*It's true, God is always, and every where with thee, with those more common Attributes of Immensity, Power, and Providence; but in his Worship, there he is also present by his grace, mercy, holiness, and efficacy. His common presence may be compared to the Sun in a cloudy day; it is in the Sky, we have great benefit by it, we should die without it: but his special Ordinance Presence, is like the Sun breaking out of a cloud in a Summers morning, that discovers atoms, warms our bodies, and refresheth our spirits. Even so the common presence of God upholds the world, in him we live, move, and have our Being, and the belief that God is every where, should persuade us to sin no where*. But now the special presence of God in his Worship, that like the Sun breaking out, enlightens the mind, warms the heart, and melts the most rocky soul. Hereby God doth, as it were, shine directly upon us; so that to trifle or sin before him, is a crime intolerable. The name of every place, where God is rightly worshipped, ⟨p. 181⟩is, Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Thy closet, the Lord is there between thy chair and thee, and canst thou shift from him? thy bed-chamber, the Lord is there between thy bed-side and thee, and canst thou turn from him? by the fire-side with thy family, the name of that place is Jehovah Shammah, and wil• thou sleep? In the Assembly, the Lord is there, and what are all the Gallants there, in comparison of him? O therefore hear and look at God, and pray and look at God, meditate and look at God, sing Psalms, and still look at God. It was Hagar's saying. Gen. 16.13. Have I also here looked after him, that seeth me? And she called the Name of the Lord that spake to her Thou God seest me. O call the Name of the Lord that speaks to thee, and the Lord to whom thou speakest, Thou God seest me*. Keep thy eye upon him, as he keeps his eye upon thee; find a fairer object, and gaze and spare not; but while there is none in Heaven or Earth desirable like him, let nothing in Heaven or Earth distract thee from him. The lively sense ⟨p. 182⟩of this• will charm the heart exceedingly, and we steal from duty, because we see no One there. It's said, Prov. 20.8. A King that sitteth in the Throne of Judgement, scattereth away all evil with his eyes;
*It's true, God is alwaies, and every where with thee, with those more common Attributes of Immensity, Power, and Providence; but in his Worship, there he is also present by his grace, mercy, holiness, and efficacy. His common presence may be compared to the Sun in a cloudy day; it is in the Sky, we have great benefit by it, we should die without it: but his special Ordinance Presence, is like the Sun breaking out of a cloud in a Summers morning, that discovers atomes, warms our bodies, and refresheth our spirits. Even so the common presence of God upholds the world, in him we live, move, and have our Being, and the belief that God is every where, should perswade us to sin no where*. But now the special presence of God in his Worship, that like the Sun breaking out, inlightens the mind, warms the heart, and melts the most rocky soul. Hereby God doth, as it were, shine directly upon us; so that to trifle or sin before him, is a crime intolerable. The name of every place, where God is rightly worshipped, ⟨p. 181⟩is, Iehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Thy closet, the Lord is there between thy chair and thee, and canst thou shift from him? thy bed-chamber, the Lord is there between thy bed-side and thee, and canst thou turn from him? by the fire-side with thy family, the name of that place is Iehovah Shammah, and wil• thou sleep? In the Assembly, the Lord is there, and what are all the Gallants there, in comparison of him? O therefore hear and look at God, and pray and look at God, meditate and look at God, sing Psalms, and still look at God. It was Hagar's saying. Gen. 16.13. Have I also here looked after him, that seeth me? And she called the Name of the Lord that spake to her Thou God seest me. O call the Name of the Lord that speaks to thee, and the Lord to whom thou speakest, Thou God seest me*. Keep thy eye upon him, as he keeps his eye upon thee; find a fairer object, and gaze and spare not; but while there is none in Heaven or Earth desirable like him, let nothing in Heaven or Earth distract thee from him. The lively sense ⟨p. 182⟩of this• will charm the heart exceedingly, and we steal from duty, because we see no One there. It's said,
- *Remember, there is above thee an hearing ear, a seeing eye, and a Register-book, wherein all thy thoughts, words, and actions, a•e written, and thou shalt not do amiss. A Rabbin to his Scholar.
- *Sic vive cum hominibus, quasi Deus videa•: sic loquere cum D••, quasi •omines audiant. Seneca.
- *God looks not at the Oratory of your prayers, how elegant they be, nor at the Geometry of your prayers, how long they be, nor at the Arithmetic of your prayers, how many they be, nor at the Logic of your prayers, how methodical they be, but the sincerity of them he looks at. Mr. B•ooks.God looks not at the Oratory of your prayers, how elegant they be, nor at the Geometry of your prayers, how long they be, nor at the Arithmetick of your prayers, how many they be, nor at the Logick of your prayers, how methodical they be, but the sincerity of them he looks at. Mr. B•ooks.
