A Glimpse of God, Part 8

A Glimpse of God · Part 8

p. 221A Diſcourſe of Gods Omnipreſence.

Jer. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, ſaith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places, that I ſhall not ſee him? Do not I fill Heaven and earth, ſaith the Lord?

CHAP. I.

I Proceed from God's Infiniteneſs, to his Ubiquity or Omnipreſence, which well followeth from his Immenſity and Infiniteneſ for if Gods Eſſence be infinite, bounded with no place, then God muſt needs be eſſentially preſent everywhere.

In theſe words, the Prophet confuteth that groſs and Atheiſtical conceit both of Hypocrites and wicked men: That God takes notice of things that are done near him, but not of things afar off; of things done in publick view, not in ſecret; he may behold Abſalom committing wickedneſs on p. 222the houſe-top before the Sun, but beholds not what men in their ſecret cloſets, and in dark places do act; they think God can no more behold them in the dark, than men can do. The Prophet, or God by him teſtifieth to theſe Atheiſts, that he is a God afar off, as well as at hand; he beholds and ſeeth what is done in the earth, as well as what is done in the Heavens; and is as preſent to thee, when thou thinkeſt thy ſelf afar off from him, as when thou waſt more nigh.

Suppoſe thou hideſt thy ſelf in ſecret places, thinking that thou mayeſt hide thy ſelf and actions from his ſight, it is in vain: Go, ſlie, hide thy ſelf under Mountains, or ar deep as the centre of the earth, or wrap thy ſelf up in Clouds, yet the Lord is preſent, and beholds thee, and will judge and damn thee for thy ſecret ſins. Here God gives a reaſon why he is a God afar off, as well as at hand, and ſeeth what men do in every ſecret place, becauſe he fills Heaven and earth, he is in all places.

p. 223CHAP. II.

HEnce I Note, That God is everywhereObſerv. preſent: This point I will firſt prove by Scripture, Pſal. 139. from 7. to the 13. verſe. In the foregoing verſe he ſheweth, how God knew his down-ſitting, and up-riſing, and all his thoughts, all his words, all his actions; not a thought, word or action, but God knew them altogether; God beſets us behind, before, on each ſide, he compaſſeth us about, therefore he ſeeth all. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? that is, from Gods knowledge, and underſtanding of his wayes: If I aſcend into Heaven, thou art there; that is, the place of thy ſpecial reſidence: If I make my Bed in Hell.] Hell is taken for the Grave: If I ſhould be buried as deep as the centre of the earth, behold there thou art, Ver. 3. If I take the mings of the Morning.] He alludes to the ſwift ſpreading of the light of the Sun, which at day-break, in a moment ſpreads from Eaſt to Weſt: If I ſhould p. 224in a moment flie from one part of the World to another, yet I could not flie from thy preſence: If men think the darkneſs ſhall cover them, the Night ſhineth as the day; darkneſs and light are both alike. Thou haſt poſſeſſed my reins.] Thou canſt not flie away from God, God hath poſſeſſion of thee, God is more preſent to thee, than thy own ſoul is. Though they dig into Hell, thence ſhall mine hand take them; though they climb up to Heaven, thence will I bring them down; and though they hide themſelves in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my ſight in the bottom of the Sea &c. Am…s 9. 2, 3. It ſheweth there is no eſcaping of Gods judgment, when he comes forthtviſit the iniquities of rebellious perſons. God is ſaid not to be far from every one of us, for in him we live and move, and have our being: In him, Tanquam domicilio nos capiente, undique ambiente; God is thorough and thorough every one of us, we are in him, and he in us, Acts 17. 27, 28.

p. 225The World is in God, as a little Sponge in the v…ſt Sea; the Ocean compaſſeth it round about, and doth penetrate every part of the Sponge; or as a little Glaſs in the light of the Sun▪ the light is within it, and without it, pierceth thorow every part of it, and 'tis diffuſed round about it: Thus God is within every creature; is more preſent to the creature, than the creature is to it ſelf; he is within thy ſpirit, thy ſoul, and each particle of every thing; thy ſoul is more preſent to thee than: thy body. God is more preſent to thee than thine own ſoul.

