Asp. That lovely piece of enamel, which makes a part of your lady's pensile equipage, quite charms the spectator with the justness of its figure and the radi ancy of its colours. But Ther. Under the scrutiny of this searching instrument it loses all its elegance; and instead of winning our admiration, provokes our contempt. It looks like a heap of mortar, plaistered on by the mason's trowel. Asp. You see then, Theron, what gross indelicacies, what bungling inequalities this supplementary aid to our sight discovers, even in the most finished works of human art. So, and abundantly more, does the imma culate purity of God discern imperfections in our most upright deeds and most guarded hours. I said immaculate, and I ought to have said more; for God is not only unerringly wise to detect, but infi. nitely pure to abhor all contamination. Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect, are endowed with immaculate, but the Lord is possessed of infinite, pu rity. Have you considered this attribute of the God. head, Theron ? Ther. I have, and not without amazement at the charming, the awful descriptions of it, which occur in the sacred writings. God is not only holy, but as the lawgiver of the Jews very sublimely expresses him. self, glorious in holiness.' The sacred penmen, treating of this illustrious perfection, seem to labour the important point. They indulge the loftiest flights of imagination; they employ the boldest figures of speech; and add the most glowing colours of eloquence; not without frequent acknowledgments, that all the force of language is abundantly too feeble for the unutterable subject. One of the prophets, addressing the King eternal, immortal, invisible, breaks out into this extatic exclamation; ' O Lord, my God, my holy One, thou art of purer eyes than' (to allow, shall I say? This is an ascription of praise, unspeakably too mean for thy sur passing excellency. Thou art of purer eyes, than) ' to look upon evil, and canst not behold iniquity.'+ An other, wrapt into a prophetic vision, sees the seraphim *Exod. xv. 11. + Hab. i. 13. veiling their faces in token of profound humiliation; hears those sons of ardour and love, crying, in loud responsive strains; Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth. Nay, so transcendently holy, says another Isa. vi. 3. The poets and writers of a bold imagination are particularly fond of machinery; of introducing celestial beings, in order to give some peculiar dignity to their plan, or some additional strength to their sentiments. With inimitable propriety, and surprising emphasis, is this species of fine writing used in Scripture; especially in the passage quoted above. Let us only consider-the personages. These are the seraphim, pure and active spirits; likened, by the Psalmist, to flames of fire; styled, by the apostle, dominions and principalities of heaven; who excel in strength and wisdom, in every high and bright accomplishment.-Their attitude: they wait around the King Immortal, seated on his exalted throne. They stand; are in a posture of service, with their wings out-stretched, ready to fly at the first signal. They stand, not with their eyes reverently cast down, but with their faces covered, to denote the deepest selfabasement; as creatures that are conscious and ashamed of their own meanness, or as overcome with the insupportable glories which beam from uncrcated majesty.-Their action: they celebrate, not in cold conversation, but with rapturous songs, not with single voices, but in a grand choir, (, see Psalm lxxxvii. 5, 6.) the amiable yet tremendous sanctity of the Lord Almighty. Their manner of expression: though filled and penetrated with the prodigious theme, they attempt not to describe it. Impracticable that, even by the tongues of angels! They express themselves, therefore, in the language of profound admiration; in repeated, in reiterated acclamations to the wonderful attribute; Holy! holy! holy !'-The effects of this august appearance: the posts of the door shake at the voice; the ponderous and magnificent pillars of brass (see 2 Chron. iii. 17.) tremble like a leaf. The spacious and beautiful house is filled with tokens of the divine indignation; is involved in clouds of smoke, and joins with the trembling columns and adoring seraphs, to tell the thoughtless world, What a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God!' The prophet himself is struck with astonishment, is overwhelmed with awe, and cries out, as a woman in her pangs. Can any thing be more enlivened, impressive, and alarming? If I shall not trespass upon the reader's patience, I would beg leave to add a remark concerning the word Sabaoth, which, though a Hebrew expression, is retained in that excellent hymn, entitled Te Deum; and which some people, I am inclined to believe, inadvertently confound with Sabbath. The latter signifies the rest of the seventh day, and, in this connexion, yields a sense, bot very apposite, and comparatively mean. Whereas, the former denotes armies or hosts, and furnishes us with an image truly grand and majestic, worthy to be admitted into the songs of seraphs. It glorifies God, as the great, universal, uncontrollable Sovereign; who exercises a supreme dominion over all the orders of being, from the loftiest archangel that shines in heaven, to the lowest reptile that crawls in dust. Who says to a legion of cherubs, go; and they go:-to a swarm of insects, come; and they come:-to any, to every creature, do this; and they do it. See Matt. viii. 9. 1 devout worshipper, that all created glory is totally eclipsed in his presence. He looketh to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.'* And his very angels,' those refined and exalted intelligencies, he chargeth with folly.'