be, he must be perfect ; but if he be circumscribed by space, he must be imperfect ; he must be ignorant of those things which he cannot behold, and impotent in respect of those things which he cannot reach.]
Consult Scripture —
[The sacred records testify that he is in heaven; for "he dwelleth in the high and holy place b." Yet they do not limit him to heaven ; for " the heaven of heavens cannot contain himc." He is spoken of as existing upon earth; for " in him we live, and move, and have our being d." Yet it is not in any particular part of the earth that he exists; for " he filleth all in alle."]
Consult conscience —
[Every man who has ever heard of God has within him a consciousness that the Divine Being is present with him, and is privy to his most secret thoughts. In the midst of their wickedness indeed men try to persuade themselves that God does not see themf : but in seasons of reflection they cannot divest themselves of the conviction, that his all-seeing eye penetrates the inmost recesses of their hearts. What David confessed with joy, they feel with terror and dismay ; that, whether they be in heaven, earth, or hell, they cannot for one moment escape the notice of their Godg.
God is said indeed to have dwelt in the temple, and in the bush ; and to be " far from the wicked :" but all such expres- sions relate, not to his essence, but to the manifestations of his presence. In every possible view, the appeal made to us in the text defies an answer, and precludes a doubt.]
Not to rest in mere theories, let the same subject be considered, II. In a way of practical improvement —
Numberless are the truths which this subject would suggest to our minds ; but we must of necessity con- fine ourselves to a few of the most important :
1. What folly is it to commit sin under the idea of
secrecy !
[That such folly obtains in the world, is manifest to all. The thief takes advantage of his privacy to lay his hand upon his neighbour's property. The adulterer watches for the return of night, when he may accomplish his wicked purposes without
h Isai. lvii. 15. c 1 Kino;s viii. 27. d Acts xvii. 28.
e Eph. i. 23. f Gen. iii. 8. Job xxii. 13, 14. Ps. xciv. 7.
s Ps. cxxxix. 1 — 12.