that are around the throne are all " equal to the angels them- selves"1." Once indeed they were defiled by sin; but they were washed from their sin in the fountain of Christ's blood ; and were renewed after the divine image by the Spirit of their God. Amongst these God " dwells in the high and holy place ;" and though " their righteousness cannot profit him," yet he accepts the tribute of their praise, and scatters among them in rich profusion the tokens of his love. The cup of every one amongst them overflows with joy ; and the " weight of glory," with which their heads are crowned, is commensurate with their ability to sustain it. Hence is heaven justly called, " The habitation of his holiness and his glory "."]
2. The humble —
[As God loveth holiness where it is perfect, so he loves the desire after it where it is yet imperfect. " The humble" are they who have a just sense of their weakness and sinful- ness; and " the contrite" are they who deeply bewail their state before God. Not that they mourn merely on account of the judgments they dread ; but principally on account of their having so debased their own souls, and so " grieved the good Spirit of their God." Yea, if they be truly humble, they most of all lothe and abhor themselves, when they are most assured that God is pacified towards them0. Such penitents, whatever they may have been in past time, are no less the objects of God's favour than the angels themselves ; yea, if there were but one such person to be found on the face of the whole earth, God would fix his eyes on him with pleasure and complacency p. He would listen to his groans with parental tenderness, and treasure up his tears in his vial, as the most valuable monu- ments of true contrition"1. He would bind up the wounds which sin had made, and pour the oil of joy and gladness into the disconsolate soul. Well he knows that nothing but his presence with the soul will fully satisfy its desires, or answer the purposes of his love : on this account he will lift up the light of his countenance upon it : as he formerly dwelt in the tabernacle by the visible symbols of his presence, so will he condescend to dwell invisibly in the contrite heart, making it his habitation, on purpose " that he may revive" and comfort it.]
This subject will enable us to rectify some mistakes which very generally obtain in the Christian world : 1. That God is pleased with those who are pleased
with themselves —
m Luke xx. 36. n Isai. lxiii. 15. ° Ezek. xvi. 63.
p Isai. lxvi. 2. i Ps. lvi. 8.