tions, but signifies the state of his mind and heart, as influenced by these. When we proceed to analyze his holiness, or to show in what it consists, we say that he is a devout man, a man of integrity, a man of humanity, a man faithful to his engagements, and conscientious in all his relative duties; a man who abhors sin, and abstains from the very appearance of evil." Thus the reader will perceive that, in the opinion of this writer, (and we think his opinion the correct one,) holiness, in its application to moral character, whether it be used with reference to God, angels, or men, signifies the result of combined moral excellence, rather than any single or individual excellency of character.

The intelligent and right use of this term implies the following things:

I. The existence of spiritual beings, who are intelligent, free, moral agents. Such beings only can possess moral character. Were we to suppose a class of intelligences without moral freedom, they would be no more responsible for their conduct than senseless matter, and, of course, holiness could not be predicated of them. But when we add to intelligence the power of choice, and entire freedom to act according to choice; when we endow the beings with all the attributes of free, moral agents; then have we a basis upon which to predicate moral character, and if they pursue a certain course, the result will be holiness of character. That there are myriads of such existences aside from man (for at this point in the discussion we will leave him out of view), Scripture and reason abundantly teach. They are called the angels. They are an exalted order of spiritual beings, who inhabit the broad universe as the subjects of Jehovah's empire. There are among them a great variety of rank. They differ from each other as one star differs from another star in glory. There are archangel and angels, cherubim and seraphim. A portion of these angels undoubtedly inhabit the third heavens. They form a glorious retinue in the immediate presence of Jehovah himself, where they cast their crowns at his feet, and wait to do his pleasure. But who dare affirm that all the angels inhabit the third heavens? How do we know but that, under this name, we have presented to our consideration the inhabitants of other worlds in the immensity of space? We have revealed to us but two classes of intelligences-man, compounded of spirit and gross matter, and the angels, who are purely spiritual existences. And who knows but that this forms the great line of distinction between

man and all other intelligences? We have an argument upon this point which, at least, is worthy of consideration. It is a primary truth, which we think none will deny, that the beings whom God created are as perfect in their kind as is consistent with the accomplishment of his end in creation; and that, if he has permitted any imperfection as a part of his plan, it was because such imperfection was in some sense necessary for the accomplishment of this end. Now, in what does the physical perfection of intelligent being consist? Does it not consist in spirituality? Are not the glorified bodies of the saints more perfect than their earthly bodies? And does not the difference consist in the fact that they are refined and spiritualized? Does not the physical perfection of God himself consist in the fact that he is purely an infinite Spirit? Spirituality, then, is the physical perfection of intelligent beings. The more purely spiritual such beings are, the more perfect are they, and the more entirely do they resemble their Creator. If, therefore, created intelligences are not purely spiritual it must arise from one of two causes; either they could not have been made such, pure spirituality being the prerogative of God alone, or else to have made them thus, would not have subserved as perfectly, his end in creation. But to suppose that God could not create finite spirits, would be, as it seems to us, to limit his power. Besides, is not the soul when it leaves the body at death, and until the resurrection, a pure spirit, entirely disconnected from matter? It is evident then, that God can create pure spirits; and, if so, why may not the inhabitants of other worlds be purely spiritual beings? As far as we can see, such beings can subserve the end of God in creation, certainly as well, and probably far better, than though their physical organization was rendered less perfect by having their spirits united with matter, be it ever so refined. There is no necessity of supposing, with Robert Hall, that angels are not pure spirits, but spirits united to refined and heavenly bodies. Nor are we at liberty to make such a supposition, unless we can offer some reason, connected with God's end in creation, why it should be so. Had we positive revelation upon the subject, it would become us to be still, and know that God's word was right and true, although we could see no reason for the truth revealed. But when we have no such revelation; yea, when the Scripture representations are such as would naturally lead us to suppose that the angels are purely spiritual existences, what right have we to consider the term spirit, when applied to them, in a lower sense, as de

noting spirits united to refined and heavenly bodies? The language of Paul, "for there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body," proves nothing to the purpose; for he is contrasting the glorified bodies of the saints with their natural bodies, and is not speaking of the angels. Nor does the declaration of our Saviour, that in heaven the saints "are as the angels," prove that they are possessed of a similar physical organization. The statement was not intended to bear upon this point, but upon one of entirely a different character. We see no argument from Scripture, nor from any other source, to prove that angels have bodies, however refined. We can see no reason why, in God's wonderful plan to accomplish his ultimate end, the intelligences of his empire, with the exception of man, should have been created compound beings. There are reasons, of deep interest connected with his redemption, why man should be caused to exist in his compound state; why his immortal spirit should be forced into union with gross matter.