CHAP. III.

IN the handling of this Attribute, I will ſhew what Gods Omnipreſence is in divers particulars; then anſwer ſome Objections or Queſtions, and ſo make uſe of the point.

A thing is ſaid to be in place three wayes.

1. Circumſcriptivè; ſo all bodies are in place, circumſcribed with local p. 226terms, ſo lim…te… in this place, as they cannot be in another place at▪ the ſame time; one part of the body is beyond another and each part hath its cer…ain dimenſions.

2. Definitiv…; ſo Angels are in place, who have not one par… of their being beyond another, as bodies have … but in reſpect of their being & operation are in this o… that place, as they cannot be at the ſame time in another place.

3. Repl…tiv… filling every place, o… poſſeſſing all places real and imaginary, ye… ▪ beyond all imaginary places: So God is in place, filling Heaven, …th, Hell, all imaginary places, and beyond all imaginary places. Take theſe Propoſitions.

1. God is in all places at once; bodie… P…op. 1.may remove from place to place, Angels may remove from place to place, from Heaven to Earth, from Earth to Heaven again, from this place to another place: but God is in all places at once; he fills Heaven and Earth, and Hell at once, and is immoveable, he p. 227doth not move from place to place. Wicked men may run from one part of the world to the other, climb up to Heaven, hide themſelves in the bottom of the Sea, but cannot go from him▪ God is in all theſe places at once.

2. God is wholly everywhere;Prop. 2. whole God is in Heaven; whole God in earth; when we ſay God is everywhere, we muſt not conceive▪ that part of God is here, and part of God in another place; part in Heaven, part in earth, part in every creature; but all God, or whole God is in Heaven, is in earth, is everywhere: neither muſt we conceive that God▪ is more in this place, more in that place; a greater part of God in the greater part of the World, and a leſſer part of God in the leſſer part of the World: but as the Philoſophers ſay of the Soul of man, that it is tota in toto, & tota in qualibe… parte, it is all in all, and all in every part; ſo whole God is in Heaven, and in earth, and whole God is in every part, he is totaliter totus, in every place. p. 2283. Though God …e every where, andProp. 3. in every creature; yet God is not part of the creatu…e, nor is he defiled with the filthy creatures: though God be preſent tot…e wicked, and in the wicked, y…t not defiled with them: but God ſubſiſteth in h…s glorious purity▪ ſeparated from all. God is conjunct… ſſimu… & remotiſſimus▪ praeſentiſſimus & ſegregatiſſimus: He is moſt near, as a man cannot be nearer to himſelf, than God is to him, yet God is infinitely remote from the creature, in reſpect of defilement from them, and being part of them.

CHAP. IV.

AGain, God is preſent three wayes.

1. Per Potentiam, by his Power, upholding, governing, preſerving all things: In him we live, move, and have our being; …e…auſe he is preſent, he gives life to eve…y living thing, motion to every moving thing, and preſe…veth every thing in their being: God worketh p. 229everywhere, having all creatures in ſubjection to him.

2. God is everywhere, per inſpectionem, in reſpect of his knowledge: All things are naked, and bare before him: God beholdeth all things, actions, perſons, thoughts, ſpeeches, geſtures, yea every creature at all times everywhere by one ſingle view, and not one thing after another ſucceſſively as we do: He beholdeth all things; thy ſecret thoughts and intents, thy hidden purpoſes, and the n…mble and qu…ck motions of thy heart are as clear and n…ked, and viſible to God, as the Moon in the clear Sky is to our eyes, and far more manifeſt and open to him.

3. God is everywhere preſent, per Eſſentiam, by his Eſſ…nce: His Eſſence fills Heaven and Earth; he is eſſentially preſent to every Creature, and in every Creature: The two former wayes may be without an …ima…e preſence, as the Sun is many thouſand Miles diſtant from the earth, yet in reſpect of his light and heat, is preſen… to p. 230the earth: A man may behold things afar off: but now God is indiſtantially preſent in every place; he is not a God afar off from any place, creature or perſon▪ but is intimately and eſſentially preſent in every place, in every creature, in every perſon: ſo that when we ſay, God is every where preſent, we mean the Divine Eſſence is totally preſent in every place, and in every Creature at once.

