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The second meanes and remedie against securitie, is not onely to know God and his attributes, but also often to meditate and consider of them. As still to thinke and remember, that hee who seeth all things, seeth and beholdeth our most secret actions, yea, searcheth our very hearts and reines, discerning euery turning and winding in this Labyrinth, much better then we our selues. So Salomon, The
eyes of the Lord are in euery place, beholding the euill and the good. Pro∣uerb. 15. 3. And Iob, I know that thou canst doe euery thing, and that no thought can be with-holden from thee. Iob 42. 2. And therefore Dauid setteth God continually before him. I haue (saith he) set the Lord al∣wayes before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moued. Psal. 16. 8. and Psal. 119. 168. Yea, a 1.1 that he looketh not thus vpon vs afarre off, he being in heauen and we on earth, but being in all b 1.2 places alike, is present with vs, and standeth by to see how in all things we carrie our selues; and not as an idle speculatour, only to gaze on our actions with either liking or dislike of them, but as our c 1.3 Iudge, who will ei∣ther acquit and reward vs if we doe well, or condemne and punish vs if we doe euill. And not such a corrupt Iudge who may be blinded with rewards, and taketh more care to weigh the bribe then the cause, or a respecter of persons, who may easily be mis-led by fauour or friendship; or one so weake in authoritie, or confined in his iuris∣diction to such narrow limits, or of such small power and strength, that we may appeale from his sentence to an higher Court, flee out of his dominions, or by our owne wisedome and strength, or helpe of our friends, deliuer our selues from his iust doome, by mayne force. But let vs remember, that the Iudge who standeth by and looketh vp∣on our actions, is most vpright and vnpartiall, who accepteth no mans person, and so all-sufficient in himselfe that hee needeth no re∣wards, and supreme Lord of all, so that wee cannot giue him any thing which is not his owne alreadie. That his dominion lasteth vn∣to all ages, and extendeth vnto all creatures, and his presence filleth all places, so that, If we could ascend into heauen, he is there; if we should * 1.4 make our heds in hell, he is there; if we should take the wings of the mor∣ning, to flee from his presence, and dwell in the vtmost parts of the sea, euen there the hand of his power and prouidence would find vs out. that his sentence and decrees are much more firme and irreuocable then those of the Medes and Persians, and his truth so inuiolable and vnchangeable, that what hee hath spoken cannot bee disanulled, but shall surely be accomplished. That he is so omnipotent in power, that all the creatures in heauen and earth cannot resist his will. That hee is a God that hateth iniquitie, and is a consuming fire to burne vp im∣penitent * 1.5 sinners as stubble, in which regard it is a fearefull things to fall into the hands of this iust, true, powerfull, and euerliuing God. Finally, let vs consider, that hee who looketh vpon vs, and standeth by vs, is infinitly good and gracious, our deare Father in Iesus Christ, who hath bestowed on vs all the benefits which wee enioy in present possession and future hope; and therefore, that it is great impietie and foule shame, to abuse such infinite mercie and inestimable bene∣fits, by neglecting his eye and presence, and sleeping through carnall securitie quietly in our sinnes, without any desire to come out of them by vnfained repentance. And if thus considering and meditating on Gods nature and attributes, we set him continually before our eyes, and ourselues and all our actions in his presence, it is not possible that
there should be any place to lodge securitie in our hearts. For if the eye of the louing and wise Father, of the iust Iudge and soueraigne King, doe make Children and Subiects to shake off securitie, and to carrie themselues in their presence with awfull reuerence, and with a desire to approue their words and workes vnto them; how much more shall we thus doe, if we continually set God before vs, the King of Kings, the supreme Iudge of men and Angels, and our most gra∣cious Father in Iesus Christ?
Deus totus est sen••us, totus vi∣••us, totus ••udi∣••us Pl•••• hist. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. ••. c. 7.
Sphae••••▪ cuius ••en••••um vbique. circ••mf••rentia ••u••quam. Em∣p••••ocles. Psal. 1••9. 8▪ 9.
Magna tibi custod••a necessa∣ria est qui ante ocules ••udicis v••uis cuncta cer∣nentis. Bernard. m••d••t. c. 6.
2. Cor. 5. 10.
Heb. 12. 31.