luctant rovers to perform their destined rounds.Were either of those causes to suspend their ac tion, all the harmoniously moving spheres would be disconcerted: would degenerate into sluggish inactive masses; and, falling into the central fire, be burnt to ashes: or else, would exorbitate into wild confusion; and each, by the rapidity of its whirl, be dissipated into atoms. But, the impul sive and attractive energy, being most nicely attempered to each other; and, under the immediate operation of the Almighty, exerting themselves in perpetual concert; the various globes run their radiant races without the least interruption, or the least deviation: so as to create the alternate changes of day and night, and distribute the useful vicissitudes of succeeding seasons; so as to answer all the great ends of a gracious Providence, and procure every comfortable convenience for universal nature.

Does not this constitution of the material, very naturally lead the thoughts to those grand princi. ples of the moral and devotional world, faith and love?-These are often celebrated by the inspired apostle, as a comprehensive summary of the gos pel: these inspirit the breast, and regulate the progress, of each private Christian: these unite the whole congregation of the faithful to God, and one another: to God, the great centre, in the bonds of gratitude and devotion; to one another, by a reciprocal intercourse of brotherly affections,

ellipsis; and because I laid it down for a rule, not to admit any such abstruse sentiment, or difficult expression, as should demand a painful attention, instead of raising an agreeable idea. For which reason, I have avoided technical terms; have taken no notice of Jupiter's satellites, or Saturn's ring; have not so much as mentioned the names of the planets, nor attempted to wade into any depths of the science: lest to those who have no opportunity of using the telescope, or of acquainting themselves with a system of astronomy, I should propound riddles, rather than display entertaining and edifying truths.

Col, i, 4. Philem, ver..

and friendly offices.-If you ask; why is it impos sible for the true believer, to live at all adventures? to stagnate in sloth, or habitually to de viate from duty?-We answer, it is owing to "his "faith working by love:" he assuredly trusts, that Christ has sustained the infamy, and endured the torment, due to his sins: he firmly relies on that divine propitiation, for the pardon of all his guilt; and humbly expects everlasting salvation, as the purchase of his Saviour's merits. This produces such a spirit of gratitude, as refines his inclinations, and animates his whole behaviour. He cannot, he cannot run to excess of riot; because love to his adorable Redeemer, like a strong, but silken curb, sweetly restrains him: he cannot, he cannot lie lulled in a lethargic indolence; because love to the same infinite benefactor, like a pungent, but endearing spur, pleasingly excites him. -In a word; faith supplies the powerful impulse, while love gives the determining bias, and leads the willing feet through the whole circle of God's commandments. By the united efficacy of these heavenly graces the Christian conduct is preserved in the uniformity and beauty of holiness; as by the blended power of those Newtonian principles, the solar system revolves in a steady and magnificent regularity.

How admirable, how extensive, how diversified, is the force of this single principle, attraction +!— This penetrates the very essence of all bodies, and diffuses itself to the remotest limits of the mundane system. By this, the worlds impressed with motion hang self balanced on their centrest; and, though orbs of immense magnitude, require nothing, but this amazing property, for their support. To this we ascribe a phenomenon of a very dif

sion.

* Gal. v. 6.

I mean the attraction both of gravitation and cohe-
Ponderibus librata suis.

1

ferent kind, the pressure of the atmosphere; which, though a yielding and expansive fluid, yet constipated by an attractive energy, surrounds the whole globe, and incloses every creature, as it were, with a tight bandage: an expedient, this, absolutely necessary to preserve the texture of our bodies, and, indeed, to maintain every species of animal existence.-Attraction! urged by this wonderful impetus, the rivers circulate, copious and unintermitted, among all the nations of the earth; sweeping with rapidity down the steeps, or softly ebbing through the plains. Impelled by the same mysterious force, the nutritious juices are detached from the soil; and, ascending the trees, find their way through millions of the finest meanders, in order to transfuse vegetative life into all the branches.-This confines the ocean within proper bounds: though the waves thereof roar; though they toss themselves with all the madness. of indignant rage; yet, checked by this potent, this inevitable curb, they are unable to pass even. the slight barrier of sand. To this the mountains owe that unshaken firmness, which laughs at the shock of careering winds, and bids the tempest, with all its mingled horrors, impotently rave.-By virtue of this invisible mechanism; without the aid of crane or pulley, or any instrument of human device, many thousand tons of water are raised every moment into the regions of the firmament. By this they continue suspended in thin air, without any capacious cistern to contain their substance, or any massy pillars to sustain their weight. By this same variously acting power they return to the place of their native residence, distilled in gentle falls of dew, or precipitated in impetuous showers of rain: they slide into the fields in fleecy flights of snow, or are darted upon the houses in clattering storms of hail.-This occasions the strong cohesion of solid bodies; without which our large machines could exert themselves