CHAP. V.

THere is good reaſon why GodReaſ. 1. ſhould be in every place.

1. God being an infinite, great, and incomprehenſible God, no place can poſſibly comprehend him, then muſt he needs be preſent everywhere; for either God is nuſquàm, or alicubi, or ubiqu…: No where, in ſome certain place, or everywhere: You cannot ſay he is nowhere, for then there is no God; You cannot ſay he is in ſome certain place, for then he ſhould …e a finite God, limited and circumſcribed p. 231with local terms; therefore he muſt be ubiqu…, every where, filling all places a… once; an infinite Being muſt needs be every where. And in this God doth infinitely excel all creatures whatſoever; the Air is every where, but yet onelyonly in it's own region; the Waters of the Sea are every where in the depth, but yet wirhin it's bounds; the light of the Sun is of creatures moſt diffuſive, and extended over the whole Hemiſphere, yet the diffuſion of it is bounded, the ſolid Earth is the bounds of it; but God is in Heaven, Earth, Hell, in all places, beyond all imagination, at once, fully, and unlimitedly.

2. Becauſe every man, and whatſoeverReaſ. 2. every man doth think, ſpeak, or do, is in the preſence of God, is before God; therefore God is omnipreſent. How is it poſſible, that all the godly ſhould walk before him at once, and do all that they do in his preſence, if God were not omnipreſent, preſent with them, and beholding them? Enoch, p. 232Abraham, David, did walk before him, and all the godly do walk before him. So, as to the wicked themſelves, all that they do, think, or ſpeak, is before him. And this ſheweth, that God is infinitely preſent in every man, and to every man; yea, he is more near to us than our ſelves are, becauſe he knoweth the thoughts of man what they are: all thy proud thoughts, …ll thy adulterous thoughts are before him, and not a word droppeth from thy tongue, but he heareth it altogether.

The Lord is ſaid to ſee in ſecret: all thy ſecret filthineſs acted in the darkeſt corners, dens, caves, and holes, deſerts and wilderneſſes, the Lord beholdeth. Imagine the Adulterer had his Dalilah with him, as deep as the centre of the earth, yet all would be acted before the Lord. Seeing then thou canſt not do any thing any where, at any time, but 'tis before God, he muſt needs be omnipreſent. Darkneſs is as bright as noon p. 233to him; therefore in vain doth the Adulterer wait for the twilight; the hidden and ſecret holes are as open to him as the tops of houſes and mountains; therefore in vain do men hide their lewdneſs from God: Thou canſt go no where and ſin, but it is in the preſence of a glorious God.

CHAP. VI.

BEfore I make Application, it will be needful to anſwer ſome Queſtions about God's omnipreſence.

1. If God be every where preſent,Queſt. 1. how is it ſaid, that God is in heaven? as we ſay in the Preface of the Lord's Prayer, Our Father which art in Heaven. And Pſal. 115. 3. Our God is in heaven. Theſe ſeem to denote, that God is onelyonly in heaven.

I anſwer, Firſt, in reſpect of hisSol. 1. Divine Eſſence, God is as much in Earth, in Hell, every where, as he is in Heaven; God is totus ubique, whole God is every where.

2. God is ſaid to be in heaven, p. 234foreign by way of eminency and excellency, in two reſpects.

1. Becauſe in heaven he lays open and diſplayeth the full brightneſs of all his glorious perfections to the view of glorified Saints and Angels: there they behold him face to face, and ſtand continually in his bleſſed preſence, in which preſence there is fulneſs of joy, and pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16. 11. The beholding of God's Majeſty in heaven, is the eternal happineſs, life, glory of his elect.

