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Action, no Thought can be with-holden
from Him, who is the great Observer of
Mankind, the nice Difcerner of our Hearts.
The Clouds of the most secret Obscurity
cannot obstruct his all-piercing Sight;
for the Darkness hideth not from Him ;
but the Night shineth as the Day; the
Darkness and Light to Him are both alike :
The most specious Appearance of con-
cealed Hypocrify cannot deceive his di-
scriminating Eye ; for God bath not Eyes
of Flesh, be feeth not by Appearance, as
Man feeth, but trieth the very Heart and
Reins. Thus then, as well by the Ubi-
quity of God's Prefence, as by the In-
telligence of his Nature, all things are
naked and open to his Eyes. But in order
to give this Attribute of God's Om-
niscience its due Weight, we must con-
fider the Force of these Words, with
whom we have to do.

If the Almighty was an idle Spectator
only of Human Actions, disclaiming all
manner of Concern for, and all future
Relation to Mankind, the Notices of
fuch an Intuition would affect us but lit-
tle more than if he did not fee them at
all :

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all: But since his Eyes are every where beholding the Evil and the Good; behold. ing it as the Great Preserver to govern, as an impartial Judge to reward and punish the Sons of Men, we cannot fully fatisfy our present Enquiries without confidering Him yet farther under these two Relations.

It is the gracious Design of the Almighty by governing and regulating the Affairs of the World, to dispose all things in such a Way as is most conducive to his own Glory, and to our Happiness. God therefore observes all Actions and Motions of Mankind, that He may give them such advantageous Turns of Blessedness as may best answer the Ends of his Providence : It is even a Delight to the Holy One to do Good to them that fear Him; and in the Dispensations of his Government He does so graciously and wisely improve every Circumstance of their Behaviour, that He makes all things work together for their Good. Those, whose Thoughts are not according to God's Commandments, and whose Hands deal with Wickedness, the Lord observes

observes to disappoint their Devices ; he is always ready to secure his own Glory, and that is often best effected by the Destruction of those, who by the Unrighteousness of their Dealings endeavour to undermine it.

Bur again, this God, to whom all Hearts are open, all Defires known, and from whom no Secrets are hid, is likewife the great Rewarder of Mankind. Ifearch the Heart, faith the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy, I try the Reins; but wherefore doth He search and try them ? He himself tells in the next Words; even to give to every Man according to his Ways, and according to the Fruit of his Doings; for at the great Day of Retribution God will bring every Work into Judgment, and every fecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil; and He will accordingly deal out the glorious Recompence of Reward to them who do Good, and the full Vengeance of his eternal Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil.

THUS having by no more than a bare Comment distinctly enlarged upon the Words

Words before us, and confidered the Al-
mighty as present with us in every Place,
and inspecting the Whole of our Beha-
viour, inspecting it as the mighty Gover-
nor and tremendous Judge of the Sons of
Men.
Proceed we now in the second
Place,

2d, To confider what Influences this Doctrine ought regularly to have upon our Behaviour.

AND in general we must infer the Necessity of observing that Rule which the Royal Pfalmist lays down for the regulating his Life: I have fet the Lord ai– ways before me, faith he; and we ought, after so great and good an Example, to possess our Souls with such a lively and habitual Sense of this Article, as may effectually engage us to walk worthy of so awful a Presence, and unblamably under so accurate an Inspection. But to be more particular; the God with whom we have to do, is, as we have already confidered Him, the Great Governor of the World, the Great Rewarder of Mankind : The first of these Characters relates more immediately to this Life, the other to that

that which is to come: When therefore we confider that this nice and intimate Obferver of our Conduct and Behaviour is the sole Disposer and wonderful Preserver of all Things, we are in the highest Degree encouraged to repose ourselves with Joy and Comfort, under the Direction of his wife and benign Providence. It is for our Good that the Almighty watches over us; and it is our Duty to render ourselves the proper Objects of so gracious a Tutelage. When we are said to be removed, to be cast out of the Divine Prefence, with respect to this Life, we are not actually separated from such his Prefence, but are deprived only of the Blessings of it: Through our Sins we forfeit all the favourable Regard, all the beneficial Influences of his Providence, and the Almighty watches over us, not to profper, but defeat our Enterprizes; not to crown our Labours with Success, but to turn our very Successes into Disappointments; but Peace and Safety are the Effects which God's Inspection has over them that put their Trust in, and pay Obedience to Him;