come.

people will all be fulfilled! There may, apparently, be much in the way to prevent their accomplishment. The dangers to which the believer is exposed are confessedly great. The devil, the world, and the flesh, are set against him, eagerly desiring his overthrow, yet he is safe. There is a covenant, in which he is interested, whose origin is coeval with a past eternity, and whose issues are commensurate with an eternity to Let the earth, then, "be removed, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea,"-let the waters roar and be troubled, and the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Child of God! thou art safe amidst all these convulsions; thou needest not to be "afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked. the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul."

The Lord is thy keeper;
The sun shall not smite

3. In the instance referred to in our text we behold the fulfilment of God's gracious promises to his people, in opposition to every sentiment of distrust arising from the length and intricacy of their path.

The length and intricacy of the way by which the Israelites were conducted to Canaan went far, according to the principles of man's judgment, to render void the promise of God. Towards the close of the first year of their pilgrimage they had arrived at the border of the promised land. Not only, however, in these circumstances, were they sentenced, because of their unbelief, to wander forty years in the wilderness, but when this long term had been almost completed, and they had come once more to the border of Canaan, they were commanded to go back to the Red Sea, and to traverse again that desert which they had thought they were leaving for ever. Did it not look, in these circumstances, as if the word of the Lord had failed? Nor is it unlikely that, on observing this, the neighbouring nations made the hopes of Israel the subject of their mockery.

But He, who had sworn that the land of Canaan should be given to the seed of Abraham, was neither unmindful of his oath, nor unable to perform it. The issue, at the time appointed, proved that his word was true. When the journey was prolonged, and one after another of the travellers fell by the way, till the sand of the desert had become the grave of almost an entire generation, it did indeed look as if Caleb and Joshua might be the next to leave their bones in the wilderness. But the word of the living God had been pledged for their safety. Every day, therefore, and every year, as it passed over their heads, afforded increasing

evidence of the truth of the promise, till, at last, it was ratified in the inheritance of Canaan.

Now, so in every age it has been with the promises of the Lord to his people. No length of time that may intervene-no seeming perplexity that may ensue can impair the certainty of their fulfilment. There may be much in the believer's lot, as the world sees it-there may be much in the character even of his own experience in connection with it -which, viewed in itself, might lead to distrust. What has he gained, the world is ready to ask, during all this time that he has waited? And why is it, he may often be ready himself to ask, why is it he is thus mysteriously dealt with? Yet, Christian, thou hast not waited in vain. Thy God, who hath "fed thee all thy life long," is leading thee "by the right way," that thou mayest "go to a city of habitation." Yet a little while, and it will be made manifest that "not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord hath spoken concerning thee." Faith will be exchanged for sight, and the discipline of the wilderness for the blessedness of Canaan.

Have you, then, the promises of your Covenant God to lean upon? what remains for you, but to "hold fast your profession without wavering?" Keep by Him who is your gracious and all-sufficient Redeemer. Follow him in the path, whatever it may be, which he has seen it meet to mark out for you, in the firm persuasion that he will never leave nor forsake you. When his work in you, and with you, here below is done, he will bring you into that blessed land whose fruits will be your portion for ever; and on that day when he shall" count the dust of Jacob," and reckon up the number of his chosen, your names will be found in "the book of life;" and every blessing written in that book will be yours. Who amongst you will be thus reckoned on that day? Try yourselves by the unerring standard of God's Word, that you may know whether you are now walking in the way of the Lord, and that you may have ground for believing that you will be remembered by him when he "maketh up his jewels."

SERMON XVII.

THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.

BY THE REV. W. NICOLSON, FERRY-PORT-ON-CRAIG.

"The Lord is at hand."-PHILIP. iv. 5.

THERE is a great difference between the theoretical and the practical recognition of any truth; and a little attention to this difference might help us to account for much of the practical ungodliness that abounds in the world. The habit of substituting the theoretical for the practical, is by far too common a feature in the character of fallen man; and, in a thousand instances, when the sinner is detected in a practical violation of any truth, does he find a ready justification of himself in a verbal, or a speculative, or a theoretical admission of its obligations. Thus, for example, how common a thing it is to hear the transgressor against the law of temperance, acknowledging the duty and propriety of moderation and sobriety. Speak to him, in his sober moments, and tell him of the sin of drunkenness, and of the disastrous effects resulting from it, both to his temporal and spiritual interests, and he will generally be found to acknowledge in words the truth of all you say to him. Thus does the intemperate man condemn intemperance. Or speak to the neglector of Divine ordinances, and set forth the duty of keeping the Sabbath, by waiting upon God in the preaching of the word, and you are in most cases sure to meet with a ready acknowledgment of the very becoming and proper habit of going to church. In his own case, he adroitly finds some hindrance by which he justifies his own practice; but in comparatively few instances will the propriety of the duty itself be denied. Thus will the Sabbathbreaker condemn the Sabbath-breaker.

