II. Let us consider the ORDER of the CREATION.

1st DAY'S WORK. GOD made LIGHT. "And God said, let there be light, and there was light," that is a common brightness distinct from the light of the sun. This was the first of all visible things which God made, not that God wanted light to work by, but that we might see his works and behold his glory in them. Light is the great beauty and blessing of the universe. Light is a fit emblem of God. For it is said, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Christ is often called a light in the Bible. He is said to be the brightness of his father's glory, and the express image of his person. He is a light to lighten the Gentiles. Light is a source of comfort.-It is the most glorious of all the creation of God.-It was produced by his power and approved by his wisdom. "God saw the light was good." Truly, light is sweet fo the eyes, it rejoiceth the heart. A pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. Light is pure, therefore a fit emblem of holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. "God saw the

light that it was good," that is, that it was pleasant and profitable, useful and beautiful. Light has a penetrating quality, there is nothing hid from the heat of the Sun. How happy then are those, whose minds have been enlightened by the Spirit of God. Can any of you say, my dear young friends: "That God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Light is universal, it is not confined. to India-not to one quarter of the globebut visits all in their turn-it burns within the torrid zone and reaches the dark and distant poles-it proceeds with a gradual, yet inconceivable and amazing speed, till it has enlightened all the world. Light is indispensably necessary to all the purposes of human life. "And God divided the light from the darkness." He seperated them so that they can never be joined together-yet the darkness has its place and use as well as the light-The light for business and activity, the darkness for rest and sleep.. God not only divided them, but he gave them names.

"And

Dark

"And God called the light day, and the darkness he cailed night." He gave them names as being Lord of both. "For the day is his, and the night also is his." God made the darkness-then why should we be afraid in the dark. It is sin that makes you so much afraid. Darkness is often put for ignorance and superstition. The dark places of the earth are said to be full of the habitations of cruelty. Darkness is put for sin. Wicked actions are called works of darkness. ness is put for death, for the grave, for the eternal world. Hell is described by darkness, the misery of wicked is called chains of darkness, outer darkness. The blackness of darknes for ever. Darkness is said to cover the earth, and gross darkness: thick darkness the people. The god of this world blinds the eyes and hearts of wicked men. The whole body is said to be full of darkness. Their understandings are darkened. Men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. This was the first day's work, and the evening and the morning were the first day. Some suppose that the diurnal motion of the world began at this time, and that by means of this

motion ever since continued, day and night have succeeded each other.

2d DAY'S WORK. GOD made the FIRMAMENT. "And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." A firmament, the Hebrew word signifies expansion, something spread out like a large tent or a curtain. In consequence of which the waters were confined to certain bounds. This is the great space which on all sides surrounds us, and reaches from the most distant stars down to the place where the birds fly. God makes nothing in vain. By means of the firmament water is raised up and formed into clouds, and afterwards falls in rain upon the earth. Without this, the earth would be unfruitful, and the inhabitants would not be able to live. There would be no grass for the cattle, no corn or herbs for the service of man, no fruits to delight our taste, no flowers to perfume the air and send forth a fragrant smell from the garden and the field. When we behold these things, let us be thankful and bless the Lord. "And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were

under

under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it, was so." This was the use and design of the firma ment. Thus God made the air around us, which is called the atmosphere, because it is composed of vapour like bright smoke, and encompasses the earth like a shell. The air we breathe is as necessary for the life of man as the food we eat. The reason why so many people died in the black hole at Calcutta was, because they wanted air, the room was se full and so hot, that they were suffocated and were not able to draw their breath. 146 persons were shut up in a room, only 12 cu bits square, two small windows barred with iron were the only places through which air could be admitted-123 persons died for want of air, only 23 remained alive in the morning. It is the air that makes people healthy and strong. Air in the form of wind, drives away fevers, cools the weather. How refreshing the North-westers are during the hot season. How cool and refreshing we feel the next morning-Were it not for this wind and rain in the dry season, many would perish with heat.