This doctrine may be farther applied to expose the folly of polytheism and idolatry. If God be effentially prefent in every part of the univerfe, it neceffarily follows that there is but one God, and that there is no likenefs of him either in heaven above or in earth beneath. Since God who made the world, and all things therein, fills heaven and earth with his prefence; fince in him all creatures live and move, and have their being; men certainly ought not to think, that the Godhead is like unto gold, or filver, graven by art and man's device; nor could any thing be more abfurd than that idolatrous worship, which confounded imaginary deities, the gods of the hills and of the valleys, the woods and of the feas, with the God of the universe.

be

Another important ufe which may made of this doctrine is, to convince us of the reasonablenefs of religious wor

ship, and of the neceffity of worshipping God in fpirit and in truth.

If God be present in every part of the univerfe, in all the excellencies of his nature, there can be no place where he is not a fit object of worship; nor any of his rational offspring, which are not bound to exprefs their veneration and gratitude towards him in acts of devotion. The God whom we worship is no local deity, prefiding over a particular region or country, but the God of universal nature. He is not more truly present in the most magnificent temple, in the most numerous affembly, or even in the most glorious celeftial regions, than in the humbleft cottage or the most solitary retreat. The Eternal God dwelleth not in temples made with hands: in every place his eyes are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers. He can, without difficulty, at the fame inftant, hear, approve, and accept the fer

vice, which is paid him by all the worfhipping affemblies upon the face of the earth; receive the homage of all his rational offspring through every part of his immenfe.creation. We may join to prefent our fincere and humble devotions unto him, with as firm an affurance of being heard and accepted, as if we were uniting with angels and the fpirits of just men made perfect in the exalted fervices of the heavenly state. Nay every individual may be affured, that when he prays to his Father in fecret, he who feeth in fecret will reward him openly.

How rational, and at the fame time, how folemn, do the exercises of religion appear, when confidered as immediately addressed to that glorious Being who is alike present in every place! What can be more natural and fit, than that we should affemble to offer up our praises and prayers to the Great Author of our being, the bountiful giver of all our enjoyments, and the fovereign difpofer of our lot,

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who is always with us to hear and accept of our devotions! With what facred awe should we pay our homage to our Maker, fince we cannot doubt, that he is as truly prefent with us, as our fellow worshippers! In the performance of thefe facred duties, when we find ourfelves negligent or languid, let us recall our attention, and awaken our devotion, by faying, " Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not."

The doctrine of the Divine omniprefence and omniscience, may be farther applied as a powerful motive to abstain from every vice, and to live in the fincere and steady practice of all virtue. Hypocritical pretenfions to piety, my brethren, can at best only impose upon our fellowcreatures the Almighty cannot be deceived his eye pierceth through the thickest veil: he looks within us, and reads our hearts. It is therefore as foolish as it is criminal, to attempt to conceal bafe defigns and corrupt paffions under

the

the mask of extraordinary fanctity. Let us then be above all things careful, that in religion we do not fubftitute the appearance instead of the reality, the shadow instead of the fubftance. Whilst we affume the form of godlinefs, let us take heed that we be not ftrangers to the power.

There is no darkness nor fhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves from the prefence

of God.

Our actions lie as open to the Divine inspection, in the thickest midnight darknefs, as in the full blaze of the meridian fun. Men may retire from the world to practise the "hidden things of dishonesty” and wickedness: but there is no recefs into which they can retire from the Almighty: "He compaffeth our path, and is acquainted with all our ways." No action, no word, no fentiment, can be concealed from his obfervation.