and vitiated human nature, Almighty God is not an object of delight, but of apprehension. And, before a calm delight in God can be produced, that uneasy apprehension of God must have been expelled. And whatever the intrinsic preciousness of the blessing, that preciousness will be heightened by the force of contrast; and heightened in proportion to the depth of uneasiness removed. "Fear," saith the beloved disciple, "hath torment." But when 66 perfect love casteth out fear," the past torment will but serve to enhance the present happiness and joy. This fear, this apprehension, this uneasiness, is perhaps the most prevalent, and the most deeply-rooted feeling of mankind. It is, in truth, at the bottom of our most painful agitations. What is it that alarms us, in the great convulsions of nature, in the tempest, the thunder, and the earthquake? Is it not our dread of Him who operates unseen, and irresistible; who maketh the winds his an gels, and the flames his messengers; who setteth on fire the foundations of the mountains; and breaketh up the fountains of the great deep? What is it that gives force and emphasis to the fear of accidents, of battle, of shipwreck, of murder, and of sudden death? Not the mere prospect of dissolution. That might be readily banished from our view. No: but the conviction that One liveth, before whom we must appear, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal those secrets of our hearts, which are unknown even to ourselves. What is it that infuses that mysterious midnight terror, which appals the stoutest heart, which unnerves him that would undauntedly face an armed host? What, but the consciousness of an invisible, ever-present, and all-seeing God, in whose hand are all the terrors of the universe; who hath but to strike, and we shall perish; to shoot forth his arrows, and "It is a fearful we are consumed ? thing," says the Apostle, "to fall into the hands of the living God!" And what human being is naturally exempted from this fear? What hiding-place of nature, what undiscoverable corner of creation, what slumbering moment of eternity, may shield us from the glance, and grasp of God? He is about us, he is around us, he is within us. he is within us. Conscience is his viceregent; death is his messenger; judgment is his manifestation; immensity is the sphere of his omnipotence; and his omnipotence shall reign for ever. Who, then, can wonder at the deeptoned exclamation of Job?" When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint, then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions; so that my soul chuseth strangling, and death rather than life. I have sinned. What shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burthen to myself!" These, my brethren, are the terrors of the Lord. But what are the consola tions? They are great, they are inexpressible, they are above all that we can ask or think. "How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should tell them, they are more in number than the sand!" But conceptions, which would oppress us by their multitude, and blind us by their overwhelming glory, are compressed, are mitigated, are familiarized, yet strengthened, rather than enfeebled, illustrated, rather than obscured, in that one, simple, gracious promise of our Maker,-THEN SHALT THOU DELIGHT THY SELF IN THE LORD. And is it, then, for mortal man, to delight himself in the most high God? Is it for the great, omnipotent, everlasting object of our terror, to comfort us with his presence, and become the endearing property of our hearts? Let those faithful servants of God reply, who felt, and have described, his terrors; who enjoyed, and have registered, his consolations. Moses at the burning bush of Horeb, and amidst the thunders of Mount Sinai ; Isaiah at the visible manifestation of Jehovah in the temple; and David, in the heart-searching visitations of a pure and holy God, these men were terrified, were undone, were distracted, (I use their own strong expressions, for weaker would be injurious to the subject,) by the presence of the Lord of Hosts. Yet, who obtained a larger portion of the Divine confidence, or who enjoyed a more abundant measure of God's free spirit. Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. But what followed? The Lord spake unto Moses, face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. And, as the Lord spake unto Moses, he commissioned Moses to speak unto the children of Israel; in accents of peace, of mildness, of engaging condescension; My doctrine shall drop as the rain : |