Page:Wedding-ring, fit for the finger, or, The salve of divinity on the sore of humanity (2).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 ſable cloud to the ſun-beams; Pſalm viii. 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 aſſimilation. 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 dignity 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 was refined. When man was moulded, heaven and earth were married, a body from the one, was eſpouſed to a ſoul from the other.