What a delightful theme does this passage of holy writ afford for meditation. Thy nature, O my God, is essentially pure and holy. It is this that sheds a glorious lustre over all the other perfections of thy nature. Well may adoring angels cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! It is this that renders thee the object of reverence, love and delight. Thy holiness is immutable. Thou art invariable in holiness however thy dispensations may change. While thy works fully proclaim thy power, wisdom and designs—holiness is stamped on all—shines forth in all. Thy Providences are all holy, and tend to promote holiness throughout Creation. Thy blessed word is holy! a fountain of holiness—an overflowing source of holy truth streaming out and beaming forth to illumine our darkness, to cheer our gloom. Although as sinners we fear and tremble at a view of thy holiness—smiting our breasts we exclaim, Wo be unto us, polluted creatures! we have seen the Lord in holiness! whither shall we flee from his presence, or whither shall we hide ourselves from his holy, all searching sight!—yet a voice of mercy comes forth from these holy oracles, holy as cheering, "Be ye therefore holy, for I the Lord your God am holy"—"This is the will of God, even your sanctification." All the divine ordinances are fitted to promote holiness; inward and outward holiness. "O my soul, come and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Every act of worship should be holy. Well may we pray in the sweet language of the poet— "Let every act of worship be,
Like our e-pousals, Lord, to thee;
Like the blest hour, when, from above,
We first received the pledge of love."
Inspire thou the thoughts of our hearts, that we may truly worship in the beauty of holiness. Let my heart be pure, my thoughts holy, my feelings and exercises conformable to thy nature, thy heavenly perfection. O! there is a beauty, an unspeakable and transcendently glorious beauty, in thy manifested perfections, O my God! It shines in its most lovely form in the person and character of my Saviour. "Here the whole Deity is known,
Nor dares a creature guess
Which of the glories brightest shone,
The justice or the grace."
Truth is holy, justice holy, goodness and grace holy. I must be like him. I must be conformed to the image of the Son of God. I must choose him in preference to all beside; love him as an object of infinite delight. My feelings must center here, and be fixed, "no more to rove." Then shall I worship in spirit and in truth. All my ransomed powers shall be employed to worship in the beauty of holiness. Then will there be a simplicity, a fitness, a symmetry, a moral grandeur, in the motions and exercises of my soul in all its acts of holy worship. A calm and heavenly peace, a self possession, a holy resignation, a steady reliance and unshaken trust in him, who will keep the soul in perfect peace and security. Now, O my God, dost thou not call me from the innermost temple of thy holiness, to come and worship thee in the beauty of holiness. My feeble soul stretches her wings to fly at thy bidding—to come at thy invitation. My first act is to bow to thy mandates, accept the soul cheering invitation. Beautify my soul and all my acts with thy salvation. I will rejoice in thy holiness.—Chris. Perfection.