clouds that arise from the earth, he appears of all hues and aspects—sometimes dim and obscure, sometimes red and fiery, and sometimes as blotted out altogether:—so, the Heavenly Sun, the Lord, appears to men variously in their various states of mind,—sometimes bright and smiling, sometimes cold and hard, sometimes flaming with anger—and even, at times, "the fool saith in his heart, There is no God." Nevertheless God is, and He is the same: He shines on and smiles on, ever, with the same beaming love, over angels and men, giving light and life to all. It is man that changes, not God. As the earth turns away from the sun, and so makes its own night, though it appears as if it were the sun that set and left the earth—so man, averting his heart from God, produces his own mental night, though, in that evil state, it appears to him as if God had produced it.
Now, the language of Scripture is often expressed in accordance with this appearance, instead of according to the fact as it really is;—just as we say, "the sun sets," though every well informed person knows that the sun does not in fact move at all, but that it is the earth that moves and turns itself away from the sun. Yet even philosophers may and do use this language in common parlance, and say "the sun sets;" but every thinking hearer puts the right construction upon it, and no harm ensues from thus speaking according to the appearance. In like manner. Scripture often speaks of the Divine Being, in a way accommodated to the ideas of man, and in accordance with the appearances existing in man's mind. For instance, it is said in one place, that God turns away and hides His face from man: thus, in
