The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1823-1824, 1824-03-04

pure. Like him, may be enabled to overcome
evil with good; and when ] cannot do this ma,
The preserve me from being overcome ofevil.
If all the relations, friends, and enemies of
whom ever had any knowledge, were all assem-
bled together, how inconsiderablc their number
rlTo me then, who am known by so few, and1
whose knowledge of others is far more contract
ed; TO me- what multitude of strangers are therel
in heaven! Pleasing thought! As the sand onI
The sea shore-as the drops of morning dew-asl
the stars in the firmament-so to me are these i'll
|lustrions strangers, innumerablc. Ons OF every
kindred, tongue, and nation, from the east, andI
from the west, and from the north and from the|
south, shall they Cyet] come, and sit down in theI
kingdom of God But when this is fully accom-
lplished Charming contras) many who were cali
led and who probably, we're fond Of calling
themselves ''the children of the Kingdom" shall
(be cast out into outer darkness In the prospect
|of that day, not more tremendous to some, thar
triumphant to others, more than ever, let me bel
|" iligent to be found Of Christ in peace, without
spot and bamelcss !"
One would think, by the preceding part ofthis
meditation, if heaven was not Inhabited by men
only, they were either not permitted, or not IN
|clined to enjoy other society. But is it so ! Are|
not ''the spirits of Just men made perfect, sur
rounded by an innumersble company of angels,
who never par,ook ofhuman imperfection They
are. But when mediate on that shining as
sembly, and on the approaching period of being
introduced, by grace, into such exalted society,
II find the most distant thought of being aesM
without being made like the angels of God, very
lafiiciing Unless | were made meet for such
society, how could possibly enjoy it Except
II had taste similar to theirs, to whom not any
thing without purity is pleasing, destitute OF a
turn universally prevalent among them, to whom
lGod is all in ALI the idea of clown among cour
Tiers, OF peasant among philosophers, gives me
but an imperfect view of the perplexity and con-
fusion which, to man in sucha situation is una.
|voidable. The misery and shame, involving such
Ia character, is better conceived Of by comparing
lit with that of self-convcted feon in court of
Justice, when he hears the just and awful SEN
ltence of his own condemnation. Creatures have
hitherto, as usual, occupied too much of my att
ltenton Towards heaven turned my WONDER
ling eyes, yet have not once said where is God
inv Maker I" When we fondly gaze on inferior
Iobiects, how frequently do we overlook that, in
(which every other is always seen to the best adj
Vantage! Asaph was not so unwise. On God he
fixed his eye, and to his honor said "Whom have
II in heaven but thee % But what did the hnly
seer mean by this comprehensive expression
Ibid he mean to inform us, there was none, even
lin heaven, whom he opposed to God' None
whom he set in competition with him. Or, that
no person, or pleasure, is to be enjoyed in state
Iof separation from him Perhaps, each ct these
Ideas was present, when he said, "whom have
lin heaven but thee" If SO, an angel could say nc
more; and yet through grace, every believer, in
Ia comparative view, can say no less. Am among
1.-The number Whom, or what have in heaven
Ito oppose to God Was il person, how foul the
a. Offence And ifa thing, how horrid the abuse
y But, allowedly, neither behold nor desire, those
ii persons or things which are heavenly, any more
=. than those which are earthly, to consume on my
hlusts. Once, indeed, had no other view. ! lust
d. ell and had not; sought but could not obtain
" asked and received not; because asked amlss
y If possible, may it be so no more Further :
y, Whom have in heaven, that in my estimation
rs $, antls in competition with God! ! know no
II, any, uncomfortable Majestyt Before thee, crea
ID lures, however dignihed, cast all their crowns
;lThus in silent eloquence, they unite in saying
u, 4" who in heaven can be compared unto the Lord
IN Who among the SONS Of the mighty eau be iiken
W ed unto the Lord - Who then art Thou 4 re
-lioice and tremblc while I repeat the question
lyI who, then, art Thou to whom such homage II
unpaid To whom such glory is given '-PardoT
to all that is unbecomng in me, in ven'nring here
n TO ask and answer, the following questions Il
as humanity part Of Thee? Impossible. Tho'
NJ must not he degraded. Art Thou the Father
st Thou sayest AM. Art Thou the Son? Tho'
nIsayest, AM. Art Thou the Noly Ghostg Thot
II. sayest AM. Thus far, the testimony, which tho,
in hast given us of myself, is express and plain
re Bnt it is said to be incomprehensible. Alas
r when thy nature is the subject, were it not SO
ct we should reject it; and now it is, we are nan
IS, rally reluctant to receive it! We ask, are The
$, iFalher Son, and Holy Ghost, one and the same
i!person! Thou sayest, No: and from thine un
Steering word, we learn they are distinct, but moi
leidiyided we are still dissatisfied. And have we
d not reason 10 conclude we ever shall be, if
g., found wandering from the light Of divine truth
e. and forgetting the end for which it has shone
rel and still shines, We prefer vague conjectures to
divine faith, carnal opinion, to spiritual and holy
e. Iobedence-anl vain deusion to pure and hea
mi veny DEVOTION let not the Lord be angry
NJ and I will speak yet but this once, on subject
so ,o,ste,;ouy and vet SO important. AS the same