\u201cDo not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n
Jer. 23:24.<\/p>\n
1. How strongly and beautifully do these words express the omnipresence of God! And can there be in the whole compass of nature a more sublime subject? Can there be any more worthy the consideration of every rational creature? Is there any more necessary to be considered, and to be understood, so far as our poor faculties will admit? How many excellent purposes may it answer! What deep instruction may it convey to all the children of men! And more directly to the children of God.<\/p>\n
2. How is it then that so little has been wrote on so sublime and useful a subject? It is true that some of our most eminent writers have occasionally touched upon it, and have several strong and beautiful reflections which were naturally suggested by it. But which of them has published a regular treatise, or so much as a sermon, upon the head? Perhaps many were conscious of their inability to do justice to so vast a subject. It is possible, there may some such lie hid in the voluminous writings of the last century. But if they are hid even in their own country, if they are already buried in oblivion, it is the same, for any use they are of, as if they had never been wrote. <\/p>\n
3. What seems to be wanting still, for general use, is a plain discourse on the omnipresence or ubiquity of God. First, in some manner explaining and proving that glorious truth, \u201cGod is in this, and every place;\u201d and Then, applying it to the consciences of all thinking men, in a few practical inferences.<\/p>\n
I. 1. Accordingly, I will endeavour, by the assistance of his Spirit, first a little to explain the omnipresence of God; to show how we are to understand this glorious truth, \u201cGod is in this, and every place. The Psalmist, you may remember, speaks strongly and beautifully upon it in the hundred and thirty-ninth Psalm; observing in the most exact order, First, \u201cGod is in this place;\u201d and Then, \u201cGod is in every place.\u201d He observes, First, \u201cThou art about my bed, and about my path, and spiest out all my ways.\u201d (Ps. 139:3.) \u201cThou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.\u201d (Ps. 139:5) Although the manner<\/i> thereof he could not explain; how<\/i> it was he could not tell. \u201cSuch knowledge,\u201d says he, \u201cis too wonderful for me: I cannot attain unto it.\u201d (Ps. 139:6) He next observes, in the most lively and affecting manner, that God is in every place. \u201cWhither shall I go then from thy Spirit, or whither shall I go from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; if I go down to hell, thou art there also.\u2019(Ps. 139:7, 8.) If I could ascend, speaking after the manner of men, to the highest part of the universe, or could I descend to the lowest point, thou art alike present both in one and the other. \u201cIf I should take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there thy hand would lead me,\u201d \u2014 thy power and thy presence would be before me, \u2014 \u201cand thy right hand would hold me,\u2019 seeing thou art equally in the length and breadth, and in the height and depth of the universe. Indeed thy presence and knowledge not only reach the utmost bounds of creation; but<\/p>\n
Thine omnipresent sight,<\/p>\n
Even to the pathless realms extends <\/p>\n
Of uncreated night. <\/p>\n
In a word, there is no point of space, whether within or without the bounds of creation, where God is not.<\/p>\n
2. Indeed, this subject is far too vast to be comprehended by the narrow limits of human understanding. We can only say, The great God, the eternal, the almighty Spirit, is as unbounded in his presence as in his duration and power. In condescension, indeed, to our weak understanding, he is said to dwell in heaven: but, strictly speaking, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him; but he is in every part of his dominion. The universal God dwelleth in universal space; so that we may say,<\/p>\n
Hail, Father! whose creating call<\/p>\n
Unnumber\u2019d worlds attend!<\/p>\n
Jehovah, comprehending all,<\/p>\n
Whom none can comprehend!<\/p>\n
3. If we may dare attempt the illustrating this a little farther, what is the space occupied by a grain of sand, compared to that space which is occupied by the starry heavens? It is as a cipher; it is nothing; it vanishes away in the comparison. What is it, then, to the whole expanse of space, to which the whole creation is infinitely less than a grain of sand? And yet this space, to which the whole creation bears no proportion at all, is infinitely less in comparison of the great God than a grain of sand, yea, a millionth part of it, bears to that whole space.<\/p>\n
