This mode of arguing is so natural to man, that we find it adopted by the most ignorant nations, as well as the most enlightened; by the child, as well as the man of gray hairs. In every age, and in every country, it has struck the mind with a force so great, and in a manner so satisfactory, that it has probably precluded, in most minds, the apprehension of any necessity for further investigation. Ask any plain man, whom you meet, why he believes, that there is a God; even the poor Indian, whose mind, in the language of the poet, is wholly "untutored," and he will tell you, that he sees him in the clouds, and hears him in the wind. All men believe the things around them to be effects, or works; and all believe them to be the works of a God; of a being, whose power and understanding transcend all limits. Nor has any man ever doubted the soundness of this conclusion, but under the influence of a wish, that it might not be true, nor without a laborious effort to convince himself, that it was an error. So true is it that the fool, and the fool only, hath said in his heart, "There is no God."

The arguments, which Atheists have employed against this doctrine, so far as they are of sufficient importance to merit an answer, I propose to consider hereafter; and will conclude this discourse with the following

REMARKS.

1st. How great, awful, and glorious, a being is God!

From the things, which have been said, it is evident, that there is, ever has been, and ever will be, a Being, from whom all things derived their existence; on whom all depend for their continuance: and by whom all are conducted in the order and harmony, visible in the universe. Of what character does this exhibition declare nim to be possessed?

He is plainly self-existent. All other beings are derived, and begin to be. He only is underived, and without beginning of days, or end of years; the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Of course, his manner of being is wholly unlike that of all creatures; totally superior, and utterly incomprehensible. Hence he says, and says truly, I am; and there is none beside me. Hence he styles himself, I AM THAT I AM, JAH, and JEHOVAH; that is, EXISTENCE, to which there is nothing like, and nothing second.

Plainly also, he is Almighty. The power, which gave existence, is power, which can know no limits. But to all beings in heaven, and earth, and hell, he gave existence, and is therefore seen to possess power which transcends every bound. The power, which upholds, moves, and rules the universe, is also clearly illimitable. The power, which is necessary to move a single world, transcends all finite understanding. No definite number of finite beings possess sufficient power to move a single world a hair's breadth; yet God moves the great world, which we inhabit, 68,000 miles in an hour-two hundred and sixty times faster than the

swiftest motion of a cannon ball. Nor does he move this world only, but the whole system, of which it is a part; and all the worlds, which replenish the immense stellary system, formed of suns innumerable, and of the planets which surround them. All these he has also moved from the beginning to the present moment; and yet he fainteth not, neither is weary.

Nor is this a full description of his amazing agency. He works every moment in every part of this vast whole; moves every atom; expands every leaf; finishes every blade of grass; erects every tree; conducts every particle of vapour, every drop of rain, and every flake of snow; guides every ray of light; breathes in every wind; thunders in every storm; wings the lightning; pours out streams and rivers; empties the volcano; heaves the ocean; and shakes the globe. In the universe of minds, he formed, he preserves, he animates, and he directs, all the mysterious and wonderful powers of knowledge, virtue, and moral action, which fill up the infinite extent of his immense and eternal empire. In his contrivance of these things, their attributes, and their operations, is seen a stupendous display of his immeasurable knowledge and wisdom. All these existed in the Immense Eternal Mind, as in a vast storehouse of glorious ideas and designs; and existed from everlasting. In them the endlessly diversified character of uncreated wisdom, beauty, and greatness, has begun to be manifested, and will continue to be manifested, with increasing splendour, for

ever.

What, we cannot but ask, must be the Knowledge of him, from whom all created minds have derived both their power of knowing, and the innumerable objects of their knowledge? What must be the Wisdom of him, from whom all things derive their wisdom; from whom the emmet, the bee, and the stork, receive the skill to provide, without an error, their food, habitation, and safety; and the prophet and the seraph, imbibe their exalted views of the innumerable, vast, and sublime wonders of creation, and of creating glory and greatness? What must be the Excellence of him who gives birth to all other Excellence; and will improve, refine, and exalt, that Excellence in every virtuous mind, throughout ages which will begin for ever?

2dly. How plainly are all beings absolutely dependent on God for their existence, their attributes, and their operations!

All beings are just what he pleases, and can do what he pleases, and permits, and nothing more. Should he command the clouds that they should not rain; how soon would the vegetable and animal worlds perish; and man accompany his kindred worms to the dust? Should he withhold any power, it must cease to be exercised; and we could neither speak, think, nor move: the human race would be changed into statues; and the world be a dreary waste; a desert of solitude, silence, and despair.

How vain, then, must be all resistance to God! The very power

to resist, the will, the wish, cannot rise into being, unless supplied, and supported, by him. The universe of men and angels, the worlds above and beneath, united, could not contend against him for a moment. All are nothing and less than nothing, in his sight. With a word he called the whole into being. With infinite ease he could, with a word, return the whole to its original nothing; and with another word, could raise up a second universe in its stead. 3dly. Of this universe God must, of necessity, be the sole and absolute proprietor.

No property is so perfect, as that which arises from creation. Whatever we make, or fashion, is our property, in the highest degree in which any thing can be ours. God, it is to be remembered, not only made, but created; not only made the work, but the materials. Hence his property is plainly superior and paramount to all other; and he is a proprietor in a higher sense than any other being can be. His property, also, extends to all beings animate and inanimate, rational and irrational, to atoms, vegetables, animals, men, and angels, in the same absolute manner.

