appear in this state from what it did in the preceding stages of its existence! How unlikely did it seem that a rough, hairy, crawling worm, which lay for such a length of time in a deathike torpor, and enshrouded in a tomb, should be canimated, as it were, and changed into so beautiful a form, and endowed with such powers of rapid motion! Perhaps the change to be effected on the bodies of men, at the general resurrection, may not be greater, nor more wonderful in its nature, than are the changes which take place from the first to the last stage of a caterpillar's existence. In such transformations, then, we behold a lively representation of the death and resurrection of a righteous man. "A little while he shall lie in the ground, as the seed lies in the bosom of the earth; but he shall be raised again, and shall never die any more."

There is another illustration, taken from a consideration of the chymical changes of matter, which has a still more direct bearing on the doctrine of a resurrection. We know, that substances which are invisibly incorporated with air, water, and other fluids, and which seem to be destroyed, may be made to reappear in their original form by the application of certain chymical agents. For example; put a small piece of solid camphor into a phial half filled with alcohol or spirits of wine; in a short time the camphor will be dissolved in the fluid, and the spirit will be as transparent as at first. If water be now added, it will unite with the ardent spirit, and the camphor will be separated and fall to the bottom of the phial. In this way the camphor may be nearly all recovered as at first; and, by distillation, the alcohol may also be separated from the water, and exhibited in a separate state. I have already noticed, that carbon, which forms an essential part of all animal and vegetable substances, is found to be not only indestructible by age, but in all its combinations, which are infinitely diversified, it still preserves its identity. In the state of carbonic acid it exists in union with earths and stones in unbounded quantities; and though buried for thousands of years beneath immense rocks, or in the centre of mountains, it is still carbonic acid; for no sooner is it disengaged from its dormitory than it rises with all the life and vigour of recent formation, not in the least impaired by its torpid inactivity during a lapse of ages. The beams of the the atre at Herculaneum were converted into charcoal (which is one of the compounds of carbon) by the lava which overflowed that city, during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius; and during the lapse of 1700 years, the charcoal has remained as entire as if it had been formed but yesterday, and it will probably continue so to the end of the world. In addition to these facts it may be stated, that provision has been made for the restoration of the fallen leaves of vegetables which ot upon the ground, and, to a careless observer,

would appear to be lost for ever. It has been shown by experiment, that whenever the soil be comes charged with such matter, the oxygen of the atmosphere combines with it, and converts it into carbonic acid gas. The consequence of which is, that this very same carbon is, in process of time, absorbed by a new race of vegetables, which it clothes with a new foliage, and which is itself destined to undergo similar putrefaction and renovation to the end of time."*

These facts and others of a similar description which might have been stated, demonstrate, that one of the constituent parts of animal bodies remains unalterably the same, amidst all the revolutions of time, and all the changes and decompo sitions which take place in the system of nature: and, consequently, that though human bodies may remain in a state of putrefaction for ages. in the earth and in the waters, yet their component parts remain unchanged, and in readiness to enter into a new and more glorious combination, at the command of that Intelligence to whom all the principles of nature and all their diversified changes are intimately known; and whose Power is able to direct their combinations to the accomplishment of his purposes.— Though such considerations as these may have no weight on certain unreflecting minds, that never meet with any difficulties in the economy either of nature or of redemption; yet, the man of deep reflection, who has frequently had his mind distracted with the apparent improbability of the accomplishment of certain divine declarations, will joyfully embrace such facts in the economy of nature, as a sensible support to his faith in the promises of his God; and will resign his body to dust and putrefaction, in the firm hope of emerging from the tomb to a future and more glorious transformation.

IV. The discoveries of science tend to illustrate the doctrine of the GENERAL CONFLAGRATION. We are informed, in the Sacred Oracles, that a period is approaching, when "the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up." Science has ascertained certain facts in the constitution of nature, which lead us to form some conception of the manner in which this awful catastrophe may probably be effected, and also of the ease with which it may be accomplished, when the destined period shall have arrived. It was formerly stated, (pp. 35, 104,) that the atmosphere, or the air we breathe, is a compound substance, composed of two very different and opposite principles, terned oxygen and nitrogen. The oxygen, which forms about a fifth part of the atmosphere, is now ascertained to be the principle of flame; a lighted taper immersed in this gas, burns with a brilliancy too • Parkes's "Chym. Catechism," p. 266, an tne ad ditional notes.

great for the eye to bear; and even a rod of iron or steel is made to blaze under its energy.

