Page Of the natural Attributes of the Deity. Paley. 75 The Strangeness of a Divine Manifestation, no Argument against its Occurrence..Bp. Watson. Danger of deferring Repentance On the Instability of earthly Things......Hervey. 90 The World and the Gospel contrasted...Kirwan. The worldly minded Man................Miss H. More. 95 On Resignation to the Will of Providence. On the too eager Pursuit of worldly Things. Of Self-Deception, and the Danger of it..Johnson. 105 Reflections on Evening and on Autumn...Alison. 110 Reflections on the Return of Spring.......Alison. 116 Page Utility to Man of the Power of Habit. Character of Christian Charity. W. Adams. 162 The Advantage of acquiring Knowledge...Alison. 168 The proper Use of Knowledge..............Alison. 171 The Advantage to Youth from the Society of The handsome and the deformed Leg...Franklin. 288 ELEGANT EXTRACTS. PART I. Religious, Moral, and Preceptive. OUR ON THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. UR great Lord and Master has taught us, that "there is none good but one, that is God:" by which expression we may understand, that there is none so perfectly disinterested, so diffusively and so astonishingly good, as God is. For, in another place, he instructs us both how to comprehend, and rely on, this unchangeable and never-failing attribute of the divine nature; resembling it to, or representing it by, a human quality or virtue, namely, the affection and tender regard of parents to their children. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him!" From whence it is obvious to remark, that as the humane and generous man has a peculiar tenderness for his more immediate descendants, and, proportionally to his power and influ ence, is willing and active to succour and relieve the indigent, to divide care, lessen misery, and diffuse happiness through the world; inconceivably more affectionate is the eternal Parent unto, and regardful of, all his intelligent creatures; truly disposed, according to their rank of existence, to promote their welfare; and beyond comprehension inclined to conduct them, through the greatest variety of circumstances, to the noblest perfection, and the highest degree of felicity. In his righteous and benevolent nature there cannot possibly be the most distant tendency to caprice, severity, or selfishness; for the multitude of sharers, he knows, can never subtract from his inexhaustible fulness. He created to communicate. In every evil which he prevents, he is pleased; and in all the good that he bestows, he glories. His goodness dictated the bestowing of existence, in all its forms and with all its properties. His goodness displays itself in sustaining and disposing of all things. His goodness connects unnumbered worlds together, in one spacious, vast, and unbounded universe, and embraces every system. "His tender mercies are over all his works." Without goodness, what apprehensions could we entertain of all the other attributes of the Divine Being? Without the utmost extent of benevolence and mercy, they would hardly be perfections or excellences. And what would a universal administration produce, in the hands of an evil, or a partial, or malevolent direction, but scenes of horror and devastation? Not affliction and punishment for the sake of discipline and |