The limits we have prescribed for the present article forbid our dwelling upon these reasons. We would, however, barely suggest that, in all probability, it is morally impossible to reclaim beings purely spiritual from a fallen state; that when once they have rebelled, their view of God's character is so vivid, and their hatred to it so intense, as to render it a moral impossibility to reclaim them by any means which could consistently be used for such a purpose. It may be that this veil of flesh, which is interposed between man and his God, and which screens from his view much of his own depravity, is absolutely necessary to place him in a condition to be saved by the cross of Christ. We may possibly, hereafter, find time to amplify this thought; but at present we must content ourself with the mere suggestion. Neither this, nor any other reason, as far as we can see, is applicable to the other intelligences of Jehovah's empire. As there is no salvation for that portion of them who have fallen, so there was no necessity that the conditions of their existence should be such as to render it morally possible for them to be saved. Hence we conclude that man is probably the only compound intelligent being in the broad universe. The inhabitants of other planets, the whole range of intellectual existences besides himself, whether or not designated by the term angel, are, in all probability, pure, uncompounded, spiritual beings. That there is certainty upon this point we do not pretend; but, from the very nature of the case, we cannot be driven from the position, until it be shown that it

does not harmonize with revealed facts, or is not, at least, equally adapted with any other supposition, to promote the end of God in creation. Here, then, we have the first requisite of holiness, viz. subjects to be holy; a vast multitude of spiritual existences, who are intelligent, free, moral agents, capable of possessing moral character.

2. Another requisite of holiness is a perfect rule of right to which the heart and the conduct of the intelligent subject may conform. Such a rule is found in the moral law. It is perfect in all its parts, and every way adapted to the end for which it was intended.

We need not enter upon the question so much controverted by ethical writers, Whether right is based upon the will of God, so that whatever he wills is right, because he wills it, and would still be right were it the reverse of what it is at present; or whether right is based upon certain eternal principles to which the Deity, as well as the subjects of his empire, conforms by a sort of moral necessity. It is enough for our present purpose, that the will of God and the principles of right are the same, and that they are embodied with great perfectness in the moral law. This law is co-extensive with the universe of intelligent creatures. It is binding not merely upon man, but also upon the moral subjects of every province throughout the vast domain of Jehovah. And, here, we have furnished a second necessary requisite of holiness; a rule for the heart and life of the subject.

3. Holiness, to be perfect in its kind, must be purely legal. It must be holiness under law, and not under grace; and it must be continued as the result of the natural power of those influences which God has ordained to operate upon mind. It must be evident to all who have considered the subject, that the holiness which God seeks to establish in his universe is a holiness under law, and not under grace. It is true, that a gracious economy has been introduced upon our planet, among the fallen race of man: but this economy is only a means to an end; its object is, as far as is consistent, to redeem our race to a system purely legal, and the more thoroughly to establish the legal system throughout the wide spread universe.

We know that the moral system under which the angels exist, is purely legal. So likewise man was first placed under a dispensation of law without grace. And it is also true of glorified saints in heaven, that they are established in obe

dience under a purely legal system; the same system with the angels. They were brought to heaven under a system of grace; but they are continued there under a purely legal system. The sceptre of mercy is laid aside, and the legal sceptre is resumed. Christ, who is the Head of the gracious system, yields up the government to his Father, who manages it upon purely legal principles. Thus the reader will perceive that the gracious system was preceded, and is to be followed by the legal. Those who come into the gracious, come into it out of the legal, and they pass through it into the legal again. Thus the system of grace, considered in its relation to the universe, is as it were, thrown into a parenthesis. It stands in the midst of the legal, included in brackets. It exists not for itself, but the more firmly to establish the legal. Its object is to perfect and to perpetuate creature holiness under law.

We have said that holiness, to be perfect in its kind, must be continued as the result of the natural power of those influences which God has ordained to operate upon mind. We mean those influences which are denominated moral suasion, or motive power. There are two classes of influences, differing widely from each other, brought to bear by Jehovah upon the two great divisions of his universe-matter and mind. One is denominated brute force, or mere physical power; the other is called argument, motive, or moral power. According to the established order of God himself, one is adapted to move matter, and the other to move mind. The latter class of influences are those under which, from the very nature of the case, holiness must be continued.

By the natural power of such influences, we mean the power which naturally inheres in the objective motive to produce the moving effect in the mind of the subject. We call it the natural power, in opposition to power supernaturally communicated. We will illustrate what we mean by a reference to physics. We will take as an example the rod with which Moses struck the rock in Horeb. There was a certain degree of natural power in the arm of Moses and in the rod, when applied by that arm, to produce a result. They might, by the power which inhered in themselves, have broken in pieces a substance much less firm and compact, but their natural power was not sufficient to cleave the rock. God clave it either by communicating supernatural power to the arm of Moses and the rod, or He accomplished the work immediately himself in connection.