ve to his presence, receives none of these advantages
from it, which are perfective of his nature, and necessary to his
well-being. The divinity is with him, and in him, and every where about
him, but of no advantage to him.

6. It is the same thing to a man without religion, as if there were no
God in the world. It is indeed impossible for an infinite Being to
remove, himself from any of his creatures; but though he cannot
withdraw his essence from us, which would argue an imperfection in him,
he can withdraw from us all the joys and consolations of it. His
presence may, perhaps, be necessary to support us in our existence; but
he may leave this our existence to itself, with regard to our happiness
or misery.

7. For, in this sense, he may cast us away from his presence, and take
his holy spirit from us. This single consideration one would think
sufficient to make us open our hearts to all those infusions of joy and
gladness which are so near at hand, and ready to be poured in upon us;
especially when we consider, _secondly_, the deplorable condition of an
intellectual being who feels no other effects from his Maker's presence,
but such as proceed from divine wrath and indignation!

8. We may assure ourselves, that the great Author of Nature, will not
always be as one who is indifferent to any of his creatures. Those who
will not feel him in his love, will be sure at length to feel him in his
displeasure. And how dreadful is the condition of that creature who is
only sensible of the being of his Creator by what he suffers from him!
He is as essentially present in hell as in heaven; but the inhabitants
of those accursed places behold him only in his wrath, and shrink within
the flames to conceal themselves from him. It is not in the power of
imagination to conceive the fearful effects of Omnipotence incensed.

9. But I shall only consider the wretchedness of an intellectual being,
who, in this life, lies under the displeasure of him, that at all times,
and in all places, is intimately united with him. He is able to disquiet
the soul, and vex it in all its faculties, He can hinder any of the
greatest comforts of life from refreshing us, and give an edge to every
one of its slightest calamities.

10. Who then can bear the thought of being an outcast from his presence,
that is, from the comforts of it, or of feeling it only in its terrors?
how pathetic is that expostulation of _Job_, when for the real trial of
his pat