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What plots can men or devils form, which God does not see? or what can they essay to execute, which he cannot defeat? He that sitteth in the heavens "laughs them to scorn." "He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that they cannot perform their enterprize;" yea, "he taketh the wise in their own craftiness." It is not possible to find a more beautiful elucidation of this subject than that which is recorded in the history of Elisha. When the king of Syria was warring against Israel, behold, all his plans were made known to the king of Israel; and were thereby defeated. But how were these secrets made known? Was it by treason? No: God revealed to Elisha the things which the king of Syria spake in his bed-chamber. The king of Syria determined therefore that he would kill Elisha, and sent an army to encompass the city wherein Elisha was. Elisha's servant, just like David's friends, cried, "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" But, when God opened his eyes, he saw the whole surrounding atmosphere filled with horses of fire and chariots of fire: and soon afterwards he saw the whole smitten with blindness, and led by the prophet into the very heart of their enemy's country. Thus are all the saints watched over by an Almighty Power; and under his protection they are safe.]

2. As a righteous Judge

[It may be that God sees fit to let the enemies of his people prevail over them: but their success is only for a moment: the time is near at hand when the apparent inequality of these dispensations will be rectified; when God, as "a righteous Judge, will recompense tribulation to those who trouble us; and to us who are troubled, rest." He narrowly inspects, not the actions only, but the dispositions also, of men, in order to render unto them according to their works: "the wicked his soul hateth;" and in due time "he will rain upon them snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest," even as he did upon Sodom and Gomorrha: yes, "this shall be the portion of their cup;" and they "shall drink it to the very dregs." On the other hand, "he loveth the righteous, and beholds them with delight;" and reserves. for them a weight of glory proportioned to all that they have done and suffered for him. The believer is persuaded of this: whom then shall he fear? He knows that no weapon formed against him can prosper, unless Infinite Wisdom has ordained that it shall; and that no evil can be suffered to approach him

c2 Kings vi. 8—20.

"His eyelids try" as persons narrowly inspecting some very minute object, almost close their eyelids, to exclude every other object.

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which shall not be recompensed an hundred-fold even in this life; and much more in that world where God himself will be the unalienable portion of all his people. How these views compose the mind may be seen throughout all the Sacred Records: and they will always be realized in proportion to our faith.]

ADDRESS

1. Those who meet with opposition in their Christian course

[You are tempted perhaps by Satan, and by timid friends, to "put your light under a bushel," instead of causing it to "shine before men for the glory of your God." But you should say as Nehemiah," Shall such a man as I flee?" No: my Saviour shunned not the cross for me; and, God helping me, I will gladly take up my cross and follow him

Beware how you listen to flesh and blood, or attempt to reconcile the services of God and mammon: to "follow the Lord fully" is the only true way to present peace and everlasting happiness.]

2. Those who are ready to faint by reason of spiritual conflicts

[It is doubtless an arduous task to "wrestle with all the principalities and powers of hell;" but, "if God be for you, who can be against you?" Do not, because of some occasional darkness, say, "My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God:" but know, that your God is infinite both in wisdom and power; and that he is engaged to keep all who trust in him. Reject then with indignation the unbelieving suggestions of your great adversary: and, if for a moment he prevail against you, chide yourselves for your cowardice, as David did; "Why art thou cast down, O my soul; and why art thou disquieted within me? HOPE THOU IN GODE." Consider the force of our Lord's reproof to Martha, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" The same then he says to us: let us therefore "never stagger at his promises through unbelief, but be strong in faith, giving glory to God." Let David's confidence be ours also.]

e See Ps. vii. 10-17. and xxvii. 1.
g Ps. xlii. 11.
h John xi. 40.

f Isai. xl. 27—29.

i Ps. v. 11, 12.

DVII.

PRACTICAL ATHEISM EXPOSED.

Ps. xii. 4. Who is Lord over us?

