3<\/strong>. beholding<\/em> ] Rather, keeping watch upon<\/strong>, R.V. , LXX. The word is commonly used of a watchman (1Sa 14:16<\/span>; 2Sa 13:34<\/span>; 2Sa 18:24<\/span>), and calls up the figure of the Almighty observing, as it were, from His lofty watch-tower in heaven all the doings of the dwellers upon earth. The same word is rendered, looketh well to<\/em>, Pro 31:27<\/span>.<\/p>\n The teaching which began with the fear of the Lord Pro 1:7<\/span> would not be complete without this assertion of His omni-present knowledge.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 3<\/span>. The eyes of the Lord<\/B><\/I> are <\/B>in every place<\/B><\/I>] He not only sees all things, by his omnipresence, but his providence<\/I> is everywhere. And if the consideration that his eye is in every<\/I> place<\/I>, have a tendency to appal<\/I> those whose hearts are not right<\/I> before him<\/I>, and who seek for privacy<\/I>, that they may commit<\/I> iniquity<\/I>; yet the other consideration, that his providence<\/I> is everywhere<\/I>, has a great tendency to encourage the upright, and all who may be in perilous<\/I> or distressing<\/I> circumstances.<\/P> <\/p>\n The eyes of the Lord; <\/B>his knowledge and providence. <\/P> The evil; <\/B>who are first mentioned, because they either doubt of or deny Gods providence. <\/P> <\/p>\n 3. beholding<\/B>watching (comparePro 5:21<\/span>; Psa 66:7<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n The eyes of the Lord [are] in every place<\/strong>,…. Which are expressive of his omniscience, of the full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge, which he has of all creatures and things; so that nothing is hid from him, but all open and manifest to him; as they are to Christ the essential Word, Heb 4:13<\/span>; and also of the providence of God with respect to all persons in general, and to his own people in particular; and as he is infinite and immense, omnipresent and in all places of the world, so his omniscience and providence reach everywhere, to places most distant and secret, and to persons in them, who cannot be concealed from him, since he fills heaven and earth,<\/p>\n Jer 23:23<\/span>;<\/p>\n beholding the evil and the good<\/strong>; meaning not evil things and good things, though that is true; the one he beholds with dislike, the other with pleasure; but evil men and good men: he beholds them as from a watch tower, as the word u signifies, from above, from heaven, where he is; see Ps 33:13<\/span>. By “evil” men may be meant both profane sinners and carnal professors; such as are more openly wicked, and declare their sin, as Sodom, or more secretly so; he sees into all the wickedness there is in their hearts, all their secret devices against his people; the works done by them in the dark, as well as their more open ones; and his eyes are upon all of them, to bring them into judgment at the last day: his eyes are particularly on the proud, to abase them; such as are under a disguise of religion, and have a form of godliness, he has his eyes upon; he sees through all their disguises; he knows on what foot they took up their profession; he discerns between that and true grace; he sees how they retain their lusts with their profession; observes the springs and progress of their apostasy; and will fix his eyes on the man without a righteousness, not having on the wedding garment, and order him into outer darkness. He also beholds “good” men; he sees all their bad things, their sins, and corrects them for them; their good things, their graces, and the exercise of them; their good works, the fruits of his own grace; their weaknesses, and supports and strengthens them; their wants, and supplies them; their persons, and never withdraws his eyes from them: these are on them continually, to protect and defend them; nor will he leave them till he has brought them safe to heaven; see 1Ch 16:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n u “prospectantes velut a specula”, Michaelis; “speculatores”, Schultens; “speculantes”, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “speculatur”, Cocceius.<\/p>\n 3 The eyes of the LORD<\/B> are<\/I> in every place, beholding the evil and the good.<\/P> The great truths of divinity are of great use to enforce the precepts of morality, and none more than this–That the eye of God is always upon the children of men. 1. An eye to discern all, not only from which nothing can be concealed, but by which every thing is actually inspected, and nothing overlooked or looked slightly upon: The eyes of the Lord are in every place;<\/I> for he not only sees all from on high (Ps. xxxiii. 