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OUR RELATION TO THE DEITY.

[Part I.

out ; a sense of our dependence, and of his absolute and perfectindependence of time, place, circumstances, and events; asense of our sinfulness, and of his immaculate and essential holi-ness, in whose sight the very heavens are unclean. *

Reverence for God includes, moreover, reverence for hisname, which is holy and reverend, f and not to be used in vain ;for his attributes, his revelation of himself, his worship, and hisordinances. It comprises again, a respectful regard for hisministers who serve at the altar, for the edifices consecrated tohis service, and for whatever else pertains to the celebration ofhis worship. It is not necessary to say, that levity in regardto these subjects, or any of them, and still more all sneering and „scoffing, are totally inconsistent with the smallest degree of rever-ence for God. They indicate a heart destitute of every vestigeof religious feeling, an understanding steeled against all convictionof religious truth, and both a heart and an understanding equallyinaccessible to any religious impression. In such a state of thefeelings, the truth can take no hold on the consciences of men,and no fair and candid estimate can be made of the all-command-ing claims, sanctions, and evidences of religion. In this condi-tion, they are beyond the reach of human aid ; and there is, intruth, no aid for them, but in the awakening, enlightening, andsanctifying power and grace of that Holy Spirit, from whom “ allholy desires, all good counsels, and all just works proceed.”The fate of despisers of the truth and ordinances of God is, towonder and perish. Their perdition shall be amazing and won-derful to themselves and all around them. They are men rep-robate concerning the faith and to every good work. J

What has been said of ridicule, sneering, and scoffing, appliessubstantially to all sarcasms, jestings, and even pleasantry, whenexercised upon the Scriptures, or upon the places, persons, andforms set apart for the service of religion. They are alike in-consistent with a religious frame of mind ; for, as no one evereither feels himself disposed to pleasantry, or capable of beingdiverted with the pleasantry of others, upon matters in which heis deeply interested ; so a mind intent upon the acquisition of

* Job xv. 15.

t Ps. cxi. 9. $ Acts xiii. 41; 2 Tim. iii. 8; Tit. i. 16.