The modern infidel, like the scoffers of old, scouts the idea of the dissolution of the world, and of the restitution of the universe, "because all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation; not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God;" and not considering the principles and facts in the system of nature, which indicate the possibility of such an event. But, from the fact now stated, we may learn how easily this effect may be accomplished, even in conformity with those laws which now operate in the constitution of our globe. For should the Creator issue forth his almighty fiat-" Let the nitrogen of the atmosDhere be completely separated from the oxygen, and let the oxygen exert its native energies without control, wherever it extends ;"-from what we know of its nature, we are warranted to conclude, that instantly a universal conflagration would commence throughout all the kingdoms of nature-not only wood, coals, sulphur, bitumen, and other combustible substances, but even the hardest rocks and stones, and all the metals, fossils, and minerals, and water itself, which is a compound of two inflammable substances, would blaze with a rapidity which would carry destruction through the whole expanse of the terraqueous globe, and change its present aspect into that of a new world-at the same time, all the other laws of nature might still operate as they have hitherto done since the creation of the world.

I do not mean positively to assert, that this is the agent which the Almighty will certainly employ for accomplishing this terrible catastrophe, (though we think it highly probable,) since Infinite Power is possessed of numerous resources for accomplishing its objects, which lie beyond the sphere of our knowledge and comprehension. But I have brought forward this fact, to show with what infinite ease this event may be accomplished, when Almighty Power is interposed. By means of the knowledge we have acquired of the constitution of the atmosphere, and by the aid of chymical apparatus, we can perform experiments on a small scale, similar in kind, though infinitely inferior in degree, to the awful event under consideration. And, therefore, we can easily conceive that He who formed the expansive atmosphere which surrounds us, and who knows the native energy of its constituent principles, may, by a simple volition, make that invisible fluid, in a few moments, the cause of the destruction of the present constitution of our world, and, at the same time, the means of its subsequent renovation. For, as fire does not annihilate, but only changes, the forms of matter, this globe on which we now tread, and which bears the marks of

ruin and disruption in several parts of its struc ture, may come forth from the flames of the general conflagration, purified from all its physical evils, adorned with new beauties and sublimities, and rendered a fit habitation for pure intelligences, either of our own species or of another order. For, though the "heavens," or the atmosphere, "shall be dissolved, and the elements melt with fervent heat;"" yet," says the Apostle Peter, " we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Whether, after being thus renovated it shall be allotted as the residence of the redeemed inhabitants of our world, is beyond our province at present to determine. But if not, it will, in all probability, be allotted as the abode of other rational beings, who may be transported from other regions, to contemplate a new province of the divine empire, or who may be immediately created for the purpose of taking possession of this renovated world. For we have reason to believe, that the energies of creating power will be continually exerted, in replenishing the boundless universe, throughout all the ages of infinite duration, and that no substances or worlds which God has created, will ever be suffered to fall into annihilation-at least, that the original atoms of matter will never be destroyed, whatever new forms they may assume, and however varied the combinations into which they may enter.

The above are only a few examples out of many which were intended to be specified, of the illustrations which the system of nature affords of the doctrines and facts of revelation, but the narrow limits of this volume prevent further enlargement.

