3. To ANSWER SOME ENQUIRIES ARISING OUT OF THE SUBJECT.

Was there any thing criminal in the attempt to build this city and tower, considered in itself; We feel no hesitation in answering No. But a thing perfectly lawful, and innocent in itself, may become criminal from the motives in which it originates, or the consequences con'nected with it. There were two ways in which this attempt, harmless, in itself, was rendered criminal. First, the foundation of the work was laid in ambition. And what is ambition, but another name for every complicated vice which degrades humanity, and fills the world with sorrow? What so soon erases human feelings, as ambition? What so hardens the heart against the voice of woe, as ambition? What violates the sanctity of truth, and disregards principles usually deemed sacred in society, with such facility, as ambition? What so completely transforms the character, as ambition? What so readily leads the bosom astray, as ambition? What peoples the grave, like ambition? How early it began to work in the world! and how unceasing and unimpaired has it's influence continued! "Let us make us a name!" was the hope that deluded these first men; and many a subsequent projector, on the same vain principle, has built a Babel to his own confusion! And what heart

is altogether dead to the passion? It was criminal, secondly and principally, we presume, because it had a tendency to counteract the designs of God: which designs had been explieitly communicated. The mandate of heaven is, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish "the earth." This required them to spread themselves abroad upon it's surface. But they deliberately and avowedly adopt a contrary resolution; and "build a city and a tower, lest" they should "be scattered abroad upon the face "of the whole earth."

Would not men, by degrees, have separated without the alteration of language? It is very probable, that ambitious projects, in which they might not all concur, would have effected a separation: but in such a case, we can scarcely imagine, that such a division would take place without bloodshed. By the interposition of heaven, they separated peaceably. Besides, time would slowly have brought that to pass, which God accomplished at once; and had it been left to operations so gradual, the replenishing of the earth had been greatly retarded. Not to say, that without a dissonance of language, to a great degree the divisions of nations would have been lost; and they would, probably, have blended again together. To this hour, language is the strongest line of separa

tion drawn between man and man; and one of the most powerful bulwarks of the distinction subsisting between different nations.

Would not language of itself have changed, as the people multiplied, without the interposition of Divine power? Of this, there can be no question: but, in this case, it would only be a change of dialect, and not of language. In the revolution of a few centuries, what alterations have been made in our own tongue! Roll back but three or four hundred years, and we feel ourselves incapable of reading the dialect which our forefathers spoke. Yet, rude and barbarous as it appears, in it may be traced the basis of our present copious language. And, estimating the changes which time would have made, they will be found too gradual to have effected any separation. The alterations produced by years, are small, and slowly brought about: they consist, in changing a few words in the course of a century: forming a few others; and dropping, as obsolete, an inconsiderable number before in use. This effects no division in a nation; and the same progression would have brought about none in the great body of mankind. Generation after generation would have passed, while the most trifling changes were forming. No motives would have been furnished for their living apart: no necessity

would have arisen, from this quarter, for their dispersion. But Deity interposed, to effect his own purpose; which was readily and completely accomplished by the confusion of language. We hasten,

II. TO DEDUCE FROM THIS FACT, SOME CONSIDERATIONS ADAPTED TO OUR INDIVIDUAL IMPROVEMENT.

The prophet, whose words, at the commencement of the Lecture, we connected with the Mosaic history, has furnished us with a thread of reflection, which cannot fail to conduct us to the right use which we ought to make of this singular narrative. He has pronounced the application of the subject. "The pride of "thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that "dwelleth in the clefts of the rock, whose ha"bitation is high; that saith in his heart, who "shall bring me down to the ground? Though "thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though "thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will "I bring thee down, saith the LORD!" Had he stood by and seen the project of these men, in it's proud advance, and in it's disastrous issue, he could not have painted their presump-` tion, their folly, and their humiliation, in more

striking language. The following remarks appear clearly deducible from these words:

1. MOST OF OUR ERRORS ORIGINATE IN THE "B PRIDE OF OUR HEARTS;" AND THIS PRIDE WILL ALWAYS BE FOUND TO HAVE " DECEIVED

US.

It was this pride that dictated the haughty language of the king of Babylon, when, from the battlements of his palace, he looked down upon his beautiful city, and said " Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the "house of the kingdom, by the might of my

power, and for the honour of my majesty?" O, how the "pride of his heart deceived" him! "While the word was in the king's mouth, "there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O "king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; "the kingdom is departed from thee!" The

same hour" was he "driven from men," " and his "dwelling was with the beasts of "the field:" his reason was withdrawn, "and his body was wet with the dew of "heaven." Behold, he that would be thought a God, is become less than a man! Nor were the balances of power again put into his hand, till he had been brought to confess, "that the "Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, "and giveth it to whomsoever he will;" and to acknowledge, in a repentant, decree, that

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