These two daughters of Satan are known by the names of Earthly Love and Intemperance, although they have assumed our names to gain the friendship of the more virtuous and sober part of the human race, thereby to lead them to eternal ruin. Before those who openly profess themselves as the followers of their father, these daughters of Satan cast off all disguise, and appear in their real characters; but it is not to these sons of Belial that I address myself, they are professed enemies of our Father, and our origin is hateful to them; but I would that all those whom the wiles of the daughters of Satan have led from their father's service, could be acquainted with our heavenly nature, then would they know how to distinguish us from those who have borrowed our names. For this purpose, I shall endeavor to give a just description of myself and my sister-glorying in those excellencies, not our own, but proceeding from our Father, and returning to him in the setting forth of his praises, even as kindly vapours which the parent earth sends forth, return thither in refreshing showers. We are full of holiness and purity-my sister most abounding in joy, I in gentleness; but both peaceful, and excelling in all that is lovely. Our forms are so comely, and our countenances have such heavenly beauty, that even our very shadows bear some traces of our loveliness. We are of a retired nature and do not much love to be courted, for we are so jealous for the honor of our Father, that we always avoid the company of those who pay us more honor than they do to him; but we love the humble servant of God, who brings every thought into captivity to his will. We love to follow such a man, and refresh him with our delightful presence. He that mourneth for his sins, and hungereth and thirsteth after righteousness, is dear to us. We love to dwell in his house, and to acquaint ourselves with his family. The martyrs of old who loved not their lives unto death, were not strangers to us; we were the companions of that holy and persecuted people, who for above a thousand years were preserved from the fury of an idolatrous church in the wilderness, whither God led them; when they were afflicted and tormented by the world, we often refreshed them; and when in the deep valleys, under the shade of trees, they met together to praise God, we visited them and comforted them with our discourse, for the refreshments we offer are unlike the refreshments which the daughters of Satan present to men; the joys we offer proceed from God, and lead to him again. The servants of God in every age and every circumstance of life are dear to us. We have a peculiar affection for those holy infants, whom pious parents have devoted to God, and have taught to lisp their Heavenly Father's name, and praise him for their newly-created faculties. My sister leads them to green meadows-she shews to them the haunts of the earliest flowers-the sunny fields where lambs delight to play; she offers to them the acorn cup, the painted shell, the colored bell, and all the nameless delights which our Heavenly Father, regarding even the pleasure of an infant, hath created for its enjoyment. I teach these to be gentle and love each other; I love to see the tear of humility or shame on a youthful cheek. I teach children to imitate the lamb and the dove, and the joys which my sister gives. I instruct them to share their pleasures with each other, putting away angry frowns, and the first beginnings of contention. We crown the life of those young people who resist earthly pleasure; they who love God more than earthly pleasure are very dear to us. The young man who fears the name of the Lord, and seeks to please him, in all his ways, is found of us, we often go forth to meet him when he returns from the sanctuary of his God, or the labor of his calling; we are often with him when he meditates by evening on holy things, and when he rises early to praise God. We are with him when he assembles his family to serve God on his sacred day; we are with him in the cool of the evening, when he listens to the bells from the distant church, when he converses with his chosen friends upon eternal truth, or confesses that he is a stranger and pilgrim upon earth, and speaks of a better country, an heavenly city, which God hath prepared for them that love him. We accompany him when he walks abroad to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. Even to old age, we are the solace of the servant of God; we are with him in affliction, on the bed of sickness, and in these more solemn hours, the holy man is able to discern more of our heavenly nature. I sometimes lead to him his children and grandchildren, each striving to support him by their strength, or to cheer him by their liveliness; he leans often upon me while he listens to the discourse of my sister; and while she leads him to the sunny walks, and shews him the woods golden with autumn, and the flowers which shed a delicious perfume before they wither on the stalk, "These," says she to him, “shall wither like you for a little season—but the season will soon be past, and the spring will return-there is for you an eternal, an ever blooming spring." We do not forsake the holy man upon his bed of death; I bring to his bed-side those whom he loved most on earth, and whisper to him, "If you have been happy on earth in the presence of these at a distance from the throne of God, how much more happy shall you be when you dwell with them in the immediate presence of your Heavenly Father." My sister reminds him of the delight he has found in her society. "If my Father's love," says she, "has permitted me to bestow upon you such joy while you are a pilgrim and stranger upon earth, how shall you abound in joy when I become your companion before the throne of God-for death shall not