the world. They ascribe all effects to nature, and to the laws of nature. In all the remarkable contrivances and evidences of design, which abound in the animal and vegetable worlds, they see nothing but the plastic power of nature. The idea of a God, distinct from the world, and from whom nature derives all its powers, seems to have no place in their philosophy.

But sometimes the doctrine of the soul of the world, has been combined with that of one supreme God, as in the sublime but mystical theory of Plato.

From what has been said, it is evident, that the human intellect is prone to wander from the truth; and that reason is liable to be perverted, even in matters of the highest impórtance; and in which the light of evidence seems to us to shine most clearly.

A just and impartial consideration of the universe, cannot fail to lead the sincere seeker of truth to the opinion, that there must exist a great first cause, powerful and intelligent, who has made the world for some particular end. As sound reason would constrain us, if we should find a curiously contrived machine, evidently formed for a useful purpose, to ascribe it to an intelligent artificer, how can we refuse to ascribe the structure of the universe, in which the evidences of design are more numerous and more striking, infinitely, than in any of the works of men, to a wise and powerful architect? If a watch or steam-engine could not be formed by the accidental aggregation of particles, brought together by the winds or waves, how can we suppose, that such a structure as a completely organized animal body, could be formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms? There is in a small part of the human body, more profound wisdom in designing the texture and organization of the parts for the attainment of a particular end, than in all the curious mechanism of man's contrivance. And if we should even suppose, (absurd as it is,) that such an organized system could come into existence without design, how could we account

for the wonderful adaptation of other things, existing in an entirely separate state, to the necessities and conveniences of the animal body? Without light the eye would be useless, but when we examine the mechanism of this organ, and observe that it is constructed upon the most perfect principles of optics, can we for a moment hesitate to believe, that the eye was formed by a designing agent, to receive, refract, and concentrate the rays of light, for the purposes of vision? The same adaption is remarkable, between the air and the organ of hearing; and between the air and the lungs the same is also true, in regard to the stomach and the food which it so eagerly craves. In these, and a thousand other things, the evidences of design are as strong, as they possibly can be. If we can resist these, no other proofs would answer any purpose, in removing our incredulity.

Reason, then, clearly indicates, that this universe is not God, but is the work of God, and that he must be a being of transcendent perfection. But having arrived at this conclusion, who would not wish to have his faith confirmed, by some clear manifestation of this august Being? If he exists and formed our bodies, and gave us our rational powers, surely he can find out ways by which he can make himself known to us. He cannot, indeed, render himself visible to our bodily eyes, because he is a spirit; but he who indued man with the faculty of communicating with his fellows, by the use of speech, can speak to us in a language which we can understand. Now this very thing he has done, by divine revelation. By inspiring chosen individuals, and attesting their communications, he has plainly informed us, not only that he exists, but that he is the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the universe; that he is above all, and independent of all; and that all things were produced by his own pleasure, and for his own glory.

That which reason often missed, or mistook, and at best, spelled out with hesitation, the voice of revelation declares, with decisive authority.

Reason may vaunt herself when the discovery is made, but she owes her clearest light and firmest convictions, to the voice of inspiration.

The Bible furnishes the full and satisfactory commentary on the book of nature. With the Bible in our hands, the heavens shine with redoubled lustre. The universe, which to the atheist is full of darkness and confusion, to the Christian, is resplendent with light and glory. The first sentence in the Bible, contains more to satisfy the inquisitive mind, than all the volumes of human speculation. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Here, in a few words, is comprehended the most sublime of all truths; -the production of a universe out of nothing, by the word of the Almighty. If God created the heavens and the earth, then, he existed before they were brought forth-even from eternity; for he who gives beginning to all other things, can have none himself. Before the world was, this august Being existed, independent and happy, in the plenitude of his own infinite perfections. This first word of written revelation teaches us, what reason in her boldest flights could never reach, namely, that the universe sprang from nothing :-not from nothing as its cause, but from the inconceivable working of almighty power, where nothing existed, from which it could be made. None of the heathen sages ever believed such a creation possible. They universally received it as an axiom, that, ex nihilo nihil fieri; but here we learn, "That the worlds were framed by the word of God, and that the things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear." This stupendous work, of giving being to so great a multitude and variety of creatures, is often celebrated in the sublime strains of sacred poetry, and in the commanding eloquence of the inspired prophets. "Thus saith the Lord, that created the heavens and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it." "Which made heaven and earth, the sea, and

all that therein is." "He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion."

"O Lord God, behold thou hast made the heavens and the earth, by thy great power.

"The Lord which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundations of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him."

The apostles tread in the footsteps of the prophets, in ascribing the creation of the universe to God alone, "The living God, which made the heavens and the earth, and all things therein."

"God that made the world and all things therein." "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead."

"He that built all things is God."

With such declarations as these, coming from the mouth of God himself, how is the mind enlarged and elevated, in contemplating the heavens and the earth! How grand, how beautiful, how wise, how harmonious, is the universe, when viewed through the medium of divine revelation. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work; day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night teacheth knowledge."

"O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens”. "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou visitest him?"

Without the book of revelation, the book of nature would be as a volume sealed; but with this key, we can open its wonderful pages, and receive instruction from every creature of God.

2. But let us descend from the contemplation of the universe, to the consideration of some of its parts. Here is the race of mankind, and multitudes of living creatures, in the earth, the air, and the water; whence have they proceeded? What can reason and philosophy answer? Had man and the other animals, a beginning, or were they from eternity? If the former, from what cause, and by what steps did they arrive at their present condition? On no subject has philosophy betrayed her weakness more, than in her specula tions respecting the origin of the human race. It would be poorly worth our while to review the absurd theories of ancient and modern philosophers, which more resemble the dreams of the sick, than the sober deductions of reason. One will give to the earth, I know not what prolific power, to produce men and animals; another chooses to place man, in his origin, on a level with the speechless brutes, from which condition he is supposed to arise by long and assiduous exertion; acquiring for himself the use of articulate and written language, and inventing, from time to time, all the arts which now minister to the comfort of civilized life. But such theories are too absurd for refutation. The idea of the production of animals or vegetables, by what was called equivocal generation, that is, without progenitors, or organized seeds and roots, has long since been exploded. Experiments the most decisive have demonstrated the falsehood of the notions, entertained by the ancients, of the generation of animated beings from mere corruption. The men and animals, now on the earth, belong to a series reaching back to eternity; or, they were formed, and placed on our globe, by an almighty Being. Let us then, for a moment, look at the theory which assigns to man an existence, without beginning. While the individuals die, the species is immortal. If such a hypothesis does not do violence to common sense, it would be difficult to say what does. Each individual is dependent, and yet the whole series of indivi