camest thou, and whither wilt thou go; why hast thou forsaken him, wilt thou proceed on to destruction? Oh, how often has this been God's language to ourselves! Have not ministers sounded this language in your ears? Have not troubles, domestic or personal troubles, often re-echoed this question? When you lost a relative or friend, had the visitation no such voice as this, "Whither wilt thou go?" When you read your Bible, have its solemn pleadings never startled you, Where am I, in what road, in the broad way leading to destruction, or in the straight and narrow way leading unto life? If never before, with some of you, will | you not now hear, kindly hear, the voice of God meeting you in his word, arresting you in that your thoughtless giddy course, and earnestly and affectionately calling by the still small voice of his spirit, Sinner, whence camest thou? What has been thy course hitherto? From what company, with what mind, after committing what sins, camest thou hither and whither wilt thou go? What is thy determination for eternity to which we are all speeding? "Whither wilt thou go?" Shall it be to heaven with the people of God to be made more happy than tongue can describe for ever, or shall it be to hell with the wicked and all them that forget GOD, where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched! Oh, let the sinner remember how the Lord met Saul the persecutor; and so let him meet thee, hear the Saviour saying with the solemn question" Saul, Saul, why 'persecutest thou me?" Listen to the Holy Spirit pleading eloquently for GOD in the counsel chamber of the heart. There is something, my breth'ren, which ought to touch the very soul when God in his word of grace puts the question to the sinner. What a question was that to the first man after his first sin-" Adam, where art thou?" Oh let the same question speak to each of us after, not our first, nor our second, nor yet after our thousandth sin, but after that last of all those sins more in number than the sand upon the sea shore,-Sinner, where art thou, whither goest thou? Similar, again, was the question put to the first murderer after his dreadful sin. "The Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother?" These Scriptural questions probably give us specimens of the manner in which God will question the convicted sinner, who lives and dies in his impenitence, on the day of judgment. Where art thou? where hast thou been? what hast thou being doing with the life entrusted to thee? where are all the talents committed to thy care? Sinner, where art thou? But, you will observe from the history, God not only pleading with Hagar by a solemn question, but he also made gracious promises to her— this is our third thought. Here, again, "Thou GOD seest me," each of you may think. For what promise does the Saviour make to us and propose for our acceptance? He promised Hagar, you remember, a posterity so numerous that it should not be numbered for multitude. This in those days was accounted a great blessing, yet it often proved in the end only a doubtful blessing. How few, comparatively, of Hagar's seed have been numbered among God's children. But the blessings which God proposes to us in and through Jesus Christ are as the prophet speaks, a name better than that of sons and of daughters, a new name, a believer's portion, an interest in salvation, an inheritance in heaven. He offers to us a full and complete pardon for all the sins which he has seen in us, and “thou God seest me," and thou knowest that they are many: He offers to cleanse the polluted soul | which seemed to have no response in the blood shed by Jesus Christ. He offers the polluted sinner a new heart and a right spirit: He offers to give grace wherewith to live, having strength wherewith to serve him, support in every trouble, guidance in all difficulties, comfort in every affliction, joy in every tribulation, and heaven at length to crown all. Oh, think of this; GOD, who seeth you at this moment, looks on you with interest, and watches what are your feelings towards him; though he has seen so much of sin in you, yet he looks on you with pity, for he bids his ministers propose to you all the rich things contained in the promises of the Gospel of Christ. And then, let me ask, does He, who reads the heart and understands the desires of the soul, does He see each of you really desirous to accept these promises, to believe them with the heart, to use them for the gracious purpose for which he gives them? Can you hum-insensibility or indifference, not to bly indeed, yet truly, say, Thou who seest in secret, thou, O God, who hast seen all my sins, now seest my thankful acceptance of thy promises made to sinners in and through Christ Jesus. but the serpent's hiss or the wild bird's shriek, her tears as they moistened for a moment the burning sand, all had a voice, as the angel assured her, "The Lord hath heard thy afflic tion." Now that angel was Christ, and he who afterwards was with his children in the wilderness. And when Christ meets any of us with the offers of his grace, does he not, in fact, say, as we afterwards discover with thankfulness, "The Lord hath heard thy affliction." He knows that you were not at that time truly happy; he understands your want of genuine peace; he perceives