the priests : " All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do^."
But let us now turn our attention to God's oiim declarations. He is peculiarly jealous with respect to this attribute. In re- ference to ^'places" and "persons" he says, " Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off? 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''." Again, in refer- ence to things that might be supposed most beyond his reach, he says, " I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them'." And when an atheistical world have enter- tained doubts respecting this, and said, " Thick clouds are a covering to him^;" "he cannot see, he will not regard us;" he has risen with utter indignation to vindicate his injured honour; " Understand ye brutish among the people; and, ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see^?"]
To multiply proofs of so plain a point is needless. We shall therefore pass on to shew, IL The concern we have in it —
[Here the text directs and limits our views. " The evil and the good" are objects of his unwearied attention; and consequently, both the one and the other are equally interested in the subject before us.
Let " the evil" then consider their concern in this momentous truth. God views them all, at all times, in all places, under all circumstances. If they come up to worship in his sanctuary, he sees their impious mockery, while " they di'aw nigh to him Avith their lips, but are far from him in their hearts'^." He follows them to their families, and observes all their tempers, dispositions, and conduct. He enters with them into their shops: he inspects their weights and measures; he examines their commodities ; he hears their bargains : he marks their deviations from truth and honesty". He retires with them to their chambers, and " compasseth about their beds," (for " the darkness and light to him are both alike") and notices their every thought ". If they were to go up to heaven, or down to hell, they could not for one moment escape his all-seeing eye p.
But /or ivhat end does he thus "behold" them? Is he a mere curious or unconcerned spectator ? no : " he pondereth all their goings 1," in order to restrain that excess of wicked- ness which would militate against his sovereign appointments'^ ;
g Heb. iv. 13. '' Jer. xxiii. 23, 24.
> Ezek. xi. 5. Deut. xxxi. 21. ^ Job xxii. 13, 14.
1 Ps. xciv. 7—9. m Matt. xv. 7, 8. " Mic. vi. 2,10, 11, 12.
° Ps. cxxxix. 1 — 5. P Ps. cxxxix. 7 — 12.
1 Prov. V. 21. ^ Gen. xx. 6. and xxxi. 24.