March 25

And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.—Jude L 24.

SURLIME is the destination of the good! They are to be presented in the day of their final redemption before the presence of the Divine glory, having the universe of intelligences as spectators of the dignity and blessedness which shall be conferred on them by the Captain of their salvation. Their attire shall correspond to the splendor of their position. They shall be clothed with the beauties of holiness, for they shall be presented faultless, "having washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." And hence their presentation "before the presence of his glory," shall be, "with exceeding joy." Holiness, basking in the presence of the holy and blessed God, will be the joy and the triumph of the redeemed for ever.

How resplendent will be the glory of this holiness—that great attribute which, even in a remote descent from its original, is frequently mentioned with the adjunct of beauties! With what loveliness do those beauties array the blessed face of God! Not here to insist on the various notions of holiness: real holiness Scripture states in purity, an alienation from sin; it is set in opposition to all filthiness, to all moral impurity: and in that notion it best agrees to God; and comprehends his righteousness and veracity, and indeed, whatever we can conceive in him, under the notion of a moral excellency. This may therefore be styled a transcendental attribute, that as it were runs through the rest, and casts a glory upon every one: it is an attribute of attributes. Those are fit predications, holy power, holy truth, holy love, and so of the rest. And so it is the very lustre and glory of his other perfections; he is glorious in holiness. Hence in matters of greatest moment, he is sometimes brought in swearing by his holiness, which he is not wont to do by any one single attribute, as though it were a fuller expression of himself, a more adequate conception than any of the rest.

What is of so great account with him, will not be of less account with his holy ones, when they appear in his glorious presence. Their own holiness is a conformity to his; the likeness of it. And as their beholding it forms them into that like-

8* ness; so that likeness makes them capable of beholding it with pleasure. Divine holiness doth now more ravish than affright. This has been the language of sinful dust, Who can stand before this holy God? when holiness has appeared armed with terrors, guarded with flames, and the Divine majesty been represented as a consuming fire. Such apprehensions sin and guilt naturally beget; the sinners of Sion were afraid. But so far as the new man is put on, created after God, and they, who were darkness, are made light in the Lord, he is not under any notion more acceptable to them, than as he is the Holy One. They love his law, because holy; and love each other, because holy; and hate themselves because they are no more so. Holiness hath still a pleasing aspect when they find it in an ordinance, meet it in a Sabbath; every glimpse of it is lovely. But with what triumphs has the holiness of God himself been celebrated even by saints on the earth! Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness! There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none besides thee. Sing unto the Lord, all ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

What thoughts will they have of it, when their eyes can behold that glory, when they immediately look on the archetypal holiness, of which their own is but the image; and can view that glorious pattern, they were so long in framing to? How joyfully will they then fall in with the rest of the heavenly host; and join in the same adoration and praise, in the same acclamation and triumphant song, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbath! How inconceivable is the pleasure of this sight; when the original beauty offers itself to view! Holiness is intellectual beauty; Divine holiness is the most perfect, and the measure of all other: and what is the pleasure and satisfaction—the exceeding joy—of which we speak, but the perfection and rest of love? Now love, as love, respects and implies a beauty in its object. And then the most perfect beauty, the ineffable and immortal beauty, that can not be declared by words, or seen with eyes, how can it but perfectly and eternally please and satisfy?

O who would not aspire after that holiness, which alone can fit us for the blessed vision of the Divine holiness in heaven? For this let us watch, and strive, and pray. Have faith in God. Have faith in Christ. For faith works by love and purifies the heart.