It was also intended to follow up the preceding discussions with particular illustrations of the following topics:-The views which science affords of the incessant energies of creating power-the changes and revolutions which appear to have happened, and which are still going on in the distant regions of the universe, as tending to amplify our views of the grand and multifarious objects over which Divine Providence presides-the connexion of science with a future state-the aids which the discoveries of science afford, in enabling us to form a conception of the scenes of future felicity-of the employments of the heavenly inhabitants, and of their perpetual advances in knowledge and happiness, and in their views of the perfections of Deity-the moral relations of intelligent beings to their Creator, and to each other; and the physical grounds or reason of those moral laws which the Deity has promulgated for regulating the conduct, and for promoting the harmony and order of intelligent agents-illustrations of the allusions of the sacred writers to the system of the material world

-the nmultaneous progress of science and religion, considered as an evidence of the connexion of the one with the other-the moral effects of the study of science in connexion with religon-replies to objections and insinuations which have been thrown out against the idea of combining the discoveries of science with the discoveries of revelation, &c. But, as illustrations of these, and various other topics connected with them, would occupy two or three

hundred pages, they must, in the mean time, be postponed.*

A work, embracing illustrations of some of the topics here stated, is preparing for the press, undel the title of The Philosophy of Religion; or, an illustration of the Moral Laws of the Universe, un the principles of Reason and Divine Revelation." In this work, an original, and, at the same time, a popu lar train of thought will be prosecuted, and the dif ferent topics will be enlivened with illustrative facts, borrowed from the scenery of nature and the moral history of mankind.

I.—THE VARIETY OF TOPICS which would be introduced into Christian instructions, by connecting them with the manifestations of Deity in the system of nature, WOULD HAVE A TEN

DENCY TO ALLURE THE ATTENTION OF THE

YOUNG TO RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS, and to afford mental entertainment and moral instruction to intelligent minds of every description.

NOVELTY and variety appear to be essentially requisite in order to rouse the attention, not only of the more ignorant, but even of the more intelligent class of mankind, and to excite them to make progress in the path of intellectual and moral improvement. The principle of curiosity, which appears at a very early period of life, and which variegated scenery and novel objects tend to stimulate and to gratify-so far from being checked and decried, in a religious point of view, as some have been disposed to do, ought to be encouraged and cultivated in the minds both of the old and of the young. As it is a principle which God himself has implanted in our natures, for wise and important purposes, it requires only to be chastened, and directed in a proper channel, in order to become one of the most powerful auxiliaries in the cause of religion, and of intellectual improvement. To gratify this principle, and to increase its activity, the Creator has adorned our globe with a combination of beauties and sublimities, strewed in endless variety over all its different regions. The hills and dales, the mountains and plains; the seas, the lakes, the rivers, the islands of every form and size which diversify the surface of the ocean; the bays, the gulfs, and peninsulas; the forests, the groves, the deep dells, and towering cliffs; the infinite variety of trees,

plants, flowers, and vegetable productions of every hue, so profusely scattered over the face of nature; the diversified productions of the minera kingdom; the variegated colouring spread over the face of nature; together with the many thousands of different species of animated beings which traverse the air, the waters, and the earth -afford so many stimuli to rouse this principle into exercise, and to direct the mind to the contemplation of the Creator. And as the earth displays an endless diversity of objects, so the heavens, in so far as they have been explored, exhibit a scenery both grand and variegated. There is not a planet in the solar system but differs from another, in its magnitude, in its distance from the central luminary about which it revolves, in the velocity of its motion, in the extent of the circle it describes around the sun, in the period of time in which its revolution is completed, in its rotation round its axis, in the number of moons with which it is attended, in the inclination of its axis to the plane of its orbit, and the diversity of seasons which results from this circumstance; in the density of its atmosphere, and the various appearances which diversify its surface. And if we were favoured with a nearer view of these majestic orbs, we should, doubtless, behold a similar variety in every part of their internal arrangements. The surface of the moon presents a variegated prospect of mountains and vales, but so very different in their form, position, and arrangement, from what obtains on the surface of our globe, that it would exhibit a scenery altogether new and uncom mon to an inhabitant of this world, were he placed on the surface of that planet. Every comet, too, is distinguished from another, by its magnitude, the extent of its atmosphere, une

ength of its blazing tail, the rapidity of its motion, and the figure of the curve it describes around the sun. With regard to the fixed stars, which are distributed, of every size, and in every direction, through the immensity of space, our senses, as well as the declaration of an inspired writer, convince us, that, in point of brilliancy, colour, and magnitude, "one star differeth from another star in glory."

