nad taken he gauge of infinite perfection; and ne frets at the divine dispensations when they do not exactly quadrate with his own humours and selfish views. With regard to the operations of the Most High, he also forms the most foolish, and vague, and contradictory conceptions. Tell him of the vast dimensions of the planetary system, of the men and animals that live on the opposite side of the globe, of the annual and diurnal motion of the earth that this world and its inhabitants are moving through the regions of space many thousands of miles every hour-that one of the planets is so large that it would contain 1400 worlds as spacious as ours-that another is flying through the tracts of immensity, at the rate of a hundred thousand miles in an hour-and that light is darted from the sun with a velocity of 195,000 miles in a moment of time he will stare at you with astonishment at such extravagant assertions, and will sooner believe the stories of giants 100 feet high, and of fairies that can enter in crowds through the key-hole of his door. Instead of frankly acknowledging that "He is ignorant of such subjects, and of the grounds of such conclusions,that those who have studied them with intelligence are best capable of judging,-that, if true, they must fill us with admiration of the glory of God, but that, as he has hitherto had no opportunity of examining such matters, he must suspend his assent till he inquire into the reasons which can be given for such amazing deductions ;"-instead of such concessions, which are the dictates of modesty and of common sense-he will tell you at once, without hesitation, and without a blush at his presumptuous decisions, that "it is all extravagance, and folly, and idle romance, contrary to Scripture, and reason, and common sense;" and will not hesitate to brand you as a heretic, for endeavouring to break loose his intellectual trammels !-thus tacitly declaring, that he is far better qualified to pronounce a decision on such topics, than all the philosophers and divines, and all the brightest geniuses who have appeared in the world for ages past; though he will at the same time admit, that he never gave nimself the trouble to examine into such mat ters. His views of the providential dispensations of God are equally partial and distorted. If disease, or poverty, or misfortune, happen to his neighbour, especially if he had withdrawn from the religious party to which he belongs, it is considered as a penal judgment for his error and postacy. If prosperous circumstances attend his family or his religious party, it is viewed as a sign of divine approbation. He seldom views the hand of God, except in uncommon occurrences; and then, he imagines that a miracle is performed, and that the wheels of nature are stopped ir. order to accomplish the event. He seldom looks beyond the precincts of his own church or nation, to observe the movements of the divine footsteps towards other tribes of his fallen race. He overlooks the traces of divine operation which are every moment to be seen above and around him-and yet, in the midst of all such partial and contracted views, he will sometimes decide on the wisdom and rectitude of the ways of God, with as much confidence, as if he had entered into the secret counsels of the Eternal, and surveyed the whole plan of his procedure. Such are a few prominent outlines of the character of thousands whose names are enrolled as members of the visible church-whose illiberality and self-conceit are owing to the contracted notions they have formed of God and of religion. And, surely, it must appear desirable to every enlightened Christian, that all proper means should be used to prevent rational immortal beings from remaining enchained in such menta! thraldom. On the other hand, the man who takes an enlightened view of all the works and dispensations of God, and of all the circumstances and relations of subordinate beings, necessarily acquires a nobleness and liberality of mind, and an accuracy in judging of things human and divine, which no other person can possess. He does not hastily take up an evil report against his neighbour; for he considers how unfounded such reports often are, and how much they are owing to the insinuations of envy or of malice. And when he can no longer doubt of an evil action being substantiated against any one, he does not triumph over him in the language of execration; for he considers all the circumstances, relations, feelings, and temptations with which he may have been surrounded; he considers, that he himself is a frail sinful creature, and might possibly have fallen in a similar way, had he been placed in the same situation. He does not trumpet forth the praises of a man who has performed one brilliant benevolent deed, as if he were a character to be admired and eulogizedwhile the general course of his life is marked with vice, and an utter forgetfulness of God and religion; nor does he fix a stigma of immorality upon the person who may have acted foolishly or sinfully, in one or two instances, while the general tenor of his conduct has been marked by purity and rectitude: for, in both cases, he