acts: who pondereth all his goings: who inspecteth and recordeth both all his deeds and all his intentions, and who will likewise, one day bring every work into judgment, whether it be good or whether it be evil?_It is from not believing, or not duly reflecting upon this, that men venture upon and continue in the commission of wickedness. Attend to the delineation of their character given us in the Scriptures. - They have not God before their eyes.' The great hope of the wicked is, that no eye sees them, and that their wickedness will remain undiscovered; but let some one become acquainted with their designs, and their vain hope is utterly disappointed. It is right then, for the human mind to be awed by some being:-the great Omnipresent Being, whose authority renders even its privacy more solemn.*-It is right to think in every place as Jacob did at Bethel' Surely God is in this place: how ' dreadful is this place!' and to say with Joseph- How can I do any wickedness

*

Magna spes peccatorum tollitur, si peccaturis testis adsistat aliquem habeat animus quem vereatur, cujus auctoritate etiam secretum suum sanctius facit.

⚫ and sin against God!'-Regular and vivid recollection of this kind is the best shield that can be held before the heart of man, to enable him to withstand the power of sin to repel successfully every attack of temptation.

THE Omnipresence of God, should incite us to THE ZEALOUS DISCHARGE OF ACTIVE DUTY. God commands us, not only to abstain from sin, but to cultivate holiness. He commands us not only to cease to do evil,' but to learn to do well.'And what an incitement to do well' is this reflection- God is ever present with

us: God ever sees us: God witnesses every righteous and honourable deed ' which we perform, and every good and generous sentiment which we entertain. And he who is now our witness, will here

⚫ after be our judge!' Duly reflecting thus, every serious man will say What man'ner of person ought I to be in all holy conversation and godliness! Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me! May my conversation 'be as it becometh the gospel of Christ!. May I be filled with all the fruits of righte

ousness which are by Christ Jesus unto the glory and praise of God!-0 may 1 be stedfast and unmoveable, always

abounding in the work of the Lord, for, ( as much as I know that my labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.'-Let every one then who would not only avoid sin, but be zealous in the discharge of active duty, thus reflect and pray to that Omnipresent and holy Being who never, for one instant, takes off his eye, either from our external conduct, or from our inmost thoughts, and who will soon distribute, with impartial hand, to every individual, the punishment or the prize, according to his respective character.

THE Omnipresence of God should sink us into HUMBLE CONTRITION. We have all been guilty of innumerable sins, and committed them all before the Majesty of heaven. Can any one hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.-Do not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.'- Against the • Lord then have I sinned, and done all my evil in his sight. And what am I, a creature-a contemptible worm,

that I should dare to rebel against the 'Lord; to insult him on his throne and in his empire! It becomes me to be pained and afflicted: to humble myself in the dust: to sorrow after a godly sort, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.O that my head were waters and 'mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for my transgressions!'.

THE Omnipresence of God should inspire every good man with cONFIDENCE AND HOPE. What has such a man to fear under the Divine government? The Divine Inspector is always present with him: always beholding him, and always providing both for his present and future welfare. And recollect too, that this divine presence is a presence of power, against which no force can prevail, and of wisdom which no device can deceive. As sure then as the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, so sure it is that the righteous may trust in him, and rest perfectly assured that all things which befal them, whether they be, at present, joyous or grievous,' shall be so overruled as to pro

mote their moral improvement and final happiness. • God is their refuge and

6

strength, a very present help in trouble: therefore they need not fear though the ' earth be removed, and though the moun'tains be carried into the midst of the 6 sea though the waters thereof roar and ⚫ be troubled: though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.-Though the fig-tree should not blossom, neither fruit be in the vines: though the labour of the olive should fail and the fields yield ' no meat: though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stalls, yet may they rejoice ' in the Lord, and joy in the God of their salvation.'*_The Divine goodness and mercy shall ever follow them: they shall be with them even in the valley of the • shadow of death.' Death shall prove to them, only the breaking down of that partition which intercepts their view of the God who is always present with them, and whom, they shall, after death, see even as they are seen, and know even as they are 'known.'

Psalm xlvi, 1, 2, 3. Hab. iii, 17.