And as the system of nature in all its parts presents a boundless variety of scenery, to arouse the attention, and to gratify the desire for novelty, so the revelation of God contained in the Sacred Records displays a diversified combination of the most sublime and interesting subjects and events. Were we to form an opinion of the compass of divine revelation, from the range of subjects to which the minds of some professing Christians are confined, it might all be comprehended within the limits of five or six chapters of the New Testament; and all the rest might be thrown aside, as a dead-weight upon the Christian system. But here, as in all the other displays of the Almighty, divine perfection and providence are exhibited in the most diversified aspects. Here we have recorded a history of the creation and arrangement of our globe,-of the formation of the first human pair,-of their primeval innocence, temptation, and fall,-of the arts which were cultivated in the first ages of the world, of the increase of human wickedness, of the building of the ark,-of the drowning of the world by a universal deluge,—of the burning of Sodom by fire from the clouds,-of the origin of languages,-of the dividing of the Red sea, of the journeying of the tribes of Israel through the deserts of Arabia,—of their conquest of the promised land, and their wars with the nations of Canaan,—of the corporeal translation of Elijah from earth to heaven,-of the manifes tation of the son of God in human flesh, the benevolent miracles he performed, and the triumphs he obtained over all the powers of hell and earth. We are here presented with the most interesting and affecting narratives, elegies, dramatic poems, and triumphal songs,-with views of society in the earliest ages of the world, when the lives of men were prolonged to nearly a thousand years, with splendid miracles performed in the land of Egypt, in the wilderness of Horeb, and in the "field of Zoan," when "the sun and moon stood still in their habitation;" when the waters of the great deep were divided, and mountains shook and trembled "at the presence of Jehovah," with the glorious marching of a whole nation through the Arabian deserts, under the guidance of a miraculous pillar of cloud and fire, with the visits of celestial messengers, and the visible symbols of "a present Deity," -with prophetical delineations of the present and future condition of the race of Adam,-with descriptions of the power, wisdom, love, and

majesty of the Almighty, and of his operations in heaven and earth,-with the results and bearing of the economy of redemption,—with divine songs, odes, and hymns, composed by angels and inspired men,-with maxims of moral wisdom, examples of sublime eloquence, of strength of reasoning, and of manly boldness of reproof,with proverbs, parables, allegories, exhortations, promises, threatenings, and consolatory addresses. In short, we have here detailed, in the greatest variety, history, antiquities, voyages, travels, philosophy, geography, natural and moral science, biography, arts, epic poetry, epistles, memoirs, delineations of nature, sketches of human character, moral precepts, prophecies, miracles, narrations, wonderful providences, marvellous deliverances, the phenomena of the air, the waters, and the earth; the past, the present, and the future scenes of the world-all blended together in one harmonious system, without artificial order, but with a majesty and grandeur corresponding to the style of the other works of God,-and all calculated to gratify the principle of curiosityto convey "reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness," and "to make the man of God perfect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work."

And, as the scenes of nature, and the scenes of revelation, are thus wonderfully diversified, in order to excite the attention of intelligent beings, and to gratify the desire for variety, so we have every reason to believe, that the scenes, objects, and dispensations, which will be displayed in the heavenly world, will be incomparably more grand and diversified. When we consider the immensity of God's universal kingdom, and the numerous systems, and worlds, and beings comprehended within its vast circumference, and that the energies of creating power may be for ever exerted in raising new worlds into existence we may rest assured, that the desire of variety and of novelty, in holy intelligences, will be completely gratified throughout an endless succession of existence; and that the most luxuriant imagination, in its boldest excursions, can never go beyond the reality of those scenes of diversified grandeur which the heaven of heavens will display.