13<\/span>), but he is every where present. Angels are full of eyes<\/I> (Rev. iv. 8<\/span>), but God is all eye. It denotes not only his omniscience, that he sees all, but his universal providence, that he upholds and governs all. Secret sins, services, and sorrows, are under his eye. 2. An eye to distinguish both persons and actions. He beholds the evil and the good,<\/I> is displeased with the evil and approves of the good, and will judge men according to the sight of his eyes, Psa 1:6<\/span>; Psa 11:4<\/span>. The wicked shall not go unpunished, nor the righteous unrewarded, for God has his eye upon both and knows their true character; this speaks as much comfort to saints as terror to sinners.<\/P> <\/p>\n All Seeing Eye<\/strong><\/p>\n Verse 3 declares the omniscience of the LORD (Jehovah) who sees and knows everything whether good or evil, and deals with such as circumstances warrant, Vs. 11; Job 26:6<\/span>; Job 31:4<\/span>; Job 34:21<\/span>; 2Ch 16:9<\/span>; Heb 4:13<\/span>. Examples are recorded Gen 39:21-23<\/span>; Jos 7:10-11<\/span>; Jos 7:24-25<\/span>; Dan 5:1-5<\/span>; Dan 5:25-31<\/span>.<\/p>\n CRITICAL NOTES.<\/p>\n Pro. 15:3<\/span><\/strong>. Beholding<\/strong>, rather watching, observing (so Stuart, Miller, and Delitzsch). <\/p>\n Pro. 15:4<\/span><\/strong>. Whole-some,<\/strong> gentle, soft, perverseness<\/strong> or transgression, a breach<\/strong>, a crushing, a wounding. <\/p>\n MAIN HOMILETICS OF <\/em>Pro. 15:3<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n DIVINE INTELLIGENCE<\/p>\n I. The Eternal has a perfect knowledge of all places<\/strong>. The sun, in its meridian height, can only penetrate half the globe at the same time, and even then there are deep valleys and caves of the earth, and ocean beds where its rays never come; but Gods eye rests at once not only on all places of His dominion in this planet, which is but as a grain of sand amongst the worlds, but upon every spot in His boundless universe.<\/p>\n II. He has a perfect knowledge of the spirits of His creatures<\/strong>. The human soul has power to hide its secrets from the gaze of every fellow creature. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? (1Co. 2:11<\/span>). But Gods omniscient eye pierces into the hidden mazes of the soul and reads the silent thoughts and intents of the heart. In this most secret region He walks at large. O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off<\/em> (Psa. 139:1-2<\/span>). God is the one potentate and judge who can claim a perfect knowledge of all His subjects from personal acquaintance with each individual. Not one is lost in the crowd; each one stands before Him as distinctly as if He were the only creature in the universe.<\/p>\n III. Gods perfect knowledge of His creatures leads Him to contemplate both what is congenial and what is repugnant<\/strong>. He beholds the evil and the good. Men, when by Divine grace they become partakers of the Divine Nature, are much moved to gladness by the sight of that which is morally good, and turn with loathing from the evil which they must also contemplate. Yet their happiness springs from that which is within them and not from that which is around, or the preponderance of evil would make life unbearable. So the everblessed God, conscious of His perfect rectitude, has within Him a source of eternal satisfaction notwithstanding the evil that He beholds with Divine indignation and sorrow.<\/p>\n OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS<\/em><\/p>\n He mentions the evil first because they avowedly, or else practically, deny Gods providence (Jer. 16:17<\/span>).Fausset<\/em>.<\/p>\n When we perceive that a vast number of objects enter in at our eye by a very small passage, and yet are so little jumbled in the crowd that they open themselves regularly, though there is no great space for that either, and that they give us a distinct apprehension of many objects that lie before us, both of their nature, colour, and size, and by a secret geometry, from the angles that they make in our eye, we judge of the distance of all objects, both from us and from one anotherif to this we add the vast number of figures that we receive and retain long, and with great order, in our brains, which we easily fetch up either in our thoughts or in our discourse, we shall find it less difficult to apprehend how an Infinite Mind should have the universal view of all things ever present before it.Burnet<\/em>.