240 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXIII.
More particularly.
1. It is a great means to make us serious in all our addresses to God, that we may behave ourselves with that reverence and awefulness that will become the divine majesty. What is the reason men are so slight and customary in their prayers and other acts of religion ? They do not see the invisible Groa, and think of him to whom they speak. From practical atheism and unbelief we have little sense of things unseen. In speaking to a man we behave ourselves with that gravity and reverence that his quality deserveth ; but in speaking to God, our thoughts wander, our hearts are dead and vain, because we see not him with whom we have to do : ' Make us gods to go before us,' Exod. xxxii. 1. Ay ! that we would have a visible God, whom we may see and hear; but the true God being a spirit and an invisible power, all the service we do him is a task performed more out of custom than affection, in a slight perfunctory manner. Now, when we believe God's eye, and are sensible of his presence, that maketh us more serious. He telleth man his thought. Thoughts speak louder in his ears than our words. Oh ! with what reverence should we creep into his presence, before whom all things are naked and open! It was a direction Seneca gave to his friend Lucilius, Epist. x. — Sic vive cum hominibus, tanquam Deus videat ; sic loquere cum Deo, tanquam homines videant — so live with men as if God saw; so speak with God as if men saw. Shall such a speech come out of the mouth of a heathen, and shall not Christians remember God, and set them- selves as in his sight when they come before him ? We would be ashamed if our hearts were turned in and out in any duty, and men did know all our light, foolish, sinful thoughts that take up our minds; and doth not God see and hate these things more than men. So that it is a powerful consideration to make us come with humility and reve- rence into God's presence.
2. It maketh us sincere in our whole course ; for this is sincerity, to do all things in order to God: sincerity lieth in the universality of obedience, and purity of intention.
[1.] For universality of obedience, we have an instance here in the text. David, by keeping himself as in God's all-seeing presence, per- formed a uniform acceptable obedience to him. So will all do that habituate this thought, and make it familiar to them ; this is that that maketh them obey in presence and absence, to perform secret duties, Mat. vi. G. Therefore a Christian is as religious, if not more, alone and in secret as before others. The hypocrite walketh before men, who see the outward man only, seeketh chiefly to approve himself to men, and therefore is more religious before others than alone; but it is otherwise with a heart deeply possessed with a sense of God's omni- sciency and omnipresence. So to avoid secret sins, which are only liable to God's cognisance ; he that knoweth all the workings of his heart lie open before God, maketh it his business to abstain from fleshly lusts as from sinful practices, which would betray him to shame before the world, and dareth not allow himself to sin anywhere, but there where God cannot see, that is, nowhere. Yea, when God's children forget themselves to be in their Father's presence, and corrup- tion gets the start of grace, they afterwards come to be ashamed, and
VER. 168.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 241
grieved for those sins for which the world cannot tax them : Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can understand his errors ? cleanse me, Lord, from secret sins.' All our actions are seen by the Lord ; some of them may be known to men, but others may escape their eye ; therefore, if we look to men only, we are partial ; but if to God, universal in our obedience. If this be all our aim, that men may not impeach us of any crime ; but if this be our aim, to approve ourselves to God, it is a sign we are sincere.
[2.] As to purity of intention, the proper reason of that is, because God seeth our aims as well as our actions, and knoweth all the deceits and tricks of a false heart. Our business is not with men, but with God, the searcher of hearts, who can distinguish between the motions of the flesh, and those inspired by his Spirit. Certainly, if we make him paymaster, we must intend his work: Rom. ii. 29, ' For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly ; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, whose praise is not of men, but of God/ He that maketh God his witness, approver, and judge, must chiefly mind what God looketh after : Pro v. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weigheth the spirit.' That which he chiefly regardeth are men's principles and ends.
[3.] It maketh us faithful in our relations, by considering he ap- points them to us, and seeth how we improve them for his glory. Magistrates, there is a special presence of God, not only to direct and protect, but also to note and observe them : 2 Chron. xix. 6, ' The Lord is with you in the judgment ; ' Ps. lxxxii. 1, ' God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the gods/ When they are for the execution of his office, God is there, and therefore they above all must be men fearing God, have a reverent regard to his eye and presence. Diodorus Siculus telleth us of some heathens that had several empty chairs advanced aloof 1 near the tribunals, as for their gods, to show they were present, and had an inspection over all acts of judicature. So for ministers, they must not only give an account at last, but are observed for the present. God hath a watchful eye over them, as they have and should have over the flock. He observeth how we discharge our trust, and what are our aims, whether to pro- mote our own interest or his: 2 Cor. ii. 17, 'But as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.' Our doctrines must not only be sound, but our aims and principles. It is not enough to speak of God, in his name, his truth, but sincerely approve our hearts to him in the faithful discharge of our duty. So 1 Thes. ii. 4, ' We speak not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts ; ' in all singleness and sincerity of heart discharging our trust. So masters of families are to walk in their houses with a perfect heart, Ps. ci. 2 ; though they are shut up in their families from the observation of others, yet at home as well as abroad they must be careful to walk with God in their domestical converse, where men are wont most to discover themselves, and should behave themselves prudently, and holily, and faithfully there. The apostle mindeth masters of their Master in heaven, Eph. vi. 9 ; one who noteth and observeth your dealings, and will call you to an account for all your carriage : your sins and graces are not hid from him. So for servants : Col. iii. 21-23, ' Servants, obey in all things