Ther. The Edge less sharp than the Woodman's Ax, or rather more blunt than his Iron Wedge. The Polish resembles a Mass of coarse Metal, rudely hammered on the Anvil.

Afp. How very delicate is the Cambrick, which forms your Ruffles; and gives such an ornamental Air to your whole Dress! Nothing can be finer, than the Threads; or more exact, than the Texture. But what is their Appearance in a microscopic View?

Ther. You would take the fine Threads for hempen Cords; and would almost be positive, that they had been wattled together, by the clumsy Hands of the Hurdle-maker; rather than curiously wove, in the Artist's Loom.

Afp. 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 Radiancy 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.

Afp. You see then, Theron, what gross Indelicacies, what bungling Inequalities, this supplementary Aid to our Sight difcovers, even in the most finished Works of human Art. So, and abundantly more, does the immaculate Purity of GOD, discern Imperfections in our most upright Deeds, and most guarded Hours.

Therefore, though the Apostle could confidently declare, I know nothing by myself; I am not confcious of any Remissness, or any Unfaithfulness, in the Difcharge of my Office. Yet I am not, he adds, thereby justi

4

justified*; for the LORD is greater than my Conscience, and may espy many a Failure, where I myself can fee nothing faulty.

I faid immaculate; and I ought to have faid more. Angels, and the Spirits of just Men made perfect, are endowed with immaculate, but the LORD JEHOVAH is poffefled of infinite Purity. - Have You confidered this Attribute of the GODHEAD, Theron?

Ther. I have; and not without Amazement at the charming, the awful Descriptions of it, which occur in the facred Writings.-GOD is not only holy, but, as the Lawgiver of the Jews very fublimely expresses Himself, glorious in Holiness +. The sacred Penmen, treating of this illustrious Perfection, feem to labour the important Point. They indulge the loftieft Flights of Imagination; they employ the boldeft 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 Afcription of Praise, unspeakably too mean for thy furpaffing Excellency. Thou art of purer Eyes, than) to look upon Evil, and canst not behold Iniquity . -Another, wrapt into a prophetic Vifion, fees the Seraphim veiling their Faces, in Token of profound Humiliation; hears those Sons of Ardour and Love, crying, in loud responsive Strains; Holy, Holy,

* 1 Cor. iv. 4. † Exod. xv. 11.

‡ Hab. i. 13.

Holy, Holy is the LORD GOD of Sabaoth *. So transcendently holy, says another devout Worshiper,

is

* Ifai. vi. 3. The Poets, and Writers of a bold Imagination, are particularly fond of Machinery; of introducing celeftial Beings, in order to give some peculiar Dignity to their Plan, or fome additional Strength to their Sentiments. With inimitable Propriety and Emphasis, is this Species of fine Writing used in Scripture. Especially in the Paffage quoted above.

Let us confider-The principal Object. I saw the LORD; the fupreme Judge, and the everlasting King. Manifesting Himself to the Eye of my Mind, in a Form confummately venerable, yet emblematical of his future Incarnation. Sitting upon a Throne; expressive of that Sovereign Power, which ruleth over all; and prefigurative of that august Tribunal, from which He will pronounce the irreversible Sentence. - The Throne was bigh and lifted up; like those divine Perfections, which are too high for human Comprehenfion, and are exalted above all Blessing and Praise.-His Train, or the Skirts of his Robe, filled the Temple. They extended themselves through all the sacred Edifice; representing those Dispensations of Mercy and Judgment, of Truth and Equity, which pervade Heaven and Earth. Which take their Course through Time; and will be prolonged to Eternity.

Let Us observe the inferior Personages. These are the Seraphim; pure and active Spirits. Likened, by the Pfalmist, to Flames of Fire; styled, by the Apostle, Dominions and Principalities of Heaven. Who excel in Strength and Wisdom, in every great and shining Accomplishment. Their Attitude. They wait around the KING immortal, feated on his Throne: they are in the highest Elevations of Honour, yet at the Footstool of JEHOVAH. They stand; are in a Posture of Service: with their Wings outstretched, ready to fly at the first Signal. It is not faid, with their Eyes reverently cast down; but with their Faces covered; to denote the deepest Self-abasement. Like Creatures, that are confcious and ashamed of their own Meanness; or else overcome with the insupportable Glories, which beam from uncreated Majesty. Their Action. They celebrate, not in cold Con. is the everlasting GOD, that all-created Glory is totally eclipsed in his Prefence. He looketh to the Moon,

Conversation, but with rapturous Songs; not with fingle Voices, but in a grand Choir )זה אל זה, fee Pfal. lxxxvii. 5, 6.) the most amiable yet tremendous Sanctity of the LORD Almighty. Their Speech. Though impressed 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 Adoration; in repeated, in reiterated Acclamations to the ineffable Attribute; Holy! Holy! Holy! The Effects of the Vision. The Posts of the Door, shake at the Voice: the ponderous and magnificent Pillars of Brass (fee 2 Chron. iii. 17.) tremble like a Leaf.

While Clouds begin

To darken all the Dome, and Smoke to roll

In dusky Wreaths, the Sign of Wrath awak'd.

The spacious and beautiful House; mourning, as it were, under the Marks of divine Indignation; 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 ftruck with Astonishment; is overwhelmed with Awe; and cries out, as a Woman in her Pangs." -Can any Thing be more enlivened and alarming? More delicately or more fublimely imaged ?

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 admirable Hymn, intitled Te Deum; and which fome People, I am inclined to believe, inadvertently confound with Sabbath. -The latter signifies the Rest of the seventh Day; and, in this Connection, yields a Senfe, not 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, uncontroulable SOVEREIGN: VOL. I.

Cc

who

Moon, and it shineth not; yea, the Stars are not pure in his Sight *. And his very Angels, those refined and exalted Intelligences, He chargeth with Folly †.

Afp. Very majestic Descriptions!-And pray let Us observe the Impressions, which such Beamings of the divine Effulgence made upon the Saints of old.Mofes, drawing near the cloudy Pavilion, the Presence-chamber of the HOLY ONE of Ifrael, says, with Emotions of uncommon Dread; I exceedingly fear and quake ! - When Job is favoured with fome peculiar Manifestations of the omnipotent GOD, see his Posture! Hear his words! I abhor myself, and repent in Dust and Ashes ||. How strong is the Language! How deep the Abasement! When Ifaiah faw the incomprehenfible JEHOVAH, fitting 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 dwelieth in Light inaccessible: when the ANTIENT of Days, veiled under a human Shape, appeared to Daniel: though One was a devout Prieft, 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

who exercises a fupreme Dominion over all the Orders of Being, from the loftiest Archangel that shines in Heaven, to the lowest Reptile that crawls in Duft. Who says to a Legion of Cherubs, Go; and they go: - to a Swarm of Infects, Come; and they come: - to any, to every Creature, Do this; and they do it. See Matt, viii. 9.

* Job xxv 5. † Job iv. 18.

|| Job xlii. 6.

§ Ifai. vi. 5.

† Heb. xii. 21. Ezek. i. 28.

Dan. x. 8, 9.