<\/p>\n The darkness of the air may hide thee from men, and the darkness of thine understanding may hide thee from thyself, but there is no darkness can hide from God. It was a pretty fancy of one that would have his chamber painted full of eyes, that which way soever he looked he might still have some eye upon him. And it was a wise answer of Livius Drusus, when an artist offered so to contrive his house that he might do what he would and none should see him. No, saith Drusus, contrive it so, rather, that all may see me, for I am not ashamed to be seen. If the eyes of men make even the vilest forbear their beloved lusts for awhile, and they that are drunk are drunken in the night, how powerful will the eye and presence of God be with those that fear His anger and know the sweetness of His favour. The thoughts of this omnipresence of God will quicken thee to holiness. The soldiers of Israel and Judah were prodigal of their blood in the presence of their two generals (2Sa. 2:14<\/span>). Servants will generally work hard while their master looks on. The eye of God, as of the sun, will call the Christian to his work. Those countries that are governed by viceroys seldom flourish or thrive so well as those kingdoms where the prince is present in person. Conscience, Gods viceroy, may much quicken a Christian to holiness, but God, the Prince, much more. I have kept Thy precepts, saith David, for all my ways are before Thee.Swinnock<\/em>.<\/p>\n He is all-eye, and His providence like a well-drawn picture, that vieweth all that come into the room. I know Thy works and Thy labour (Revelation 2<\/span>); not Thy works only, but Thy labour in doing them. And as for the offender, though he think to hide himself from God by hiding God from himself, yet God is nearer to him than the bark is to the tree, for in Him all things subsist (Col. 1:17<\/span>) and move (Act. 17:28<\/span>); understand it of the minds motions also. And this the very heathen saw by natures rush candle. For Thales Milesius being asked whether the gods know not when a man doth aught amiss, Yea, saith he, if he do but think amiss. God is nearer to us than we are to ourselves, saith another. Repletively He is everywhere, though inclusively nowhere. As for the world, it is to Him as a sea of glass, a clear, transparent body; He sees through it. No man needs a window in his breast (as the heathen Monus wished) for God to look in at: every man before God is all window (Job. 34:22<\/span>).Trapp<\/em>.<\/p>\n Such is the extent of wickedness that in every place He beholdeth the evil and the good. Yea, if there be but one in a place, that one is both evil and good, and God beholdeth both his evil and his good. The evil<\/em> God beholdeth first, but they are the good<\/em> on whom He resteth, as approving of them, and as delighting in them. For their eyes are upon God in every place, as Gods eyes are upon them. The other looketh not after God, and so God looketh after them, as that He looketh from them in auger at their wickedness. He contemplates and considers, which is more than simply to behold, for contemplation addeth to a simple apprehension a deeper degree of knowledge.Jermin<\/em>.<\/p>\n The doctrine of Divine omniscience, although owned and argued for by mens lips, is neglected or resisted in their lives. The unholy do not like to have a holy eye ever open upon them, whatever their profession may be. If fallen man, apart from the one Mediator, say or think that the presence of God is pleasant to them, it is because they have radically mistaken either their own character or His. They have either falsely lifted up their own attainments or falsely dragged down the character of the judge. In every place our hearts and lives are open in the sight of Him with whom we have to do. The proposition is absolutely universal. We must beware, however, lest that feature of the word which should make it powerful only renders it indefinite and meaningless. Mans fickle mind treats universal truths that come from heaven as the eye treats the visible heaven itself. At a distance from the observer all around the blue canopy seems to descend and lean upon the earth, but where he stands it is far above, out of his sight. It touches not him at all; and when he goes forward to the line where now it seems to touch other men, he finds it still far above, and the point which applies to this lower world is distant as ever. Heavenly truth, like heaven, seems to touch all the world around, but not his own immediate sphere, or himself its centre. The grandest truths are practically lost in this way when they are left whole. We must rightly divide the word, and let the bits come into every crook of our own character. Besides the assent to general truth, there must be specific personal application. A man may own omniscience and yet live without God in the world.Arnot<\/em>.