downwards, Eaft, Weft, North and South; whereby to exprefs the Confecration of the Sacrifice to God as every where Fresent, and poffeffing all Places.

'Tis also most certain, whether we will confider it or no; that God fees and knows all things, and that (as the Author to the Hebrews expreffes it, Heb. 4. 13.) there is no Creature that is not manifeft in his Sight, and that all things are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do. This we have most magnifi cently described by the Pfalmift in the 139 Pfalm, O Lord thou hast fearched me out, and known me; thou knowest my down fitting and mine up-rifing, thou understandeft my Thoughts long before. Thou art about my Path, and about my Bed, and spiest all my ways: For lo there is not a word in my Tongue, but thou O Lord knoweft altogether. And again, whither fball I go then from thy Spirit, or whither shall Igo then from thy Prefence? If I climb up into Heaven, thou art there, if I go down to Hell thou art there allo. If I take the Wings of the Morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea, even there also shall thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand fball hold me. If I say peradventure the Darkness ball cover me, then fball my Night be turned into Day. Tea, the Darkness is no Darkness with thee, but the Night

Q 4

Night is as clear as the Day, the Darkness and Light to thee are both alike.

Why now this we all know, and, if formally put to the Queftion, fhall be ready to confefs it; for I am willing to fuppofe, that there are scarce any that are either Ignorant, or Impudent enough,to say with the Atheistical Perfon in Job, How does God know. can be judge through the dark Cloud? Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he fees not, and he walketh in the Circuit of Heaven, Job 22. 13. No, we know the contrary well enough, that God is prefent every where,and fees and knows every thing; but the Mifery of it is, we don't confider it; and 'tis for want of actually thinking upon what we habitually know, that the World is ruined. 'Tis this, that makes fo great a difference between the Behaviour and Converfation of one Man and another. All believe Omniprefence and Omnifcience to be Perfections belonging to the Infiniteness of the Divine Effence; but one maintains actual Thoughts and Recollections of this, and another does not; one has it lying dormant in him, as a general Notion or Theory, which he can talk and difcourfe of now and then, when occafion is offered; and the other has it always actually prefent before him, in its full Light and Conviction. Whence it comes to pass, that,though both agree in the general belief

of

of the Article, yet because one attends to it, and the other does not, the way of their Converfation is altogether different; and one lives as an Angel, and the other as a Devil.

For indeed, were this one Confideration, fufficiently heeded and attended to, it were enough, of it felf, to regulate the conduct of Mens Actions, and to reduce the whole World into a truer order and exactnefs of Living. There are indeed many excellent Methods of obtaining Vertuous and Religious Difpofitions of Mind, and of Improvement in them; but none,that I can think of, fo advantagious as this: That which comes neareft to it, is the Meditation of Death; but indeed this comes too near to be reckoned as another, it being rather a further inftance and improvement of the fame. For the Meditation of Death is only fo far influential, upon our Lives, as 'tis a nearer and ftricter way of confidering the Divine Prefence; before which, we fhall be more immediately prefented by Death. So that the Meditation of Death, (as far as it has any influence upon good Living,) is comprehended under the Confideration of the Divine Prefence, as a Particular under a General; as indeed, whatever is good in any other method of Holy Living, is after a manner Comprehended in this; which of all others is the moft Comprehenfive and Compendi

ous,

و

ous.

Which was the ground of that Admonition of God to Abraham, I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou Perfect : Gen. 17. Where he supposes such a Connexion between the conftant Attention to the Divine Presence, and Perfection; that to attain the latter, a Man need only practice the former. God,in giving Abraham this Direction for a Holy and a Perfect Life, gave him all; for this fingle Exercife of Medita ting upon the Prefence of God, will either incline a Man both to the Defire and to the Practice of all other Spiritual methods and helps of Holy Living; or elfe it will supply the room of them. So that if a Man, who defires to advance in Spiritual Life, should happen to forget any of the other methods of the Spirit; let him only remember this one, and duly use and exercife it, and he p. 97. fhall either by this bring the reft to his Mind, or find no neceffity of fo doing. This therefore may well be reckoned, as the Head and Chief of all Spiritual Exercises; for indeed this one Exercise draws fuch a train of ad, vantages after it, as, by the affiftance of Divine Grace, will be fufficient to perfect the Man of God, and compleat the Chriftian.

F. Reft.

༡

But,to be a little more diftinct,the advantagiousness of this Practice may appear, in a double respect.

Firft, As it is a general Counter-cham against all Sin.

Secondly, As it is a general Incitement to all that is good.

Firft, It is a general Counter-charm against all Sin; for as Sin,in its formality, is an Averfion from God, so the cause of all Sin does at laft refolve into Forgetfulness of him,and a Non-confideration of his Prefence and Infpection There is an Averfion from him in our Understandings, before there is any in our Wills; and the latter is the effect of the former. The Scripture reprefents Cain, as going out from the Prefence of God, Gen. 4. 16. after he had finned; but 'tis as true alfo that he went out before; for had he not first cast off the thoughts of God's Prefence, 'tis impoffible that he fhould have finned. And the fame may truly be faid of all other Sinners, they first depart from God in their Thoughts, and then in their Actions: First forget his Prefence, and then their own Duty: For can we conceive any Man fo ftupid and hardy, as to commit Sin, when at the fame time he actually reflects upon a Being of Infinite Holiness, Power and Juftice, looking upon him, and upon what he does? Could we fuppofe God to appear visibly to us,when we were in Private, this we must needs grant would ftrike us with Serious and Reverent Apprehenfions; and that we should

stand