Why does God please to do as he does! their father. They saw him go into the room, and saw their mother, and they envied them, and felt that their father was doing them wrong by not letting them go there, or at least by not telling them the reason why they could not. But when the man got well, and they saw how pale he looked, and how thankful he felt, and that nobody had been alarmed and nobody hurt, they saw that their father did right, and they were wrong. Just so it is with our heavenly Father. He does just as he pleases; i. e., he does just as he sees best, without asking any one, and without telling us the reason why he does this or that thing. For every thing which he does, he has reasons, wise and holy and good ;-but What a Being is God! he sees it is not best for us to know them, and so he tells us to believe he knows best, and to rejoice that he is such a God. In heaven they all feel so, and cry, "just and true are all thy ways, thou King of saints." You pray to God, and you speak to one who can speak, and it is done, command and it stands fast; who ruleth in the army in heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. He can do all things that are for the best, he can correct you with afflictions, and comfort you with the oil of joy. What a Being! No cedar of Lebanon is so tall that his lightning cannot reach it; no hell is so deep that his eye cannot pierce it; no spirit so mighty that he cannot control it; no courage so strong that he cannot Conclusion. quail it. Oh! the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed, but his kindness shall never depart from his people, though his wrath shall burn to the lowest hell. Let us all rise up and say, "the Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." Amen. 31 LECTURE X. GOD IS HOLY. "Ye shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy."—LEV. xix. 2. Saying of Plutarch—A father's likeness-The most beautiful part of man-The most beautiful part of God - Giving a pledge-God's pledge-What makes a church solemn-How we can copy God-What God would be if not holy-What does the holiness of God mean-The first thing-Pure gold-White garment -2. God hates some things and loves others-3. God by nature holy-4. God hates sin wherever seen-The weeds-The cancer-Drunkenness-Moses-UzzahDavid-Jonah-Peter-First proof that God is holy— The jarring instrument-The leaky ship-The imperfect watch-Broken jar-The argument-Second proof that God is holy-Bowl full of sun-beams—The fountain-God's laws strict-Human laws very different-The laws of men- -God's laws do not changeHow the Jews taught-The sacrifices-God punishes breaking his laws-Third proof that God is holy |