Gentile world long was, to the uncertainty of mere conjec ture. It would be rafh, however, to confine the origin of the whole universe to the date of our own fyftem. Who can tell in what immenfe and innumerable works the divine power and wisdom may have engaged prior to that period? But not to meddle with fuch abftrufe fpeculations, the Scrip-. tures themselves ftrongly intimate the existence of intelligent creatures, and if fo, of worlds for their habitation, antecedent to the foundation of our globe: when "the "morning stars fang together an all the fons of God fhouted "for joy."* Curious minds might wish to have a particular account of the creation of other planets and other fyftems; but we fhould not thirst to be wife above what is written. What God hath revealed is, we know, intended to lead us into admiration, gratitude, and obedience: what he hath concealed may check our wanton curiofity, which would probably be bufied about other worlds, to the neglect of our own, and of the great Maker of them all. Befides numberless difcoveries are reserved, no doubt, for a future ftate, in which we fhall be led into fublimer contemplations than our nature is capable of at prefent. But let us ftop here and admire the vast scene before us: not the building of a city, nor the erection of an empire, but the creation of a world, yea, of a system of worlds!! Let us fix at prefent on fome point of contemplation, that our imagination may not wander and lofe itself in the immenfe fcene before us. The creation of light, is a work that every way demands our astonishment; but who can tell whether moft to admire the work itself, or the manner in which it was wrought. Creatures in their feveral fpecies, are obliged to exert a degree of labour and care in producing certain effects; and the most exalted cannot work without materials to act upon; but it is the glory of God to produce a world out of nothing, -and light out of darkness; and to affect thefe, with the fame eafe that a word is uttered from our lips; "He spake, "and it was done: he commanded and it ftood faft." "The divine wisdom" (fays a philofophic writer) "appears, perhaps, in nothing fo remarkable, as in the extreme fubtilty of the particles of light: without this quality it could not pervade the pores of bodies, and fo we could have no tranfparent fubftances; and every thing but the * Job xxxviii. 7. furface of a body would have been concealed from our fight." This extreme fubtilty of its particles, was farther neceffary on account of the velocity with which it strikes our eyes, for it is demonftrable, that were a million particles of light to weigh but one grain, instead of enlightening it would totally blind us: for the velocity of light is many thousand times fwifter than that of a cannon ball. Infinite Majefty! with what inconceivable exactness haft thou weighed thefe particles, that although myriads of them are conftantly beaming on our eye-balls, we receive pleasure from them instead of pain and darkness! To the existence and wonderful properties of light we owe all the beauties in the fair face of Nature, which would be otherwife an univerfal blank. But of all the objects it difcovers, its own glory is the most brilliant. "Truly the "light is fweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to be"hold the fun." It has been objected by Infidels, that light was created before the fun but would they have had the fun exift before light? Is it not more natural to suppose first the creation of this wonderful element, and that afterwards the fame divine hand that made it, moulded the celestial flames into funs and stars? But all our conjectures are in the dark. When God fpeaks, it is our place to believe and adore in filence. "And God faw the light that it was good". Not a weak glimmer on the furface of the creation, as fome have fuppofed; but a glorious luftre equal to the purpose of forming all the luminaries of our fyftem. It was good and fufficient for the defigns the Creator had in view. And "God di"vided the light from the darkness," by fo placing it to the eastward of our globe as to answer the temporary purposes of a fun, and give light to one hemifphere only of our globe at once. "And God called the light day, and the darkness he "called night. And the evening and the morning were the "firft day." Time commenced then, it should feem before the creation of light, which formed the first morning: ever fince the rotatory motion of our globe has produced the wonderful phænomena of day and night, in regular fucceffion; and that light might not "burst" on us, as at first, "from tenfold darknefs," infinite wifdom has, by means of the atmosphere, foftened its introduction by the gentle dawn. "The firft day! Behold then, the birth of time in our fyftem! Now was the curtain drawn up, which shall not fall till every defign of Providence refpecting man fhall be accomplished. This was the first day of the first year of the creation. Now the ftage was preparing, (if we may ufe dramatic terms on fuch a fubject,) on which were to be tranfacted all the grand myfteries of man's redemption. But what should raife a fong in heaven? Why should the morning ftars now fing-Why fhould the inhabitants of the fuperior worlds fhout for joy?Let us reflect--Prior to this we read of the fall of angels. Lucifer, that bright and morning