covering of Haman's face was a sad presage of death. When people's minds are covered with ignorance, this covering of the face is a fatal forerunner of destruction.

set the Lord always before me." Seneca counselled Lucillius that whatever he was doing he should imagine some of the Roman worthies stood before him, and then he would do nothing dishonourable. The consideration of God's omnisciency would, 1. Be preventive of much sin. The eye of man will restrain from sin; and will not God's eyes much more? Est. vii. 8, "Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me?" Will we sin when our judge looks on? Would men speak so vainly, if they considered God overheard them? Latimer took heed to every word in his examination, when he heard the pen go behind the hangings: so, what care would persons have of their words, if they remembered God heard, and the pen is going in heaven? Would men go after strange flesh, if they believed God was a spectator of their wickedness, and would make them do penance in hell for it? Would they defraud in their dealings, and use false weights, if they thought God saw

2. If God be a God of knowledge, then see the folly of hypocrisy. Hypocrites do not “virtutum facere," but fingere, MELCANT. They carry it fair with men, but care not how bad their hearts are; they live in secret sin: Ps. lxxiii. 11, "They say how doth God know?" Ps. x. 11, "God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it." But, Ps. cxlvii. 5, "His understanding is infinite." He hath a grate [crates] that looks into men's breasts; he hath a key for the heart; he beholds all the sinful workings of men's spirits, as in a glass-hive we can see the bees working in their combs. Matt. vi. 4, "He sees in secret;" in impious habet, RIVET. As a merchant enters down debts in his book, so God hath his diary or day-book, and he enters down every sin into the book; he makes a critical descant upon men's actions. Jero boam's wife disguised herself that the prophet | them, and for making their weights lighter should not know her, but he discerned her: 1 Kings xiv. 6, "Why feignest thou thyself to be another?" The hypocrite thinks to prevaricate and juggle with God, but God will unmask him: Ecc. xii. 14, "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing" Jer. xxix. 23, "They have committed villany in Israel," "even I know, and am a witness saith the Lord." Ay, but the hypocrite hopes he shall colour over his sin, and make it look very specious! Absalom masks over his treason with the pretence of a religious vow; Judas dissembles his envy at Christ, and covetousness, with the pretence of charity to the poor, John xii. 5; Jehu makes religion a stirrup to his ambitious design, 2 2. Is God's knowledge infinite? Study Kings x. 16; but God sees through these fig- sincerity, be what you seem, 1 Sam. xvi. leaves. You may see a jade under his gilt 7, The Lord looketh upon the heart.' trappings Jer. xvi. 17, "Their iniquities Men judge of the heart by the actions, God are not hid from mine eyes." And he that judgeth of the actions by the heart; if the hath an eye to see will find a hand to punish. heart be sincere, God will see the faith and Use 2. Of Exhortation. Is God so infi- wink at the failing. Asa had his blemishes, nite in his knowledge? Then we should al- but his heart was right with God, 2 Chron. ways set ourselves as under his omniscient xv. 17. God saw his sincerity, and pardoneye. "Sic vivendum est tanquam in con-ed his infirmity. Sincerity in a Christian, is spectu," SENECA. Let us set David's pros-like chastity in a wife, which doth excuse pect before our eye, Ps. xvi. 8, "I have many failings. Sincerity makes our duties

would make their damnation heavier? 2. The setting ourselves as under the eye of God's omnisciency, would cause reverence in the worship of God. God sees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him! How would this call in our straggling thoughts? how would this animate and spirit duty? It would make us put fire to the incense, Acts xxvi. 7, "The tribes instantly served God day and night,"

omnibus venibus,-with the utmost zeal and intenseness of spirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion.

acceptable, like musk among linen, that per- overtopped with weeds, 1 Kings xiv. 13, "Befumes it. As Jehu said to Jehonadab, 2 cause there is in him some good thing." God Kings x. 15, "Is thine heart right?" And sees some good thing in his people when they he said, "it is.". "If it be," said he, "give can see no good in themselves; and though me thy hand;" and he took him up into the they judge themselves, he will give them an chariot. So, if God see our heart is right,—absolution.