Hence it is evident, that he has an absolute right to dispose of all beings as he pleases; and particularly to require, on the most reasonable grounds, that all rational beings voluntarily devote themselves to his service, with such affections, in such a manner, and with such conduct, as are conformed to his will. This right is complete and supreme, and cannot be denied, nor questioned, without sin; without plain and palpable injustice. All disobedience to his pleasure is evidently unjust, in the same manner, as when we withhold the property of our fellow-men, and in a degree incalcu lably greater; while obedience, on the other hand, is nothing more than barely rendering to God the things which are God's.

4thly. Of the same universe he is, of course, the only Ruler. The nature of this vast work, and the wisdom and power displayed in it, prove, beyond debate, that it was made for some end suited to the greatness and number of the means which are employed. This end is such, and so important, that it was proper for him to create and uphold an universe for its accomplishment. This end, originally so valuable as to induce him to commence and continue this mighty work, must ever be equally valuable in his view. But it can never be accomplished, except by his own government of all things. No other being can govern them at all. All created power, wisdom, and goodness, is infinitely unequal to such a task, even for one day, or one moment. But He can rule the work for ever, and with infinite ease; and can, and will thus accomplish the end which he proposed from everlasting.

For this end, every thing was created-the least as truly as the greatest; the atom, as the world; the worm, as the angel. His providence therefore extends, with absolute evidence, to all. Each, however minute, however momentary, is really necessary in its place, and for its time. Each, therefore, needs to be conducted,

throughout its existence, to the purpose for which it was made. His care extends, therefore, and must extend, to minims, ephemera, and atoms, as truly, and as exactly, as to the concerns of cherubs and seraphs in the heavens.

Accordingly, we actually behold him alike animating the blade, the stem, and the leaf, in the vegetable kingdom; living in the mite and the insect, the bird and the beast; thundering marvellously with his voice; sending lightnings with rain; rolling the billows of the ocean; making the earth to quake at his presence; shining in the stars, glowing in the sun, and moving with his hand the various worlds which compose the universe. At the same time, his presence and agency are more sublimely visible in the universe of minds, in all the amazing powers of thought, affection, and moral action, in the knowledge, virtue, and enjoyment, of the myriads which form the peculiar kingdom of JEHOVAH.

5thly. It is equally evident that this end must be Himself.

But

Before God made the universe, there was nothing beside him. Whatever motive prompted him to this great work, must, of course, have been found in himself; because, beside him there was nothing. It must, also, have been found in himself, because, when other beings existed, all were nothing in comparison with him; and, therefore, in the same comparison, undeserving of his regard. this end could not respect any change in himself; any increase, diminution, or alteration, of his greatness, power, and glory. It was, therefore, the manifestation of himself alone which could be the end of this mighty work. Himself is the sum of excellence; of all that is great, or wise, or good. The manifestation of himself is, therefore, only the manifestation of boundless excellence to the creatures which he has made. The manifestation of all attributes, though capable of being made in declarations, is principally discerned in actions. Excellence, therefore, is discovered, chiefly, by doing what is great, and wise, and good. All this is so evident, as to need no illustration.

God, when he intended to disclose his perfections to the universe, intended, therefore, to exhibit them, chiefly, by an endless course of action, in which wisdom, greatness, and goodness, should be supremely, and most clearly, discovered. The highest blessedness, he has told us, and therefore the greatest glory, is found in communicating good, and not in gaining it; in giving, and not in receiving. To this decision Reason necessarily subjoins her own Amen. The great design of God in all things is, therefore, to do good, boundlessly, and for ever; and in this conduct to disclose himself, as the boundless and eternal good.

It must, of necessary consequence, be supremely pleasing to him, that his intelligent creatures voluntarily unite with him, in loving, and promoting, this divine purpose; while all opposition to it must be supremely displeasing. How important then must it be to us, that we cheerfully coincide with his perfect pleasure

in this great end, and devote to the advancement of it all our faculties. Should we resist his designs, so excellent, so dear to him; how unworthy in itself, and provoking to him, must be the conduct. What terrible consequences must spring from the exertion of such power and knowledge, exerted to manifest his anger against those who thus disobey his will, and oppose his designs! What must they not feel! What ought they not to fear!

On the contrary, what an universe of good, immense and endless, may he be expected to provide for those, who voluntarily unite with him in this glorious design, and cheerfully perform his pleasure. Such good he can make, and give, and repeat for ever, with a wish, and with a word. To make, and give it, is his delight and glory. It will, therefore, be done. In this wonderful work, how divinely great and good does God appear! How deserving of all admiration, love, homage, obedience, and praise. How amazing the wonders, which he has done! How much more amazing the transcendent purpose, for which they were done! Who would not fear, who would not bless, who would not adore, that glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH OUR GOD; the Being selfexistent, eternal, and immense; and without beginning, limits, or end; united with eternal and immeasurable wisdom and power; from whom are derived all worlds, and all their inhabitants; on whom all depend; and by whom all are preserved, governed, and blessed, and conducted with supreme wisdom and goodness to an end, immortal and divine? Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.