influence to interrupt the happiness of intellectual natures! Could we soar beyond the regions of the planetary system; could we penetrate into that immensity of worlds and beings which are scattered in magnificent profusion through the boundless fields of ether; could we draw aside the veil which now conceals the grandeur and beauty of their physical economy and arrangements; could we behold their inhabitants arrayed in robes of beauty, with extatic joy beaming from their countenances, basking perpetually in the regions of bliss, united to one another by indissoluble bands of love and affection, without the least apprehension of evil, or of an interruption to their enjoyments; and looking forward with confidence to an interminable succession of delighted existence; could we retrace the history of their Creator's dispensations towards them since the first moment of their existence, and the peculiar displays of divine glory and Benignity, that may occasionally be exhibited to their view, it is more than probable, that all the displays. of Wisdom and Benevolence which we now behold, numerous as they are, would be thrown completely into the shade, and that this world would appear only as a Lazarhouse, when compared with the bright and transporting scenes of the celestial worlds. This we are infallibly led to conclude, in regard to a certain class of intelligences in the future state, by the express declarations of Scripture. For thus it is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” if renovated men shall experience such superior enjoyments in the eternal world, there can be no doubt that all those intelligences, in every region, who have retained their primitive integrity, are at this moment in the possession of similar transporting enjoyments. It must, therefore, have an additional tendency to elevate our affections to the Supreme Intelligence, when we view Him not only communicating happiness to the various tribes of beings which people our globe, but also distributing streams of felicity in boundless profusion, among the inhabitants of unnumbered worlds.

And

I shall now conclude my illustrations of this topic, by exhibiting a few instances of the Wisdom and Goodness of God as delineated in the Sacred Scriptures.

"The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. He stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. He planted the ear, and formed the eye; and he breathed into our nostrils the breath of life. In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. With him is wisdom and strength, and his understanding is infinite. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. He hath established the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his operations, and his ways past finding out! He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. He visiteth the earth and watereth it; he greatly enricheth it with rivers; he prepareth corn for its inhabitants; he watereth the ridges thereof abundantly; he settleth the furrows thereof; he maketh it soft with showers; he blesseth the springing thereof; he crowneth the year with his goodness, and his paths drop fatness. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are covered over with corn, and the little hills are encircled with joy.*

"He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run among the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field. Beside these springs the fowl of heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; and wine that maketh glad the heart of man; and oil that maketh his face to shine, and bread that strengtheneth his heart. He planted the tall trees and the cedars of Lebanon, where the birds make their nests, and the storks their dwellings. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for seasons, and the sun to enlighten the

* In this, and several other quotations from the Scriptures, the literal rendering from the Hebrew is substituted in place of the common translation, and the supplements are frequently omitted.

world ; he makes darkness a curtain for the night, till the sun arise, when man goeth forth to his work and to his labour till the evening. How manifold are thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches; so is the great and wide sea wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. These all wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. Thou givest them-they gather; thou openest thine hand-they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face-they are troubled thou sendest forth thy Spirit-they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever; Jehovah shall rejoice in all his works. He is Lord of heaven and earth; he giveth to all, life, and breath, and all things; he hath made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God, while I have my being; I will utter abundantly the memory of his great goodness, and speak of all his wondrous works."

The inspired writers rise to still higher strains when they celebrate the Divine Goodness in reference to our eternal salvation.

"Praise ye Jehovah, for Jehovah is good; he remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever more; for great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.-God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. He sent an angel from the celestial glory to announce his birth; and a multitude of the heavenly host to proclaim, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill to men. He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all-and shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac

cording to the riches of his grace.-Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. The mercy of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him; and his righteousness untc children's children.-Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works, which thou hast done, and thy thoughts to us-ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.-I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works. How precious are thy thoughts (or designs) towards me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."

Thus it appears, that both the system of Nature, and the system of revelation, concur in exhibiting the Wisdom and Benevolence of the Deity as calculated to excite the highest degree of ardent affection in the minds of the whole intelligent creation. If an atom of gratitude is due to an earthly benefactor, it is impossible to set bounds to that affection and gratitude which ought incessantly to rise in our hearts towards the Creator of the universe, who is the "Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation." And, therefore, we need not wonder, that "holy men of old," whose minds were overpowered with this sacred emotion, broke out into language which would be deemed extravagant, by the frigid moralists of the present age. Under a sense of the unbounded love and goodness of God, the Psalmist felt his heart elated, and formed these pious resolutions: "Seven times a day will I praise thee, O Lord! At midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee, because of thy righteous precepts. I will rejoice in the way of thy precepts, as much as in all riches. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. O, how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. I will speak of thy testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed of thy commandments. Whom have I in heaven but thee?

and there is none upon earth that I desire, besides thee. As the hart panteth after the brooks of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God!" Under similar emotions, the Apostle Paul exclaims, "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

SECTION V.

On the Mercy and Patience of God.

ANOTHER feature in the divine character, which is peculiarly calculated to excite admiration, affection, and gratitude, is the Mercy and Patience of God.

Mercy has its source in the Divine Goodness, and may be considered as a particular modification of the Benevolence of the Deity. Goodness is the genus, Mercy the species. The Goodness of God extends to all the creatures he has formed, of whatever description or character, to the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, the microscopic animalcula, and the most wicked class of human beings, as well as to angels, archangels, and other superior intelligences. Mercy can have a reference only to those who have sinned against their Maker, and rendered themselves unworthy of his favours. It consists in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have forfeited every claim to them, and have rendered themselves obnoxious to punishment. It cannot be exercised toward "the angels who have kept their first estate," or towards any other class of holy intelligences, because they do not stand in need of its exercise. The Patience or Forbearance of God, is that attribute of his nature which consists in his bearing long with sinners, and refraining from inflicting deserved punishment, notwithstanding their impenitence, and long-continued proVocations.

These attributes are seldom displayed, in our world, by one man, or class of men, towards another. Instead of