<\/p>\n The subjects of Pro. 15:4-5<\/span> have been considered before. (See Homiletics on chap. Pro. 12:17-18<\/span>, page 274, and on chap. Pro. 13:1<\/span>, page 293.)<\/p>\n OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS<\/em><\/p>\n Pro. 15:4<\/span>. Rueetschi carries the idea of gentleness<\/em> (see Critical Notes) through the two clauses as the central idea: It is precisely with this gentle speech, which otherwise does so much good, that the wicked is wont to deceive, and then one is by this more sorely and deeply stricken and distressed than before.Langes Commentary<\/em>.<\/p>\n That tongue which is a witness of truth, and therefore saves souls (chap. Pro. 14:25<\/span>), is a tree of life<\/em>. Go into any garden of the lost, and where no such tree is, all are pagans. One sees, therefore, how the figure is kept up. If I am born into a land where there are gospel tongues;<\/em> that is, if, when I grow up, I am not in China, and not in India, but in a Christian village, where people have and spread the gospel, that tongue, as a healing thing<\/em>, is (my) tree of life<\/em>. Where I get life is from its branches.Miller<\/em>.<\/p>\n This verse may be compared with the second. The tongue which useth knowledge aright has a morally and spiritually healing influence. It imparts instruction to the ignorant. It speaks peace to the troubled conscience. It soothes the anguish of the afflicted. It subdues the swelling of passion. It allays the self-inflicted tortures of envy. It heals divisions and animosities. These and other blessed fruits entitle it to the designation, a tree of life; productive, as it is, of genuine, varied, and valuable joys to all within the reach of its influence. And when the tongue makes known Gods saving health,the salvation revealed by Him in the gospel,it then gives life in the highest and most important sense.Wardlaw<\/em>.<\/p>\n A high image of what the tongue ought to be; not negative, not harmless, but wholesome<\/em>, or healing<\/em>, as the salt cast into the spring cleansed the bitter waters (2Ki. 2:21<\/span>). But the meekest of men felt perverseness a breach in the spirit<\/em> (Num. 16:8-15<\/span>). The tongue of Jobs friends broke the bruised reed (Job. 13:1-5<\/span>). Even our beloved Lord, who never shrunk from external evil, keenly felt the piercing edge of this sword (Psa. 69:19-20<\/span>).Bridges<\/em>.<\/p>\n One stripe of the tongue woundeth threethe backbiter, him that giveth ear to the backbiting, and the backbitten.Cawdray<\/em>.<\/p>\n Saith the old philosopher, Than a good tongue there is nothing better, than an evil nothing worse. It hath no mean; it is either exceedingly good or excessively evil. It knows nothing but extremes, and is either best of all, or worst of all (Jas. 3:8<\/span>). The tongue is every mans best or worst moveable. A good tongue is the best part of a man, and most worthy of the honour of sacrifice. This only when it is well seasoned. Seasoned, I say, with salt, as the apostle admonisheth; not with fire (Col. 4:6<\/span>).T. Adams<\/em>.<\/p>\n Everlasting benediction be upon that tongue, which spake, as no other ever did, or could speak, pardon, peace, and comfort to lost mankind. This was the tree of life<\/em>, whose leaves were for the healing of the nations.Bishop Horne<\/em>.<\/p>\n The root of this tree goeth down to the heart, whence it sucketh the juice of wisdom; its body lieth in the head, where things are ruminated and concocted by it; the branches of it are the several speeches of the mouth; the fruit of it is spread abroad as wide as good occasion is offered.Jermin<\/em>.