In Earth God doth not ſhew the brightneſs of his glory; the moſt that we behold of God, is but his backparts; ſome beams of his Divine glory in his Word and Ordinances, in his Creatures: and as for hell, his preſence is terrible to the damned, he diſplayeth his full wrath and vengeance to them; they ſee not a glimpſe of his glory, his face and his favour is eternally hidden from them. That's the meaning of that place in 2 Theſſ. 1. 9. where it is ſaid of the wicked, that p. 235they ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord; that is, from the preſence of his favour, love, mercy, goodneſs, glory, in which is fulneſs of joy and life for evermore, God is preſent in heaven, preſent in hell: his preſence in heaven is joyous, as the preſence of a King to a Favourite; his preſence in hell i… moſt terrible, as the preſence of a King to a Traitor.

2. God is ſaid to be in Heaven, to ſhew the vaſtneſs of his dominion over all things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. Heaven is the Royal Throne of his Kingdome, his …ear, his Palace, his Court of Reſidence, Pſal. 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens. Thus ſaith the Lord, The heaven is my thron…, Iſa. 66. 1. The earth in compariſon of heaven is his foot-ſtool. Hence it is, that God is ſaid to dwell in heaven, to ſit in heaven, to reign in heaven.

2. If God be every where preſent,Queſt. 2. p. 236ho… is it then that God is ſaid to dwell in his Sain…s, but for the wicked, he knows th…m afar off?

I anſwe…, God is eſſentially and indiſtanti…llySol. preſent to the wicked, as well as to, and in the godly; God is the preſerver of both in their beings; in him both the godly and the wicked live, mov…, and have their b…ing: But God is ſaid to dw…ll in t…e godly by the preſence of his grac…, by the preſence of his comfortable favour, and in reſpect of his rule and government of their heart; the hearts of his Saints are his Throne, Palace, Seat, and Houſe, as Heaven; therefore every godly man's heart is an heaven, Et Deus in illo coelo. 2 Cor 6. 16. he is ſaid to dwell in them, and walk in them. But ſo he is not preſent to the wicked; they are vo…d of all grace, their hearts are very dens, and priſons, and very hells of ſin, the throne of Satan the Prince of the Air, by whom they are ruled, and led captive at his pleaſure, Eph. 2. 2.

p. 237It is ſaid of Stephen that his heart was full of the holy Ghoſt, but of Ananias it is ſaid, that Satan had filled his hea…t. Act. 5. A wicked man is full of the devil, and in this reſpect God is ſaid to know the wicked afar off, he looketh on them, and all that they do as hateful abominations. They are ſaid to be withou… Chriſt, and without God in this world: So th…ugh God be preſent▪ to the wicked, and in the wicked, yet he dwells not in them: the preſence of his eſſence notes not God's dwelling, but his dwelling is the efficacious work of his ſanctifying and quickning ſpirit, his ſupping with his Saints.

3. If God be every where preſent,Queſt. 3. then how is it ſaid, that God departs from us, and comes unto us?

God doth not depart and comeSol▪ in reſpect of his eſſence, but in reſpect of his efficacy or working: God is ſaid to draw nigh to his ſervants; when he gives them the ſenſe of his gracious preſence, the comfortable p. 238ſenſe of his favour, and quickning their hearts to run the way of Gods commandements, and vouchſa…ing his p…eſence with them in duties▪ God departeth from his ſervants, whe… he withdraws the preſence of his …avour, the ſen… of his grace, and the quickning ve…ud of his ſpirit, upon which follows …ſ…al …ears, horrour, and ſadneſſe of heart, and then their …uls (like Pharaoh's wheels) drive heavily in du…s: when God thus dea…eth with his ſervants; he is ſaid to hide himſelf, and to caſt them out of his preſence.

Again God is ſaid to draw nigh to the wicked, when he knocks at the doors of their ſouls by the motions of his ſpi…t for entrance, or when he breaks open the door, and cometh in, and caſteth out Satan and changeth their heart.

And he is ſaid to depart from the wicked, when his Spirit ceaſeth to ſtrive with them any longer, and leaveth them in their hardneſſe, and p. 239and blindneſs, …o be blinded and hardened more, and gives them up to their luſts, and to Satan, and to be ruled and ſwayed by them.

