Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-24

Suppose an individual should be intro
duced into existence for an hour, having
no immortal interest of his own, and that
TO him the constitution of Gods immortal
universe should be revealed. If ciytu-
GUS # 6eneroteat, if possessing the l0Ue
OF which we speak, he would rejoice in
all the good revealed, and be filled, for
the hour, with unspeakable glory. THAI
JOY would consist in the power of benev-
oIence, or love, to make the joy of 9th
ers-o! universe, It's own, not bv seek
ing Its own, bat by shedding its affections
forth in such free and copIous measure, as
virtually to live, and glow, in the very
midst of all the extending glory around it
1t is proper to add, that this loUc is in
It's own nature JOYOUS. Although indie
pendent of selfinterest, as we have re-
marked, yet it allows our own interest to
be sought according to It's real worth, and
commands US to regard the interest OF
our nelghbor in the same manner This
love to our neighbor, will be in itself
true delight in his welfare. 1t becomes
an actual JOY in it. If you combine with
this a consciousness that we possess the
same capacity for happiness or pain, tha!
we are PnssesSors of the like temporal or
eternal destiny, then does this love be-
come deep, and holy, and exalted fell
owship and this fellowship, again, is of
a joyous aud delightful nature. The ioy
of tOUe, therefore, will always be COM
mensurate with the degrees of its exer-
else. The greatness of these exercises
depends on the variety and grandeur of
those objects on which they are to fasten.
Suppose a universe of immortal existence
suppose the never-ending exercise of
reciprocal observation-disclosures that
each shall be to each perennial fountain
of peculiar joy-suppose, over the whole,
and surrounding the whole, the presence
of an infinite and eternal God, and let
this benevolent, impartial, personal, in
tense, disinterested and Joyous Ioue be
graduated according to the value of the
objects around it; be rendered more ex-
tended and intense, by perpetual access
ions of knowledge respecting their exist
ence and welfare, be drawn forth in all
the varied relations which may exist be-
tween them, and have before it the sphere
OF boundless range of being in eternal
duration, in which to expand, and ener-
glze, and rejoice, and you have here
| principle in view, and an illustration be-
fore you which may give some correct es-
innate of the nature of that love, which
is the subject Of our meditations
2. Letms consider THIS LcUe as al d,celZs
IN the futLneSs Of God. With him it is an
eternal fountain. 1t is the sublime eIe-
ment of his existence. the light and ioy of
his infinite nature. Supremacy and indie
pendently happy in himself the exercises
OF his love were commensurate with the
ininitude of his nature In all the efful- J
gence, the harmony. and majestic beauty
OF his PROJECTIONS, his heart Of love etern-
ally rejoices. Whatever there is of mvs-
ferrous tri-personal unity in his eternal
mind, was deep element of union in the
immensely of his love. These infinite per-
fections, and The Unreasonable eternal
happiness of his nature were objects of de-
light in themselves. Their prospective
Developments were from eternity objects
OF kindred and coexisting Joy. The va
rIous modes of dependent existence which
were to be the means and the recipients of
these exhibitions of his glory, even when
as yet they were not, were with him per-
feclly conceived The acts of his creative |
agency were but the outward manifesto
ton ofthcse eternal and benevolent tho'ts.
knowing that TO exercise his perfections
,, IN Gil their extent would be his natural
declarative glory, and that to communi-
cate just apprehensions of their beauty
| wv ha to m al Il r III.
per the power of an endless life, he gave
himself in the wisdom of his love to his
intelligent creation. In the eternity of
his own plan his JOY was itself eternal
He regarded himself as the portion of all
who should love him. He conferred up
on them the capacity of endless accessions
OF knowledge respecting his glory. He
gave them, IN the exercise of appropriate
love, the opportunity ofrendering all these
accessions fresh sources of dependent no.
illness and joy. He gave himself as the
object to be developed an eternity in
which the Developments might be stud
led, and powers OF endless Intellectual pro-
gress which might be employed in the |
study; and moral nature, capable of re- |
ceiving, and enjoying, and rejecting those
glorious impressions which such study
must furnish. The love of God was thus
ever an exhausiless fountain, forming it.
self into streams of delight, and cherish |
ing those living waters. within its own |
deep bosom for ever previous to any out |
flowing. The love of God, amidst the
relations which it has originated. is con-
tinually shining. Truth, faithfuIness,
condescension, justice, holiness, hatred |
against sin, and, indeed all the tenderness
of redeeming mercy, are so many radia-
tons of his love. The exhibition Of his