"faith is the substance of things hoped for, "the evidence of things not seen.'

Sense cannot introduce us to the invisible Majesty of heaven. It can only present us with his image. The pure, ethereal light-the blaze of a noontide sun-the azure heavens and revolving orbs-the mysterious, eccentric comet-the insect curiously wrought, and the grass simply-elegant-the thunder-storm-the lightning vivid and irresistible-the morning and evening breeze-the verdant plain and the elevated mountain-the solid earth, and the rolling seas -these all reflect the glory of Deity, all bear the impress of his hand, all develope his wonderful agency-but they are not GOD HIMSELF.

Reason ascends a little higher; and from the volume of nature, through the medium of sense, unfolds a little of the divine nature, and a few of his perfections. His immensity, his wisdom, his liberality, may be inferred from every thing which I behold: but, alas, I am still at a distance from God! What is he to me? What does he require? Have I disobeyed the dictates of reason at any time? or neglected to serve him? If so, will he pardon sin? and how am I to receive forgiveness? Neither reason nor sense can answer these inquiries, nor silence the clamours of conscience.

It is faith rising on the wing of Revelation

that introduces me into the heaven of heavens, unlocks the mystery, and unfolds the sevensealed book. Here I read the covenant of mercy. Here I receive the promise of pardon. Here I learn all that I would know, and anticipate all that I shall hereafter enjoy. The pressure of the ills of life is lightened; and I "endure as "seeing him who is invisible."

Who can behold the fair structure of the heavens and the earth without feeling a powerful desire to understand their origin, and to be acquainted in some measure at least, with the architect who reared them? Cold is the heart which kindles not into devotion, when the skies blaze with a thousand lamps; and grovelling the mind, which rises not through the system of the Universe to the Great First Cause! Blind is that understanding which cannot see, amidst the vicissitudes of seasons, and the changing blessings of the Spring, the Summer, the Autumn, and the Winter, the superintendence of a faithful friend, and the bounty of an unwearied benefactor! Insensible is that man who can look upon this grand machinery, and live in the bosom of creation, yet perceive no harmony, no order, no loveliness, no design; or upon whom they make no impression! Let the friend of my choice be one who can relish the majesty of nature: who, on the close of the

day, from the summit of some lofty mountain, will watch the rising cloud, and observe the evening spread her grey and dusky mantle over the features of the landscape, till they are lost and extinguished: whose eye is fixed with delight on the stars as they break one by one through the increasing obscurity; and who withdrawing from the world, can relish retirement, nor envy the dissipation of life, as he hears it's noise swelling on the gale of the evening. The Friend of God, and the Admirer of nature, is the man whom I would choose as my companion, and love as my own soul.

It is not possible for the spirit of man to be encircled with the present Deity, without inquiring after the fountain of existence. Every thing above us, around us, beneath us,lives. Every clod of earth teems with animation. Every drop of water swarms with animalcules; imperceptible indeed to the naked eye, but plainly visible when the organ of vision receives assistance from art.. Probably myriads floating in the air which we breathe, are drawn into the lungs in the act of respiration. Curiosity must stimulate our researches, even if we had no other, and no better motive: nor can we examine, without emotions of gratitude,

a system in which every thing ministers either to our necessities or to our convenience.

In truth, men of all ages, and at every period of time, have been solicitous to understand their own origin and that of things around them. Every power of the mind has been exerted, and no pains have been spared, in attempting to unravel this mystery. The spirit has been overwhelmed with extravagant and clashing hypotheses: or the man has sat down contented with uncertain rumours, and mutilated traditions. The stream of his knowledge rose from the pure and undefiled fountain of Revelation; but it gathered pollution from the channels through which it passed, before he stooped to drink it's defiled wave. The systems formed by Reason, and that suggested by Revelation, are each to pass in review; and when they are contrasted, we hope to prove, THAT THE MOSAIC AC

COUNT OF THE CREATION IS THE ONLY RATIONAL ONE WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED.

The different hypotheses of men, who either had not received Revelation, or who have refused it's testimony and denied it's pretensions, may be reduced to one of these two divisions: either that the world was the production of chance, or that it is eternal. The several opinions of ancient and modern times, appear to

be neither more nor less, than ramifications or modifications of the one or the other of these systems. We shall examine them separately.

1. THAT THE WORLD WAS PRODUCED BY CHANCE.

When we behold a complicated, yet harmonious and well-constructed machine, we may be ignorant of the hand that formed it, but we find no difficulty in assigning it a maker. No rational man would ever imagine that it was the production of chance: and if the idea were suggested to him, he would reject it with disdain as an insult to his reason. I. gaze with delight upon a beautiful landscape-painting; colour melts into colour, and shade softens into shade. By the artful intermixture of light and of shadow, in some parts it dwindles into perspective; in others, it appears raised from the surface. Here, the figures seem to project from the canvass; and there the distant mountain bounding the horizon, just shews it's diminished elevation, scarcely distinguishable from the azure of the surrounding heavens. So exquisite is the combination of the various tints, that the instant I see it, I discover in it the hand of a master. Who in this assembly gazing upon a transparent orrery, to have a correct idea of the