separate holy men from Innocent Pleasure and Innocent Love. We are immortal, and when our presence is no more needed on earth, we shall return with those whom we have comforted in their life time, to dwell with them in the presence of our Father for ever and And as corruptible man, when he is raised from death shall put on incorruption, and mortal man immortality, so shall our beauty and loveliness be in that season beyond thought increased, forasmuch as we shall then continually dwell before the throne of God, in whom we live, move, and have our being; for we are born of God, and his presence is our eternal home. ever. C. HUMILITY. "Humility is the vital principle of Christianity; that principle by which, from first to last, she lives and thrives, and in proportion to the growth or decline of which, she must decay or flourish. This disposes the sinner, in deep self-abasement, to believe in the Saviour; this, during his whole progress, is the very ground and basis of his feelings and conduct, both in relation to God, his fellow creatures, and himself." WILBerforce. CHRISTIAN Humility is a grace of the Holy Spirit, and has its seat in the heart. In scripture it is called humbleness of mind, lowliness of heart, and poverty of spirit. The original word ταπεινοφροσυνη signifes having a low opinion or esteem. “ It discovers itself before God by self-abasement and an entire dependence on the Divine Mercy; and before men, by respect for superiors, love to our equals, and condescension to inferiors, with a readiness to forgive, and candour and moderation towards all men. As it regards ourselves, it will teach us to avoid, carefully, every thing which has the appearance of pride and haughtiness, to cultivate a modest and meek deportment, to distrust our own strength, to exercise patience in suffering, and to be contented in the stations where God has placed us.” Humility is strongly enforced in the sacred scriptures." Be clothed with humility"-1 Pet. v. 5. "Before honor is humility" -Prov. xviii. 12. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted" -Luke xviiii. 14. James iv. 6. "He giveth grace to the humble," &c. 1. Humility requires us to entertain a sense of our entire dependence upon God as His creatures. In Him we live, move, and have our being; without his blessing nothing can prosper. The counsel of Ahithophel would be foolishness, the wisdom of Solomon would be ignorance, and the strength of Samson imbecility. All our supplies, as well temporal as spiritual, come from Him. The bread that nourishes, and the water that refreshes, are His gifts. And, as Christians, our faith must be enriched-our hope confirmed our love excited by Him. He breathes in the spirit of prayer, and tunes the lip with praise. Exalted views of God always produce low thoughts of ourselves. Look at Job xlii. 5, 6-" I have heard of thee-but now mine wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Look at Isaiah vi. 5. The sight of the Lord sitting on His throne filled him with abasement. "Wo is me, for I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips, &c. &c. for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." 66 The more thy glories strike mine eyes eye seeth thee; 2. To be humble, is to know our true character as sinners against God, as transgressors of His holy law. In every thing we all offend. What a mass of corruption is man's heart! Naturally at enmity with God, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. As soon as he is born he goes astray speaking lies. God is not in all his thoughts. O! what reason for humility. 3. Humility regards, with deepest compunction of mind, the imperfection of all spiritual services, and of our conduct generally. It was an important direction in the Jewish law, that the fire should be always burning on the altar. The fire of devotion with us is alas! sometimes so low, that it appears little more than the smoke of the flax. Our prayers how desultory!—our praises how languid!—our charity how parsimonious!—our exertions in the cause of God how feeble. And were we to proceed further, and include the imperfect character of our personal and relative duties, we must acknowledge, "If thou O Lord, shouldest mark iniquity-O Lord, who could stand!!” 4. Humility inculcates a modest and respectful, a kind and courteous carriage towards others. "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Let each esteem others better than themselves. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Nothing is more disgusting than the air of contempt and disdain, manifested by too many towards those whom they suppose inferior to themselves in property, rank, or talent. Such must expect, sooner or later, the application of the words of scripture, "A man's pride shall bring him low, for God resisteth the proud." The humble man remembers that he brought nothing into this world, and that he shall carry nothing out. "Whether there be prophecies they shall fail; whether there be tongues they shall cease; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away,”1 Cor. xiii. 8. Can there be any thing more vain than to be lifted up by that which must be relinquished eventually, and may be snatched from us suddenly! 5. The motives to induce us to cultivate humility are many and various. We are continually liable to fall into sin, and to be ensnared by temptation. "Be not high minded, but fear." Peter denied his Lord; Judas betrayed his Master: and we are yet in the body, encompassed by many evils, and opposed by many besetting sins. One sin in particular, like the dead fly in the apothecary's ointment, may cause our better qualities to send forth an unpleasant savour. Covetousness, passion, conceit, malice, envy, levity, or something else, degrade in the estimation of our friends, and diminish our reputation in the world. |
