signal, a true, though stationary guide; rendering the arch and circle of darkness, even more visible than before-or as remote worlds, sending to us their light, as certificates of their being; but reserving to themselves the secrets of their magnitudes, elements, constituent arrangements, and forms of life. We are in truth, more concerned to know what God is, than what He does-to understand His character, than to scan His work-to grasp principles firmly, than to trace his government in particular instances-much less to philosophize on the whole system. "Be still, and know that I am God!" Such is at once our greatest duty, and our noblest privilege. It is the first and the last lesson to be presented to us, and all other finite beings-the sublime intellectual and moral thesis, on which all faculty must be concentrated; and which includes the substance and orderly development of all truth. It utters an awful condemnation both of atheism and idolatry. The one denies His essence, the other his attributes-the one annihilates his being, the other his glory—the one blasphemously worships nature in the abstract, the other the representatives of its powers, whether imaginary, or palpable. Both equally disallow the doctrine of the text, which the ancient church, whether patriarchal or Jewish, was designed to witness to the world, and the christian church, in the full orbed glory of the Three One Name. "Be still, and know that I am God." Thus a personal Deity is set forth-who uses personal language, as of man to man. Individuality and infinity may be equally predicated of Him. "I am that I am." Such is the basis of our revelation-such the instructive suggestion, and faith of our very nature. We can form no idea of mind without personality, any more than of intelligence without a thinking substance-and doubtless, this is one property of the image of God, identified with the very existence of mind, whether embodied, or not. It is the key of know

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ledge put in our own bosoms, enabling us to Divine nature by its resemblance to our own. It is the common sense of religion, which, whatever philosophy contradicts, is "science falsely so called," to be refused, as being a pernicious, as well as a "vain deceit." It belies God's voice in our own bosoms-the language of the Bible, and the inspiration of the Spirit, speaking in man, as well as to man. Personal terms, and pantheistic notions, are in direct repugnance to each other. For how can he who uses such language as this, "know that I am God," be supposed to include all being whatsoever in Himself? If he represent universal nature, to whom or what else could divinity be ascribed? where could a rival of His honour be found? Or how could religion, and irreligion be distinguished— the one approved, and the other condemned? A lie so monstrous must procreate a whole progeny of mischiefs. The doctrine of creation must be given up-that of providence is lost-prayer becomes an absurdity-religion itself a mere sentiment, or superstition. Morals have only a subjective existence, because no moral government really obtains; while conscience must become defunct, or degenerate into a feeble, precarious, and anomolous instinct. There is no Authority to prescribe duty, and to uphold obligation; and rewards and punishments are alike chimeras of the brain. "Be still, and know that I am God." This includes the knowledge of his nature, as one of infinite excellency, as it is an unoriginated essence, eternally antecedent to, and independent of, all other being. The proper idea of God, is that of simple, self-existence-an existence therefore necessary, not as inferred from some antecedent ground; (for such a supposition is excluded) but arising from its own self; and from the truth, that if some being were not eternal; nothing could have been at all,—that "without Him" there could have been "nothing made that was made."

His is therefore a boundless plenitude of life, (for that which has no cause but itself, cannot be circumscribed). Its essence is unmixed-unchangeable-alike incapable of increase or deterioration-of development or diffusion-for this would imply a relative, not an absolute perfection. He is God, who thus stands immeasurably above, as He is eternally before all being besides. Creation is properly His production, not His being-not His essence, any more than it is His person. The doctrine of design is everywhere paramount-power is everywhere proclaimed by it— and science is chiefly valuable, as opening these doctrines more surprisingly, and multiplying illustrations of them indefinitely. Creation admitted, is God manifested. Its testimony is to Him alone-it bears no witness to itself, but to another, and a greater. It shadows forth his immensity, and immutability-His omnipotency and wisdom are written on all things. His Name is engraven deeply in the essence, properties, and final causes of the creation-it is impossible to expunge, or to mutilate it. Jehovah's incommunicable name is stamped upon every thing, whether great or small-a system, a planet, a man, a mote, a sand grain-all bear upon them one grand and sacred signature from His Almighty hand; yet never shewing us the fulness of the inscription-the very bottom of the character. It is only a sign standing for infinity-a sensible symbol of unsearchable mysteries of skill-a surface wonder, hiding fathomless depths of greater ones-a first envelope, swathing up a countless series-the first leaf of the great volume of nature, which none but its own Author can fully understand and display. Hence, the true effect of science is to indoctrinate us in our ignorance; and the discipline which perfects greatness in its empire, is that which religion demands to our being great in the Kingdom of Heaven-that we "become as little children."

The great Teacher is, in this instance, the copyist of His own works, for each speaks to us in parables. The process is from something known, to something unknown. It is the type and shadow of some more remote and glorious truth. Thus is the doctrine of God's infinity propounded to us, in the character of his works. He has set lessons to all intelligence, which for number, and difficulty, must demand eternity to master, and, (were it not a contradiction) would exhaust it, in the immensity of the contemplation -How much more then, Himself? "Who by searching can find out God," or "know the Almighty to perfection?" Again, to be God, is to preserve and to govern-to measure out all times and seasons-to assign the powers, and limit the agencies of all creatures whatsoever,-to bid worlds run their races-suns to dart their splendour-and order to abide sovereign over the universe. Years, months, days, hours, silently revolve to His timekeeping, who never slumbers; and to whom a thousand ages, and a single instant, issue with the same marked precision. He counts them all, who counts the hairs of our heads; who overlooks not one solitary sparrow, much less one man. The sands and dew drops do not exceed His knowledge-the grass which every spring shows as a new creation-buds, leaves, and flowers, flung over the world's width and breadth by a hand unseen-all for grace and usefulness-while life teems afresh from its every matrix, and smiles defiance upon death. He is God, who presides in similar, yet higher glory, over the moral universe-the Father of law, and King of intelligence. Of causality in general, He is the fountain, and ordains the modes and limits, under which all causes shall operate. This ordinance is written in the nature of everything below mind, and is self-exponent to observation-but a nature morally causal, as mind is, must be morally governed. So vast a privilege of life-so close

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a resemblance to the Deity, cannot have been given, without conditions limiting the use of its powers, and prescribing its end. A self regulative nature-one acting from selfformed motives, must be capable of various and opposite effects of exemplifying the moral characters of good and evil right and wrong. Such a nature, however free, cannot act irrespective of the will of Him who made it, without traversing the first law of its being, which is, that no being shall be properly causal, but only in subordination to Himself. He, that is God, must see to the maintenance of his own laws, wherever it is possible they should be transgressed. He must appoint the methods of his executive, however complex and manifold, accompanying the whole system of means with so direct and influential an oversight, that his will is, in some degree or sense, always accomplished, however the results may vary. The absolute sovereignty of him who is God, is included in his being. All moral, as well as physical events, must come to pass as he wills them; considered in respect of the system, taken as a whole; and the relations he has been pleased to institute, between his creatures and himself. His predestinations, which give birth both to moral and physical systems, take effect upon them respectively according to their natures. They cannot militate with each other; nor can it be necessary for him to counteract or supercede either, in the progress of his administration, lest otherwise He should fail of compassing his own ends. It is GOD, not FATE, that rules the world; and perhaps, the scriptures are more frequent and emphatic in enforcing the doctrine of God's sovereignty than any other. other. Two specimens may be selected from the same prophet. "Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit." When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth and he that is holpen-" shall fail together." And