THE SILENCES OF SCRIPTURE. 



87 



His people must be Holy "for I am Holy " : and, according 

 to both Testaments, the anthems of Heaven itself are addressed 

 to Him who is " Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts." 



Not less remarkable is the portrait drawn of Man. Yet not 

 a single portrait, but rather a whole gallery of portraits. The 

 stately dignity, generosity and self-devotion of Abraham : the 

 fidelity to duty of Joseph as slave, prisoner, and ruler : the 

 uprightness of Samuel : the complex character of David, shepherd, 

 warrior, king, poet, loyal servant to Saul, and devoted friend 

 of Jonathan : the piety of Hezekiah and Josiah : the wisdom and 

 unswerving religious consistency of Daniel : St. Peter, the 

 impetuous but morally timid : St. John, loving and beloved 

 though fiery in his zeal : St. Paul, as earnest and thorough- 

 going in his missionary labours as in his former persecuting 

 ardour : all these, and so many more besides, how lifelike and 

 real they are, though for the most part only delineated in the 

 simplest of narratives without any attempt at word-painting 

 or elaborate analysis of character. Nor are they represented 

 as superhumanly perfect : the faults, the failings, even the 

 grievous sins of patriarchs, prophets, saints and apostles are 

 plainly recorded without any extenuation : they are men of 

 like passions with ourselves. On the other hand, there are 

 redeeming traits even in those who are represented as worthy 

 of condemnation. Esau, worldly-minded and at one time 

 murderously vindictive, meets his returning brother generously : 

 Balaam, hankering after the wages of unrighteousness, cannot 

 be tempted by silver and gold to go beyond the word of the 

 Lord : Saul in his furious jealousy is touched by David's 

 magnanimity : Ahab and Manasseh humble themselves in 

 penitence : Herod heard the Baptist gladly, and was " exceeding 

 sorry " at being entrapped into ordering his execution : Caiaphas 

 showed something of patriotic care for the welfare of his people : 

 Pilate made repeated, though futile, attempts to release the 

 Innocent One. Nor are heathen and Gentiles destitute of all 

 virtue : Abimelech is justified in pleading integrity of heart 

 and innocency of hands : Nebuchadnezzar, despot as he was, 

 is still " the head of gold," and in the end learns to acknowledge 

 the King of Heaven : Darius strives to deliver Daniel, and 

 mourns all night when he is cast to the lions : greater faith 

 is found in the Roman centurion than in all Israel : Cornelius' 

 devotions are accepted. Everywhere in Scripture (and bear 

 in mind this is not the representation of one single author of 



