the" terribleness" Clf the Divine Name, and this makes him ~ay it is reverend, it is ll.Wl'-inspiring. It is one of the serious evils of our day, that the more august and F-Cllemnizing views of God seem to be lost. Thare is so little now of the "submission of holy awe." Even in acts of homage and worship we have to fear the encroachments of an undue familiarity. Hebrews may let reverence pass into superstition when they refuse to pronounce the Divine name, but it is to run to the opposite and even more dangerous extreme when we, at the lightest provocation, take the holy Na.me upon our lips. To-day we need to put deeper and more searching and more awe-inspirine: meanings than ever into the" gn•at and terrible Name" of the All-holy One. It is not "holiness " as a Divine attribute, but "holiness" as making a Divine claim, which we have here to consider. I. THE DIVINE HOLINESS AS A CLAIM FOR WORSHIP. 1. Take "holiness" as ideal, absolute perfection, the sublimest idea of being that man can possibly reach. Where- ever man finds that, in whomsoever he finds that, he is hound to worship. Show that man can think a holiness which neither be nor any other has ever, or can ever, reach. God is presented as the perfect realization of that thought, so for God man has the highest reverl'nce. 2. Take "holiness" as finding expression in righteousness and faithfulness. Then every review of the Divine dealings wakens in us the spirit of worship. There is so much to thank God for, to trust God for, to honour God for. II. THE DIVINE HOLIKESS AS DECIDING THE CHARACTER OF WORSHIP, There is a tone of familiarity and lightness in much that is called" worship," which, though not wrong, is unb:coming and unworthy. We need say no evil of those who put noise and excitement in place of reverence, but we may urge that a.n atmosphere of quietness, solemnity, awe, are becoming to God's house. Reverence, humility, self-restraints, submissive awe, are befitting his worship of whom it is said," Holy is he."-R. T. Ver. 5.- Our place at GorI's footstool. "And worship a.t his footstool ; " "Worship at his holy hill;" "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? " (Isa.. lxvi 1). To understand this figure two things must be considered: (1) the peculiarity of Ea.stern thrones; (2) the peculiarity of Ea.stern salutations. Eastern thrones were high erections, so that the king, seated in his place, might be exalted (see expression in J1S3.lm) high above the people. The seat was reached by a series of stt'ps; the bottom step was known as the "king's footstool," and the suppliant fur the king's mercy, or the man who brought presents a.s signs of loyalty, showed his humility and reverence by venturing no further than the footstool. Solomon had ma.de a throne of ivClry, overlaid with gold, which had six steps, with six lions on each side. Salutations in the East were very elaborate, and approaches to a. superior, especially when a request had to be ma.de, involved bending right to the ground. L KEEPING AT A DISTANCE AS A SIGN OF HUMILITY A.ND AWE. Illustrated by Moses turning aside to see the bush that was burning, but was not being consumed. He beard a. Divine voice saying," Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." When the people were facing the llfount Sinai, whereon God was manifesting his glory, extreme ea.re was taken to keep the people at a. becoming distance. "Take heed to yourselves, that ye go r,ot up into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death." 'l'he symbol of the Divine presence was placed in the dark chamber known a.s the holy of bolies, and no one d1red go near, save tb~ high :µriest once a. year, and then not without incense and blood. These are pr_c~ure- teacbings of the humility in worship we must cherish, which will be our "spmtua.l dista.n ce-k eeping.., II. KEEPING ON THE BO'ITOM STEP AS A SIGN OF OUR GODLY FEAR. It is the suppliant's proper place; ~ut it is mo~e especially the pla.?e.for_ tha.~ supplia.n~ who kuows bis srn, asks for forgiveness, yet Justly fears the k1cg s md1gnation. Until the king reaches out bis gc,lden sceptre to he touched, a sinful suppliant dare venture no further than the bottom step. And that is- our fitting place, because we never can go into the Divine presence without the sense of our sin filling 118 with godly fear.-R. T,
Ver. 6.-Model worshipper,. The reason for recalling these three worshippers PB, XCIX, 1-9.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 351