Laftly, The Confideration of God's Immenfity and Omniprefence is a folid Ground of Confidence and Confolation to all fincere upright Souls. Under all their Trials and Tribulations, and amidft all the Viciffitudes of this mutable Scene, it should support and comfort them to think that God is with them; that glorious Being is ever at Hand to strengthen and affift them. And wherever God is prefent, infinite Wisdom and Power, Righteoufnefs and Goodness is prefent. No Confideration is better fitted to infpire a holy Fortitude, and raise the Mind above all flavish Fears. I have fet the Lord always before me, faid the Pfalmift, because be is at my right Hand, I fhall not be moved. Pfal. xvi. 8. The Lord is on my Side, I will not fear: What can Man do unto me? Pfal. cxviii. 6. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his Help; whofe Hope is in the Lord his God, which made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth Truth for ever. Pfal. cxlvi. 5, 6. When from a lively Senfe of God's continual Prefence with us, we can fay, God is our Refuge and Strength, a very prefent Help in Trouble; we may then exprefs our Confidence in thofe noble Strains, Therefore will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the Mountains be

carried

carried into the midst of the Sea; though the Waters roar, and be troubled; though the Mountains shake with the Swelling thereof. Pfal. xlvi. 1, 2, 3. What an encouraging and animating Confideration is it, that the Eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to fhew himself strong in the Behalf of them whofe Heart is perfect towards him! 2 Chron. xvi. 9. 2 Chron. xvi. 9. If a good Man be loaded with unjuft Calumnies and Reproaches by ignorant or malicious Men, he rejoiceth to think that God, who is ever present with him, knoweth his Innocence and Integrity, and will in due Time justify and recompenfe him according to his Righteousness, according to the Cleanness of his Hands in his Sight. Pfal. xviii. 24. If the Rage of perfecuting Enemies fhould banish him from his Country, and from his dearest earthly Relatives, ftill it is his Comfort that they cannot banish him from God. Shut him up in the darkest, the most noisome Dungeon, or place him in the most lonely Solitude, in a howling Wildernefs, remote from the Society of Men, yet God is prefent with him there. He is present to the good and upright, to those that love and ferve him in Sincerity, not only with respect to his ef fential Prefence in that common Senfe

in which he is prefent to all his Creatures, but he is prefent to them in a Way of fpecial Grace and Favour. He is reprefented as dwelling in them as in his living Temples, which he preferreth before the moft pompous material Edifices. Thus faith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whofe Name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy Place; with him alfo that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the Spirit of the humble, and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones. Ifa. Ivii. 15. The Apostle fpeaking of true Chriftians, faith, Ye are the Temple of the Irving God; as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they fhall be my People. 2 Cor. vi. 16. And again, Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. iii. 16. And how happy muft thofe be, who have the Almighty dwelling in and with them, replenishing them with the Beams and Influences of his Grace and Love! This they are not fully fenfible of in this prefent imperfect State: but in the heavenly World God fhall in the most glorious Senfe be for ever all in all His beatific Prefence fhall be in their Souls a moft intimate Source of endlefs Elifs, and Satisfaction, and Joy. There

I

fhall

fhall then be Nothing to feparate between him and them, or to hinder them from receiving the moft abundant Communications of his Goodness and Glory. They fhall be for ever with the Lord, as it were swallowed up in the Fulnefs of infinite Perfections, and happy in the Enjoyment of his Love to all Eternity.

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