ftar, rebelled and left his ftation. Sin had entered the univerfe and banifhed the guilty legion of revolting fpirits. Could heaven mourn? At least there muft. have been filence there; * a folemn paufe in the fongs of angels: and, could angels weep, a tear of fympathy and grief must have bedewed their golden harps. But the breach is about to be healed. The inhabitants of a new world fhall refill the thrones of fallen fpirits, and re-people their deferted ftations. Nor is this all. Let us fuppofe with Milton, that the infurrection of rebellious angels arofe from refufing due honours to the Son of God, who thought. it no robbery to be equal to his Father. Behold, the fcenes unfolding in which he fhall exhibit a model of condefcenfion and humility, by "taking on him the form of a fervant," and being found in the likeness of a man. Yet farther, here is a theatre erected, in which is to be exibi ted the most auguft difplay of all the divine perfections. Here "mercy and truth fhall meet together, and righteouf"nefs and peace kifs each other." The first day! "important æra! Here hiftory fixes her line, and marks all the great events, and revolutions of our Globe. Already hath the extended it, to the commencement of the 59th century of the creation-eventful period! Who can predict the changes of another age? But this may fafely be foretold, that the period is not very diftant, which fhall close them all. The light of this world thall fet for ever; and its beauty be reduced to ruins, until he that fitteth on the throne fhall fay" Behold, I create all "things new!" and with his fecond fiat produce from the afhes of our globe, the New Jerufalem" Like a bride "adorned for her hufband." Then " fhall the fun no more "give light by day, nor the moon by night; but Jehovah "fhall be our everlasting light, and God himself our glory." * Rev. viii. 1. O ON WINTER. Fond man Behold thy pictur'd life! pafs fome few years Pale concluding winter comes at last So fung one of the fweetest British bards; and shall he S% fing in vain ? Ah no; let us, in contemplating the prefent gloomy feafon, lift up our hearts to the God of mercy, and beg his affiftance to keep our fouls from coldnefs and barrennefs. Cheerlefs is the winter, but let not our hearts be cheerlefs; for in winter was the God of our falvation born: perhaps to fhew us when in the depth of affliction, when we blindly think that all things are againft us, and when all hope of being faved is loft, that we have an all-wife and an almighty Saviour; but his ways are not our ways, nor his thonghis as our thoughts. The north wind blows bleak; black looks the atmosphere; all Nature feems to lower, all Nature feems to frown. If winter wears fo unpleafing an afpect to thofe who are in plenty, what muft it wear to the houseless child of want! What must be the feelings of that mother who has neither warmth nor food to impart to her children? What the fenfations of that man who through the hardness of the times cannot procure bread for his family. Ah, my friends, that mother's feelings is as exquifitely formed for maternal fenfibility as your own: That man's heart is as affectionate, as the fondeft father's, the tendereft hufband's: and fhall fuch "Solicit the cold hand of charity! "To fhock us more-folicit it in vain !"! I know the hand of the Chriftian is open: the heart of the philanthropist expands at human mifery. But O, ye fons of feftive mirth; ye daughters of thoughtless gaiety, can you exclude all feelings from your hearts as easily as you do the cold from your habitations! When you fit in plenty furrounded by every elegance, even to luxuriance, can you wish to think of the poor? You feel not the northern blast, you feel not the chill of poverty; but hundreds of the children of God feel it: and this commandment have we from him, "that he who loves "God, loves his brother alfo." John iv. 7. "But little think the gay licentious throng, THOMSON. But though they feel not the inclemency of winter skies, they will one day feel the chill hand of death. It will be vain then to wifh they had their time again. With what horror will they then recollect those words-For "with "the fame measures that ye mete withal, it shall be mea"fured to you again!" Then while life is lent, be emulous of the god-like vir. tue of diffufing to others the bleflings and comforts you enjoy. This gloomy feafon is a proper emblem of our natural ftate by fin-as the fucceeding fpring is of our conversion and renovation by grace divine. Then may we say with the Church, "The winter is paft-the rain is over, and "gone." To thofe who have experienced this happy change, all the fucceffive feafons are full of mercy; and they can fee the bounteous hand of their God in all the varieties of the revolving year. The grace of Chrift in the heart, and the blood of atonement fprinkled on the confcience will give joy in the midst of Nature's gloom, and peace amidit all her tempefts. Though the prefent feafon is gloomy and freezing, and Nature feems inanimate, let not the freezing influence extend to our hearts. But O, that zeal and love may enkindle in our bofoms; and difplay itself in love to God and man: remembering those words of our Lord, "For as much as "ye did it unto the leaft of thefe my brethren, ye did it " unto me." God will restore what you refign, January, 1801. SOPHIA T |