Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

and could pass to the utmost parts of the earth or hell, there we should find him, there his eye would be upon us, there would his hand lay hold of us, and lead us as a Conqueror triumphing over a captive¹. Nay, if we could leap out of the compass of heaven and earth, we should find as little reserves from him. He is without the World in those infinite spaces which the mind of man can imagine. In regard of his Immensity, nothing in being can be distant from him, wheresoever it is.

1. 1Psal. 139.8, 9, 10.

2d. Use is for Comfort. That God is present every where, is as much a Comfort to a good man, as it is a Terror to a wicked one. He is every where for his people, not only by a necessary perfection of his nature, but an immense diffusion of his goodness. He is in all creatures as their preserver, in the damned as their terror, in his people as their Protector. He fills hell with his severity, heaven with his glory, his people with his grace. He is with his people as light in darkness, a fountain in a garden, as Manna in the Ark. God is in the World as a spring of preservation, in the Church as his Cabinet, a spring of grace and consolation. A man is present sometimes in his field, but more delightfully in his garden. A Vineyard, as it hath more of cost, so more of care, and a watchful presence of the Owner. Isa. 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, viz. his Vineyard; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. As there is a presence of Essence, which is natural; so there is a presence of Grace, which is federal; A presence by Covenant, I will not leave thee, I will be with thee; this later depends upon the former; for take away the Immensity of God, and you leave no foundation for his universal gracious presence with his people in all their emergencies, in all their hearts. And therefore where he is present in his essence, he cannot be absent in his grace from them that fear him. 'Tis from his filling heaven and earth he proves his knowledge of the designs of the false prophets; and from the same Topic may as well be inferred the employment of his power and grace for his people.