which it is composed, forms an object great beyond our conception. And if, as astronomers suppose, the fixed stars are so many suns, in the centre of their several systems; and that there are other suns and systems without number, beyond the remotest star ever discovered by human eye, how immense the creation of God! But whether this opinion be correct or not, what we behold, and know, of the works of God, is enough to make us sink, with the Psalmist, into nothing before him. His words are these, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers; the moon and stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him?"

Besides the planetary system, God has made a vast variety and an innumerable multitude of animals. The number of these on the earth, in the air, and in the sea, at one time, is, to us, infinite. What, then, must be the number of the continued successions of these different kinds of animals, for seven thousand years?

beyond our comprehension. We
form no adequate conception of
the vast multitude, who inhabit
this earth at once. And the earth
is continually changing its inhabi-
tants. What, then, must be the
number, who inhabit the earth, in
seven thousand years? At present,
the computation, from the bills of
mortality, is, that as many die, as
one for every second. According
to this, three thousand and six
hundred leave this world, and go
into eternity, every hour.
being continued for many thou-
sand years, what will be the num-
ber of the human race, which we
must meet at the bar of God, in
the day of judgment!

This

All these beings and things are comprehended in God's works of creation." By him were all things made, and without him was not anything made, which was made.”

God's works of Providence are his most holy, wise and powerful upholding and governing all things which he has made.

The apostle, to the Hebrews, speaking of the Word, or Son of God, says, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power." Job, speaking of himself, says to God, "Thou hast granted me life, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit." Daniel says, "The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.” The apostle says, "In him we live and move and have our being." And again," He is before all things, and by him all things consist. By these passages, we are plainly taught, that we, and all creatures and things, are constant

Of intelligent creatures, God has made angels and men. Of any other intelligent creatures, we have no account. I believe it to be the general opinion, that God made a great multitude of the angels, both of those who stood holy, through the term of their probation, and of those who fell, by sinning, and are now reserved in chains of darkness" unto the judgment of the great day." Our Lord told his disciples, that more than twelve legions of those who stood, and are now confirmed in holiness and happiness, might, at his request, be sent to his assist-ly upheld, or kept in existence, by ance. And the reply of one of the fallen angels was, My name is Legion: for we are many.

The number of our race is far

the power of God. Without his divine and constant energy, we can neither live, nor move, nor have a being.

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We are more abundantly taught instrument, and as much under his that God governs all the works of direction, and doing his work, as his hands. David says, "The the axe, or the saw, is the instruLord hath prepared his throne in ment of the mechanic and governthe heavens; and his kingdom rul- ed by him in performing his work. eth over all." And again, "Thy Yet he declares his purpose to kingdom is an everlasting king- punish the stout heart of the king dom, and thy dominion endureth of Assyria, And he gives this throughout all generations. He good reason for his wickedness upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth and for his punishment: The Asup all that be bowed down. The syrian did not mean to be the ineyes of all wait upon thee; and strument of God, nor to do his will thou givest them their meat in due or work. Isaiah says, "The Lord season. Thou openest thine hand, hath purposed, and who shall disand satisfiest the desire of every annul it? And his hand is stretchliving thing." He also represents ed out, and who shall turn it the elements of nature as being back? Nebuchadnezzar says, under his government. "Fire "He doth according to his will in and hail, snow and vapour; stormy the army of heaven, and among wind fulfil his word." Solomon the inhabitants of the earth. God says, "A man's heart deviseth says, "I have withholden the rain his way: but the Lord directeth from you. I caused it to rain upon his steps. The lot is cast into one city, and caused it not to rain the lap: but the whole disposing upon another city. I have smitten thereof is of the Lord." God you with blasting and mildew: says, "O Assyrian, the rod of when your gardens, and your vinemine anger, and the staff in their yards, and your fig trees and your hand is mine indignation. I will olive trees increased, the palmer send him against an hypocritical worm devoured them. I have sent nation, and against the people of among you the pestilence: your my wrath will I give him a charge, young men have I slain with the to take the spoil, and to take the sword, and have taken away your prey, and to tread them down like houses. Lo, he that formeth the the mire of the streets. Howbeit, mountains, and createth the wind, he meaneth not so, neither doth and declareth unto man what is his heart think so; but it is in his his thought, that maketh the mornheart to destroy and to cut off na-ing darkness, and treadeth upon tions not a few. Wherefore it the high places of the earth, the shall come to pass, that when the Lord, the God of hosts is his Lord hath performed his whole name." work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against him that lifteth it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. Here God represents the Assyrian as being his

Our Lord says, "He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, and maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good. Behold, the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." The apostle says, "It is God who work

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worlds, all his creatures and all their actions. His power must ever be present to uphold his creatures, his wisdom to direct them, and his goodness to supply their

wants.

God's work of redemption comprehends all he does in saving sin

eth in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Another apostle says, " Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights; with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Another apostle says, Angels, and authorities, and powners of the human race. It began ers, are made subject unto him.' in the covenant of redemption Paul says of Christians, including formed between the three Persons himself, In whom also we have of the sacred Trinity. In this obtained an inheritance, being pre- covenant, the Word agreed to be destinated according to the pur- come incarnate, to make atonepose of him, who worketh all things ment for the sins of the world, and after the counsel of his own will. to publish the gospel of reconciliaDavid says, God is judge; he tion. The Father agreed to give putteth down one and setteth up the Son a certain number of the another." Daniel says, “He | human race, as the reward of his changeth the times and seasons; sufferings, and to grant him all he removeth kings and setteth up needed assistance in his work as kings; he giveth wisdom to the Mediator. The Holy Ghost agreed wise, and knowledge to them that to renew, to sanctify and fit for know understanding. I form the salvation, all that the Father had light and create darkness: I make given to the Son. In this work, peace and create evil. I the Lord God raised up many prophets to do all these things." foretel the coming of the Messiah. From these passages, selected And when the fulness of time was from many, it is strikingly evident, come, God sent his Son into the that the providence of God is uni- world, to be the propitiation, and versal and very particular. He to make atonement for sin. It holds, not only the planets in their was the work of God to choose out orbits, but fixes the stations of the heirs of salvation. The aposmen, and the bounds of their hab- tle Peter calls tem the elect itation. He uses men, both good according to the fore-knowledge and bad, as his instruments to ful- of God the Father, through sanctifil the purposes of his providence. fication of the Spirit unto obediHe directs their steps, and dis-ence, and sprinkling of the blood poses of their lots, the most casual events. He raises monarchs to the throne and sinks them to the dust. He builds up individuals and kingdoms and pulls them down. He makes war, and he makes peace. He sends blessings, and he sends judgments. He wounds, and he heals: he kills and he makes alive. He controls the winds and the waves. He even orders the lighting of a sparrow and the falling of a hair, There is no action or event, but what is directed by his all his providence. He governs

of Jesus Christ." It is the work of God to renew the hearts of his chosen. "To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but of God." The sanctification of the saints is also the work of God. The apos tle directs Christians to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in them both to will and to do of

his good pleasure." God works imperfect. If God does not foreall the holiness in the hearts of know all things; then he is daily saints, and causes them to perse-growing in knowledge. This would be inconsistent with his immutability. If God is continually increasing in knowledge, he is continually changing; he is ever mutable. Hence, if we conceive of God as being absolutely perfect, we must believe him possessed of perfect, or unlimited knowledge.