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2. We learn from hence, Secondly, that there is no employment of our time, no action or conversation that is purely indifferent. All is good or bad, because all our time, as every thing we have, is not our own. All these are, as our Lord speaks, ra aλorgia, the property of another; of God, our Creator. Now these either are, or are not employed according to his will. If they are so employed, all is good; if they are not, all is evil. Again: it is his will, that we should continually grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, every thought, word, and work, whereby we grow in grace, good and every one whereby this knowledge is not increased, is truly and properly evil.

3. We learn from hence, Thirdly, that there are no works of supererogation; that we can never do more than our duty seeing all we have is not our own, but God's; all we can do is due to him. We have not received this or that, or many things only, but every thing from him: therefore, every thing is his due. He that gives all, must needs have a right to all: So that if we pay him any thing less than all, we cannot be faithful Stewards. And considering every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour, we cannot be wise Stewards, unless we labour to the uttermost of our power: not leaving any thing undone, which we possibly can do, but putting forth all our strength.

4. Brethren, "Who is an understanding man and endued with knowledge among you?" Let him shew the wisdom from above, by walking suitably to his character. If he so account of himself, as a Steward of the manifold gifts of God, let him see that all his thoughts, words, and works be agreeable to the post God has assigned him. It is no small thing, to lay out for God all which you have received from God. It requires all your wisdom, all your resolution, all your patience, and constancy: far more than ever you had by nature; but not more than you may have by grace. For his grace is sufficient for you; and "all things," you

know," are possible to him that believeth." By faith then, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ:" "put on the whole armour of God," and you shall be enabled to glorify Him in all your words and works, yea, to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ.

Edinburgh, May 15, 1768,

SERMON XLVII.

ON THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.

JEREMIAH XXIII. 24.

"Do I not fill Heaven and Earth? saith the Lord."

1. HOW strongly and beautifully do these words express the Omnipresence of God? And can there be, in the whole compass of nature, a more sublime subject? Can there be any, more worthy the consideration of every rational creature? Is there any more necessary to be considered, and to be understood,-so far as our poor faculties will admit? How many excellent purposes may it answer? What deep instruction may it convey to all the children of men? And more directly to the children of God?

2. How is it then, that so little has been written on so sublime and useful a subject? It is true that some of our most eminent writers have, occasionally touched upon it, and have several strong and beautiful reflections, which were naturally suggested by it. But which of them has published a regular treatise, or so much as a sermon upon the head? Perhaps many were conscious of their inability to do justice to so vast a subject. It is possible, there may some such lie hid, in the voluminous writings of the last century. But if they are hid, even in their own country, if they are buried in oblivion, it is the same, for any use they are of, as if they had never been written.

3. What seems to be wanting still, for general use, is a plain discourse on the Omnipresence, or Ubiquity of God. First, in some manner explaining and proving that glorious truth, God is in this, and every place: and then applying it to the consciences of all thinking men, in a few practical inferences.

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I. 1. Accordingly, I will endeavour, by the assistance of his Spirit, First, a little to explain the Omnipresence of God: to shew how we are to understand this glorious truth, God is in this, and every place. The Psalmist, you may remember, speaks strongly and beautifully upon it, in the hundred and thirty-ninth Psalm: observing, in the most exact order, First, God is in this place, and then, God is in every place. He observes, first, "Thou art about my bed, and about my path, and spiest out all my ways, (ver. 2.) Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me;" (ver. 4.) Although the manner thereof he could not explain: how it was, he could not tell. knowledge," says he, "is too wonderful for me: I cannot attain unto it," (ver. 5.) He next observes, in the most lively and affecting manner, That God is in every place. "Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit, or whither shall I go from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven, thou art there if I go down to hell, thou art there also." (ver. 6, 7.) If I could ascend, speaking after the manner of men, to the highest part of the universe, or could I descend to the lowest point, thou art alike present both in one and the other. "If I should take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea: even there thy hand would lead me;" thy power and thy presence would be before me, "and thy right hand would hold me," seeing thou art equally in the length and breadth, and in the height and depth of the universe. Indeed, thy presence and knowledge not only reach the utmost bounds of creation, but

"Thine omnipresent sight,

Even to the pathless realms extends
Of uncreated night."

In a word, there is no point of space, whether within or without the bounds of creation, where God is not.

2. Indeed, this subject is far too vast to be comprehended by the narrow limits of human understanding. We can only say, The great God, the eternal, the almighty Spirit, is as unbounded in his presence, as in his duration and power. In condescension, indeed, to our weak understanding, he is said, to dwell in heaven: but, strictly speaking, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, but he is in every part of his dominion. The universal God dwelleth in universal space: so that we may say,

"Hail, FATHER! whose creating call,
Unnumber'd worlds attend!

JEHOVAH, comprehending all,

Whom none can comprehend!"

3. If we may dare attempt the illustrating this a little farther, what is the space occupied by a grain of sand, compared to that space which is occupied by the starry heavens? It is as a cypher: it is nothing: it vanishes away in the comparison. What is it then to the whole expanse of space, to which the whole creation is infinitely less than a grain of sand! And yet this space, to which the whole creation bears no proportion at all, is infinitely less in comparison of the great God, than a grain of sand, yea, a millionth part of it, is to that whole space.

II. 1. This seems to be the plain meaning of those solemn words, which God speaks of himself, "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" And these sufficiently prove his Omnipresence; which may be farther proved from this consideration, God acts every where, and, therefore, is every where: for it is an utter impossibility that any being, created or uncreated, should work where it is not. God acts in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, throughout the whole compass of his creation; by sustaining all things, without which every thing would in an instant sink into its primitive nothing by governing all, every moment superintending every thing that he has made; strongly and sweetly influ

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