4. How is it ſaid that Cain went Queſt. 4.out from the preſence of the Lord, ſeeing God is preſent every where?

There is a double preſence of God;Sol…. his Univerſal preſence; his ſpecial preſence; his univerſal preſence, the preſence of hi… eſſence Cain could not, nor can any man …y from▪ but as to his ſpecial preſence among his ſai…s, and in his ordinan…es, ſo Cain went from God's preſence … when he left ſociety with Adam, he forſook the preſence of God in the Aſſembly of his Saints, he forſook the Church and worſhip of God, the place where he dwelleth: thus every man that abſents himſelf from the communion of Saints in publique worſhip, goes out from the preſence of the Lord: As often as any one purpoſely abſenteth himſelf from the hearing of the word, and the publick p. 240worſhip, he goes from the preſence of God; hence the publick worſhip and the coming to the ordinances are called our appearing before God. Pſal. 84. 7. this is called the face of God, an… the beauty of the Lord, Pſal. 27 4.

CHAP. VII.

1. THis ſheweth the ſottiſh AtheiſmƲſe 1. of many wicked perſons, who if they can ſin in ſecret from the ſight of mortal men, promiſe themſelves ſecurity and ſafety from puniſhment, perſwading themſelves that the immortal eye of the holy God, who cannot endure to behold ſin, can no more ſee them in thee dark or in ſecret, than the mortal eyes of man. Oh tremble rather, for here is matter of terrour to ſuch; your ſins and your perſons are always before God; he ſeeth thy ſecret ſins acted in thy boſome; thy heartpride, thy heart covetouſneſs, thy heart-adultery, thy heart-murther, as p. 241well as the outward act: he ſees thy filthy thoughts, as well as thy filthy actions, and heareth every word ſpoken by thee.

Thy ſins committed in the dark at midnight, are all open to him, as thy ſins committed at noon day in the face of the ſun: thy ſins acted in the moſt ſecret place that can be found, are open before him, as well as Abſolo…s▪ adultery acted on the houſe top: as 'tis ſaid of Nimrod, he was a mighty hunter before the Lord, ſo of the ſecret Adulterer, the ſpeculative adulterer, he is a mighty adulterer before the Lord: ſo of the ſecret drunkard, he is a mighty drunkard before the Lord: therefore in vain do men dig deep to hide their counſels from him; in vain doth the Adultereſſe wipe her mouth, and ſay ſhe hath done no evil; ſeeing all that men or women think, ſpeak or do in publick, in ſecret, at midnight, and at noon, is before the Lord, who is more than a thouſand eye-witneſſes, p. 242more then if thou ſhouldſt act ſin upon a publique Stage in open market.

Then, if thy ſins be acted before God, never imagine thou art free from vengeance; thy perſon is always before the ſin-revenging God, who will not acquit the guilty; but be ſure O ſinner, his vengeance will purſue thee and overtake thee, and never leave till it hath deſtroyed thee with an everlaſting deſtruction: as the Prophet ſpeaketh of an impoſſibility of eſcaping his preſence; the like may be ſaid of his wrath; neither ſhall the wicked flie from his wrath: though the wicked be hid from his fight in the bottom of the Sea, thence the Lord ſaith, he will command the Serpent, and it ſhall bite them: and though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence he ſaith, he will command the ſword, and it ſhall ſlay them. Amos. 9. 3. 4▪ God will command this and that Plague to deſtroy them: he that fills p. 243Heaven and earth with his Eſſence, is able to fill all ſinful places with his wrath.

2. The conſideration of Gods Omnipreſence,Uſe 2. ſhould be a Curb to reſtrain and keep us back from committing ſin; we cannot ſin but in his preſence: if it were poſſible for thee to find out a place where God is not, then and there thou might'ſt take liberty to ſin, and there thou maiſt commit folly ſecurely: but dic ubi non eſt Deus? ſaid the Philoſopher to one, who asked, Where is God? Tell me, ſaith he, where God is not?