considers, that it is not an insulated action, but general habits, which determine the character of any individual. He esteems the wise and the good, and holds friendly intercourse with them, to whatever pulitical or religious party they belong. He can bear, with affability and candour, to have his opinions contradicted, and can differ from his neighbour in many disputed points, while, at the same time, he values and esteems him. Ho will not brand a man as a heretic or a Deisɩ, because he takes a view of some dogmas in theology, in a different light from what he himself does; for he considers the difference of habits, studies, pursuits, and educational prejudices which must have influenced his opinions; and makes due allowance for the range of thought to which he may have been accustomed. He is always disposed to attribute the actions of others to good motives, when he has no proof of the contrary. He uses no threats nor physical force to support his opinions, or to convince gainsay ers; for he knows that no external coercion can illuminate the mind, and that the strength of arguments, and the force of truth, can alone produce conviction. He is convinced how ignorant he is, notwithstanding all his study, observations, and researches; and presses forward, as long as he lives, to higher degrees of knowledge and of moral improvement. He is an active promoter of every scheme that tends to enlighten and meliorate mankind, and to extend the knowledge of salvation to the ends of the earth; for he considers that it is not by miracles, but by the subordinate agency of intelligent beings, that God will effectuate the illu mination and the moral renovation of our apos tate race. necessary He views the special agency of God in all the movements of the scientific, the religious, and the political world, and perceives Him accomplishing his purpose in the inventions of in the inventions of human genius, and in the economy of the minutest insect, as well as in the earthquake, the storm, and the convulsions of nations; for he considers the smallest atom, and the hosts of heaven, as equally directed by eternal wisdom, and equally in the universal chain of creatures and events. He displays a becoming modesty in speaking of the ways and the works of God. When he meets with any dark and afflictive dis. pensation in the course of Providence, he does not fret and repine, but is calm and resigned, conscious that he perceives only a small portion of the chain of God's dispensations, and is, therefore, unable to form a just comparison of the connexion of any one part with the whole. When he contemplates the depraved and wretched condition of the greater part of the world, at present, and for thousands of years past, notwithstanding the salvation which has been achieved for sinners of mankind, he is far from arraigning the divine goodness and rectitude, in leaving so many nations "to walk in their own ways ;" for he knows not what relation this dismal scene may bear, what influence it may have, ɔr what important impressions it may produce, on worlds and beings with which we are at present unacquainted. He is cautious in pronouncing decisively respecting the dispensations of God, in regard to the universe at large. He does not, for example, assert, with the utmost confidence, as some have done, "that there never was, and never will be, to all the ages of eternity, such a bright display of the divine glory as in the cross of Christ." He admires and adores the condescension and the love of God, in the plan of salvation, which the gospel exhibits, and feels an interest in it far beyond that of any other special manifestation of Deity; but he dares not set limits to the divine attributes and operations. He considers himself at present, with regard to the grand system of the universe, in a situation similar to that of a small insect on one of the stones of a magnificent edifice, which sees only a few hair-breadths around it, and is altogether incapable of surveying the symmetry, the order, and beauty of the structure, and of forming an adequate conception of the whole. He considers that he has never yet surveyed the millionth part of Jehovah's empire, and therefore, cannot tell what the eter nal Sovereign has been pleased to exhibit in its numerous provinces; and, least of all, can he ever presume to dive into the depths of interminable ages, and boldly declare what the Almighty will, or will not do, through eternity to come. He, therefore views it as presumption, while he has no dictate of revelation for his warrant, to pronounce decisively, either on the one side or the other, of such a deep and important question, which seems above the reach of the loftiest seraph to determine.