THAT" the world lieth in wickedness," is a truth generally acknowledged. But it is by the more heinous acts alone that men in general estimate the wickedness around them: whereas in order to form a correct judgment, they should mark the alienation of heart from God which is observable, not in gross sinners only, but in the more moral and decent part of mankind. A spirit of independence pervades all ranks and orders of men: and though all do not live in the same measure of open rebellion against God, all have a standard of their own, to which to conform their lives; and, in reference to all beyond it, they say, as those in my text, "Who is Lord over us?" To illustrate this, I will shew,

I. The atheism of the heart

Whether there be any who really believe there is no Supreme Being, I think, may well be doubted; since there is not an ignorant savage who does not imagine that there is some Being superior to himself, and some Being that taketh cognizance of his deportment. But a secret atheism abounds in every place; insomuch, that all who are yet in a state of nature will ask, "Who is Lord over us?" Who,

1. To inspect our ways?

[That this is the sentiment of the unregenerate heart is evident, from the declaration which is made in another Psalm, which the Apostle quotes as applicable to every child of man: "He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face he will never see it." And again, "He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it." If persons were sensible of the divine presence, and that God marks every motion of their hearts, could they give such a latitude as they do to sin, or commit it with so little fear? No: if they are hid from the eyes of men, they are satisfied: and that which was erroneously imputed by Eliphaz to Job, is really fulfilled in them; "They say, How doth God know? Can he judge through the

a Ps. x. 11, 13.

dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven," unobservant of his creatures' ways.]

2. To order our paths?

"They say,

[This is strongly exemplified in our text. With our tongue will we prevail: our lips are our own: Who is Lord over us?" It is painful to observe with what daring impiety men will "cast God's words behind them." Declare to them the commands of men, and they will have an ear to hear; but speak to them of the commands of God, and they reject it with scorn: they reply, in heart at least, if not in word also, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth." Pharaoh, it is true, was hardened beyond the generality of men: but his answer to Moses is still that of the generality amongst ourselves, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I know not the Lord; neither will I obey his voice."]

3. To supply our wants?

[Whatever be the wants of an ungodly man, he will look to himself, or to the world, to supply them. He has no idea that God is observant of them, or will humble himself so low as to regard them. Now, this is a part of that same disposition which we have before noticed; and is no other than a denial of God. Job says, "If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; this were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge; for then I should have denied the God that is above."]

4. To call us to an account?

[Men imagine that what is past is all forgotten, and that they shall never hear of it any more. This is what the Psalmist so justly reproves: "They say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he corrects?" Elihu, also, conceiving it to be indulged by Job, utters a similar rebuke: "Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him: therefore trust thou in him"."

Now, though in none of these particulars, perhaps, will

b Job xxii. 13, 14.

c Neh. ix. 26.

f Job xxxi. 24, 28.

e Exod. v. 2.
h Job xxxv. 14.

d Jer. xliv. 16, 17. g Ps. xciv. 7-10.

men deny in words the interposition of Heaven; yet, in their hearts, they so far disbelieve it, that they act without any reference to it, and live, practically at least, as "atheists in the worldi."]

Let me, however, proceed to shew you,

II. The folly of it—

Foolish in the extreme is this disregard of God. For,

1. It will not alter the state of things

[We may deny the agency, or even the existence, of God: but he will exist, and act too, in despite of us. We cannot reverse the order of created things: how, then, can we affect the Creator himself? He will sit on his throne, notwithstanding us; and will mark our conduct, and record it in the book of his remembrance; and call us into judgment for it, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. Now, if by denying these things we could change the course of them, then there were some reason for our conduct: but when we can alter nothing, but only deceive our own souls, it is little short of madness to continue in unbelief. In truth, we should call it madness if any man were to pursue such conduct in reference to earthly things. Suppose a man were to deny the tendency of bodies to gravitate towards the centre of the earth, and the power of fire to burn; and, in support of his sentiments, were to leap down a precipice, or thrust his hand into the fire; should we be at any loss how to designate that conduct? Yet would it not be a whit more infatuated than to go on in sin, on the presumption that God does not mark, or will not judge, the actions of men. In this case, precisely as in the other, we only rush on to our perdition.]

2. It will not alter the issue of things

[We may declaim on the injustice of God, in consigning men to everlasting misery for the sins of time; or we may deny that there is any such place as hell. But it shall surely be the abode of the wicked, whether we will believe it or not. To judgment we shall be called: by our works we shall be judged: God's sentence shall be according to truth; nor shall we be able to withstand it. All that we do by our present unbelief is only to insure that very doom which now we presume to question. Then shall we find, that there is a Lord over us; and that we can neither elude nor withstand his power. If now we admit the truth of these things, we may avert the misery with which we are threatened, and secure the happiness which is offered to us: but if we persevere in an atheistical i Eph. ii. 12. The Greek.

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