It was a Philoſophers advice to ſome, That if they would keep themſelves from Vanity and Folly, they ſhould alwayes imagine ſome ſevere Cato were beholding them; he had well ſaid, if he had counſelled them to have ſet God alwayes before their eyes.

What preſerved Joſeph from yielding to the adulterous Temptations of his unchaſte Miſtreſs, having a fair opportunity p. 244to act in ſecret? How ſhall I do this wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God? Gen. 39. 9. As if he had ſaid, Though my Maſter and all his Servants behold us not, yet God whom I fear and ſerve, beholdeth me, how ſhall I ſin in his preſence? If we did reaſon thus with our ſelves, we ſhould vanquiſh temptations; and though we have the faireſt opportunities to commit ſin, yet we ſhould ſtand in awe of him, and not ſinne.

Why do wicked men take liberty to ſin? 'Tis becauſe the fear of God is not before their eyes. The Adulterer conſiders not, that he is ſinning before God, and doing of that in his preſence, which he durſt not do▪ before a child: Why do men harbour ſuch unclean thoughts in their hearts, and make their very hearts the Bawd, Whoremonger and Brothel-houſe, it is becauſe they conſider not, they act this filthineſs before the Lord. A young man being importuned by a Whore to lie with her, told her, he would, if ſhe would p. 245go with him to a place where he ſhouldCaſ…ian. Collat. lead her; ſhe asked whether he would go? he ſaid, to the Market-place; ſhe replied, there every one will ſee us: Then ſaid he, go into the moſt ſecret place thou canſt find out, and God will ſee us. You that take liberty to commit ſecret ſins, who, if you can keep your ſelves from the ſight of men, regard not what wickedneſs you act in the preſence of God, let me tell you, That ſecret ſinners are as notorious and deſperate Atheiſts, as the moſt ſhameleſs Drunkard, and open-mouthed blaſphemer: To this purpoſe I deſire you ſeriouſly to conſider theſe things.

1. No ſin is ſecret, or can be acted in ſecret, becauſe in the preſence of God, who is more than a million of Witneſſes. What ſins are more ſecret than our wanton thoughts, our proud or worldly thoughts, than our vain thoughts; yet even theſe God knoweth altogether, not a thought, but is preſent before him: Thou haſt poſſeſſed p. 246my reins, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 139. 13. God hath poſſeſſion of our hearts, they are all naked before him.

2. There's no ſecret ſin, but God will bring forth to publick Judgment: There is a day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of all men by Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Goſpel, Rom. 2. 16. Secret ſinners think their ſecreſie will keep them from open ſhame, and publick puniſhment; no, God will judge thee for thy ſecret ſins before men and Angels: They are apt to bleſs God they were honeſt with their bodies, but God will tell thee thou hadſt not an honeſt heart, whiles thou actedſt ſuch ſecret ſins, and therefore he will condemn thee: What will be the ſhame of all thoſe at that great day, but the ripping up of their ſecret ſins? What will the Lord then ſay? You thought th…ſe men to be holy men, becauſe you ſaw nothing but what was commendable in their outward Converſation, but yet in my preſence they took liberty to be drunk, to be adulterous, proud, covetous, p. 247&c. That chaſte man, as you thought him, was in his heart a moſt vile Adulterer, Sodomite, inceſtuous wretch, as any damned Sodomite: That ſober man, as you took him to be, was in his heart a vile profane Drunkard, as any damned Drunkard: They have acted theſe things in the preſence of me their God, which they durſt not act in the preſence of man: I was made no more reckoning of by them, than as a blind God, a careleſs, regardleſs God; rather an approver of them in their ſins, than an hater of them.

CHAP. VIII.

3. HEnce we may learn the infiniteUſe 3. patience and forbearance of God; how patient he is, ſeeing all ſin is acted in his preſence, and yet the Lord breaks not forth into fury, to conſume the ungodly in a moment? O conſider how many thouſands of drunkards are reeling and ſpewing before Gods face from day to day! How many millions of Swearers, do daily blaſpheme p. 248the dreadful and glorious Name of the Lord our God! How many thouſand ſhameleſs Adulterers, delight in chambering and wantonneſs! Lay to heart, how the whole world of ungodly men, do daily act their Villanies before the face of God! He upholds the World, feeds, cloatheth, filleth the world with mercies; whereas he might bring a flood to drown the World, or rain down fire and brimſtone to deſtroy the World in a moment: Could a man endure this? If God were man, then you Drunkards had been damned before now; but ſurely God is not man, therefore ye are not conſumed.

