he coldest and melt
the stoniest heart. No man hath seen God at any time, otherwise than
in His works; and though created things are immeasurably inferior to
their Creator, they may still help us to form some conception of His
character. A drop of water is an ocean, a spark of fire is a sun,
every grain of sand on the sea-shore is a world, in miniature; and as
those who have never seen ocean, or sun, or world, may form some idea
of their appearance by magnifying these their miniatures millions of
millions of times, so, by immensely magnifying the age, the power, the
wisdom, the holiness of an angel, we could form some dim conception of
God. Not that we would not have still to ask, "Who can by searching
find out God? who can find out the Almighty to perfection?"--not that
when we had exclaimed, in the sublime words of Job, "Hell is naked
before him, and destruction hath no covering. He stretcheth out the
north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth on nothing. He
bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds. He holdeth back the face of
his throne. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his
reproof. He divideth the sea with his power. By his spirit he hath
garnished the heavens;"--we would not have to add with the patriarch,
"These are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of
him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?"

Study Him, for example, in the angels who sung this birth-song! They
are holy, and we may conclude that their Maker is infinitely holy;
they are wise, and He who made them must possess infinite wisdom; they
are powerful, and He must be omnipotent; the God of good angels must
be infinitely good, as the avenger of sin and evil ones must be
infinitely just. This is sound reasoning--for, as David says, "He that
planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he
not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that
teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?" Still, however lofty and
worthy were the conceptions which we thus formed of God, He had never
been discovered in the full glory of His gracious character by this or
any corresponding process. Unspeakable honour to man and unspeakable
grace in God, the fulness of His character is revealed, not by seraphs
but by saints--in redeemed and ransomed sinners. And so Mary
Magdalene, as reflecting His attributes more fully than angels, wears
in heaven a brighter glory than crowns their unfal