VeR. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 245
hath creating power ; as he hath created all alike, he is able to discern them severally one by one, and to understand all the operations of their very hearts.
[3.] From God's government, which is twofold. First, powerful, by his effectual providence, as he governeth all creatures ; secondly, moral, by his laws, as he governeth the reasonable creature. Both infer the point in hand.
(1.) The government of his effectual providence, which is necessary to all our actions ; ' for in him we live, move, and have our being,' Acts xvii. 28. All things move as he moveth them, in their natural agency ; the creature can do nothing without him, and actually doth all things by him ; his wisdom guideth, his will intendeth, his power moveth and disposeth all. This is urged, Ps. cxsxix. 10, his hand leadeth us, his right band holdeth us up wherever we go ; that is, we are still supported by his providential influence, and therefore we cannot be hidden from him. Doth God support a creature whom he knoweth not, in an action he understandeth not ? Therefore he is not regardless of thy thoughts, words, and ways.
(2.) His moral government. He hath given a law to the reasonable creature, and he will take an account whether it be kept or broken. And therefore, since all persons and causes are to be judged by him, he doth perfectly understand them, and every one of us is clearly and fully known to God, both as to our hearts and actions, or else he were in- capable to judge us. This is often urged : Ps. xciv. 1 0, ' He that chastiseth the nations, shall not he correct ? He that teacbeth men knowledge, shall not he know ? ' He that giveth laws to men demandeth exact obedience to these precepts, and will chastise and punish men's disobedience.' So Heb. iv. 13, ' All things are naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do ; ' that is, in the judgment.
2. That they that would worship God aright had need be deeply posse.ssed with this.
[1.] From the nature of wor-ship in general, which is a converse with God, or a setting ourselves immediately before the Lord. In solema duties we come to act the part of angels, and to behold the face of our heavenly Father ; as in prayer we come to speak to God, and in the word we come to hear God speak to us, in the Lord's supper to be feasted at his table. God is everywhere with us, but ^ve are not always and everywhere with God ; we profess to be with him when we come to worship, to turn back upon all other things, that we may stand before the throne of God. Prayer is the most familiar converse with God that we are capable of while we dwell in flesh, called therefore a visiting of God, and an acquainting ourselves with him, a drawing nigh to him, a calling upon God. It is unnecessary to cite places. Now none of this can be done unless we believe him to be present and conscious to all that we do or say, for all else is but an empty formality ; therefore, when we pray, we must remember that we converse with him tliat searcheth the heart, and knoweth what and how we ask ; as 1 Kings viii. 39, ' Hear thou in thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest ; for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.' All the faith, the seriousness, the comfort of prayer, dependeth upon the belief of this ;
246 SKRMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXVI.
for who would call upon him of whom he is not persuaded that he heareth him, or be serious in a duty, that knoweth not whether God regardetli, 3'ea or no ? Or what comfort can be taken in having prayed and made known his desires to God, unless he be persuaded those prayers come unto the ears of the Lord of Hosts. So for hearing the word, that which bindeth us to reverence is that we are in the sight of God : Acts X. 33, ' We are all here present before the Lord, to hear all things which are commanded thee of God ; ' otherwise men will come to see and be seen rather than to be taught and instructed. God is everywhere, but he is especially there where his ordinances are. And we are to be so seriously attentive as if God himself did speak to us by oracles, when his message is brought to us ; otherwise it will have no effect upon us : 1 Thes. ii. 13, ' Ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe ; ' 2 Cor. v. 20, ' As though God did beseech you by us.' We lift up our hearts to him, and set him before our eyes, as having to do with God himself ; this only begets seriousness in hearing. So for the Lord's supper, wliich is a middle duty between the word and prayer, and compounded of both ; we hear God tendering his covenant, assuring us of his blessings promised, and commanding us to fulfil the requisite duties, that we may be capable of them. We, promising and praying, Ijy resolving and promising testify our consent to the covenant thus stated ; by prayers and groans, our dependence. Now there is no covenanting with one that is absent. You will say he is present in his institution ; he is so, and that is a help to faith ; therefore visible signs are appointed to be an instance of God's presence with us, but all liis internal work is immediately transacted between our souls and God himself We look on him as present that seeth and heareth all, Deut. X. 12. It is to the soul God speaketh, I am thy God : Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation ; ' and the soul spake unto God, ' Thou art my portion, saith my soul.' Either as to promise of obedience, Ps. cxix. Si, or dependence, Lam. iii. 24. Two outward witnesses are conscious to what is done between God and our souls ; so Ps. svi. 2, ' 0 my soul, thou hast said unto God, Thou art my God.' Upon this inward soul-covenanting do all our privileges depend ; and if God knoweth not all things, nor engageth his heart to draw nigh unto him, how can this be ?