Were every sin, for God's eye is ever upon you. an intelligent, upright, and dignified fellow-creature always to inspect your actions, ever to attend you, to witness all your conduct by night and by day, would you not, O! would you not be, in every respect, a different character from what you are? And shall all this alteration of conduct be occasioned by a fellow-creature's presence; and shall not the scrutiny of Omniscience alarm you? shall not the inspection of God lead you to consider your ways? O, set a watch upon every thought and deed, for "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." Let us learn, 3. To seek after internal sincerity. For O, what a disgusting spectacle must the heart of the hypocrite present to the God who "searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins of the children of men!" O, if every thing is witnessed, known, and recorded by Him, how essentially desirable is it, that we should be upright characters; wearing no mask, assuming no characters which do not belong to us! How necessary that we should be Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile. As God inspects us, O let him see that we wish to appear in our true light; that we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty; and now conduct ourselves with the carriage which simplicity and godly sincerity warrant and enjoin. O that we were but always sincere before God! 4. Learn to make perpetual approaches to the Lord Jesus Christ. For in him alone have you a shelter from the wrath of God, and a covert from the storm. "Hide me, O my Saviour, hide." The Lord Jesus Christ renders even the omniscience of God, a friend to sinners; for God be holds us in him, and accepts us for his sake. Nor need any one who believes in his name, and loves and serves him, at all fear, or be alarmed by the consideration, that "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do;" for he knows the desires of them that fear him; he knows every act of worship, and approves them all. Interested in Christ, we can deal with a holy God, with satisfaction, profit, and joy. Escape for thy life then, sinner, flee to him: nor need you fear, though "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom you have to do." |