* In short, he endeavours to take a view of all the manifestations of Deity within his reach, from every source of information which lies before him, and as far as his limited faculties will permit. He does not call in question the discoveries of science, because they bring to his ears most astonishing reports of the wisdom and omnipotence of Jehovah, and of the boundless extent of his kingdom; but rejoices to learn, that the grandeur of his dominions is actually found to correspond with the lofty descriptions of divine majesty and glory recorded in the volume of inspiration, and is thereby inspired with nobler hopes of the glory and felicity of that heavenly world where he expects to spend an endless existence. If, then, such be some of the features in the character of the enlightened Christian; if liberality and candour, and accurate investigation, mark the judgments he pronounces on the senti ments and the actions of men, and on the works and the ways of God; and if such views and feelings ought to be considered as more congenial to the noble and benevolent spirit of our religion, than the narrow and distorted notions of a contracted mind, it must be an object much to be desired, that the mass of the Christian world be led into such strains of thought, as might imbue their minds with a larger proportion of this spirit. And, if diversified and occasional discussions on the topics to which we have adverted would have a tendency to produce this desirable * See Appendix, No. X. effect, it is obvious, that such branches of knowedge as are calculated to enlarge the capacity of the mind, and to throw a light over the reve¿ations and the works of Goa, should no longer De overlooked in the range of our religious contemplations. V.-The extensive range of thought which the HAVE A TENDENCY TO INSPIRE US WITH It is owing, in many instances, to want of show forth thy loving kindness in the morning. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work," (or thy powerful energy :) "I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord 3 how great are thy works! and thy thoughts" (or contrivances)" are very deep! A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this." An extensive acquaintance with nature an science, combined with Christian principle. would also induce profound humility. The man who has made excursions through the most diversified regions of thought, is deeply sensibie of the little progress he has attained, and of the vast and unbounded field of divine science which still remains to be explored. When he considers the immense variety of sublime subjects which the volume of inspiration exhibits, and of which he has obtained but a very faint and imperfect glimpse the comprehensive extent, and the intricate windings of the operations of Providence, and the infinite number of beings over which it extends-the amplitude and magnificence of that glorious universe over which Jehovah presides, and how small a portion of it lies open to his minute inspection-he is humbled in the dust at the view of his own insignificance; he sees himself to be a very babe in knowledge; and, as it were, just emerging from the gloom of ignorance into the first dawnings of light and intelligence. He feels the full force and spirit of the poet's sentiments Much learning shows how little mortals know." When he considers the comprehensive extent of the divine law, and its numerous bearings on every part of his conduct, and on all the diversified relations in which he stands to his God, and to his fellow men; and when he reflects on his multiplied deviations from that eternal rule of rectitude, he is ashamed and confounded in the presence of the Holy One of Israel, and, on a review of his former pride and self-conceit, is constrained to adopt the language of Agur and of Asaph-" Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. "So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as beast before thee." He views the meanest and the most ignorant of his species, as but a very few degrees below him in the scale of intelligence, and sees no reason why he should glory over his fellows. This sentiment might be illustrated from the example of some of the most eminent men, m whose minds science and religion were combined. The Honourable Mr. Boyle was the most unwearied and successful explorer of the works o God, in the age in which he lived, and all nis philosophical pursuits were consecrated to the service of religion. Among other excellent traits in his character, humility was the most conspicuous. "He had about him," says Bishop Burnet, all that unaffected neglect of pomp in clothes, lodging, furniture, and equipage, which agreed with his grave and serious course of life," and was courteous and condescending to the meanest of his fellow men. "He had," says the game author, "the profoundest veneration for the great God of heaven and earth, that I ever observed in any person. The very name of God was never mentioned by him without a pause, and a visible stop in his discourse;" and the tenor of his philosophical and theological writings is in complete unison with these traits of character. Sir Isaac Newton, too, whose genius seemed to know no limits but those of the visible universe, was distinguished by his modesty, humility, and meekness of temper. He had such an humble opinion of himself, that he had no relish of the applause which was so deservedly paid him. He would have let others run away with the glory of his inventions, if his friends and countrymen had not been more jealous of his honour than he was himself. He said, a