that we love him, and design his glory,—| 3. It is comfort in respect of personal in"now," saith he, "give me your prayers and juries. It is the saint's lot to suffer; the tears; now you shall come up with me into head being crowned with thorns, the feet the triumphant chariot of glory." Sincerity must not tread upon roses. If saints find a makes our services to be golden, and God real purgatory, it is in this life; but this is will not cast away this gold though it may their comfort, God sees what wrong is done want some weight. Is God omniscient, and to them; the apple of his eye is touched, and his eye chiefly upon the heart? wear this gir- is not he sensible? St Paul was scourged by dle of truth about you and never leave it off. cruel hands, 1 Cor. xi. 35, "Thrice was I Use 3. Of Comfort. Is God a God of in- beaten with rods;" as if you should see a finite knowledge? Then there is comfort, scullion whip the king's son. God beholds 1. To the saints in particular, 2. To the it, Exod. iii. 9, "I know their sorrows." The church in general, in three respects: wicked make wounds in the backs of the saints, and then pour in vinegar; but God writes down their cruelty. Believers are part of Christ's mystical body; and for every drop of a saint's blood spilt, God puts a drop of wrath in his vial.

1. In case of private devotion. Christian, thou settest hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treasure: God takes notice of every good thought, Mal. iii. 16, "He had a book of remembrance written for them that thought upon his name." Thou enterest into thy closet, and prayest to thy Father in secret: he hears every sigh and groan, Ps. xxxviii. 9, "My groaning is not hid from thee." Thou waterest the seed of thy prayer with tears: God bottles every tear, Ps. lvi. 8, "Put thou my tears into thy bottle." When the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himself will be the herald of their praises: 1 Cor. iv. 5, "Then shall every man have praise of God."

4. Comfort to the church of God in general. If God be a God of knowledge, he sees all the plots of the enemies against Zion, and can make them prove abortive. The wicked are subtle, having borrowed their skill of the old serpent; they dig deep to hide their counsels from God, but he sees them, and can easily counterwork them. The dragon is described with seven heads, Rev. xii. 3, to show how he plots against the church: but God is described with seven eyes, Zech. ii. 9, to show that he sees all the blots and stratagems of the enemies; and when they deal proudly, he can be above them. Come, saith Pharaoh, "let us deal wisely," Exod. i. 10; and he never played the fool more than when he thought to deal wisely, Exod. xiv. 23, "In the morning-watch the Lord looked to the host of the Egyptians, by the pillar of fire, and troubled the host." How may this be as sap in the vine, and may comfort the church of God in her militant state! The Lord hath an eye in all the councils and combinations of the enemy; he sees them in their

2. The infiniteness of God's knowledge is a comfort, in case the saints have not so clear a knowledge of themselves. They find so much corruption, that they judge they have no grace, Gen. xxv. 22, “If it be so, why am I thus?" If I have grace, why is my heart in so dead and earthly a frame? O remember, God is of infinite knowledge, he can spy grace where thou canst not; he can see grace hid under corruption, as the stars may be hid under a cloud. God can see that holiness in thee which thou canst not discern in thyself; train, and can blow them up in their own he can spy the flower of grace in thee, though mine.

OF THE ETERNITY OF GOD.

Use 1. Here is thunder and lightning to the wicked. God is eternal, therefore the torments of the wicked are eternal. God lives for ever; and as long as God lives he will be punishing the damned. This, methinks, should be as the handwriting upon the wall, Dan. v. 6, it should make their joints to be loosed, &c. The sinner takes liberty to sin; he breaks God's laws, like a wild beast that breaks over the hedge, and leaps into forbidden pasture; he sins with greedi

ble, let them think of these three things: the torments of the damned are without intermission,-without mixture,-and eternal.