Now, since the book of nature, and the book of revelation, since all the manifestations of the Creator in heaven and earth, are characterized by their sublime and diversified aspect; we would ask, why should we not be imitators of God, in displaying the diversified grandeur of his kingdom of providence and of grace, before the minds of those whom we profess to instruct? Why should we confine our views to a few points in the Christian system, to a few stones in the fabric of the divine operations, when "a wide and unbounded prospect lies before us?" Why should we not rather attempt to rouse the mora and intellectual energies of mankind, from the

press, in the school-room, and in the family circle, by exhibiting the boundless variety of aspect which the revelations of heaven present, and the holy tendencies of devout contemplation on the works and the ways of God? that they may learn, with intelligence, to "meditate on all the works of the Lord, and to talk of all his doings." By enlarging and diversifying the topics of religious discussion, according to the views now stated, we have it in our power to spread out an intellectual feast to allure and to gratify every variety of taste,-the young and the old, the learned and the unlearned; yea, even the careless and the ignorant, the skeptical and the dissipated, might frequently be allured by the selection of a judicious variety of striking and impressive objects and descriptions, to partake of those mental enjoyments which might ultimately issue in the happiest results. The man of an inquisitive turn of mind, who now throws aside every thing that has the appearance of religion, on account of its dulness, might nave his curiosity gratified amidst such a variety as that to which I allude; and, from perceiving the bearing of every discussion on the great realities of religion and a future state, might be led to more serious inquiries after the path that leads to immortality. In a word, to associate and to amalgamate, as it were, the arts and sciences, and every department of useful knowledge, with divine subjects, is to consecrate them to their original and legitimate ends, and to present religion to the eyes of men, in its most sublime, and comprehensive, and attractive form, corresponding to what appears to De the design of the Creator, in all the manifestations he has given of himself, in the system of nature, in the operations of Providence, and in the economy of redemption.

II.-By connecting science with religion, Christians would be enabled to take AN EXTENSIVE SURVEY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

How very narrow and limited are the views of most professors of religion respecting the universal kingdom of Jehovah, and the range of his operations! The views of some individuals are confined chiefly within the limits of their own parish, or at farthest, extend only to the blue mountains that skirt their horizon, and form the boundary of their sight. Within this narrow circle, all their ideas of God, of religion, and of the relations of intelligent beings to each other, are chiefly confined. There are others, who form an extensive class of our population, whose ideas are confined nearly to the county in which they reside, and to the adjacent districts; and there are few, comparatively, whose views extend beyond the confines of the kingdom to which they belong-though the whole island in which we reside is less than the two-thousandth

part of the globe we inhabit. Of the vast extem of this earthly ball, of its figure and motions of its continents, seas, islands, and oceans, f its volcanoes and ranges of mountains, of it numerous and diversified climates and landscapes; of the various nations and tribes of mankind that people its surface, and of the moral government of God respecting them, they are almost as completely ignorant as the untutored Greenlander, or the roving savage. With regard to the objects which lie beyond the boun dary of our world, they have no precise and definite conceptions. When the moon is "walking in brightness" through the heavens, they take the advantage of her light to prosecute their journeys; and, when the sky is overcast with clouds, and they are anxious to travel a few miles to their destined homes, they will lift up their eyes to the heavens to see if any of the stars are twinkling through the gloom, that their footsteps may be directed by their glimmering What rays. Beyond this they seldom soar. may be the nature of the vast assemblage of shining points which adorn the canopy of their habitation, and the ends they are destined to accomplish in the plan of the Creator's operations, they consider as no part of their province to inquire.

"Their minds, fair science never taught to stray Far as the solar worlds, or milky way."

How very different, in point of variety, of grandeur, and of extent, are the views of the man who connects all the different departments of knowledge, and the discoveries of science, with his prospects of God's universal dominion and government? With his mental eye he can traverse the different regions of the earth, and penetrate into the most distant and retired recesses where human beings have their residence. -He can contemplate and adore the conduct of divine sovereignty, in leaving so many nations to grope amidst the darkness of heathen idolatry, he can trace the beams of the Sun of righteousness, as they gradually rise to illumine the benighted tribes of men, he can direct his prayers, with intelligence and fervour, in behalf of particular kindreds and people,--he can devise, with judgment and discrimination, schemes for carrying the "Salvation of God" into effect, -he can realize, in some measure, to his menta sight, the glorious and happy scenes which wil be displayed in the future ages of time, when "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ," and when the "everlasting gospel" shall be pub lished, and its blessings distributed among all who dwell upon the face of the earth. He can bound from this earth to the planetary worlds and survey far more spacious globes, peopled with a higher order of intelligences, arranged and superintended by the same Almighty Sovereign, who "doth according to his will among