Page:Wedding-ring, fit for the finger, or, The salve of divinity on the sore of humanity (1).pdf/2



''And the Lord God ſaid. It is not good''

that the man ſhould be alone: I will make him

an help-meet for him.

UMAN miſery is to divine mercy. as a black foil to a ſparkling diamond; or as a fable cloud to the fun-beams; Pſalm iii.4.

"Lord what is man that thou art mindful

"of him!

Man is, in his creation, angelical; in his corruption, diabolical; in his renovation, theological; in his tranſlation. majeſtical.

There were four ſilver channels in which the chryſtal ſtreams of God's affection ran to man in his creation.

1. In his preparation. 2. In his affimilation. 3. In his coronation. 4. In his aſſociation.

1. In his preparation. Other creatures received the character of their beings by a ſimple fiat; but there was a conſultation at his forming: not for the difficulty, but for the dignitv of the work. The painter is moſt ſtudious about that which he means to make his maſterpiece. The four elements were taken out of their elements to make up the perfection of man's complexion: the fire was purified, the earth as refined. When man was moulded, heaven and earth were married; a body from the one, was eſpouſed to a ſoul from the other.