with no vigour, and the nicer utensils of life would elude our expectations of service. This affords a foundation for all those delicate or noble mechanic arts, which furnish mankind with numberless con veniences both of ornament and delight.-In short; this is the prodigious ballast which composes the equilibrium, and constitutes the stability of things: this the great chain, which forms the connexions of universal nature; and the mighty engine, which prompts, facilitates, and, in good measure, accom plishes all her operations.-What complicated ef fects from a single cause! what profusion amidst frugality! An unknown profusion of benefits, with. the utmost frugality of expence!

And what is this attraction? is it a quality in its existence inseparable from matter, and in its act ing independent on the Deity ?-Quite the reverse. It is the very finger of God; the constant im pression of divine power: a principle neither innate in matter, nor intelligible by mortals.Does it not, however, bear a considerable analogy to the agency of the Holy Ghost, in the Christian œconomy? Are not the gracious operations of the blessed Spirit thas extensive, thus admirable, thus various?-That almighty Being transmits his gifts through every age, and communicates his graces to every adherent on the Redeemer: all, either of illustrious memory, or of beneficial tendency; in a word, "all the good that is done upon earth, " he doth it himself." Strong in his aid, and in the power of his might, the saints of all times have trod vice under their feet, have triumphed over this abject world, and conversed in Heaven while they dwelt on earth. Not I, but the grace of God which was with met, is the unanimous acknow ledgment of them all.-By the same kindly succours

See another remarkable instance of this kind in the Reflections on a Flower Garden, page 114-together with a fine observation, quoted in the corresponding note.

+1 Cor. xv. 10.

the whole church is still enlightened, quickened, and governed. Through his benign influences the scales of ignorance fall from the understanding; the leprosy of evil concupiscence is purged from the will; and the fetters, the more than adamantine fetters of habitual iniquity, drop off from the conversation, He breathes even upon dry bones, and they live: they are animated with faith; they pant with ardent and heavenly desire; they exercise themselves in all the duties of godliness.His real, though secret, inspiration, dissolves the flint in the impenitent breast, and binds up the sorrows of the broken heart: raises the thoughts high, in the elevations of holy hope; yet lays them low, in the humiliations of inward abasement: Steels the soul with impenetrable resolutions, and persevering fortitude; at the same time, softens it into a dovelike meekness, and melts it in peni=tential sorrow.

When I contemplate those ample and magni. ficent structures, erected over all the etherial plains when I look upon them as so many splendid repositories of light, or fruitful abodes of life-when I remember, that there may be other orbs, vastly more remote than those which appear to our unaided sight; orbs, whose efful. gence, though travelling ever since the creation, is not yet arrived upon our coasts+:-When I stretch my thoughts to the innumerable orders of being which inhabit all those spacious systems,

See that beautiful piece of sacred and allegorical imagery displayed, Ezek. xxxvii.

If this conjecture (which has no less a person than the celebrated Mr. Huygens for its author) concerning unseen stars, be true-if to this observation be added, what is affirmed by our skilful astronomers, that the mo tion of the rays of light is so surprisingly swift, as to pass through ten millions of miles in a single minute-How vast, beyond imagination vast and unmeasurable, are the spaces of the universe!-While the mind is distended with the grand idea; or, rather, while she is dispatching her ablest powers of piercing judgment, and excursive fancy;