provide for our wants; if he does not preserve our lives; if he does not defend us from evil; if, when distressed, he does not restore us to comfort and hope; then plainly we are indebted to Him for none of these blessings; and they are either casual, or derived from some other being. If they are derived from some other being; then all our obligations for them respect that being only. If they are casual; we are under no obligations to any being whatever.

If our actions are too insignificant to be regarded by God; they ought not to be objects of any concern to us, except as sources of convenience and inconvenience. As right, or wrong, they are visibly of no moment. We are, therefore, released at once from all the duties, which respect God, or our fellow-creatures, or ourselves; and are under no obligations to reverence, or obey him; to exhibit justice, truth, and kindness, to them; or to restrain within any bounds our own passions and appetites.

ence.

Finally, if God is not in the proper sense the Ruler of the universe; he certainly has prescribed no law, and required no obediWhere there is no law, there is plainly no transgression. What we customarily style sin is, therefore, no more forbidden by him than virtue; and virtue is no more required than sin. All accountableness is by this scheme exterminated; all reward; and all punishment.

II. Reason cannot discover the Designs of God.

Should it be admitted, in direct contradiction to the observations, which have been already made, that we are able in some good degree to understand the Character of God; still it would be impossible for us to discover his Designs. We know, to a considerable extent, the character of many men; and in a variety of cases can form just opinions respecting their future conduct, so far as it will depend on their general character. Still it is absolutely impossible for us to divine at all the various designs, which they continually form, unless when they are pleased directly to disclose them. "What man," says St. Paul," knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man, which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no one, but the Spirit of God."

The designs of a voluntary being, Omniscience, only, can discern. Accordingly, to search the heart is challenged by JEHOVAH

as his own prerogative. The nature of such a being, when well understood, may, I confess, help us to determine what will be the general character of his designs; if he be virtuous, that they also will be virtuous; if he be sinful, that they will be sinful. But it can never teach us what his particular designs will be. Pre-eminently true is this observation concerning God. The nature of God is infinite. All his Attributes are unlimited; as are his views also; his designs; and his actions. His plans are universally formed so, as to embrace all the interests of his vast kingdom, spread through immensity and eternity. What being, beside himself, can understand designs, proceeding from such a source, and comprehending such objects?

Let me persuade you to make the God of the Scriptures, a God whose existence is revealed; whose character is disclosed; whom you may be said in some proper sense to know; whose law is in the most definite manner declared to you; and whose designs, of the highest importance, and in great numbers, are distinctly explained: let me persuade you to make this God the object of your diligent contemplation. Let me urge you to inquire with care whether you know any thing, which is material to his character, beside what is disclosed in the sacred volume. He is there exhibited as self-existent. Can you tell what self-existence is? He is declared to be omnipresent. Can you at all satisfy yourselves how the Being. who is now present in this house, is at this moment also, equally present in the sun, in the fixed-stars, and in the heaven of heavens? He is declared to be omniscient. Can you think what it is to search the heart, and the hearts of all beings at the same time; to watch the motions of a minion on his footstool, and the thoughts of an angel before his throne; and at a single glance to survey whatever is done above, and under the whole heaven; and to behold whatever is past, present, and future, in the illimitab e extent of duration with one view; and that unalterable, and eternal. He is declared to be eternal, and immutable. To him, therefore, there is no succession. Whatever to created beings is past, whatever is future, is to him only present and a thousand years are to him exactly as one day, and one day as a thousand years. All duration to him, therefore, is

expressed by the single word Now. Are not your minds lost in attempting to comprehend these amazing objects?

It is unnecessary to extend this scheme of inquiry any farther. What is true of these subjects is true of all, which pertain to God. What then can be known concerning the designs of such a being as this, beyond what he himself is pleased to reveal? How plain is it, that Philosophy has here no principles, from which to argue; and must form its conclusions without premises.

But in the Designs of God are involved whatever he chooses, and whatever he will do; and therefore all our duty, and all our interest. How then shall Reason find out either?

III. We know very little of our own Nature.

The proof of this position is absolute. Philosophers have in all ages been laboriously employed in discussing the human character; and yet no complete, satisfactory account has hitherto been given of this subject. The systems of those, who have gone before, have been regularly doubted and denied, by those who have followed them. Every age, and country, of civilized man, has been extensively employed in this manner. Even now enlightened men are thus employed. Yet where is the treatise concerning man, which has commanded the general suffrage in its favour?

