every moment, lest any hurt it. I will keep it night and day." With full consent and contentment, faith makes answer to such a promise-" this God is our God for ever and ever, he shall be our guide unto death."

The presence of God is a special comfort in time of temptation. Though Satan be near, yet God is nearer both to us and him; to our support, and to his restraint and confusion. Satan would fasten a thorn in the apostle's flesh, but Christ was at hand, that it should not hurt him-" my grace," said he, "is sufficient for thee."

So also in times of sore affliction, this is the great support of God's children. "God is a present help in trouble,” said David, and again—“ when my father and mother forsake me (in the greatest absence of earthly help) the Lord taketh me up." It is a comfortable thought in the day of distress, that his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him.

Nor is it less comfortable or quickening in all duties of worship. These are nothing unless God's presence enliven them. We should diligently stir ourselves up to see God in them, lest we profane his presence and our service. Then worship is delightful, when we enjoy God in it, and surely he is there. He considers and hearkens when we come before him, according to his will, as he saith by Haggai, "now be strong, O Zerubbabel; be strong O Joshua; be strong ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts."

3. The consideration of God's presence must influence us to a heart religion. We are dealing with a God that trieth the hearts and reins, that knows the principles which sway and govern our conduct. We must inquire therefore, whether at the bottom we be guided by a zeal for his glory, or whether any worldly or selfish consideration have the pre-eminence. Now, the deceitfulness of the heart considered, it will be of great use, and it is of absolute necessity that we should endeavour always to see ourselves, not as men see us, not as through self flattery, we are but too apt to think of ourselves, but as nearly as we can, just as God sees us. It will be a mighty help to godly simplicity, often to consider how intimately God knoweth us, and so to open our hearts, and survey them before him; for our Lord hath told us, that "that which is highly esteemed among men, is often an abomination. in the sight of God." This was David's practice upon the consideration of God's presence-" search me O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

4. Lastly, this consideration ought to startle and alarm the impenitent sinner. "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?" See, sinner, God, the whole God, is present with thee, he knows thee altogether. He beholds thy naked soul this moment, sees the filthy lusts that defile thee, sees thy stubborn pride which will not yield to his will. He sees the love of pleasure, wealth, indulgence, that lie working in thee; sees how void thou

art of every gracious disposition, how thou dost not love, nor almost dread him, how he is forgotten, dishonoured, in thee. No sinner, God doth not see in thee one pang of remorse or shame for all thy sins, or one emotion of self indignation and abhorrence at all thy ingratitude, for all the blessings thou hast abused. What object hast thou before him in his house? What meanest thou to tread his courts? What dost thou when thou comest into the sanctuary? God and thy careless irreverent heart can tell. And it is always thus-always impenitent, unrelenting, with hardly a thought of God; and when there is a thought of him, so unbecoming his majesty, his holiness? Alas what an object in the eye of God! Let me ask you, yea, rather ask yourself, would you, could you, live in this sort, did you remember that God was with you? You live as if no eye saw you, you have forgotten the eye of God. Oh think of it, and be confounded. His follows every eye sinner of you, in

all your several ways. He is with the ungodly that call not upon him, when they lie down and when they rise up; he is with the drunkard in his nightly haunts; he notes the curses that issue from the mouth of the profane swearer; he sits with the sabbath breaker, while he turns the sacred hours to vanity and amusement, or business; he knows ye all, nor doth he need any man to tell him what ye are, and what ye do, or how ye live without him and abuse your talents, your time, and yourselves, one with another. Do but think how ye pass but one day, think how plainly he sees it all, and then think of his patience while he sees you forgetting, yea, de

spising him. O think of the state of your souls so utterly alienated from all the delight in the presence of God, in which alone is fulness of joy. Ye seem now to hide yourselves from God in cares and pleasures, while he forbears to punish, but shall ye be able to do it for ever? Even in hell, God will be there. Or could ye wish never to see his face, when that, that only, ye are sure in your consciences makes heaven to be heaven? But I have done. It may be, the Lord will look upon you and hear my prayers, and turn your hearts; even so, blessed God, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved: Rom. x, 1.

THE subject before the apostle here, is the rejection of the Jews for their infidelity, and the calling of the Gentiles to partake of the privileges of the gospel. Lest however what he had to say might be looked on, as flowing either from want of love and regard towards his countrymen, or from spleen and ill will against them, he expressed himself in very strong terms, concerning his sincere affection towards his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh 2-"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also

1 On what occasion this admirable discourse was delivered is not recorded. Probably it was written for the use of the Clerical Society, of which Mr. Walker was the founder and chief support. 2 Chap. ix, 1, 2, 3.