ad probam IV. 8). 5, 6. That of siding with Him against evil (vers. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. Self-consciousness has been the problem of the philosophic mind in all ages; and the mystery is not yet unravelled. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. This is living with God. He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. The law and covenant of God are co-extensive; and what is enjoined in the one is confirmed in the other. For the Chief Musician. 18 " Ep., cxxx. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. Hence Paul Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatSense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son. His omnipotence (vers. He bringing me home, Timothy, and I'm going to see his face. The right state of mind plainly is to have the thought of God's presence so perpetually at hand that it shall always start before us whenever it is wanted. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. But yet there is another, not less powerful than any, which deserves special mention. Before the Searcher of hearts all mankind must appeal to mere and sovereign mercy. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. There is, therefore, nothing wrong in our forgetting that we are in the presence of God any more than there is anything foolish in our forgetting that we need air to breathe or light to see by, or that if we fall we may hurt ourselves: just in the same way as we very often, and quite rightly, forget that we are in the company of men who will take notice of our faults. They are ever before David as an object of adoring wonder, not by day only, but by night; not merely in the watches of the night, but even in his sleep. And this perpetual though not always conscious sense of God's presence would, no doubt, if we would let it have its perfect work, gradually act on our characters just as the presence of our fellow-men does. 6. Being rich he becomes richer; being already high born, of still nobler lineage; being illustrious, he gains greater renown; and--what is more than all--once a sinner he is now a saint. He professes his confidence in GodDictionary of Bible ThemesPsalm 138:86708predestination8125guidance, promise8441goalsPsalm 138:7-81265hand of GodLibraryFaith in PerfectionIn the opening, I must remark that this is not the heritage of all mankind. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. Then is the moment to choose whether or not we will live in the presence of God; then when the finger of conscience is pointing to Him and saying, "He is looking at you. The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. There is no reason to mourn a son as lost who is a religious, still less to fear for his delicacy of constitution. 2. S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. 19 III. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. He may be an uncommonly thoughtful person, and little of what is done within his soul may escape his notice; nay, we will make the extreme supposition that he arrests every thought as it rises, and looks at it; that he analyzes every sentiment as it swells his heart; that he scrutinizes every purpose as it determines his will; even if he should have such a thorough and profound self-knowledge as this, God knows him equally profoundly and equally thoroughly. Those who live much in a court acquire courtly manners. G. T. Shedd, D. D.: One of the most remark. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. (Admonition 23.) For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. But in almost every case the dazzling rays of a searchlight frustrated the attempt, and the fugitives' vessel was captured by the Americans. We could never discharge our duties properly if we were to be perpetually distracted by the consciousness of what was around us: and, above all, we might be daunted by the perpetual thought of the presence of God, and so be paralyzed instead of helped. This is the communion with Him, and with Christ, which unquestionably helps the struggling, the penitent, the praying, more than anything else. able characteristics of a rational being is the power of self-inspection. So that whenever we are on the point of doing or saying anything cowardly, or mean, or false, or impure, or proud, or conceited, or unkind, the remembrance that God is looking on shall instantly flash across us and help us to beat down our enemy. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. lvii. Letter Xliii a Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey. GOD ACCURATELY AND EXHAUSTIVELY KNOWS ALL THAT MAN MIGHT, BUT DOES NOT, KNOW OF HIMSELF. We do not agree with Momus, neither are we of his mind who desired to have a window in his breast that all men might see his heart. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. v. 22). WHAT CONCERN HAS OUR LIFE, HERE AND HEREAFTER, WITH THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD? For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord. 2. He professes his confidence in GodDictionary of Bible ThemesPsalm 138:86708predestination8125guidance, promise8441goalsPsalm 138:7-81265hand of GodLibraryFaith in PerfectionIn the opening, I must remark that this is not the heritage of all mankind. Hence Paul Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatSense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son. 8). v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. In a declaration of faith you are speaking to yourself which was what David was doing in this verse. For if God's exhaustive knowledge of the human heart waken dread in one of its aspects, it starts infinite hope in another. Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. 1. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' If we had such a window we should pray for shutters, and should keep them closed.God omniscientWeekly Pulpit. G. T. Shedd, D. D.: One of the most remark. 13-18). The grace of God makes a man thoughtful, and leads him to concern about himself, his life, his future, and the completeness of the work of grace. