Thirdly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness, set God always before thine eyes; Subjects will carry themselves handsomely and loyally when they are before their Sovereign; They who walk before God, will be upright. His eye is the best Marshal to keep the soul in a comely order. Let thine eye be ever on him, whose eye is ever on thee. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good, Prov. 15. 9. Seneca persuaded his friend Lucilius for the keeping him within compass, to imagine that some grave man, as Laelius, did still look upon him; Reader, couldst thou walk ever as in Gods presence, thou wouldst keep close to his precepts. Consider, therefore that in all places, in all companies, at all times, the eye of God is on thee, and he takes exact notice of all thy thoughts, words and actions; that he knoweth thy natural parts; In his book were all thy members written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was not one of them, that he knoweth all thy moral passages, thou understandest my thoughts afar off, and art acquainted with all my ways; There is not a word in my tongue, but thou O Lord knowest it altogether; There is no drawing a curtain between God and thee; He seeth thee thorough and thorough, far more perfectly then thou canst the clearest Chrystal. Darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day; to thee the darkness and the light are both alike. The darkness of the air may hide thee from men, and the darkness of thine understanding may hide thee from thy self; but there is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity ⟨p. 730⟩can hide themselves from him. Neither the ring of Gyges, nor the helmet of Pluto, can hide thee from Gods eye. Observe how strict God is in observing thy ways; Thou numberest my steps, dost thou not watch over my sin? Job 14. 16. By steps is understood inward Motions, and outward actions, whatsoever is done either in the retiring room of the heart, or common hall of the life. To number the steps notes an exact account, we say of a man that goeth very leisurely and softly, Such a man telleth his steps. God is said to tell or number our steps, because he is so exact in his observation of, and so severe in his inquisition, into all our thoughts, words, and deeds. He is supposed to be void of shame, that doth not fear to sin before many witnesses;
Thirdly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness, set God always before thine eyes; Subjects will carry themselves handsomly and loyally when they are before their Soveraign; They who walk before God, will be upright. His eye is the best Marshal to keep the soul in a comely order. Let thine eye be ever on him, whose eye is ever on thee. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good, Prov. 15. 9. Seneca perswaded his friend Lucilius for the keeping him within compass, to imagine that some grave man, as Laelius, did still look upon him; Reader, couldst thou walk ever as in Gods presence, thou wouldst keep close to his precepts. Consider, therefore that in all places, in all companies, at all times, the eye of God is on thee, and he takes exact notice of all thy thoughts, words and actions; that he knoweth thy natural parts; In his book were all thy members written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was not one of them, that he knoweth all thy moral passages, thou understandest my thoughts afar off, and art acquainted with all my ways; There is not a word in my tongue, but thou O Lord knowest it altogether; There is no drawing a curtain between God and thee; He seeth thee thorough and thorough, far more perfectly then thou canst the clearest Chrystal. Darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day; to thee the darkness and the light are both alike. The darkness of the air may hide thee from men, and the darkness of thine understanding may hide thee from thy self; but there is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity ⟨p. 730⟩can hide themselves from him. Neither the ring of Gyges, nor the helmet of Pluto, can hide thee from Gods eye. Observe how strict God is in observing thy ways; Thou numbrest my steps, dost thou not watch over my sin? Job 14. 16. By steps is understood inward Motions, and outward actions, whatsoever is done either in the retiring room of the heart, or common hall of the life. To number the steps notes an exact account, we say of a man that goeth very leasurely and softly, Such a man telleth his steps. God is said to tell or number our steps, because he is so exact in his observation of, and so severe in his inquisition, into all our thoughts, words, and deeds. He is supposed to be void of shame, that doth not fear to sin before many witnesses;