<\/p>\n Not a silent<\/em> tongue; mere abstinence from evil is not good. Idleness is evil under the administration of God. Not a smooth<\/em> tongue: it may be soft on the surface, while the poison of asps lies cherished underneath. The serpent licks his victim all over before he swallows it. Smoothness is not an equivalent for truth. Not a voluble<\/em> tongue; that active member may labour much to little purpose. Not a sharp tongue: some instruments are made keen-edged for the purpose of wounding. Not even a true<\/em> tongue. Truth is necessary, but it is not enough. The true tongue must also be wholesome<\/em>. Before anything can be wholesome in its effects on others it must be whole in itself. Winged words have fluttered about in poetry and prose through all the languages of the civilised world from old Homers day till now. The permanence and prevalency of the expression proves that it embodies a recognised truth. Words have wings indeed, but they are the wings of seeds rather than of birds or butterflies. We are all accustomed in autumn to observe multitudes of diminitive seeds, each balanced on its own tiny wing, floating past on the breeze. Words are like these seeds, in their winged character, their measureless multitude, and their winged speed. They drop off in inconceivable numbers: they fly far: they are widely spread. It is of deep importance that they should be for good, and not for evil. The tongue is a prolific tree, it concerns the whole community that it should be a tree of life, and not of death.Arnot<\/em>.<\/p>\n Pro. 15:5<\/span>. He that regardeth reproof is prudent. Wise he is, and wiser he will be. This made David prize and pray for a reprover (Psa. 141:5<\/span>).Trapp<\/em>.<\/p>\n (3) Beholding the evil and the good.<\/strong>Waiting till the iniquity of the one is full (Gen. 15:16<\/span>), watching to aid the other (Psa. 34:15<\/span>; Psa. 34:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n 3<\/strong>. <\/strong> Beholding the evil <\/strong> (the wicked) and the good <\/strong> In order, as is implied, to judge accurately of their character and conduct, and to reward and punish accordingly. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?<\/p>\n Gen 18:21<\/span>; Gen 18:25<\/span>; Pro 5:21<\/span>; Pro 15:11<\/span>; Job 34:21<\/span>; Psa 33:13<\/span>; Psa 90:8<\/span>; Psa 139:1-12<\/span>; Jer 16:17<\/span>; Jer 32:19<\/span>; Heb 4:13<\/span>; 2Ch 16:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n v. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place,<\/strong> His omniscience seeing everything that goes on in the world, beholding the evil and the good,<\/strong> watching their every act, familiar with their desires, words, and acts. <\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 788 Pro 15:3<\/span>. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good<\/em>.<\/p>\n THE omnipresence of the Deity is plain and obvious to all, who have learned to acknowledge the unity of God. The heathens indeed, who worshipped a multitude of gods, assigned to each his proper limits, conceiving that they who could exert their power in the hills, were destitute of power in the neighbouring valleys. But this absurd idea arose from their polytheism; and vanishes the very instant we confess the true God. The Scriptures place this matter beyond a doubt: every page of the inspired volume either expressly asserts the omnipresence of God, or takes it for granted as an unquestionable truth. In the words before us, Solomon not only affirms it, but declares, that God is actively employed throughout the whole universe in inspecting the ways of men. I.<\/p>\n The truth of his assertion<\/p>\n [One would suppose that reason itself might discern the point in question: for, if God be not every where present, how can he either govern, or judge, the world? His creatures, if removed from the sphere of his observation, would be independent of him: and, if withdrawn from his sight, would cease to feel any responsibility for their actions; since, being ignorant of what they did, he would be altogether unqualified to pass upon them any sentence of condemnation or acquittal. If we look into the Old Testament, we shall find, that the testimony of all the prophets is in perfect correspondence with those words of David, The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts [Note: 1Ch 28:9<\/span>.]. Sometimes they assert this matter as a thing they know<\/em>, and are assured of; I know<\/em>, says Job, that no thought can be withholden from thee [Note: Job 42:2<\/span>.]. Sometimes, with yet greater energy, they make it a subject of appeal<\/em> to the whole universe, defying any one to gainsay, or even to doubt, it; Doth he not see my ways, and count all my steps [Note: Job 31:4<\/span>.]! Sometimes they labour to convey this truth under the most impressive images: His eyes behold, his eye-lids try<\/em>, the children of men [Note: Psa 11:4<\/span>.].