than if its senses had been more fully acted on: he trembled, and "the hair of his flesh stood up." "He could not discern the form:" it might, therefore, be terrific in shape, and tremendous in size. "It stood still," as if to do something to him; -to speak, perhaps to smite, to destroy: - and how could he guard against that which he could not sce? -- could not tell what, or where, it was. That which (from what he could discern, and more still from what he could not discern) seemed to be no mortal substance to which he was accustomed; and with which, with care or courage, he might deal safely: but a spirit, utterly beyond his impression, yet having unknown power to impress him, even to who can tell what degree! The certainty of an object so near him, joined to the uncertainty of what might be its powers, intentions, and actual operations, impressed him deeply with awe, expectation, and anxiety. How absurd then, how contrary to all their feelings in other cases, is the conduct of Infidels, who affect to despise God, to deny his existence, because they cannot see him! or who, without affecting this, do actually neglect, forget, and do him despight, by occasion of this circumstance! Men who can be appalled by some distant danger, and grow courageous against one near at hand; who tremble at a fellow-man, or a crawling reptile, and only then show carclessness and hardihood, when their foe is Almighty! Without enquiring what Eliphaz saw, let us apply these ideas to the Supreme Spirit; let us meditate on an object of infinitely greater, nearer importance, The invisible God: the more impressively important, because invisible! Let us for a moment suppose the contrary to be the case. Suppose the Deity to be the object of our senses: he then loses much of his Majesty: he becomes fixed to one spot, that in which we can see him; must be distant from many other places; and when revealing himself in other places, must be far distant from us, even at a time when we most need his presence. Nay, we should begin to comprehend him, to philosophize upon, and attempt experiments with him. Were he vast as the starry heavens, we could measure him; bright as yonder sun, we should contrive to gaze at him; energetic as the vivid lightning, we should bring him down to play around us: in no form can we conceive of his being the object of sense, but we sink him to a creature, — give him some definable shape, reduce him to a man, or a mere idol, and have need to provide him a temple made with hands for his accommodation. So that if a man had seen God at any time," he might be expected rather to fail than to abound in devotion, from that very circunstance. If indeed there were any doubt of his existence but that man is incapable of reasoning who reasons thus. There are proofs enough that he is on our right hand, though we do not see him; GOD INVISIBLE. 115 that he works on our left hand, though we cannot behold him. Instead of asking, with the sneer of doubt, "Where is he?" — or carelessly thinking, "Tush! shall God see?". - a much more rational behaviour is, with awe and reverence to say, "Whither can I flee from thy presence? -thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." Could any supposition take plate, even of his momentary absence, - that he were far off on a journey; or asleep, and must needs be awaked, it might be alleged, to sanction the carelessness, the atheism of men, provided they were aware of his absence, and knew the times of his drowsiness or distance. But an omnipresent Almighty ought to fill us with seriousness; and the uncertainties which belong to his operations, where, how, when he will work, should fill us with deep, lasting, and constant awe! He exists! The thought makes a temple of every place I may be in. To realize it, is to begin actual worship, whatever I may be about; to indulge it, is to make all other existences fade away. Amid the roar of mirth, I hear only his voice; in the glitter of dissipation, I see only his brightness; in the bustle of business, I can do nothing but pray. He is present! What may he not see? The actions of my hands he beholds, the voice of my words he hears, the thought of my heart he discerns. Could I see him, I might, on that side, guard against his penetrating eye; or on the other side, act something in secret safe from his inspection: but, present, without my being able to discern him, I ought to be watchful every way: the slightest error may fill me with awful apprehensions! He is near! What may he no be doing! "Even now," says Conscience," he may be preparing his vengeance, whetting his glittering sword, or drawing to the head the arrow of destruction." Could mine eye see his movements, I might be upon my guard; might flee to some shelter, or shrink away from the blow. But a foe so near, and yet so indiscernible, may well alarm me, lest the act of iniquity meet an immediate reward, and the blasphemous prayer for dannation receive too ready an answer from his hot thunderbolt! He is a Spirit! What is it he cannot do? Vast are his powers, quick his discernment, invisible his operations! No sword can reach him, no shield of iron or brass can protect against him; Ho placid countenance deceive, no hypocritical supplication impose upon him. He is in my inmost thought in every volition: he supports the cogitating principle, while it determines on its rebellions, or plans some mode by which to clade his all-penetrating perception. Vain is every attempt at evasion or resistance; God is a Spirit, is present every moment, surrounds every object, watches my steps, and re-acts upon me accordingly, though I cannot discern his form," measure his power, or watch his movements. I see him pass before my face" in the bright walks of nature; but I cannot discern his form." The rich landscape shews him wise, good, and bounteous; but how bounteous, good, or wise, who can, from the richest landscape, be able to guess? The brilliant sun gives a glimpse of his brightness; the vast starry concave shews me his immensity; but how bright, how immeasureably great, it were presumption to say. Hark! he speaks in that bursting thunder; see, he moves in that crashing earthquake; he shines in that blazing comet: so much I can easily discern, but God is still far beyond my comprehension. I see nothing but the hidings of his power, himself is yet unknown. He guides the affairs of providence. I see him pass before my face, but I cannot discern his form." Who but he could have raised up the Pharaoh, the Nebuchadnezzar, of ancient or of modern days? Who but he could have rooted up a firmly fixed throne, and poised a mighty nation on the slender pivot of a stripling's ener gies? I have seen him "pass before me" in my own concerns, leading me in a path I had not known, stopping me when on the verge of some destruction, filling my exhausted stores, and soothing my chaffed mind to sweet serenity. I could not but say this is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderous in my eyes. But "I cannot discern the form of him;" I know not what he will next do; nor dare I walk with presumptuous steps, nor repose with self-complacent gratulation, and say, my moutain stands