+ Asp. Very majestic descriptions! And pray let us observe the impressions, which such beamings of the divine effulgence made upon the saints of old. Moses, drawing near the cloudy pavilion, the presence-chamber of the Holy One of Israel, says, with emotions of uncommon dread; I exceedingly fear and quake!' When Job is favoured with some peculiar manifestations of the omnipotent God, see his posture! hear his words! 'I abbor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.'§ How strong is the language! how deep the abasement! When Isaiah saw the incomprehensible Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and the princes of heaven adoring at his footstool; seized with a pang of reverential fear, he cried out; Woe is me! I am undone ! for I am a man of unclean lips!' When Ezekiel beheld an emblematical representation of Him who dwelleth in light inaccessible; when the Ancient of Days, veiled under a human shape, appeared to Daniel; though one was a devout priest, and each was an eminent prophet; yet, overwhelmed with a mixture of veneration and terror, they both fell down at his feet as dead.'¶ And this, not before a full display, but only before a glimpse of the Godhead; which, though partial and transient, was too dazzlingly bright for an eye of flesh to bear. O my friend! my Theron! what figure must our mean performances, our low attainments make, before this immensely glorious God! Let us examine the behaviour and spirit of Job a little more particularly. He is one of your favourite examples; and indeed very deservedly. For, in piety he had no superior, and no equal; there was none like him in the earth.' Yet, when he has to do with the Maker of all things, and the Judge of all men, he pours out his abashed soul in Job xxv. 5. + Ibid. iv. 18. Heb. xii. 21. Isa, vi. 5. these very remarkable professions: If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse." He declares yet farther; If I wash myself in snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou, O righteous and eternal God, plunge me in the ditch;' manifest me, notwithstanding all this care and circumspection, to be a guilty and a filthy creature; yea, so very guilty and filthy, that my own clothes, were they sensible of the pollution, could not but abhor me. This he confesses, not because he was an habitual sinner, or chargeable with any scandalous immorality, but because his mind was filled with the most affecting sense of God's inconceivable holiness and infinite glory. For,' adds the venerable sufferer, he is not a man as I am;' but a Being of such extensive knowledge, that nothing can escape his discernment; of such exalted purity, that every spot of defilement is loathsome in his sight. For which reason, it is absolutely impossible, that I should answer him,' with reference to my own personal righteousness: or that we should come together in judgment,' on any such footing, without confusion to myself and ruin to my cause. To all this he subjoins, what is still more memorable and exemplary: Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul; I would despise my life.' He sup poses himself in a higher state than your most advanced Christian; though I were perfect.' Yet even in such a state, were it attainable and attained, 'I would not know my soul;' not dwell upon, not plead, no, nor so much as cherish a thought of my own accomplishments and acquirements. In the important business of justification, they should stand for ciphers; they should be thrown into shades; they should entirely disappear. Nay more, I would despise my life;' my life, with all its most shining actions and most distin. guished virtues, should be reckoned insignificant and despicable. Just as insignificant and despicable, with respect to this great transaction, as a wandering spark would be, if appointed to diffuse day amidst the dark * See Job ix. 20, 21. 30-32. ness of night, or produce spring amidst the depths of winter. Ther. These are alarming hints, Aspasio, I must confess; a law which requires an exact and universal obedience, both in heart and life! A God of such majesty, purity, and glory, that men of the most approved integrity are overwhelmed with confusion in his presence! I shall consider them, at my leisure, with the attention they deserve; at present, I believe, opportunity is giving us the slip. Yonder coach seems to be moving this way, and the livery looks like Philander's. Aspasio, desirous to fix these convictions, which are of the last consequence to our faith and salvation; very desirous to fix them on his friend's mind, replied. Asp. As your visitants are at a distance, give me leave to observe, that the wisest of men, attending to the first of these particulars, has poured contempt upon all human excellency: There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." The apostle of Christ takes shame to himself on the same account, and teaches all mankind to strike the sail of self-conceit; In many things we offend all.'+ David, considering the latter of these points, prays with the utmost earnestness; Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord!' And assigns this humbling reason for his petition; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' This induced Nehemiah, who had been so nobly zealous for the honour of his God, not to confide in his own valuable services, but make application to forgiving goodness: Spare me, O Lord, according to thy great mercy.'S Had I set before you the example of the poor Publican, who smote upon his breast, durst not lift up his eyes to heaven; but cried from the bottom of a polluted heart, God be merciful to me a sinner!' self-love might possibly have whispered, 'Surely I am not to be ranked with that abominable wretch. I stand upon some better footing than such an infamous offender. With respect to the enjoyment of eternal life, we stand Psalm exlil. 2. Luke xviii. 13. Eccles. vii. 20. † Jam. iii, 2. |