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. the regular habit of reading the Bible at a fixed time, the occasional reminders of ourselves that God is looking on, these are our chief means of learning to remember His presence. He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. He professes his confidence in GodDictionary of Bible ThemesPsalm 138:86708predestination8125guidance, promise8441goalsPsalm 138:7-81265hand of GodLibraryFaith in PerfectionIn the opening, I must remark that this is not the heritage of all mankind. The brilliant searchlight sweeping the broad ocean and revealing even the smallest craft on its surface is but a faint type of the Eternal Light from which no sinner can hide his sin. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. He professes his confidence in GodDictionary of Bible ThemesPsalm 138:86708predestination8125guidance, promise8441goalsPsalm 138:7-81265hand of GodLibraryFaith in PerfectionIn the opening, I must remark that this is not the heritage of all mankind. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple St. That exquisite pleasure in sin, which comes from its fancied concealment, is utter folly. Put your hope in God. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. the regular habit of reading the Bible at a fixed time, the occasional reminders of ourselves that God is looking on, these are our chief means of learning to remember His presence. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius John Edgar McFadyenIntroduction to the Old TestamentLinksPsalm 138:8 NIVPsalm 138:8 NLTPsalm 138:8 ESVPsalm 138:8 NASBPsalm 138:8 KJVPsalm 138:8 Bible AppsPsalm 138:8 ParallelPsalm 138:8 Biblia ParalelaPsalm 138:8 Chinese BiblePsalm 138:8 French BiblePsalm 138:8 German BiblePsalm 138:8 CommentariesBible Hub, II. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Then is the moment to choose whether or not we will live in the presence of God; then when the finger of conscience is pointing to Him and saying, "He is looking at you. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. The text, however, itself, is its own guard. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. Thomas AquinasOn Prayer and The Contemplative LifeEpistle Xlvii. Before the Searcher of hearts all mankind must appeal to mere and sovereign mercy. II. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple St. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. To Dominicus, Bishop. The thought will flash across us that God sees us. Thomas AquinasOn Prayer and The Contemplative LifeEpistle Xlvii. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. He is always involved in our lives as the Sovereign Orchestrator. "Thou hast made me: I reverently challenge Thee to complete Thy work." His omnipresence. Former President Barack Obama's Faith. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. Those who live much in a court acquire courtly manners. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. Phil 1:6. The right state of mind plainly is to have the thought of God's presence so perpetually at hand that it shall always start before us whenever it is wanted. xviii. 2. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. We become unconscious of everything by long use. Though the transgressor is ignorant of much of his sin, because, at the time of its commission, he sins blindly as well as wilfully, and unreflectingly as well as freely; and though the transgressor has forgotten much of that small amount of sin, of which he was conscious, and by which he was pained, at the time of its perpetration; though, on the side of man, the powers of self-inspection and memory have accomplished so little towards this preservation of man's sin, yet God knows it all, and remembers it all. We become unconscious of everything by long use. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. Whence our expectations of reward for doing right, of punishment for wrong-doing? To Dominicus, Bishop. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. 3. We do not agree with Momus, neither are we of his mind who desired to have a window in his breast that all men might see his heart. For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. But yet there is another, not less powerful than any, which deserves special mention. St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. But he knows it and bows in reverence before the sublime truth. If we had such a window we should pray for shutters, and should keep them closed.God omniscientWeekly Pulpit. Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. Now, in this condition of things, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. Let the path I daily walk in not be a crooked, corrupt and perverse path. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. Put in your all with Him and leave it there. We do not agree with Momus, neither are we of his mind who desired to have a window in his breast that all men might see his heart. Psalms 138:8 Context. The ruler should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through example than through words. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. 18 " Ep., cxxx. Any signal manifestation of Jehovah's presence, however favourable, inspires awe. Not only his outward acts, but the thoughts from which they spring are at once discerned. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. And though we thought that we had suffered loss from the tardiness of their coming, yet we find gain from their more abundant charity; seeing that from this delay in point, "Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"--PS. It is perfectly plain from the elevated central point of view where we now stand, and in the focal light in which we now see, that no man can be justified before God upon the ground of personal character; for that character, when subjected to God's exhaustive scrutiny, withers and shrinks away. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. How many are the Scriptures which bid us, by direct precept or by actual example, to fear lest we should come short of eternal life! The singer revolves in mind the secret processes of man's birth and development, and gratitude overflows into praise. