The divine life in three treatises

3. The immensity of God as it proveth him incomprehensible, so it containeth his Omnipresence; And therefore should continually affect us as men that believe that God stands by them. As we would compose our thoughts, and minds and passions, if we saw (were it possible) the Lord stand over us, so should we now labour to compose them. As we would restrain and use our tongues, and order our behaviour if we saw his Majesty, so should we do now when we know that he is with us. An eye servant will work hard in his masters presence, what ever he doth behind his back. Bestir thee then Christian, for God stands by; In him we live and move and have our Being, Act. 17. 28. Loiter not till thou canst truly say that God is gone or absent from thee; sin not by wilfulness or negligence till thou canst say, thou art behind his back. Alas that we should have no more awakened serious souls and no more fervent lively prayers, and no more serious holy speech, and no more careful heavenly lives, when we stand before the living God, and do all in his sight, and speak all in his hearing? O why should sense so much affect us, and faith, and Knowledge work no more? we can be awed with the presence of a man, and would not do before a Prince, what most men do before the Lord. Yea other things affect us when we see them not; and shall not God? But of this more anon.

3. The immensity of God as it proveth him incomprehensible, so it containeth his Omnipresence; And therefore should continually affect us as men that believe that God stands by them. As we would compose our thoughts, and minds and passions, if we saw (were it possible) the Lord stand over us, so should we now labour to compose them. As we would restrain and use our tongues, and order our behaviour if we saw his Majesty, so should we do now when we know that he is with us. An eye servant will work hard in his masters presence, what ever he doth behind his back. Bestir thee then Christian, for God stands by; In him we live and move and have our Being, Act. 17. 28. Loyter not till thou canst truly say that God is gone or absent from thee; sin not by wilfulness or negligence till thou canst say, thou art behind his back. Alass that we should have no more awakened serious souls and no more fervent lively prayers, and no more serious holy speech, and no more careful heavenly lives, when we stand before the living God, and do all in his sight, and speak all in his hearing? O why should sense so much affect us, and faith, and Knowledge work no more? we can be awed with the presence of a man, and would not do before a Prince, what most men do before the Lord. Yea other things affect us when we see them not; and shall not God? But of this more anon.