Though we are to adore and worship God as in heaven, yet we must not shut up God in heaven; as he is in heaven, so he is upon the earth also, he is with us, yea he is in us, he is in all places, not circumscribed by any, nor limited to any place. God is present in all places, and fills all places with his presence, only he doth not declare his presence alike in all places. The Lord appears where and as he pleaseth, but he cannot be otherwise or otherwhere then he is, and that is every where. While the Psalmist queried, Whether shall I go from thy presence? He was so far from imagining that any such place could be found, that in the very next words he concludeth God to be every where, by an enumeration of all places, (Psal. 139.7, 8.) If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in Hell, behold thou are there. (Hell standeth in utmost opposition to heaven, as heaven in Scripture-language is the highest, so hell is the lowest place; now saith David, If I make my bed in hell, thou art there) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me; That is, there I shall find• thee efficaciously present with me. The Lord having said (Isa. 66.1.) Heaven is my throne, presently adds, and the earth is my footstool; So the earth is called, because its situation in nature is below the heavens, his throne is there, his footstool is ⟨p. 109⟩here. (Jer. 23.23, 24.) Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? All these expostulating questions, are resolved into this one position. God is every where; And though some read the first, not as a Question, but as an Assertion, Thus; I am a God at hand, and not a God afar off, yet the sense is the same; God therein affirming, that he is ever near us, and never afar off from us wheresoever we are. Though God be in those places which are furthest off from us, as well as in those that are near at hand, yet God himself is never afar off from us, but always at hand. When Solomon had set up the Temple, (1 King. 8.27.) He was sure of the presence of God in it; and therefore did not speak doubtingly, but admiringly, when he asked, But, will God indeed dwell on earth?
Though we are to adore and worship God as in heaven, yet we must not shutt up God in heaven; as he is in heaven, so he is upon the earth also, he is with us, yea he is in us, he is in all places, not circumscribed by any, nor limited to any place. God is present in all places, and fills all places with his presence, onely he doth not declare his presence alike in all places. The Lord appeares where and as he pleaseth, but he cannot be otherwise or otherwhere then he is, and that is every where. While the Psalmist queryed, Whether shall I goe from thy presence? He was so farre from imagining that any such place could be found, that in the very next words he concludeth God to be every where, by an enumeration of all places, (Psal. 139.7, 8.) If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in Hel, behold thou are there. (Hel standeth in utmost opposition to heaven, as heaven in Scripture-language is the highest, so hell is the lowest place; now sayth David, If I make my bed in hell, thou art there) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand leade me, and thy right hand shall hold me; That is, there I shall find• thee efficaciously present with me. The Lord having said (Isa. 66.1.) Heaven is my throne, presently adds, and the earth is my footstoole; So the earth is called, because its scituation in nature is below the heavens, his throne is there, his footstoole is ⟨p. 109⟩here. (Jer. 23.23, 24.) Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not afarre off? Can any hide himselfe in secret places, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord? doe not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? All these expostulating questions, are resolved into this one position. God is every where; And though some reade the first, not as a Q•estion, but as an Assertion, Thus; I am a God at hand, and not a God afarre off, yet the sence is the same; God therein affirming, that he is ever neere us, and never afarre off from us wheresoever we are. Though God be in those places which are furthest off from us, as well as in those that are neere at hand, yet God himselfe is never afarre off from us, but alwayes at hand. When Solomon had set up the Temple, (1 King. 8.27.) He was sure of the presence of God in it; and therefore did not speake doubtingly, but admiringly, when he asked, But, will God indeed dwell on earth?