 Kings 8. 38. What prayer and ſupplication ſoever be made by any man, or by all thy people Iſrael, which ſhall know every man the plague of his own heart, &c. Sin is the greateſt plague in the world; but never more dangerous, than when it reaches the heart. Now ſecret ſins commonly ly neareſt the Heart, the Fountain from whence they take a quick, immediate, and continual ſupply. Secret ſins are as near to original Sin, as the firſt droppings are to the ſpring head. And as every ſecret ſin lyes neareſt the heart, ſo every ſecret ſin is the plague of the heart. Now as ſecret diſeaſes are not to be laid open to every one, but only to the prudent Phyſitian: So our ſecret ſins p. 73 which are the ſecret plagues, the ſecret diſeaſes of our ſouls, are not to belaid open to every one, but only to the Phyſitian of ſouls, that is only able both to cure them and pardon them. And as all Chriſtians have their ſecret ſins, ſo all Chriſtians have their ſecret temptations, 2 Corin. 12. 8, 9. And as they have their ſecret temptations, ſo they have their ſecret wants: Yea, many times they have ſuch particular and perſonal wants, that there is not one in the congregation, nor one in the family, that hath the like. And as they have their ſecret wants, ſo they have their ſecret fears, and ſecret ſnares, and ſecret ſtreights, and ſecret troubles, and ſecret doubts, and ſecret jealouſies, &c. And how do all theſe things call aloud upon every Chriſtian, to be frequent and conſtant in ſecret prayer?

Tenthly, take many things together. All Christians have their secret sins. ‸ ‸“‸Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps 19:12). Secret not only to other men, but himself; even such secret sins as grew from errors which he understood not. It is incident to every man to err, and then to be ignorant of his errors. Many sins I see in myself, saith he, and more there are which I cannot espy, which I cannot find out; nay, I think, saith he, that every man’s sins do arise beyond his accounts. There is not the best, the wisest, nor the holiest man in the world, that can give a full and entire list of his sins. “‸Who can understand his errors?” This interrogation hath the force of an affirmation: “‸Who can?” “‸No man!” No, ‸ not the most perfect and innocent man in the world. Friends! Who can reckon up the secret sinful imaginations, the secret sinful inclinations, or the secret pride, the secret blasphemies, the secret hypocrisies, the secret atheistic risings, the secret murmurings, the secret repinings, the secret discontents, the secret insolences, the secret filthinesses, the secret unbelief ‸ that God might every day charge upon his soul? Should the best and holiest man on earth‸ have but his secret sins every day written in his forehead, it would not only put him to a crimson blush, but it would make him pull his hat over his eyes, or cover his face with a double scarf. ‸ ‸ ‸“‸What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart‸‸” (1 Kgs 8:38). Sin is the greatest plague in the world, but never more dangerous‸ than when it reaches the heart. Now, secret sins commonly lie nearest the heart, the fountain from whence they take a quick, immediate, and continual supply. Secret sins are as near to original sin as the first droppings are to the spring head. And as every secret sin lies nearest the heart, so every secret sin is the plague of the heart. Now, as secret diseases are not to be laid open to everyone, but only to the prudent physician, so our secret sins, which are the secret plagues, the secret diseases of our souls, are not to be laid open to everyone, but only to the Physician of souls, Who is only able both to cure them and pardon them. And as all Christians have their secret sins, so all Christians have their secret temptations (‸2 Cor 12:‸8–‸9). And as they have their secret temptations, so they have their secret wants; yea, many times they have such particular and personal wants‸ that there is not one in the congregation, nor one in the family, that hath the like. And as they have their secret wants, so they have their secret fears, and secret snares, and secret straits, and secret troubles, and secret doubts, and secret jealousies‸‸. And how do all these things call aloud to every Christian‸ to be frequent and constant in secret prayer!