"Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold
There 's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still choiring to the young-eyed cherubim:
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."
The universe is a great harp, and each orb a string in that harp; but one string, at least, is untuned. Sin has broken that string, and now there is a jarring in the notes that ascend to the throne of the Eternal. One great end of redemption is to re-adjust this jarring string of our world. The whole universe, in some measure, felt the fall of man, just as one discordant string tells upon the harmony of all the strings of a musical instrument; and the whole universe will feel the effects of redemption, when this world is once more put in tune by the hand of love and mercy. Then sweeter melodies and sublimer harmonies will arise than any that have yet ascended to the throne of the Eternal.
This world is no longer the material centre of the universe, but revelation teaches us that it is still the sjnritual centre. From this centre emanate those influences which shall bind for ever all the sons of God into one great family. Well may we exclaim, when we contemplate man's original inferiority in the scale of intelligence, and the meanness of his abode, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou shouldest visit him?"— but well may we rejoice and say, "Thou