little before his death, "I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. The same sentiment might have been illustrated from the lives of Bacon, Locke, Dr. Boerhaave, Hervey, Nieuwentyt, Ray, Derham, the Abbe Pluche, Bonnet, and other eminent characters, who devoted their stores of knowledge to the illustration of the Christian system. For an extensive knowledge of the operations of God has a natural tendency to produce humility and veneration ; and wherever it is combined with pride and arrogance, either among philosophers or divines, it indicates a lamentable deficiency, if not a complete destitution of Christian prin∙ciple, and of all those tempers which form the bond of union among holy intelligences. After the attention of Job had been directed to the works of God, and when he had contemplated the inexplicable phenomena of the divine agency in the material world, he was ashamed and confounded at his former presumption; and, in deep humility, exclaimed, "I have heard of thee by seeth the hearing of the ear; but now mine thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” In accordance with what has been now stated, we find that the most exalted intelligences, who, of course, possess the most extensive views of the works and providential eye arrangements of God, are represented as also the most humble in their deportment, and as displaying the most profound reverence in then incessant adorations. They "FALL DOWN before Him who sits upon the throne; and CAST THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE, saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Their moral conduct evinces the same lowly temper of mind. They wait around the throne, in the attitude of motion, with wings outspread ready to fly, on the first signal of their Sovereign's will; they "do his commandments, hearkening to the ́ voice of his word," and do not disdain to perforin important services, in our wretched world, to the meanest human being who is numbered among "the heirs of salvation.". In like manner, were we endued with the grasp of intellect, the capacious minds, the extensive knowledge, and the moral powers which they possess, we would also display the same humble and reverential spirit, and feel ashamed of those emotions of vanity and pride, which dispose so many the human family to look down with contempt on their fellow mortals. of If the leading train of sentiment which pervades this volume be admitted, the following general conclusions may be adduced:-That, in conducting the religious instruction of the young, the works of God in the material world, and the most striking discoveries which have been made as to their magnitude, variety, and mechanism, should be frequently exhibited to their view in minute detail; as illustrations of the attributes of the Deity, and of those descriptions of his nature and operations contained in the volume of inspiration;-that the books put into their hands should contain, among other subjects, popular and striking descriptions of the facts and appearances of nature;-that seminaries should be established for the occasional instruction of young persons, from the age of 15 to the age of 20 or 30, or upwards, in all those popular branches of natural and moral science which have a tendency to enlarge the capacity of their minds, and to expand their conceptions of the incessant agency of God;-and that the ministers of religion, in their public instructions, snoua frequently blend their discussions of divine Yopics with illustrations derived from the scenes of creation and providence. APPENDIX, CONTAINING NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. No I. p. 23-Illustration of the Rate of Motion in the Heavenly Bodies, on the supposition that the earth is at rest. THE distance of the sun is about 95 millions of miles; consequently, the diameter of the circle he would describe around the earth would be 190 millions, and its circumference 597,142,857, which forms the extent of the circuit through which he would move in 24 hours, if the earth were at rest. This number divided by 24, gives 25,880,952, the number of miles he would move in an hour; and this last number, divided by 60, gives 414,682, the number of miles he would move in a minute. The nearest star is reckon F ed to be at least 20,000,000,000,000, or twenty billions of miles distant from the earth; conse. quently, its daily circuit round our globe would measure more than 125,000,000,000,000 miles. This sum divided by 86,400, the number of seconds in a day, would give 1,454,861,111, or somewhat more than one thousand four hundred millions of miles, for its rate of motion in a second of time-a motion which, were it actually existing, would, in all probability, shatter the universe to atoms. The unlearned reader may, perhaps, acquire a more distinct idea of this explanation from the following figure: I Let the small circle A, in the centre, represent the earth, and the circle B CDE the orbit of the sun, on the supposition that he moves round the earth every 24 hours. The line A B will represent the distance of the sun from the earth, or 95 millions of miles; the line B D the |