the heart to be aching in the midst of worldly gaiety; he hears your first sighs for pardon, peace, and salvation; when in deep trouble, through the visitations of sorrow, sickness, or death, he hears your affliction. Here then, again, think “thou God seest me,"-not to look on me with Hagar was also assured, and that in a manner to her the most interesting, even in the name of her son, as yet unborn," the Lord hath heard thy affliction." What an expression is this! Elsewhere we hear the Lord saying, "I know their sorrows," speaking of his people, "I have heard their cry;" but in this place the affecting expression is," the Lord hath heard thy affliction." My brethren, affliction, then, has a language which our GOD can hear and understand. Hagar's affliction in the wilderness was unheard by man; but God knew it, saw it, and heard it; all her sorrowful sighing as she trod the pathless desart, her moan mock at thy creature's sorrow, but to hear my affliction and to bestow the needful grace. But yet, again, the language of Hagar was that of one persuaded to return to her duty. Remember what the angel said to her,—“Return unto thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." This she was now persuaded to do; and accordingly her words also mean, "Thou God seest me," once a wanderer, now made willing to return to the path of duty. And, oh, how forcibly, again, does this speak to us all! May the charity which hopeth all things hope that all amongst us have been sincere in our confessions of sin and in the desires we have expressed, in the service of this day, that we might return to our GoD and to duty, and henceforth lead a christian and a godly life. GOD has been here amongst us, seeing and reading every heart; did he see you made willing to come back to his pleasant service? Remember you cannot keep GOD's holy will and his commandments without this return-this hearty obedient return to the way of duty. Will you, then, be henceforth endeavouring to do this! Shall GOD, who reads the heart, henceforth see you endeavouring to walk within the limits of his holy laws, aiming and following toward perfection, treading in the footsteps of the Saviour, and all this not in a self-righteous spirit, not with the vain hope of meriting heaven by your own works, but from real genuine love to Him who died for sinners, and ever making Him your only hope and dependence for acceptance with your God. All of us have too much resembled the prodigal son in leaving our Father; oh, will we, then, with the prodigal, arise and go back to Him? Are we ready to endeavour, through his grace enabling, to retrace our steps, to return with a full heart to GOD, confessing ourselves unworthy to be called his children. Oh! what a happy thought for you, then, as you leave this house, "Thou GOD seest me," truly desirous now to return to thy service through love to the Saviour who died to atone for sin; my heart's desire now is known to thee, what, henceforth, wilt thou have me do? "here am I, send me "-do with me as thou wilt. How different will it be if you go back to sin. GOD still sees you, even then you cannot escape his omniscience: but then the thought of that omniscience will be a thought full of terror and alarm. "Thou GOD seest me" a sinner, yet not a penitent; a wanderer determined to wander on; warned, threatened, invited, yet not persuaded, corrected, or turned, determined, it seems, to die though the offer of eternal life is sounded in my ears. But let me hope better things of you; and things that accompany sal vation. You will, let me hope, come back to your Father, you will give up all that vanity, that waste of time, that carelessness, that pride, and contempt of GOD. Your sabbaths, shall they not be, henceforth, hallowed seasons of communion with your GOD? Your Bible, shall it not be daily read as your rule, as your counsellor and judge? Your neighbour, will you not try to love him as yourself? Your enemy, will you not forgive him as you hope that GOD, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you? Will you not, in one short but comprehensive word, yield yourself up to GOD? Now, if you mean all this, sincerely depending upon the Holy Spirit, what a comfort for you in the thought-"Thou, O GOD, seest me!" Oh, think of this in all your future attempts at leading a christian's life, let this thought govern your conscience. It is not what man seeth, though that is not to be despised, he who cares not what man sees in him, cannot rightly care what GoD sees; for GOD has said, "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." But still, after all, what man can see is but little, in comparison with what God sees; He reads the heart, he scans the motive, he fathoms the secret purpose. Oh! if you remember this secret rule, and the meaning connected with it-" thou God seest me," then you will dread secret sins, as much as sin in the outward life; sin in the temper, the affections, and thoughts, as well as gross sin, which men point at with the finger of reproach. But, lastly, Hagar's words seem also the language of gratitude. "Thou GOD seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me." This is the language of gratitude to GOD, for meeting her at a time when she was not looking for GOD, as her counsellor and friend in