e independently of
their individual fitness, deserts, or advantages, and simply
because 'He wills it,' and 'as He wills it ...'

"One might at first sight think that this tremendous Autocrat, this
uncontrolled and unsympathising Power, would be far above anything
like passions, desires, or inclinations. Yet such is not the case,
for He has, with respect to His creatures, one main feeling and
source of action, namely, jealousy of them, lest they should
perchance attribute to themselves something of what is His alone,
and thus encroach on His all engrossing kingdom. Hence He is ever
more prone to punish than to reward; to inflict pain than to bestow
pleasure; to ruin than to build. It is His singular satisfaction to
let created beings continually feel that they are nothing else than
His slaves, His tools, and contemptible tools also; that thus they
may the better acknowledge His superiority, and know His power to
be above their power, His cunning above their cunning, His will
above their will, His pride above their pride--or, rather, that
there is no power, cunning, will, or pride save His own.

"But He Himself, sterile in His inaccessible height, neither loving
nor enjoying aught save His own and self-measured decree, without
son, companion, or counsellor, is no less barren of Himself than
for His creatures, and His own barrenness and lone egoism in
Himself is the cause and rule of His indifferent and unregarding
despotism around. The first note is the key of the whole tune, and
the primal idea of God runs through and modifies the whole system
and creed that centres in Him."

Contrast this summary with the teaching of the Old Testament prophets,
the following quotations of which are but a small sample:--

"Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your
sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

"Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Speak ye
comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is
accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned."

"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord has
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and t