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage [1454] . When we read the Gospels, we see that our Lord Jesus always took time to retreat to spend time in the presence of His Heavenly Father. When it is in progress He will not leave it or suffer it to be marred He will carry it forward through its successive stages until it be finished to the glory of His name. David praises God for the truth of his word4. (2)Unseen world.(3)Everywhere. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. It is a simple question of time; a simple question whether it shall come here in this world, where the blood of Christ "freely" flows, or in the future world, where "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."(W. 24).(W. thou establish my soul in it more and more. II. Cultivate a loving affection for Him. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Psalms 139:16 "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. And have not many actually made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience? Those who live much in refined and educated society acquire refinement insensibly. He must be prepared for the Kingdom that has been prepared for him, Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, The ruler should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through example than through words. We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. There is no reason to mourn a son as lost who is a religious, still less to fear for his delicacy of constitution. A Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey. October 27th, 2022 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your Hands. "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. Self-consciousness has been the problem of the philosophic mind in all ages; and the mystery is not yet unravelled. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. The worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and yet eternal glory is offered to us! Now, in this condition of things, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. The faith of that Centurion He on this account chiefly praised, and said St. For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord. That of siding with Him against evil (vers. According to Scripture, we can be certain that God will perfect everything that concerns us because God cares about us. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. Our relation toward such a God should be 1. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. (Admonition 23.) Letter Xliii a Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey. For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. feel that assuredly he has got hold of a secret that too many of us do not possess, some less-favored one than the speaker comes up to him with wonder, wistfulness, perplexity, and desire written plainly on his countenance, and begins to -, 1. cxxxviii. Hoyt, D. D.)God's knowledge of manW. S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. It is perfectly plain from the elevated central point of view where we now stand, and in the focal light in which we now see, that no man can be justified before God upon the ground of personal character; for that character, when subjected to God's exhaustive scrutiny, withers and shrinks away. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. vi. 9. : The fact that God is always present and knows every minute trifle in our lives, and that His unerring judgment will assuredly take count of every detail of our character and our conduct, neither exaggerating nor omitting, but applying absolute justice; this truth is one of those which lose force from their very universality. 8). We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. iii. Its offices are located in Omaha, Nebraska. The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. Hilary of PoitiersThe Life and Writings of St. Hilary of PoitiersPsalmsThe piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. That act whereby another being knows my secret thoughts and inmost feelings is most certainly inexplicable.I. Here's how David describes the Lord's response to his cry for help. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. The worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and yet eternal glory is offered to us! In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. xlix. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of Covenanting, Introduction. The worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and yet eternal glory is offered to us! Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. And this will generally be just when we are tempted to do wrong, or perhaps just when we are actually beginning to do it: some secret sin of which no one knows or dreams perhaps, some self-indulgence, which we dare not deny that God condemns. Rejoice, ye saints of God, that you have a great High Priest who is passed into the heavens, who now appears in the presence of God for you. The Promise of Peace You keep him in perfect peace You keep him in perfect peace. But God's eye penetrates the darkest abode, the deepest cell, the obscurest corner, the blackest night. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. But yet there is another, not less powerful than any, which deserves special mention. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. That act whereby another being knows my secret thoughts and inmost feelings is most certainly inexplicable.I. And lest the presence of God should be too much for us, Christ has taken human nature on Him, and has provided that He will be always with us as long as the world shall last. : The fact that God is always present and knows every minute trifle in our lives, and that His unerring judgment will assuredly take count of every detail of our character and our conduct, neither exaggerating nor omitting, but applying absolute justice; this truth is one of those which lose force from their very universality. For that voice more readily penetrates the hearer's heart, which the speaker's life Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatHow those that are at Variance and those that are at Peace are to be Admonished. 8). A Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey. iii. said Collins, the infidel, to a poor but pious man. 17, 18). 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?'