strong, I shall never be moved; lest he hide his face for a moment, and I be troubled; or withhold his hand, and I die. 1 scea Spirit passing before me;" I hear his voice in the secret recesses of conscience; I find there is a God; I feel that he is near me. He stands still" full in view, with appalling indistinctness; so that " I tremble, and the hair of my flesh stands up." Yes, I cannot discern the form." I know not what affrights, stops, impresses, crushes me. Company I hate; for it neither dispels my sensations, nor harmonizes with them. Solitude I dread; for the invisible presence is there scen, and the unknown power felt, in all its horrifying influence. To deny that some one is acting on me, would be to deny that I see, I feel, am conscions. Could I tell what, or who, or how, I might call up the wisdom or the courage of a man to my assistance; but it is the unknowable, yet well-known; the indiscernible, yet surely seen; the incomprehensible, untangible, yet felt, understood, and ever-present God, that awes my trembling frame, and melts the boldest wishes of my daring mind, to irresolute determinations, inefficacious exertions, and the stubborn submission of an unwilling soul. Ah! let this over present Invisible encircle me with his mercy, defend me with his power, fill me with his peace, and save me by his Almighty grace. Then, though I " discern not his form,” I shall be conscious of his presence; and the delightful conscious LETTER FROM MR. ROMAINE. 117 The ness shall fill me with reverence indeed, but not make "my flesh to tremble." It shall soothe my sorrows, inspire my hopes, give me confidence in danger, and supplies in every necessity. consciousness of his nearness, approbation, mercy, shall enable me, like Moses, to endure, as seeing him who is invisible. SCINTILLUS. ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE LATE REV. W. ROMAINE, My good Friend, I HAVE read in a certain book, "As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." You know this is the gospel. Many (thank God, very many) times it has been good news to you and me; and while the blessed sound is joyful in our hearts, it makes all other good news better. So it improved your letter. I received it as one of my covenant blessings. You have your thanks, and God has had his. I am certain you will not be offended that he had the first and the best. The contents of the letter were also, every one of them, cordials as a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. What struck me first was your noble collection; indeed it was great, in itself valuable; but more so from the motive. I believe, Mr. K. gives and teaches to give from faith; Christian charity springs from Christ received, works grace: Christ's grace expects acceptance through Christ's intercession, and done ever so much, or ever so well, refers all to Christ's glory. So again I come to my point; the good minister and the good congregation have my warmest thanks; but to the Lord Christ be all the praise. Please to communicate this to Mr. K. and further inform him how much he and his congregation are laid on my heart, since I have fully discovered the present state of S. Oh, what deplorable blindness is there in ministers and people! what a fearful opposition are they carrying on against the Lord and his Christ! What have I told them? What had Mr.C. to tell them, but of the almighty power, of the infinite wisdom as influenced by the sovereign love of God, Jesus to save all that come to him; to save them from all their sins, and from all their miseries, and also to give them all possible good in earth and in Heaven! This is the kindest message of the gospel and it is sweetly recommended by putting the sinner into the present enjoyment of salvation, as the sure earnest of eternal enjoyment. Mr. says, "This shall not be preached in my pulpit, because my congregation are offended at it."-Lord God open their eyes! In this view, Mr. T. sees the important stand which your brother ought to make. The good news shall not be suffered to be proclaimed in, not even by Mr. C. among his friends and relations. In such circumstances, much, very much, depends upon Mr. K.: how earnest should he be in his work! how faithful in preaching! how careful in his walk! how fervent in closet-prayer! how constantly dependent on Christ for the success of his ministry! May the Spirit of the living God keep him, in his eye single, his heart chaste, his whole soul engaged in magnifying the person and the work of God our Saviour. I shall be often remembering him and you when I am at court. The King of kings is extremely gracious to me, and admits me into his gracious presence, sometimes into his cabinet. Whenever he vouchsafes such a favourable audience, I will not fail to present a petition for poor S. Let me recommend it to you to do the same in your prayer-meetings; God bless them, and be much with you in that hour! May your pleadings for your ignorant neighbours bring down, both on them and you, showers of blessings! Your letter also was like one of the aforesaid cordials, because it brought a welcome account of your family. We had been often saying, "I wonder we don't hear from S. What can be the matter? I am afraid they are not all well." At last comes good news of your family and friends; for which I am very thankful: my blessed Master is very kind in taking care of you. He has followed you with loving-kindness all your days, and I pray him, I doubt not but he will keep you to the end. When you have read thus far, you will begin to think I write in good spirits; and yet I am under the rod, and it is a sharp one. Mrs. F. called on Tuesday, but my wife could not see her; indeed, she has seen nobody since we heard this melancholy news of my son's death: it has been to us both a very heavy afliction, I am not a stone; but grace has got the better of nature. God supports. God comforts. I have a will of my own, and by it would have kept my son, for he was a sweet youth; but I can from my heart say, "Not my will, but thine be done," whereby I have the advantage of finding that my faith being put into the furnice, is true gold; it is (glory be to grace) proved and improved. When I first saw the letter which brought us the account, I knew the General's seal to it; and fearing the contents, I looked up for the presence and for the support of my great Master, and be answer ed me in the words of a great believer: "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." He has a right to do what he will with his own. Then he enabled me to reply, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!" And I do praise him for giving me some of Job's resignation, that I could use his words with the same spirit. My poor wife has exquisite feelings on this occasion: she wishes not to murmur, nor to displease our good Lord by any hard thoughts of him; but the tenderness of the parent, and to a child who never offended her in his life, occasions risings of grief; the spirit is willing to kiss the rod, but the flesh is weak. In the main, she behaves as I could wish; her faith is supported; her mind grows quiet and calm; and I doubt not but God will soon bring in his |