REFLECTIONS ON SUNDAY. The Omnipresence of God, and the practical Inferences from it. "O LORD, thou hast searched me out, " and known me: thou knowest my down"sitting and mine up-rising: thou art about c my path and about my bed, and spiest out "all my ways." How true, how astonishing is this thought! Almighty God, my Maker, is ever present with me. He is infinite in being, and therefore must be every where. He is infinite in knowledge, and therefore every thing must be known to Him. No creature is too inconsiderable for his notice, who is the Maker of all, and "careth for all alike." The friends, the relations, and acquaintance, whom I see and converse with every day, know not half B so much of my conduct as He does, nor are half so attentive to it. How hourly careful should I bé, then, to approve myself to Him! Among my relations and friends there are some whom I regard more than the rest, either out of greater affection for their goodness and kindness; or out of reverence for their greater wisdom and dignity; or out of interest, as being capable of doing me more good or hurt. All these motives of the highest regard are joined in Him. His excellence is more than thought can conceive: whatever is beautiful, or good, or amiable in the world, flows from Him as its source. In Him is all greatness and majesty, all wisdom and knowledge every thing that is glorious, awful, venerable. My hourly dependence is upon Him, and all my expectations through an eternity to come. From Him I have received my life, my being, every power and faculty of soul and body. Every innocent delight I enjoy, is His gift: in every danger, He is my present help. No power but his could guide me safely through the intricate mazes of life. Hitherto His providence has carefully watched over me, and His right hand has held me up : and through all my future life, He, who is truth itself, has promised never to fail me nor forsake me, if, on my part, I will but serve Him faithfully, as in my baptismal vow I have promised to do. That blessed covenant I am going to renew, by partaking of the holy Sacrament. Had not our blessed Saviour died to redeem mankind, we must all have appeared before an all-seeing God, of infinite justice and holiness, without security of being considered otherwise than as objects of displeasure. But we know, that He looks upon us now as objects of the tenderest mercy. He invites us to "pour out our hearts before "Him," at all times: " to call upon Him in "the time of trouble:" "to look unto Him, and be saved." O my soul, in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Let me then ask myself, as in His sight, what is the general turn of my temper, and disposition of my mind? My most trifling words and actions are observed by Him: and every thought is naked to His eye. Could I suppose the king, or any the greatest person I have any knowledge of, were within reach of observing my common daily behaviour, though unseen by me, should I not be very particularly careful to preserve it, in every respect, decent and becoming? Should I allow myself in any little froward humours? Should I not be ashamed to appear peevish and illnatured? Should I use so much as one harsh or unhandsome expression even to my equal, or my meanest inferior, even were I ever so much provoked? Much less should I behave irreverently to my parents or superiors. This awful Being, in whom I live and move, and from whom no obscurity can hide me, by whom the very hairs of my head are all numbered, He knows the obligations of every relation in life. He sees in their full light the reciprocal duties of parents and children, of husbands and wives, of neighbours and fellowservants. He knows the aggravated guilt of every offence against these ties of society, however we may be disposed to treat them as trifles: and every piece of stubbornness and pride, of ill-humour and passion, of anger and resentment, of sullenness and perverseness, exposes us to His just indignation. REFLECTIONS ON MONDAY. The Improvement of Time, and Self-examination. "BLESSED are they that do hunger and "thirst after righteousness."—Our Lord and Saviour has pronounced this blessedness, and through his grace, I hope to partake of it. Hunger and thirst naturally prompt us to seek, without delay, the means of satisfying them. What then is the food of the mind? Wholesome instruction and religious meditation. If then I sincerely do hunger and thirst after righteousness, I shall be frequently feeding my mind with pious books and thoughts. I shall make the returns of these meals as regular as I can, and seldom shall I find any necessity strong enough to make me miss them a whole day together. But then it ought to be remembered too, that even these, the best hours of my life, ought never to encroach upon the duties and employments of my station, whatever they may be. Am I in a superior station |