II. 1. This seems to be the plain meaning of those solemn words which God speaks of himself: \u201cDo not I fill heaven and earth?\u201d And these sufficiently prove his omnipresence; which may be farther proved from this consideration: God acts everywhere, and, therefore, is everywhere; for it is an utter impossibility that any being, created or uncreated, should work where it is not. God acts in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, throughout the whole compass of his creation; by sustaining all things, without which everything would in an instant sink into its primitive nothing; by governing all, every moment superintending everything that he has made; strongly and sweetly influencing all, and yet without destroying the liberty of his rational creatures. The very Heathens acknowledged that the great God governs the large and conspicuous parts of the universe; that he regulates the motions of the heavenly bodies, of the sun, moon, and stars; that he is<\/p>\n
Totam <\/p>\n
Mens agitans molem, et magno se corpore miscens:<\/p>\n
The all-informing soul,<\/p>\n
That fills, pervades and actuates the whole.<\/p>\n
But they had no conception of his having a regard to the least things as well as the greatest; of his presiding over all that he has made, and governing atoms as well as worlds. This we could not have known unless it had pleased God to reveal it unto us himself. Had he not himself told us so, we should not have dared to think that \u201cnot a sparrow falleth to the ground, without the will of our Father which is in heaven;\u201d and much less affirm, that \u201ceven the very hairs of our head are all numbered!\u201d<\/p>\n
2. This comfortable truth, that \u201cGod filleth heaven and earth,\u201d we learn also from the Psalm above recited: \u201cIf I climb up into heaven, thou art there; if I go down to hell, thou art there also. If I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there thy hand shall lead me.\u201d The plain meaning is, If I remove to any distance whatever, thou art there; thou still besettest me, and layest thine hand upon me. Let me flee to any conceivable or inconceivable distance; above, beneath, or on any side;, it makes no difference; thou art still equally there: In thee I still \u201clive, and move, and have my being.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. And where no creature is, still God is there. The presence or absence of any or all creatures makes no difference with regard to him. He is equally in all, or without all. Many have been the disputes among philosophers whether there be any such thing as empty space in the universe; and it is now generally supposed that all space is full. Perhaps it cannot be proved that all space is filled with matter. But the Heathen himself will bear us witness, Jovis omnia plena:<\/i> \u201cAll things are full of God.\u201d Yea, and space exists beyond the bounds of creation (for creation must have bounds, seeing nothing is boundless, nothing can be, but the great Creator), even that space cannot exclude Him who fills the heaven and the earth.<\/p>\n
4. Just equivalent to this is the expression of the Apostle: (Eph. 1:23, not, as some have strangely supposed, concerning the Church, but concerning the Head of it:) \u201cThe fullness of him that filleth all in all;\u201d ta panta en pasin<\/i>, literally translated, +all things in all things;\u201d \u2014 the strongest expression of universality which can possibly be conceived. It necessarily includes the last and the greatest of all things that exist. So that if any expression could be stronger, it would be stronger than even that \u2014 the \u201cfilling heaven and earth.\u201d<\/p>\n
5. Indeed this very expression, \u201cDo not I fill heaven and earth?\u201d (the question being equal to the strongest affirmation), implies the clearest assertion of God\u2019s being present everywhere and filling all space; for it is well known, the Hebrew phrase \u201cheaven and earth,\u201d includes the whole universe; the whole extent of space, created or uncreated, and all that is therein.<\/p>\n
6. Nay, and we cannot believe the omnipotence of God, unless we believe his omnipresence; for, seeing, as was observed before, nothing can act where it is not, \u2014 if there were any space where God was not present, he would not be able to do anything there. Therefore, to deny the omnipresence of God implies, likewise, the denial of his omnipotence. To set bounds to the one is undoubtedly to set bounds to the other also.<\/p>\n
7. Indeed, wherever we suppose him not to be, there we suppose all his attributes to be in vain. He cannot exercise there either his justice or mercy, either his power or wisdom. In extra-mundane space, (so to speak,) where we suppose God not to be present, we must, of course, suppose him to have no duration; but as it is supposed to be beyond the bounds of the creation, so it is beyond the bounds of the Creator\u2019s power. Such is the blasphemous absurdity which is implied in this supposition.<\/p>\n
8. But to all that is or can be said of the omnipresence of God, the world has one grand objection: They cannot see him. And this is really at the root of all their other objections. This our blessed Lord observed long ago: \u201cWhom the world cannot receive, because they see him not.\u201d But is it not easy to reply, \u201cCan you see the wind?\u201d You cannot. But do you therefore deny its existence, or its presence? You say, \u201cNo; for I can perceive it by my other senses.\u201d But by which of your senses do you perceive your soul? Surely you do not deny either the existence or the presence of this! And yet it is not the object of your sight, or of any of your other senses. Suffice it then to consider that God is a Spirit, as is our soul also. Consequently, \u201chim no man hath seen, or can see,\u201d with eyes of flesh and blood.<\/p>\n
