ther can I flee from thy presence ?-thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." An omnipresent Almighty ought to fill us with seriousness; and the uncertainties which belong to his operations, where, how, when, he will work, should fill us with deep, lasting, and constant awe! HE EXISTS! The thought makes a temple of every place I may be in. To realize it, is to begin actual worship, whatever I may be about; to indulge it, is to inake all other existences fade away. HE IS PRESENT! What may he not see? The actions of my hands he beholds, the voice of my words he hears, and the thoughts of my heart he discerns. Could I see him, I might guard against his penetrating eye, or act something in secret safe from his inspection; but, present, without my being able to discern him, I ought to be watchful every way the slightest error may fill me with the most awful apprehensions! HE IS NEAR! "Even now, (says conscience) he may be preparing his vengeance, whetting his glittering sword, or drawing to the head the arrow of destruction." Could mine eye see his movements I might be upon my guard: might flee to some shelter, or shrink away from the blow. But a judge so near, and yet so indiscernible, may well alarm me, lest the act of iniquity meet an immediate reward, and the blasphemous prayer receive too ready an answer from his hot thunderbolt! : HE IS A SPIRIT! What is it he cannot do? Vast are his powers, quick his discernment, invisible his operations! No sword can reach him, no shield can protect against him; no placid countenance deceive, no hypocritical supplication impose upon him He is in my inmost thought in every volition he supports the cogitating principle, while it determines on its rebellions, or plans some mode by which to elude his all-penetrating perception. Vain is every attempt at evasion or resistance; God is a Spirit, is present every moment, surrounds every object, watches my steps, and re-acts upon me accordingly, though I cannot discern his form, measure his power, or watch his movements. I see him " pass before my face" in the bright walks of nature; but " I cannot discern his form." The rich landscape shews him wise, good, and bounteous; but how bounteous, good, or wise, who can, from the richest landscape, be able to guess? The brilliant sun gives a glimpse of his brightness; the vast starry concave shews me his immensity; but how bright, how immeasurably great, it were presumption to say. Hark! he speaks in that bursting thunder; see, he moves in that crashing earthquake; he shines in that blazing comet: so much I can easily discern, but God is still far above my comprehension. I see nothing but the hidings of his power,-himself is yet unknown. him " He guides the affairs of providence. I see pass before my face, but I cannot discern his form." Who but he could have raised up the Pharaoh, the Nebuchadnezzar, of ancient or of modern days? Who but he could have rooted up a firmly fixed throne, and poised a mighty nation on the slender pivot of a stripling's energies? I have seen him " pass before me" in my own concerns, leading me in a path I had not known, stopping me when on the verge of some destruction, filling my exhausted stores, and soothing my chafed mind to sweet serenity. I could not but say, "this is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderous in my eyes." But I cannot discern the form of him;" I know not what he will next do; nor dare I walk with presumptuous steps, nor repose with self-complacent gratulation, and say, "my mountain stands strong, I shall never be moved;" lest he hide his face for a moment, and I be troubled; or withhold his hand, and I die. I see a Spirit stand before me; I hear his voice in the secret recesses of conscience; I find there is a God, I feel that he is near me; “he stands still "full in view, with appalling indistinctness; so that, "I tremble, and the hair of my flesh stands up." Yes, "I cannot discern the form." I know not what affrights, stops, crushes me. Company I hate; for it neither dispels my sensations, nor harmonizes with them. In solitude I am fearful and uneasy*; for the invisible presence is there seen, and the unknown power felt, in all its influence. To deny that some one is acting on me, would be to deny that I see, I feel, am conscious. Could I tell what, or who, or how, I might call up the wisdom, or the courage of a man to my assistance; but it is the unknown, yet well-known, the indiscernible, yet surely seen, the incomprehensible, yet understood, untangible, yet felt, and ever-present God, that awes my trembling frame, and melts the boldest wishes of my daring mind, to irresolute determinations, inefficacious exertions, and the stubborn submission of an unwilling soul. * Zimmerman observes, "no one can be truly great, till he has gained a knowledge of himself; a knowledge which can only be acquired by occasional retirement." Solitude is that intellectual state, in which the mind voluntarily surrenders itself to its own reflections. A person may be frequently solitary, with out being alone. "Nunquam minus solus quam solus." Ah! let this ever-present Invisible encircle me with his mercy, defend me with his power, fill me with his peace, and save me by his Almighty grace. Then, though I❝ discern not his form”, I shall be conscious of his presence; and the delightful consciousness shall fill me with reverence indeed, but not make " my flesh to tremble." It shall soothe my sorrows, inspire my hopes, give me confidence in danger, and supplies in every necessity. The consciousness of his nearness, approbation, mercy, shall enable me, like Moses, "to endure, as seeing him who is invisible." How to be always easy. An AN Italian bishop struggled through great difficulties, without repining; and met with much opposition in the discharge of his episcopal function, without betraying the least impatience. intimate friend of his, who highly admired those virtues which he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate, if he would communicate to him the secret of being always easy: "Yes," replied the old man, "I can teach you my secret, G |