We understand imperfectly the very Reason, by which we make discoveries. Concerning the Will we are still more in the dark. Nay, we are unsatisfied whether the soul is material, or immaterial. We are still disputing concerning the nature of Virtue; and are undetermined whether it is a passion, or the energy of the mind operating in a given manner. We have not yet determined in what Moral Obligation consists; or how far it extends nor are we agreed concerning the nature of Sin, or its guilt; or concerning the merit of virtue. The question, whether man is a moral agent or a machine, is still in debate.

On these subjects hang others of immeasurable importance: and, as these are settled, so those must be determined.

Our Relations to God depend on our own nature, as well as on his. If we are animals, or if we are machines, as philosophers, both ancient and modern, in great numbers have asserted; then

we sustain one set of relations towards God, and toward all other intelligent beings. If we are Moral agents; our relations to both are immeasurably different; and involve an importance, which no finite mind can comprehend and as these relations vary, so will vary whatever we call by the name of duty. Since, therefore, we are thus ignorant of our own nature; it is clearly evident, that the relations, which we sustain, and the duties which we owe, to other beings must, on this account also, be extensively unknown.

IV. Human Reason knows, and can at present know, little or nothing concerning other parts of the Divine Kingdom.

The world, in which we dwell, is connected with other worlds; and its inhabitants, with their inhabitants: In how many ways, for what and how many purposes, how intimately, and how loosely, we are ignorant. Still, it is with perfect reason concluded, that as all worlds, and all intelligent beings, are parts of one kingdom of God, they must necessarily be connected in a greater or less degree. All Intelligent beings are capable of being happy, or miserable; are of a social nature; are fitted to feel, and are intended to feel, an important interest in each other's well-being ; and are formed with powers and propensities, which always enable, and at times incline, them to contribute to this glorious object. The Scriptures extensively instruct us in the existence, nature and circumstances, of two other worlds; viz. heaven and hell. They also announce to us the existence, and unfold some of the interests, of many more; of which they speak, indifferently, under the name of heavens, and heavenly places. All things in these heavens, as well as in the earth, they assure us, God will gather together under Christ, as the head. All these, therefore, are in an important manner interested, according to the Scriptures, in the work of Redemption, and in the person and government of the Redeemer.

It is unnecessary for me to say how nearly we are related to Heaven, and Hell; or how deeply interesting to us is every thing, which pertains to these worlds. That in all probability we shall be more or less concerned, during the progress of eternal ages, in the affairs of all other worlds is with the best reason presumed.

Let it be remembered, that our powers may hereafter be such, as will enable us to visit them with no more difficulty, than we experience in going to the neighbouring towns and villages; and to understand and feel their interests as easily, as we now do those of our own nation. Our Reason also further teaches us, that the disposition, and the intelligence, which may be thus employed, constitute a more exalted and desirable state of being, than any other. Should it be supposed, that this is too much to believe concerning such beings, as ourselves; I answer, that the power and goodness of God are causes, and that Eternity is a duration, amply sufficient to accomplish them all. Let me add, that what the Scriptures teach of the existence of such worlds, Reason readily admits; and the modern Astronomy seems to establish, to say the least, with high probability: I mean with regard to all, except the first two.

Our ignorance of these numerous worlds, and of our relations to their inhabitants, is no more a proof, that we are not thus related, or that our relations to them are not important to us, than the ignorance of a child concerning the various parts of the country of which he is a native, proves, that he bears no relation to his unknown fellow-citizens. The day may arrive to some, or other, of such children; it is continually arriving to many such children; in which they not only become acquainted with these fellow-citizens, before unknown, and many of their interests; but actually exert an important influence in conducting them, in such a manner, as to effectuate extensive and permanent happiness. We, for ought that appears, may hereafter possess a knowledge of distant worlds, resembling this; and may exert a similar influence in promoting the welfare of those, by whom they are inhabited.

This great Work of God is one work: and the Scriptures inform us, that it is perfect. All the parts are parts of one whole; and are necessary to its perfection. A reason exists for the creation of every atom; and much more for that of every Intelligent being, his attributes, actions, and destiny. To this whole we are so related, according to the scheme of the Scriptures, that we may have a real and useful influence on its well-being: and they have