The  Puritans  \  were  men  |  whose  minds  |  had  derived
a  ^JX'mZta?'  character  \  from  the  daily  contemplation  |  of
superior  Mings  \  and  eternal  interests.  Not  content  \  with
acknowledging,  in  general  terms,  an  overriding  Frdvi-
dence,  they  habitually  ascribed  evcrg  event  \  to  the  will
of  tlie  Great  Being,  for  whose  poivcr  \  nothing  was  too
vast,  for  whose  inspection  \  nothing  was  tdo  minute.  To
hibio  ]iim,  to  serve  him,  to  enjoy  him,  was  with  them  [
the  great  end  of  existence.  They  rejected  with  con-
tempt I  the  ceremonious  homage  |  which  other  sects  |
substituted  for  the  pure  ivdrship  of  the  soul.  Instead
of  catching  occasional  glimpses  of  the  Deity  |  through
an  obscuring  veil,  they  aspired  to  gaze  full  |  on  the
intdlerahle  hrlghtncss,  and  to  commune  with  him  |  fdee
to  face.  Hence  originated  |  their  contempt  \  for  terres-
trial distinctions.
The  difference  between  the  greatest  and  the  meanest
of  mankind  |  seemed  to  vanish,  when  compared  with  the
boundless  interval  j  which  separated  the  whole  race  \  from
him  I  on  whom  their  Swn  eyes  |  were  constantly  fixed.
They  recognized  no  title  to  superiority  |  but  his  favor ;
and,  cdnfidcnt  of  that  favor,  they  despised  all  the  accdvi-
plishments  \  and  all  the  dignities  of  the  icbrld.  If  they
were  unacquainted  with  the  works  of  2>^^'^l^sop)hcrs  and
pdcts,  they  were  decpbj  read  \  in  the  oracles  of  God.  If
their  names  were  not  found  in  the  registers  of  heralds,
they  felt  assured  that  they  were  recorded  in  the  Book
of  Life.  If  their  steps  were  not  accompanied  by  a
splendid  train  of  menials,  legions  of  ministering  angels  \
had   charge   over   them.     Tlieir   p)dlaces    \  were    houses  |


134  SCHOOL  j:locution.
