Omniscience and omnipresence of the good men. 1. I was yesterday, about sunset, walking in the open fields, till the night insensibly fell upon me. I at first amused myself with all the richness and variety of colors which appeared in the western parts of heaven. In proportion as part came in they faded away and went out, several stars and plannets appeared, one after another, till the whole firmamente was in a glow. The blueness of the ethers was exceeding ly heightened and enlivened by the season of the year, and the rays of all those luminaries that passed through it. 1 2. The galaxy4 appeared in the most beautiful white. To complete the scene, the full moon rose. at length, in that clouded majesty. which Milton notices; and opened to the eye a new pictures of nature. which was more finely shaded, and disposed among softer lights than that which the sun had before discovered to us. 3. As I was surveying the moon, walking in her brightness, and taking her progress among the constellations, 6 a thought arose in me, which I belfovo very often per † Appeared, sight. 2 Firmamenta the heavens, sky 3 Ether,s pure air. 4 Galaxy, s the milky way in the sky. 5 Picture. 98 representation lors; any resemblance or representation. of things in co 6 Constellation s cluster of fix ed stars. 1 plexes and disturbs men of serious and contemplative7 natures. David himself fell into it in that reficction; When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers; the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou regardest him!' 7 Contemplative, a studious; thoughtful. 8 Ordained, part appointed, established. 9 Philosophi 4. In the same manner, when I considered the infinite host of stars, or to speak more philosophically.9 cally ad rationof suns which were then shining ally-wisely. upon me; with those innumerable sets of planets or worlds, which were moving round their respective'suns; when I enlarged the idea, supposed another heaven of suns and worlds, rising still above this which we discovered;t and these still enlightened by a superior firmament of luminaries, 2 which are planted at so great a distance, that they may appear to the inhabitants of the former, as the stars do to us; in short I could not but reflect on that little, insignificant figure, which I myself bore amidst the immensitys of God's works. 5. Were the sun, which enlightens4 this part of the creation with all the host of planetary worlds that move about him, utterly extinguished and annihilated,5 they would not be missed more than a † Discovered, found out. 3. Immensity, s unbounded greatness. 4 Enligh tens, 5. Annihilated, pan reduced to nothing. A : grain of sand upon the sea shore. 6 Chasm, s a 6. The chasm6 would be imperceptible to an eye that could take cleft in a rock. in the whole compass of nature, and pass from one end of the creation to the other; as it is possible there may be such a sense in ourselves hereafter, or in creatures which are at present more exalted7 than ourselves. 7. By the help of glasses we see many stars which we do not discover with our naked eyes; and the finer telescopess are, the more still are our discoveries. Huygenius carries this thought so far, that he does dot think it impossible there may be stars, whose light has not yet travelled down to us, since their first creation.9 8. There is no question that the universet has certain bounds set to it, but when we consider that it is the work of Infmite2 power, prompted by Infinite Goodness, with an Infinite space to exert itself in, how can our imagination set any bounds to it? 9. To return, therefore, to my first thought, I could not but look upon myself with secret horror, as 7 Exalted part lifted up. 8 Telescope, s a glass for dis tant view. 9 Creation, s act of creating - the universe. Universe, s the world, gen- ded, large. a being that was not worth the smallest regard of one who had so great a work under his care and superintendency.3 I was afraid of being overlooked amidst the immensity of nature, and lost among that infinite variety of creatures, which, in all probability, swarm through all these immeasarable4 regions of matter. 10. In order to recover myself from this mortifying thought, I considered that it took its rise from those narrow conceptions5 which we are apt to entertain of the Divine nature. We, ourselves, cannot attend6 to many different objects at the same time. If we are careful to inspect7 some things, we must, of course, neglect oth ers. 3 Superintendancy, s overseeing, 4 Immeasurable, a not to be measured. 5 Conception,s notion. 6 Attend, u to wait on, to har. ken unto. 7 Inspect, v to look into by way of examia tion.. 8 Observe to 11. This imperfection which we observes in ourselves, is an imperfection that cleaves, in some de- watch. gree, to creatures of the highest capacities, as they are creatures, that is, beings of finite and limited natures. The presence of every created being is confined9 to a certain measure of space; and consequently his observation is stinted† to a certain number of objects. 12. The sphere2 in which we move, and act, and understand, is of a wider circumference to one 9 Confined, part bound in prison. † Stinted, part bound-litnited 2 Sphere, & a compass, globes circuit, prov ince. 1 creature than to another, according *as we rise one above another in the scale of existence. But the widest of these our spheres has its circum- "gular gradation ference, When, therefore, we re- 14. We shall therefore utterly 15. If we consider bim in his omnipresence, his being passes 1 line of distances 3 Divine, a partaking of the nature of God; excellent in a supreme degree. 4 Forbear, to decline, spare. *Attributes, s properties inhe rent qualities, + Prejudice, prepossession, damage, injury, hurt. 6 Multiplicity, 8 state of being, many. 7 Omnipresent a present in e very place. 8 Omniscient.a knowing all things, infinitely wise. |