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which alone spreadeth out the heavens, ' and treadeth upon the waves of the sea; which doeth great things past finding out, yea and wonders without number. -He liveth for ever: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed

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as nothing; and he doth according to his 'will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou ?_Salvation, and honour, ' and power, unto the Lord our God! Al•leluiah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him.'*

AGAIN, it follows that God must not only be omniscient and infinitely powerful, but INFINITELY WISE.-There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is the foundation of wisdom; but not wisdom itself. Wisdom is the pro

* Psalm xxiv, 1, 2. Job ix, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10. Dan. iv, 34 35. Rev. xix, 1, 6, 7.

per exercise of knowledge: it is knowledge digested and applied to its right use; to the contriving and producing of good upon the whole. Wisdom, therefore, is as different from knowledge as good conduct is different from the bare intuition, or exact discernment of truth. And wisdom, therefore, is as much preferable to knowledge as beneficial practice is preferable to mere visionary and inactive speculation.—That wisdom and knowledge are different, appears too, from the fact, that we sometimes observe the one without the other existing in the same person. How many are there of our fellow-creatures who possess the latter without possessing the former! This seems to me so very plain as to require no farther illustration. But though knowledge and wisdom do not always exist together in human beings, they must exist together in God. God the great, original, and independent Existence being omnipresent, and consequently, as has been proved, infinite in knowledge and power, must therefore be infinite in wisdom. Knowing perfectly every thing, he must have perfect knowledge both of the best ends, and of the best means of accomplishing these ends. Hav

ing infinite

power, he must also be perfectly able to employ, with complete effect, these means for the accomplishment of these ends. And from his nature, it is impossible to conceive of him as being subject to any influence that can ever divert him from such righteous employment.In other words, he must be infinitely wise: he must be continually exercising his perfections for the production of the real and ultimate good of the universe.' The Lord

of hosts is wonderful in counsel and ex'cellent in working.-O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and know

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ledge of God! How unsearchable are his 'judgments, and his ways past finding

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SUCH are the conclusions from this subject which immediately respect God; but there are also most important conclusions which immediately respect ourselves.—The Omnipresence of God should fill us with awful reverence; it should deter us from the commission of sin;-it should incite

Isaiah xxviii, 29. Rom. xi, 33.

us to the zealous discharge of active duty: -it should sink us into humble contrition: it should inspire every good man with confidence and hope.

THE Omnipresence of God should fill us with AWFUL REVERENCE.-The presence even of a man who has superior mind and influence, naturally excites in us the sentiment of profound respect. What sentiment then of this kind should we feel towards God; that great Being who is continually present, not only with us, but with all the countless creatures that thicken throughout the immensity of space!who knows all things; who can do all things! and who is always doing whatever is best. The idea of such a Being plunges the mind at once into the depths of astonishment.Who has pleasure in contemplating all that is grand? hither let him repair to receive the sublimest pleasure. Who is gratified with having his mind distended to the utmost stretch of admiration? hither let him instantly repair to receive the most holy and divine gratification. Who in heaven can be compared unto the Lord?— Who among the sons of the mighty can

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be likened to the Lord?-God is greatly

to be feared in the assembly of the saints,

and to be had in reverence of all them 'that are about him.'*

THE Omnipresence of God should DE

TER US FROM THE COMMISSION OF SIN.

Sin naturally subjects the sinner to punishment; for sin is the transgression of the divine law, and must be unspeakably offensive to the Divine Lawgiver. And as the Divine Lawgiver is Omnipresent, it is impossible for the sinner either to elude his eye or to escape his righteous judgment.— • 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.'-Is not the criminal ashamed and afraid when he finds that his crimes are discovered even by his fellow-creatures? Can detected villany lift up its head? Can he who has justly forfeited the world's esteem, dare to look the world in the face? -How then should the sinner feel when he thinks of a pure and holy God who is present with him on every spot where he

* Psalm lxxxix, 6, 7.

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