THE next attribute is, "God is eternal:"7, "When the morning stars sang together, Ps. xc. 2, "From everlasting to everlasting and all the sons of God shouted for joy." St thou art God." The schoolmen distinguish Hierom, Gregory, and venerable Bede, unbetween ævum et eternum, to explain the no- derstand it of the angels, when God laid the tion of eternity. There is a threefold being: foundation-stone of the world, the angels 1st, Such a being as had a beginning, and being then created, did sing the anthems of shall have an end: so all sensitive creatures, joy and praise; the angels could not be before the beasts, fowls, fishes,-these at death are time, for what was before time was eternal. destroyed and return to dust,-their being It is only proper to God to be eternal,-withends with their life. 2d, Such a being as out beginning. He is Alpha and Omega,— had a beginning, but shall have no end, as the first and the last, Rev. i. 8. No creature the angels and souls of men; they are eternal can write itself Alpha, that is only a flower a parte post,—they abide for ever. 3d, Such of the crown of heaven, Exod. iii. 14, “I am a being as is without beginning, and without that I am," viz. He who exists from and to ending, and that is proper only to God. He eternity. is semper existens, viz. from everlasting to everlasting; it is God's title, a jewel of his crown: (1). He is called "the king eternal," 1 Tim. i. 17. (2). Jehovah,- -a word that properly sets out God's eternity,—a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore used another word, Adonai, "Lord." Jehovah contains in it time past, present, and to come, Rev. i. 8, " Which is, and which was, and which is to come;" it interprets the word Jehovah,-which is, He subsists of himself, having a pure and inde-ness, Eph. iv. 19, as if he thought he could pendent being, which was, God only was not sin fast enough. But remember, this is before time, there is no searching into the one of God's names, Eternal; and as long as records of eternity,-which is to come, his God is eternal, he hath time enough to reckon kingdom hath no end, his crown hath no suc-with all his enemies. To make sinners tremcessors, Heb. i. 8, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaoh's dream did. I shall prove that God 1. Without intermission. Their pains shall only could be eternal, without beginning. be acute and sharp, and no relaxation; the Angels could not; they are but creatures, fire shall not be slackened or abated, Rev. though spirits; they were made, and there- xiv. 11, "They have no rest day nor night;" fore their beginning may be known, their like one that hath his joints stretched conantiquity may be searched into. If you ask, tinually on the rack, and hath no ease; therewhen they were created? Some think before fore the wrath of God is compared to a stream the world was; but not so, for what was be- of brimstone, Isa. xxx. 33. Why to a stream? fore time was eternal,-the angels' first rise Because a stream runs without intermission; and original reacheth no higher than the be- it runs, and doth not stop; so God's wrath ginning of the world. It is thought by the runs like a stream, and pours out without any learned that the angels were made that day intermission. In the pains of this life, there on which the heavens were made, Job xxxviii. is some abatement and intermission; the

death, but shall not find it." The fire of hell is such as multitudes of tears will not quench

fever abates, after a fit of the stone, the patient hath some ease,-but the pains of hell are intense and violent, in summo gradu; | it,-length of time will not finish it,—the vial the damned soul never saith, "I am now of God's wrath will be always dropping upon more at ease." a sinner. As long as God is eternal, he 2. Without mixture. Hell is a place of lives for ever to be avenged upon the wicked. pure justice. In this life, God in anger re- O ETERNITY! ETERNITY! who can fathom members mercy; he mixeth compassion with it? Mariners have their plummets to measure suffering, Deut. xxxiii. 25. Asher's shoe was the depths of the sea; but what line or plumof iron, but his foot was dipt in oil. Afflic-met shall we use to fathom the depth of etertion is the iron shoe, but mercy is mixed with nity? The breath of the Lord kindles the init; here is the foot dipt in oil. But the tor-fernal lake, Isa. xxx. 33; and where shall we ments of the damned have no mixture: Rev. have engines or buckets to quench that fire? xiv. 10, "The same shall drink of the wine O ETERNITY! If all the body of the earth of the wrath of God, which is poured out and sea were turned to sand, and all the air without mixture." No mixture of mercy. up to the starry heaven were nothing but How is the cup of wrath said to be full of sand, and a little bird should come every mixture, Ps. lxxv. 8, "For in the hand of the thousand years and fetch away in her bill but Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it the tenth part of a grain of all that heap of is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the sand, what a numberless number of years same; but the dregs thereof all the wicked would be spent before that vast heap of sand of the earth shall wring them out and drink would be fetched away? Yet, if at the end them." Yet in the Revelation it is said to of all that time, the sinner might come out be without mixture. It is full of mixture, of hell (though long), yet there would be that is, it is full of all the ingredients that some hope: but this word EVER, breaks the may make it bitter; the worm,—the fire,- heart! The smoke of their torment asthe curse of God,-all these are bitter in-cendeth up for ever and ever." What a tergredients. It is a cup mixed, yet it is with-ror is this to the wicked, enough to put them out mixture, viz. there shall be nothing to into a cold sweat, to think, as long as God afford the least comfort,-no mixture of is eternal, he lives for ever to be avenged mercy; so it is a cup without mixture. In upon sinners! the sacrifice of jealousy, Numb. v. 15, there was no oil put to it; so, in the torments of the damned, there is no oil of mercy to abate their sufferings.

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QUEST. Here a question may be moved, Why sin that is committed in a short time should be punished eternally?

