May our mind be said to have a horizon? Are our ideas, or feelings of intellectual and spiritual things, the same under all circumstances? What may enlarge-what may confine-what may obscure them? Would it be correct to think our own ideas the boundary of truth; or to conclude, that we shall never be able to discern more than we do at present ?* We said, that our horizon, even on the brightest day, or on the highest eminence, is not the boundary of things; the space within our horizon is but a very small spot, a speck in the creation :-let us learn that our brightest and most extensive views of truth, on earth, must be imperfect and bounded, compared with Truth itself. We are not now capable, even of conceiving the immeasurable extent of Truth.-Let us long for the time, when every boundary shall be done away; when no horizon shall impede our view; but when we shall behold Truth as it is, in the infinite being of God. * Let us be humble, and distrust our own knowledge.-Let us avoid prejudice against those whose horizon is more extensive than our own; let us be charitable towards others, whose horizon is more limited. IMAGE OR IDOL. Has an image life? What is the worship of images called? Trace in the Scriptures the early existence, and the progress of idolatry.-Idolatry was the great sin of the heathen nations. [See Exod. xxiii. 23, 24; Lev. xviii. 3, 27; Deut xii. 31; xxix. 17; 2 Kings xvii. 15; Isa. xix. 1—4, &c ; Ezek. xx. 32.] The Israelites were peculiarly warned against idolatry: did they ever fall into it? [Amongst other passages, see Ex. xxxii; 2 Kings xvii. 7, &c.] If then the chosen people of God, who had had so many manifestations of His power and goodness, could fall into idolatry, must not human nature be very prone to it? Of what instances of idolatry do we read in the book of Daniel? Do we worship such idols as the heathen worshipped? But do we worship, or give our hearts, to no idols? [Ezek. xiv. 3; 1 John v. 21.] What may a love of pleasure, riches, honour, be called?-What does St. Paul call covetousness?-Col. iii. 5. What may the love of self be called ?* What then, is the full import of the word Idolatry? Compare Exod. xx. 3-6; Ezek. xiv. 3-5, with Matt. xxii. 37, 38. The spirit of Idolatry consists in withdrawing the heart from God, and giving it to creatures. -Can we love God as we ought, when we attach ourselves to any earthly thing? Matt. vi. 24; 2 Cor. vi. 16; James iv. 4; 1 John ii. 15. What is the origin of idolatry, and who is its great promoter ? If idolatry consist in withdrawing the heart and affections from God, the origin of idolatry is the fall of man-when man desired what had been forbidden him, he put created good, or *We are astonished at the blindness of the heathen in worshipping the works of their own hands. [Ps. cxv. 4; Isa. xliv. 15, &c :-] Are we sufficiently aware of our strong attachment to the works which we perform, to every thing in which self is concerned? Satan has innumerable votaries who are guilty of inward idolatry: every unconverted person may be said to be more or less an idolator. The esteem and pursuit of self, under different forms, is the common idolatry of mankind. Even religious persons may be attached to this idol: under plausible pretexts, renunciation of the world and of self, is too little practised-under colour of winning others, is often concealed a desire for the regard of men. Let us each ask ourselves-- Have I the single eye,† the undivided heart ‡ which Christ has enjoined on His followers?-Let us remember, that souls are truly won, religion is truly honoured, by that conduct which is most purely and entirely devoted to God. Matt. vi. 24. + Matt. vi. 22. that which he supposed to be good, in the place of God.-He who first tempted Adam, was from the beginning, and is still, the promoter of idolatry in all its forms: Satan has one great object-to withdraw the worship, will, and affections of man from his Creator. Why is human nature so prone to idolatry? [The heart of man, which has been turned from its true good, never ceases to desire good; having left the Creator, it is ever seeking good in the creature.-It has lost the true good, but it has not lost its desire after it.] Now examine the state of your own soul:what is the object of your search ?-What is the habitual tendency of your desire?—What chiefly occupies your mind? What do you supremely love? If the principal object of your search, of your desire, of your affections, be not God, you are pursuing some image of good, you are guilty of idolatry; this state of your being hinders you from attaining the true good. Will you then voluntarily continue in idolatry? Will you not rather say, "What have I to do any more with idols ?” What is the remedy both for outward and inward idolatry? When the true God is manifested, idols will be cast down; let the idolatrous heart turn to the living God, and the creature will vanish into its own nothingness. IMAGE OR IDEA. We will now consider the word image in another point of view.-An image is a representation-it reminds you of the thing it represents have you any images in your mind? What are they called? Can your mind be without ideas? Have your images or ideas of outward things in your mind?-Ideas of intellectual things?Of spiritual things? May we have false images or ideas of these things? Are false ideas injurious? To speak of spiritual things, you may have true ideas of spiritual things; are these ideas hurtful or useful? How may they be hurtful? How may they be useful? We may have true ideas of spiritual things, and yet these ideas may be hurtful, because we may rest satisfied with possessing and admiring the image without seeking the reality:-We may, for instance, have ideas of Christian graces, of humility, of charity, of the love of God-and resting satisfied with the picture or image in the mind, neglect to seek the reality |