3. Objects, which may easily become idols, by being the subjects of an affection which is wrongly placed, surround us on every side. They are sometimes said to be innumerable. And if that be too strong an expression, it is certain that they are limited in number only by the capacity of inordinate love. This beautiful world, beautiful even in its ruins, which was originally designed to be the temple of God and of his worship, has become one great idol temple. A man's idol may be his property, his reputation, his influence, his friends, his children, those who are bound to him by the ties of natural affection, and even those who are united by religious attachments, and all other persons or things which are capable of being objects of affection, and which can attract that affection in an inordinate degree.

4. Am I an idol worshipper? This is an inquiry which comes home with tremendous import to all men. It is not too much to say, perhaps, that a divided heart cannot easily answer it. Because a divided heart, by the simple fact of its division, which perplexes the action of the judgment, cannot readily understand its own position. Him, whose heart is fixed to serve God alone, God will teach. To such an one, whose "eye is single," God gives the true light; - and it is under the influence of this light, that he understands the dangers which surround him.

5. In determining whether we are under the influence of idolatrous tendencies and affections, we must always remember that the true life, the living and life-giving instinct of holiness, can never deviate from its straight path, but, in the flashes of its flaming progress, points upward to God, and to God only. The holy heart has but one law. And the subjective or inward law of its life it expresses and lives out in the exterior action.

The needle does not more truly turn to the pole, the planets do not more steadily and truly turn to the solar centre and revolve around it, than the holy heart turns to God and revolves around him. If it is conscious, at any time, of any centrifugal influence, that is to say, of any influence which is calculated to make it fly off from the great Centre, then there is something which is taking a position and influence as an idol. When the heart is exempt from idols, there is no such disturbing and retarding consciousness as this. On the contrary, everything is free, easy, unembarrassed in its movement. In its exemption from everything but holy love, which is its life, it is not possible for the soul to discern any tendency which is at variance with, or which perplexes, the tendency which is innate and essential in all holy beings, towards the great central Life, namely, God himself.

6. On the other hand, any attachment which is misplaced, or is inordinate, is a weight upon the soul. Under its influence, the mental consciousness misses that lightness and upwardness of movement which it recognized before, and feels a perplexity and heaviness of action, which is not more obvious than it is embarrassing. In the illimitable space, the planets move on, swift and unobstructed in their immense course, because God, who is their mighty Guide and Supporter, prepares the track for them. God is not more the God of nature than he is the God of the living soul. He prepares the track of the soul, not so much by displacing outward obstacles as by preparing the soul itself; and when, by his divine agency, it is dislodged of its idols, its flight is free and unembarrassed to himself.

By marking closely these contrasted states of the soul, we shall be likely to know whether we are under the influence of idols or not.

138

MAN'S SPIRIT HATH AN UPWARD LOOK.

Man's spirit hath an upward look,

And robes itself with heavenly wings;
E'en when 't is here compelled to brook
Confinement to terrestrial things.

Its eye is fastened on the skies,

Its wings for flight are opened wide;
Why doth it hesitate to rise,

And still upon the earth abide?

And wouldst thou seek the cause to know,
And never more its course repress ?
Then from those wings their burden throw,
And set them free from worldliness.

Shake off the worldly cares that stay
Their energy and upward flight;
And thou shalt see them make their way
To joy, and liberty, and light.

OH LOVE! THOU DAY-STAR OF THE HEART.

Oh love! thou day-star of the heart!

Ascend upon thy throne!

Victor and lord, where'er thou art,
To all within the power impart,
Of life to God alone.

Such is the magic of thy sway
Upon the holy mind,

That sin, all powerless in thy ray,
Departs, as night-shades flee the day,

And leaves no cloud behind.

PART FIFTH.

ON THE WILL OF GOD, AND THE UNION OF THE DIVINE AND HUMAN WILL.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE RELATION OF THE WILL OF GOD TO OTHER PARTS OF THE DIVINE NATURE.

Definition of the divine will. On the necessity of an union of the human will with the divine. — A given act of the will embodies and represents all antecedent knowledge and affections. In uniting with God's will, we unite with God in the full extent of his being.

IN considering the wide and important subject of Divine Union, we proceed now to another series of topics, involving the relations of the human and divine. will.

So far as we understand the state of union in any given case, we necessarily understand, at least in some important particulars, the nature of the objects which are united together. It is reasonable to suppose that, being a part of our own nature, we know what the human will is: and in this, as in many other things, we may reason from ourselves to our Maker. And, accordingly, the idea which men entertain of the will of God, considered as a separate attribute of the Divine Mind, is derived from that which they have of their