Can a father alwayes bear with a prodigal ſon, that ſhall go to Taverns and Alehouſes, and waſte his means, and run in debt, and he often pay all, and no ſooner is the debt paid, but he runs further into debt again? Or can a father endure to ſee his child lie and tumble in the midſt of a dirty hole, though he take him out, w…ſh his cloaths, and put on him clean veſtures, p. 249yet he again runs into the place, and there ſoules them before his fathers face: Thus do wretched men before God, they wallow in ſinful abominations; wicked men tumble and plunge themſelves in the mire of▪ ſin before the face of God, and yet the Lord breaks not forth into fury. What King would endure to hear a Shimei alwayes railing againſt him to his face? yet God ſuffers the Swearer, the Blaſphemer, the Scorner to abuſe him to his face. What King would endure Rebels and Traytors to act Treaſon continually, when it is in his power to take away their lives preſently? yet God doth patiently bear with many millions of men, that rebel daily againſt his Laws and Government, who could in a moment turn all the ungodly into hell; this is ſtrong conviction, that God is infinitely patient and long-ſuffering.

4. If God be Omnipreſent, it ſhouldUſe 4. inſtruct us in divers things.

1. It ſhould teach us to be conſcious of private duties, as well as publick; p. 250of prayer in our Cloſets, the door being ſhut upon us, as of prayer in the open Congregation: God is preſent to us, and with us in our private Cloſets, as in the publick houſe of prayer.

2. To be the ſame in our private duties, as in our publick ſervices; as reverent, as fervent, as devout and heavenly in the corner, as on the houſetop, becauſe all is done in the preſence of God, who abhorreth publick fervency, and open devotion, when he ſeeth private profaneneſs, and ſecret coldneſs and remiſsneſs.

3. It ſhould teach us to be ſquare in all our aims, and intentions in our duties: Outward pretences are no cloak to hide rotten aims from God; all Hypocrites ſhew extream folly, when they think with Adam, to hide themſelves among Trees, and to cover themſelves with fig-leaves from the preſence of the Lord, none (to ſpeak properly) are Hypoc…ites before God; Hypocriſie is many times godlineſs in mans eye, but open profaneneſs in the ſight of p. 251God. When you do duties, God looketh to your heart and rei…s, to the integrity of your hearts: Thy ſpirit and ſoul, is as naked in Gods eyes, as thy moſt glorious performances, all the rottenneſs and filth of painted Sepulchres are ſtill in the Noſtrils of God.

4. It ſhould teach us to come with preparedneſs to duties, becauſe we go into the preſence of an holy God, Eccleſ. 5. 1. The Bride puts on her robes to meet her Bridegroom; the King looketh upon his gueſts to ſee if they come with wedding garments: I will be ſanctified by all them that draw nigh unto me, Lev. 10. 3.

5. It ſheweth us that we may pray to God in any place: I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, &c. 1 Tim. 2. 8. We need not tye God to any place, but in all places, and at all times, we may and muſt lift up pure hands, becauſe God is alwayes everywhere preſent: Then need we not to direct our prayers to any Saint or Angel, p. 252what need ſuch Will-worſhip? when as God that heareth our prayers, is alwayes nigh to all that call upon him. There is as great a diſtance between us and the glorified Saints, as the higheſt Heaven is from the earth; we may cry to them from morning to evening, and be no more comforted, than Baal's Prieſts were, when they cryed from Morning until Noon, O Baal hear us.

CHAP. IX.

THe next Uſe ſhall be of ExhortationƲſe 5. 5. to divers things.

