From the foregoing facts it appears, then, that from every star, every planet, every satellite, there flows out in all directions a distinct and perfect picture of whatever scene or aspect its surface presents at every passing hour, every passing moment; and this picture continues its outward flight forever into the depths of infinite space. The mariner takes observation of the star of the Pole, and his eye receives a picture of it that left its disc nearly fifty years since. The astronomer peers at Alcyone, and receives an image that took its flight from that orb full seven centuries ago. The same holds true, of course, of the planet upon which we dwell. To the inhabitants of those stars (supposing such inhabitants to exist, and to be endowed with the requisite power of vision), whose distance from the earth requires two hundred and fifty years for the flight of light, the scene of the Pilgrims' Landing is just now becoming visible. To the dwellers of worlds at seven and a half times that distance, the sad and tragic deed of the crucifixion on Calvary is a present scene transpiring in all its reality as under their eyes. The occupants of still remoter spheres, that are at the proper distance, are now gazing upon the fountains of the great deep breaking up, and the windows of heaven opening, to sweep away the incorrigible antediluvians. Thus at some point or other, in the boundless expanse, every visible event in the history of our globe, and of all other globes, may be seen at any particular moment. And as the Infinite God is present at all such points, every deed and every event that has ever transpired must be still present before his view. This luminiferous ether, therefore, may

in knowledge and civilization, in arts and sciences; but the increased light, while it has exhibited both the deities and the religions of the heathen of his day, as being wicked, absurd and abominable, has served only to prove the character of the God of the New Testament to be immaculate and faultless. Here we have all that can enter the mind in the conception of God-a Being uncreated, infinite, all-wise, and almighty; the Maker and Ruler of all things; true and just and pure in all his ways; loving righteousness and hating iniquity. Nothing in all the compass of modern light and progress; no principle established by the Moralist, no conclusion reached by the Metaphysician, no discovery made by the microscope of the Naturalist, or by the crucible of the Chemist, or by the telescope of the Astronomerdemands the change of a term, or the modification of a feature, in the Divine Character, as given by Christ and his apostles. It is a perfect character; it neither requires nor admits of any emendation. It is verily the Supreme Being, Lord of heaven and earth, that is set before us in the Gospel. And we are filled with awe and reverence in his presence. We instinctively bow down before the measureless heights, the unfathomable depths, the illimitable possessions, of this Uncreated Intelligence. We feel that worship is not simply becoming, but a bounden and sacred duty, a necessary tribute, which we cannot reasonably withhold from such a Being. We are prompted, we are constrained to join in the angelic chorus, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for Thou hast

created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

How different the view presented by Christ of the nature and character of God from that given by Grecian philosophers, or Jewish Rabbins, or Oriental Gymnosophists. He describes Him as a Being of a purely spiritual nature, which no material images can represent; and, raising Him to an infinite height above all that man ever conceived, declares that He stands alone in absolute and unapproachable perfection. He presents Him as reigning sole over all the universe of matter and of mind. Drawing aside the veil which hid His glory from human view, he reveals Him in his high and holy place, not in a state of silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand holy and happy beings, ever waiting and delighted to do his bidding; not in a state of listless repose, but in active communication with every part of his vast dominions; not in a state of apathy, regardless of the world and all its concerns, but as presiding over it with a Father's loving care-observing the actions, listening to the cries, and providing for the wants of every living thing; yea, even shows Him to us in the astonishing act of raising up the fallen and prostrate children of men, and putting them in the way of reaching his own blessed abode.

"From whence, then, had this Man these things?"— this plain and poor Man of Galilee, who never listened to the discourses of philosophers, never sat at the feet of a Rabbi? Whence had he this knowledge, this surpassing knowledge, which enabled him to deliver instruc

tions that should survive all the progress, inventions, and discoveries of future generations? Whence had he this superior wisdom which empowered him to rise immeasurably above all other teachers, and to harmonize all his instructions with the facts of the universe, as understood in these last days, and proved by the most recent and reliable deductions of science? Whence, we ask, this knowledge, this wisdom to Jesus of Nazareth, which enabled him thus to announce truths that should be found in advance of the science of all successive ages? But one answer, true and reasonable, can be returnedthat returned by himself,-"I AM FROM ABOVE, AND AM

COME TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.”

Yes; the truth Christ delivered to men flowed from the fountain of his own mind, as from its native home. His was the wisdom of God. He had all the knowledge, science and philosophy of the universe at his command. The key of all mysteries hung at his girdle. And had he seen fit, he could have forestalled all the boasted discoveries of our day, and have opened the gate to the tree of knowledge for man, and permitted him to feast on its golden fruit, without the toil of study, experiment, or investigation. "In Him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." "Never man spake like this man:""HEAR YE HIM."

THE LAWS OF NATURE

AND THE

DOCTRINES OF PROVIDENCE AND PRAYER.

You may interrogate the human race, in all times and in all places, in all states of society and in all grades of civilization, and you will find them everywhere, and always, believing in facts and causes beyond this sensible world called Nature.-GUIZOT.

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