<\/p>\n In the New Testament, the same important truth is inculcated in terms equally clear and energetic. Not to mention mere assertions [Note: Joh 3:20<\/span><\/u>], or acknowledgments [Note: Joh 21:17<\/span>.], that God knoweth all things, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews represents the perfect insight of the Deity into the hearts of men under the image of the sacrifices, which, when flayed and cut down the back-bone, were open to the minutest inspection of the priests: All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do [Note: Heb 4:13<\/span>.].<\/p>\n But let us now turn our attention to Gods own declarations<\/em>. He is peculiarly jealous with respect to this attribute. In reference to places<\/em> and persons<\/em>, 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 [Note: Jer 23:23-24<\/span>.]. Again, in reference to things<\/em> that might be supposed most beyond his reach, he says, I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them [Note: Eze 11:5<\/span>. <\/span>Deu 31:21<\/span>.]. And when an atheistical world have entertained doubts respecting this, and said, Thick clouds are a covering to him [Note: Job 22:13-14<\/span>.]; 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 [Note: Psa 94:7-9<\/span>.]?]<\/p>\n To multiply proofs of so plain a point is needless. II.<\/p>\n The concern we have in it<\/p>\n [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. But for what end<\/em> does he thus behold them? Is he a mere curious or unconcerned spectator? no: he pondereth all their goings [Note: Pro 5:21<\/span>.], in order to restrain<\/em> that excess of wickedness which would militate against his sovereign appointments [Note: Gen 20:6<\/span>; Gen 31:24<\/span>.]; to confound<\/em> their daring attempts against his church and people [Note: Exo 14:24-25<\/span>. looked. and Isa 37:28-29<\/span>.]; to over-rule<\/em> for the accomplishment of his own purposes the voluntary exercise of their own inveterate corruptions [Note: Psa 2:1-6<\/span>.]; and finally to justify himself<\/em> in the eternal judgments, which he will hereafter inflict upon them [Note: Jer 17:10<\/span>; Jer 16:17-18<\/span><\/u> and Psa 51:4<\/span>.].<\/p>\n O that the wicked would consider these things, and lay them to heart, while yet they might obtain mercy! And wherefore is all this solicitude<\/em> about such unworthy creatures? wherefore is all this attention<\/em> to their concerns? Hear, O heavens; and be astonished. O earth. God has deigned to inform us on this subject, and to declare, that he beholds the good, to protect them in danger<\/em> [Note: 2Ch 16:9<\/span>. Psa 121:5-7<\/span>.]; to comfort them in trouble<\/em> [Note: Psa 41:1<\/span>; Psa 41:3<\/span>.]: to supply their wants<\/em> [Note: Psa 33:18-19<\/span>; Psa 34:9-10<\/span>.]; to over-rule for good their multiplied afflictions<\/em> [Note: Mal 3:3<\/span>. as a refiner. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD<\/strong><\/p>\n
In discoursing on his words we shall shew,<\/p>\n
But, to proceed on surer ground, let us notice the declarations of holy men, and especially of God himself<\/em>, respecting this point.<\/p>\n
We shall therefore pass on to shew,<\/p>\n
Let the evil<\/em> 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<\/em>, he sees their impious mockery, while they draw nigh to him with their lips, but are far from him in their hearts [Note: Mat 15:7-8<\/span>.]. He follows them to their families<\/em>, and observes all their tempers, dispositions, and conduct. He enters with them into their shops:<\/em> he inspects their weights and measures; he examines their commodities; he hears their bargains: he marks their deviations from truth and honesty [Note: Mic 6:2<\/span>; Mic 6:10-12<\/span>.]. He retires with them to their chambers<\/em>, and compasseth about their beds, (for the darkness and light to him are both alike) and notices their every thought [Note: Psa 139:1-5<\/span>.]. If they were to go up to heaven, or down to hell, they could not for one moment escape his all-seeing eye [Note: Psa 139:7-12<\/span>.].<\/p>\n
Next let the good<\/em> consider their concern also in this truth. Gods eye is on them also: and his ear is open to their prayers [Note: Psa 34:15<\/span>.]. He meets them in his house of prayer [Note: Isa 64:5<\/span>. <\/span>Mat 18:20<\/span>.]: if there were but one broken-hearted sinner in the midst of a whole congregation, God would fix his eye in a more especial manner upon him<\/em> [Note: Isa 66:2<\/span>.]. When they go forth into the world, he follows them as closely as their shadow [Note: Jos 1:9<\/span>. with Heb 13:5-6<\/span>.], When they retire to their secret chamber, he draws nigh to them [Note: Jam 4:8<\/span>.], and manifests himself to them as he does not unto the world [Note: Joh 14:22<\/span>.].<\/p>\n