1. To walk continually in uprightneſs, and ſincere affection, as in the preſence of God: How do Angels live? how do glorified Saints live? how holy, how pure, how heavenly are they, becauſe they ſtand continually before God? Therefore I ſay to you, as God to Abraham, Be thou perfect; though we cannot attain to Angelica… perfection, yet labour to walk in perfection of ſincerity, becauſe God beſets p. 253thee behind and before, and obſerveth thy upriſing, and down-lying.

2. To keep a ſtrict watch over our hearts: Keep thy heart above all keeping, becauſe God hath poſſeſſion of thy heart: Look to thy thoughts, intentions and purpoſes: What ſhall thy heart be a Den, a Sty, a Thorow-fare for vain thoughts, proud thoughts, unclean thoughts? Beloved Hearers! Are ye not aſhamed to ſpeak openly what your hearts do meditate upon? and are ye not aſhamed then to lodge ſuch thoughts in Gods preſence, who is and will be a Witneſs and a Judge of your thoughts? A vain mind is a very Atheiſtical mind; he that is proud in his thoughts, Adulterous in his thoughts, is a very Atheiſt in his mind: God doth in effect ſay to every ſinner, I am God, and know your thoughts, and will judge your thoughts; I can ſee the world in thy thoughts; I can ſee pleaſures▪ profits, vanities in thy thoughts; I can ſee thy Whores, thy cups, thy companions in thy thoughts, p. 254but God is not in all thy thoughts: God is moſt preſent, and yet he is a ſtranger to thee.

3. Be careful to approve your ſelves to God in an holy Converſation; though the World ſcoff at you, account you as Hypocrites, for Humoriſts, yet be zealous for God, let the World judge as they pleaſe: Say as David to Michal, It is before the Lord, I will be holy I will be zealous.

4. It ſhould encourage us to be abundant in private duties: What! though the World behold you not praying, giving Alms, you have God beholding you in ſecret, who is more than a world of eye-witneſſes? not an holy thought of God (then which nothing can be more private) ſhall go unrewarded: Behold who is coming to give his ſincere ſervants publick rewards of glory for private ſervice; let Phariſees have their loud Trumpets to ſound forth their Alms, God will be thy Trumpetter to ſpeak forth thy private duties, that Heaven, Earth and p. 255Hell ſhall ring of it, Angels and Saints, Devils and wicked men ſhall hear what thou didſt for God, how uprightly thou didſt ſerve him, and walkedſt in ſincerity before him.

6. If God be Omnipreſent, thenUſe 6. here is matter of ſingular comfort to the godly in all afflictions; he is and will be a preſent help to thee in all places, in all troubles; why ſhould ye be terrified with fears of evil, when as God is preſent? Art thou a cloſe Priſoner, and in Bonds for Chriſts ſake, God is preſent with thee in Priſon? Nunquàm minûs ſolus quàm cùm ſolus: A cloſe Priſoner of Jeſus Chriſt may ſay, he is never leſs alone, than when alone: When thy Father and Mother ſhall forſake thee, or cannot, or will not own thee, help thee, and be preſent with thee, God is then preſent. Do evil men plot thy deſtruction, or thy trouble, they cannot harm thee, becauſe God is preſent? If thou ſhouldeſt run thorow St. Pauls troubles, all kind of troubles in all places, God ſaith to p. 256thee, as Ruth to Naomi, Where thou goeſt, thither will I go; where thou dwelleſt, Iſa. 42. 1, 2Isa 42:1Isa 42:2there will I dwell, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. Fear not, O Iſrael, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine: When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. David was reſolved againſt all fears of man, and of all evil, Pſal. 118. 6, 7. The Lord is on my ſide, I will not fear what man can do unto me; the Lord taketh my part with them that help me, therefore ſhall I ſee my deſire upon mine enemy. A midſt thine enemies, thou ſhalt have his preſence of protection; in thy troubles thou ſhalt have the preſence of his ſupporting comforts; in thy temptations the preſence of his grace; in thy death the preſence of his Spirit, the preſence of his comforts and joyous favour; and after death thou ſhalt enjoy the preſence of his p. 257glory, in which there is fulneſs of joy, and life for evermore.