of our own understanding. This is certain, with regard to all the arrangements of nature, that, in proportion as her laws have been more clearly developed, and her operations more distinctly understood, those phenomena, which formerly were esteemed to be irregularities, are now discovered to be directed by the most wise, certain, and permanent laws. One conclusion will obtrude itself on every reflecting mind; that, since nature, as far as we can discern her operations, contains, even to our imperfect reason, the most obvious indications of intelligence, design, and goodness, if there be any parts of it, which we are unable to interpret, in perfect coincidence with the general system, this ought to be ascribed solely to the narrow sphere to which our intellectual vision is circumscribed. We cannot doubt, but that the same wisdom, which we perceive in that portion which we do comprehend, prevades all the works of the same author.

It has been frequently and justly remarked, that the universe is governed by general laws, which never change their operation according to the desires of men, or the convenience of particular parts of the system, and, therefore, they sometimes appear to be productive of partial and accidental ills. A tempest here, a drought there, a contagion, or an earthquake, may involve individuals in distress ;--but the fixed and invariable laws of the physical world are among the greatest blessings to mankind. Among other benefits,

they lay a foundation for the existence of the most useful sciences and arts, which could have no principles, on which to rest, in a providence of expedients, and accommodations to individual convenience. They serve to awaken inquiry, to exercise ingenuity, to encourage industry, to afford principles on which to ground a prudent foresight and precaution, and to promote the exercise of all the virtues which are as- / sisted by the stability of nature. For a clear and luminous illustration of the utility of general laws, and for a judicious explanation, and justification of the apparent and partial ills which result from them, you will again have peculiar satisfaction in consulting Dr. Paley's work on natural theology.

11. OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY.

The divine attributes, as discoverable by the powers of natural reason, will not require an extensive illustration; for, when once the existence of God is acknowledged, they recommend themselves so obviously to the common sense of mankind, as to admit of little controversy, except with regard to those natural events which, in their first aspect, seem contrary to our apprehensions of his infinite goodness.

The attributes, then, of the Divine Mind may be arranged under two heads-the natural, and the moral.-Under the former, are comprehended his spirituality, unity, eterni

ty, omnipresence, power and wisdom;-under the latter, his holiness, justice, and goodness.

The spirituality of the divine nature is a property opposed to every form, or refinement of matter; and may be regarded as distinguishing the essence of the Supreme Mind, from that fine, but powerful influence, the result of the material organization of the universe, which some philosophers have substituted in the room of the Deity, and made the immediate cause of a universal necessity, or fate. It is opposed, likewise, to the opinion of those, who hold the Deity to be the soul of the world; that is, a certain power which, though intelligent, is still only a refinement of matter—a kind of spirit, or gas thrown off from the infinite system of its motions, or its original fermentations.

All just philosophy has considered matter as essentially inert, and incapable of beginning motion. Spirit, as we learn from our own experience, possesses a self-motive pow er, and the power of giving motion to other things. The existence and the movements of the universe, therefore, are proofs of an original Spirit, who formed it, and gave it that impulse, and that system of combined motion by which its order is still preserved.

The only knowledge, which we have of spirit, is derived from reflection on our own minds, the essence of which we

conceive to lie in thought and volition. But it would be impious to imagine, that we can thence frame any adequate conception of the Divine and Infinite Spirit from whom all things proceed. By this term, therefore, applied to the Deity, we can mean only to express a substance wholly different from matter, simple, uncompounded, essentially active and intelligent.

The Unity of the divine nature is deducible from this reflection, that we see evident proofs of the existence of one God, and we see no evidence of more than one. And it is contrary to every principle of just reasoning, in that case, to admit a plurality. This conclusion is strengthened by that unity of design apparent in all the parts of nature. It indicates one author, one purpose, one end. How far he may commit the government of particular districts of the universe to subordinate agents, in order to employ their activity, and exercise their virtues, we have no grounds on which we can form a rational judgment. Even conjecture, therefore, ought to be silent concerning it, lest we should unawares awaken a degrading spirit of superstition. On subjects so remote from the sphere of human intellect and observation, in no department of science, has conjecture or hypothesis ever led philosophy one step nearer to truth. It is even doubtful if the erring lights of false science do not lead the mind farther astray from the true principles of nature, than the torpid dullness of absolute ignorance.

Of the almighty power, and infinite wisdom of the Deity, there can exist no doubt in the minds of those who acknowledge his being. No more can we doubt of his eternal existence, and universal presence, although we are not able to form distinct and definite ideas concerning his relations to infinite duration and space. I shall, therefore, not consume your time in attempting to solve the many abstruse and probably useless, and, to human intellect, inexplicable questions, which have been raised on these subjects by ingenious men;-but proceed to consider his moral attributes, holiness, goodness, and justice.

Holiness is a term used chiefly by divines, and borrowed from the sacred scriptures, to express the purity of the divine nature, and its infinite distance from all moral imperfection. It is, perhaps, the best and strongest word in our language to convey the idea of his unchangeable love of the eternal and essential rectitude of the moral law, which he has prescribed to his rational creatures, the outlines of which he has traced upon the human conscience, but its perfect rule, is to be found only in his revealed word. And it seems further to carry in its meaning, not only a pure and immutable love of rectitude, but an infinite abhorrence of vice; that is, of the omission, or the violation of the duties of the moral law. But, besides this peculiar meaning of the term, as expressing a single attribute of the divine mind, it is often used in a more comprehensive sense, to express the