This combination of theoretical soundness with practical unsoundness may be found still more widely prevalent in its application to the doctrine involved in the text. It is only among the more desperate and daring of the enemies of the truth that we will ever hear the existence and omnipresence of God denied. Most men acknowledge this; so that, if we were to make the admission or denial of this truth the test of discipleship, we might easily arrive at the happy conclusion, that comparatively few in this land were to be regarded as unworthy of the name No. 17.-SER. 17.

and the privileges of the friends of Jesus. Yet, with all this soundness of speculative belief, where are we to look for the practical influence of this solemn truth, that the Lord is at hand? Are there not thousands who make no hesitation in admitting that the Lord is ever nigh to them? That there is an omnipresent God, and that God himself has communicated to us the knowledge of this truth, are surely considerations all too important to be merely regarded as matters of speculation. And it may be worthy of our consideration, in what way this doctrine ought to affect mankind practically; and to this end, to inquire into the nature and evidences of the truth so concisely and emphatically announced in the

text.

Now, we apprehend the words of the Apostle admit both of a general and of a special application; and both these views of the passage may be illustrated according to the following plan.

I. We shall notice generally the doctrine of the Lord's all-pervading presence throughout all his works-He is ever at hand.

II. We shall notice some of those occasions which are calculated more especially to remind us of his presence and of his future appearing to judgment.

III. Consider the ground and source of the sinner's safety as in the Lord's presence, and at his future coming to judgment; and then,

IV. Conclude by adverting to what ought to be the practical effects of the warning in the text.

I. Let us shortly notice the doctrine of the omnipresence of God; for, observe, these words of the Apostle are not such as may only be addressed to some persons, or some families, or some nations. Among all people, and in all places of the earth, may it with equal truth be said, the Lord is at hand. Nor is it merely to certain solemn occasions that these words are applicable, as if the Lord's presence were only to be recognised in his holy ordinances, or when we engage in the exercises of his worship. When we arise in the morning, and go forth into the busy scenes of life, and mingle with the men and the business of the world, it is no less true that the Lord is near, than when we are laying our evening sacrifice upon the family altar, and, with our assembled households, raising the hymn of praise and the prayer of faith to the throne on high. On such occasions, indeed, the Lord is near; but does he withdraw from the pious family when their services of devout worship are over? Does he leave the dwelling of his worshippers when prayer is ended? Is it not rather in faith and expectation of his continued presence that prayer is offered ? The Lord is present with his people, according to his promise, when they are assembled in his house; but does he withdraw himself from his people

when they leave the public altars, and repair to their own dwellings? The Lord Jesus is present with the humble and believing wrestler when alone with his God, and when, retired from the world, he bends the knee before the mercy-seat. But when he opens the door of his secret chamber, and goes forth to the duties of life, does he imagine that he is no longer in the sight of his Saviour? In the field, and by the way-side-in the sequestered dwelling, and in the busy haunts of men-in the cottage of the poor, and in the palace of princes-God is necessarily and continually present. Where is the great I AM not to be found? Mark the striking words of the Psalmist, Psalm cxxxix. 1-12, “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." All this will be readily acknowledged. This truth, that the Lord is ever at hand-that he is not far from any one of us-will seldom, if ever, be denied in words. This is the theory. But can we read an acknowledgment of this truth in the lives as well as in the words of mankind? Does the usual tenor of men's lives testify that they feel themselves thus ever in the sight of God? Does the habitual remembrance of this truth deter from sin, and beget a holy reverence for his name? True, every time is not a time for exclusive meditation on God, but every time is a time for feeling the influence of this truth. The habitual influence of it is exemplified in Noah, who walked with God; and it will be the daily aim of every really good man to walk with God in habitually remembering his promise.

Now, the very same practical results ought to arise, whether we regard the passage as denoting the Lord's presence with us now, or as declaring his near approach. This latter meaning, indeed, is that which is chiefly intended in the text. The words literally signify, the Lord is near. The interval is short that is to elapse between the present time and his coming. This may be affirmed of the coming of the Lord, whether we apply the words to his coming to each of us at death, or to his coming to