ANS. We must hold with St Augustine, 3. Without cessation, eternal. The plea-"that God's judgments on the wicked,— sures of sin are but for a season, but the torments of the wicked are for ever. Sinners have a short feast, but a long reckoning. Origen erroneously thought that after a thousand years the damned should be released out of their misery: but the worm,-the fire, -the prison,—are all eternal, Rev. xiv. 11, "The smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever." Pœnæ gehennales punint, non finunt, PROSPER. Eternity is a sea without bottom and banks. After millions of years, there is not one minute in eternity wasted; and the damned must be ever burn-eternal punishment.

occultu esse possunt, injusta esse non possunt,--may be secret, but never unjust." The reason why sin committed in a short time is eternally punished, is, because every sin is committed against an infinite essence, and no less than eternity of punishment can satisfy. Why is treason punished with confiscation and death, but because it is against the king's person, which is sacred: much more that offence which is against God's crown and dignity is of a heinous and infinite nature, and cannot be satisfied with less than

ing, but never consuming, always dying, but Use 2. Of comfort to the godly. God is never dead: Rev. ix. 6, "They shall seek eternal, therefore lives for ever to reward the

2. More particularly; think of God's eter

godly, Rom. ii. 7, "To them who seek for study eternity. Our thoughts should chiefly glory and honour, eternal life." The people run upon eternity. We all wish for the preof God here are in a suffering condition: sent, something that may delight the senses. Acts xx. 23, "Bonds and afflictions abide If we could have lived, as Augustine saith, a me." The head being crowned with thorns, cunabuli mundi,-from the infancy of the the feet must not tread upon roses. The world to the world's old age,-what were wicked are clad in purple and fare deliciously, this? What is time measured with eternity? while the godly suffer. Goats climb upon As the earth is but a small point to the heahigh mountains, while Christ's sheep are in ven, so time is but, nay scarce a minute to the valley of slaughter. But here is the eternity! And then, what is this poor life comfort: God is eternal, and he hath ap- which crumbles away so fast? O think of pointed eternal recompenses for the saints, eternity! Annos æternos in mente habe! in heaven are fresh delights, sweetness with- Brethren, we are every day travelling to out surfeit, and that which is the crown and eternity; and whether we wake or sleep, we zenith of heaven's happiness, is, it is eter-are going our journey; some of us are upon nal,' 1 John ii. 25. Were there but the least the borders of eternity, O study the shortsuspicion that this glory must cease, it would ness of life and length of eternity! much eclipse, yea embitter it; but it is eternal. What angel can span eternity? 2 Cor.nity, and the soul's eternity. (1). Think of iv. 17, "An eternal weight of glory." The God's eternity. He is "the Ancient of days," saints shall bathe themselves in the rivers of who was before all time. There is a figuradivine pleasure; and these rivers can never tive description of God, Dan. vii. 9, "The be dried up, Ps. xvi. 11, "At thy right hand Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was are pleasures for evermore." This is the white as snow, and the hair of his head like Elah, the highest strain in the apostle's the pure wool." His white garment, whererhetoric, 1 Thess. iv. 17, "Ever with the with he was clothed, signified his majesty; Lord." There is peace without trouble, his hair, like the pure wool, his holiness; ease without pain,-glory without end, and the ancient of days,' his eternity. The "ever with the Lord." Let this comfort the thought of God's eternity should make us saints in all their troubles; their sufferings have high adoring thoughts of God. We are are but short, but their reward is eternal. apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him: Eternity makes heaven to be heaven; 'tis Ps. 1. 21, "Thou thoughtest I was altogether the diamond in the ring. O blessed day that such an one as thyself;" weak and mortal, shall have no night! The sun-light of glory but if we would think of God's eternity,— shall rise upon the soul, and never set! O when all power ceaseth, he is King eternal, blessed spring, that shall have no autumn, or fall of the leaf! The Roman emperors have three crowns set upon their heads, the first of iron, the second of silver, the third of gold: so the Lord sets three crowns on his children,-grace,comfort, and glory. And this crown is eternal, 1 Pet. v. 4, "Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." The wicked have a never-dying worm, and the godly a never-fading crown. O how should this be a spur to virtue! How willing should we be to work for God! Though we had nothing here, God hath time enough to reward his people; the crown of eternity shall be set upon their head.

Use 3. Of exhortation. 1. In general,

his crown flourisheth for ever,-who can make us happy or miserable for ever,-this would make us have adoring thoughts of God. Rev. iv. 10, "The four-and-twenty elders fall down before him that sat upon the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne." The saints fall down, to signify by that humble posture, that they are not worthy to sit in God's presence. They fall down and they worship him that liveth for ever and ever; they do as it were kiss his feet. And they cast their crowns before the throne; they lay all their honour at his feet; thus they show humble adoration to the eternal essence. Study God's eternity, it will make us adore