III. 1. But allowing that God is here, as in every place, that he is \u201cabout our bed, and about our path;\u201d that he \u201cbesets us behind and before, and lays his hand upon us;\u201d what inference should we draw from hence? What use should we make of this awful consideration? Is it not meet and right to humble ourselves before the eyes of his Majesty? Should we not labour continually to acknowledge his presence, \u201cwith reverence and godly fear?\u201d not indeed with the fear of devils, that believe and tremble, but with fear of angels, with something similar to that which is felt by the inhabitants of heaven, when <\/p>\n
Dark with excessive bright his skirts appear, <\/p>\n
Yet dazzles heaven, that brightest seraphim<\/p>\n
Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. <\/p>\n
2. Secondly. If you believe that God is about your bed, and about your path, and spieth out all your ways, then take care not to do the least thing, not to speak the least word, not to indulge the least thought, which you have reason to think would offend him. Suppose that a messenger of God, an angel, be now standing at your right hand, and fixing his eyes upon you, would you not take care to abstain from every word or action that you knew would offend him? Yea, suppose one of your mortal fellow-servants, suppose only a holy man stood by you, would not you be extremely cautious how you conducted yourself, both in word and action? How much more cautious ought you to be when you know that not a holy man, not an angel of God, but God himself, the Holy One \u201cthat inhabiteth eternity,\u201d is inspecting your heart, your tongue, your hand, every moment; and that he himself will surely bring you into judgment for all you think, and speak, and act under the sun!<\/p>\n
3. In particular: If there is not a word in your tongue, not a syllable you speak, but he \u201cknoweth it altogether;\u201d how exact should you be in \u201csetting a watch before your mouth, and in keeping the door of your lips!\u201d How wary does it behove you to be in all your conversation; being forewarned by your Judge, that \u201cby your words you shall be justified, or by your words you shall be condemned!\u201d How cautious, lest \u201cany corrupt communication,\u201d any uncharitable, yea, or unprofitable discourse, should \u201cproceed out of your mouth;\u201d instead of \u201cthat which is good to the use of edifying, and meet to minister grace to the hearers!\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Yea, if God sees our hearts as well as our hands, and in all places; if he understandeth our thoughts long before they are clothed with words, how earnestly should we urge that petition, \u201cSearch me, O Lord, and prove me; try out my reins and my heart; look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!\u201d Yea, how needful is it to work together with him, in \u201ckeeping our hearts with all diligence,\u201d till he hath \u201ccast down imaginations,\u201d evil reasonings, \u201cand everything that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and brought into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!\u201d<\/p>\n
5. On the other hand, if you are already listed under the great Captain of your salvation, seeing you are continually under the eye of your Captain, how zealous and active should you be to \u201cfight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life;\u201d \u201cto endure hardship, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ;\u201d to use all diligence, to \u201cwar a good warfare,\u201d and to do whatever is acceptable in his sight! How studious should you be to approve all your ways to his all-seeing eyes; that he may say to your hearts, what he will proclaim aloud in the great assembly of men and angels, \u201cWell done, good and faithful servants!\u201d<\/p>\n
6. In order to attain these glorious ends, spare no pains to preserve always a deep, a continual, a lively, and a joyful sense of his gracious presence. Never forget his comprehensive word to the great father of the faithful: \u201cI am the Almighty\u201d (rather, the All-sufficient) \u201cGod; walk before me, and be thou perfect!\u201d Cheerfully expect that He, before whom you stand, will ever guide you with his eye, will support you by his guardian hand, will keep you from all evil, and \u201cwhen you have suffered a while, [he] will make you perfect, will stablish, strengthen, and settle you;\u201d and then \u201cpreserve you unblameable, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!\u201d<\/p>\n
Portsmouth, August 12, 1788 <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cDo not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 23:24. 1. How strongly and beautifully do these words express the omnipresence of God! And can there be in the whole compass of nature a more sublime subject? Can there be any more worthy the consideration of every rational creature? Is there any more … Continue reading “ON
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