SERMON XXVIII. A DISCOURSE UPON THE OMNIPRESENCE 0 F G 0 D. PSAL. cxxxix. 7· 8, 9, Io. PVhither fh•ll I go from thy Spirit? Or tVhither /hall I flee from thy Prefen<e? If I &jcend «p into Heav_en, thou art there ; if 1 make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art there. If I take the fflmgs of the Morning, and diVe!l in the uttermoft parts of the Sea; even there fhaU thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand foal/ hold me. THESE Words declare to us the glorious Attribute of God's Immenfity or Omniprefence, fet forth in moft elegant and lofty Terms, as if the Prophet would miti ate that Dread that might well feizc upon us, from the confideration o~ the terrible Majefty of God being fa near us, by the fweetoefs and fl.ourHhing of the Expreffion, Whither /hall I go from thy Spirit? This ~eftion deth not imply that David was iAdeed contriving bow to rr.ake an Rfcape from God, nor pondering with himfclf in what forlorn Corner of the World he might lie obfcure, where the Prefence of God lhould never apprehend him; but Ibis Interrogation ferveth for a vehement Afi'ertion, Whither /haD 1 go? That is, there is no Place where I can go, or where I can imagine to go, but thy Spirit, and thy Prefence will be with me. Whither flMil I go from thy Spirit? That is, either from thee who art a Spirit, and fo canft pierce and penetrate me, be as truly and eilCntially in the very Bowels and Marrow of my Soul, as my Soul is intimately and e!fentially in my Body. From thy Spirit; that is, from thy Knowledge and thy Power; they Knowledge to detel.t and obferve me, thy Power to uphold or to crufh me. In what dark Corner or Cavern foever I fhould muffle my felf, yet thy prefence is fo univerfal, that it would find me out, for it ftretcheth it fel f from Heaven to Hell. If I make my Bed in Hell. By Hell here; may be meant tither the Grave, which is ofteo fo called in Scripture, as .Atf1 2. 27. Pfal. 16. 10. 11Jou. wilt not le~t:ve mJ Soul in HeO, neither wilt thou {u/fer thim Holy One to foe Corruption ; (a Prophecy concerning ChriftJ that is, Thou wilt not leave my Perfon in the Grave; fo it is interpreted Verfe 31. when it is fa id, that his Soul was not left in Hell, neither did his Flelh fee Corruption; it is fpoken Jo in Gm. 37: 3)· 111cob, fpcaking concerning the fuppofed Death of his Son ']ofeph, fays, I wiO go down inta th1 (#rave to my So• mourning. Concerning the Refurre8:ioa of Chritl: from the Grave, Gm. 37· 35· ]ob 17· 13. thatwordwhicb wetranflate thcGravc, we tranfiate (alfo) Hell. Now faith the Prophtr, Though I lhould go down to the Grave, and be cov~red from the [ight, and forgollen out of the mind and thoughts . ~
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