her trouble. And how often has GOD been found by them who sought him not! How often in families where young persons had peculiar disadvantages, with no christian example at home, in family prayer, invoking blessings on them from day to day; no catechist on the holy sabbath! How often have individuals, in wonderful ways, yet been reached by the grace of GOD, and brought to know, and love the truth as it is in Jesus! How many who have been to church merely to see and to be seen, to pass away a dull and tedious hour, to satisfy the decencies of custom, have returned home to repent of sin, to pray for pardon, to believe in the Saviour, to begin a christian life, and to adorn the doctrine of their Saviour in all things! How often, also, at times when the heart seemed most disconsolate, and our earthly prospects seemed as dark as Hagar's, has the providence of our GoD graciously interposed! How often, when the soul was ready to sink amidst temptations, trials, and sore afflictions; when the world has frowned on us; when some, whom we thought of a different spirit from the world, have kept aloof in moments the most trying and painful, we have known; how often has GOD, again, met us in the wilderness with a messuage of peace! me, Now, if here, also, you can at all understand and follow if GOD has shewn mercy to you at unexpected times, in unexpected ways, then remember with gratitude, "Thou GOD seest me." Some, like Hagar, may be in an humble rank of life. It may have moved their admiration to have discovered that our GOD is no respecter of persons; he is as ready to give his comforting grace to the poor as to the rich; and the more you feel your own unworthiness, the more may you be led to adore him who shews you the worthiness of Christ. Thus, then, the thought, "Thou GOD seest me," suits one who is convinced of having strayed from the path of duty-who also has been there met by GoD with a mild remonstrance-who has been farther comforted with the promise of gracious blessings-who has likewise been persuaded to return to the path of duty-and lastly, who is filled with a sense of God's undeserved kindness. Now let me again inquire, if you wish to profit by this discourse, do these five marks at all suit your own case? If so go and never forget the truth-" Thou GoD seest me." Is it not a cheering thought to every true penitent and real believer that GoD knows his sincerity, is a witness of his penitence, is acquainted with all his heart? Can you here in the house of GOD, after the public profession of faith we make from time to time, can you look up to him, and say, "Thou Gop seest me," thou, my Father, my GOD, knowest the sincerity with which I have expressed my faith in thee? Can you appeal, in short, to Him who sees in secret, as having often heard you in secret crying for pardon, for peace, and for divine grace? Then let this subject encourage you, walk by faith, endure as seeing Him who is invisible in worldly company; when others can see but three persons present, remember, by faith, to see a fourth, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of GOD. Here in the house of GOD when only two or three may be gathered together, remember Christ hath promised to join them and be in the midst of them; when alone remember you are not alone if He be with you. In your future troubles when called, as you will be, to fight manfully against the world, the flesh, and the devil, oh, remember, "Thou GOD seest me," and let that thought nerve your hand and animate your heart. What soldier would not fight bravely if he saw the eye of his captain and his prince fixed upon him? Soldiers of Christ, soldiers of the cross, the eye of the captain of our salvation, the king of kings, is fixed upon every one of you to see whether you acquit your selves like men in the noble warfare to which he sends you. GOD seest me," will fill you with His justice, But is there not one here who has cared little or nothing for all these things? Oh, let the thought, "Thou GOD seest me," now sink into that careless heart. Go wherever you will, do whatever you will, you cannot escape the all searching eye of GOD; he finds you out in the midst of a crowd; he detects the carelessness and sin of your spirit. When you go to scenes and places which every Christian who fears temptation ought to shun, if others there can be jovial and gay, you will often perceive a hand writing on the wall, and this will be its interpretation, "Thou God seest me." If you at-wandering child. Then where-ever tempt to drown that thought in intemperance it will meet you with returning reason and pierce you with an arrow. If you mix with infidels who say, Tush, there is no GOD, your conscience will whisper, - there is, and "Thou GOD seest me." And so, also, at the day of judgment, though you should ask the rocks to hide you, and the hills to cover you, it will be in vain; the thought and more than the thought, "Thou you are, whatever you do or suffer, it will be a sweet and pleasant, and gracious thought,-thou O God, my Father, my God, my ever present help, thou seest me, oh, guide me then with thy counsel here, and admit me, through the mediation of the Saviour, to perceive more of thy glory hereafter, for in thy presence there is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. |