Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then,
Unspeakable !'

What an astonishing act must it have been to create a world, its furniture and its inhabitants, together with all their natures and qualities, and to prepare them for all their successive operations; many of these inhabitants destined to live, and many of these operations destined to affect them, throughout eternity.

What a mind must that be, which could contain an exact as well as comprehensive scheme of all the parts, characteristical qualities, and operations of such a work; which, without confusion or mistake, could see through the whole, and discern every consequence, even in the remotest ages of being; which could so exactly prescribe the nature, determine the operations, and limit the number of parts, however great, however minute; and in the progress of duration find no cause for the least change in the work, or the least deviation from the system.

Such are the views which justly arise from the contemplation of our world, as it now is. How much more forcibly would they have been impressed on our minds, had we lived in the same world, as it came fresh and fair from the hands of the Creator, when he surveyed every thing that he had done, and pronounced it very good.' How delightfully should we have been affected by the objects contained in the present world, had we been superior to death, and destined to live for ever; had we been planted in Eden, where the air, the earth, and the waters, teemed with life; and immortality breathed in the winds, flowed in the streams, ripened in the fruits, and exhaled from the flowers. At the side of our first parents, and encircled by paradise, how instinctively should we have exclaimed, Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive blessing, and glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast made all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.'

The source of all these wonders is the Lord Jesus Christ. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were

created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.' To Him therefore is this admiration and glory due; and to him, the obedience, confidence and worship, which the Creator of the universe justly challenges from his intelligent creation.

SERMON XXII.

CREATION.

MAN.

AND GOD SAID, LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS; AND LET THEM HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA, AND OVER THE FOWL OF THE AIR, AND OVER THE CATTLE, AND OVER ALL THE EARTH, AND OVER EVERY CREEPING THING THAT CREEPETH UPON THE EARTH. SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD CREATED HE HIM; MALE AND FEMALE CREATED HE THEM.

GENESIS 1. 26, 27.

In several preceding Discourses, I have considered the formation of the Heavens, the character and circumstances of Angels, both virtuous and fallen, and the Creation of the world in which we dwell. The next subject of our investigation is Man. This subject, though far less splendid than several of the preceding themes of contemplation, is yet peculiarly interesting to us. Every thing that relates to it must directly and intimately concern ourselves; and nothing of this nature can be to us uninvested with serious importance, or undeserving of our particular attention.

Nor is this the only point of view in which Man claims a high regard. God himself has bestowed an attention upon him, which has not been given even to angels themselves. Angels, when they fell, were banished for ever from the presence and favour of their Creator. But when man had fallen, the Son of God descended from heaven; assumed our

nature, lived in this world a suffering life, and died a shameful death, that we might be saved. From the grave also he arose on the third day, ascended to heaven, sat down at the right hand of God the Father; and became head over all things' for the benefit of his church. Angels themselves are employed by him in promoting this mighty work; and are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.' For man, heaven, shut to the apostate angels, is again opened. For man also, when the earth and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up, and the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved; new heavens, and a new earth,' like the fabled Phoenix out of its ashes, shall arise, in which righteousness shall dwell' for ever.

Man therefore, notwithstanding his humble origin and guilty character, is an object, rendered highly important on account of the peculiar regard exhibited to him by his Maker. At the same time we ought, in every general estimate of man, to remember, that at his creation he was endued with powers, placed in circumstances, and destined to enjoyments, of no inconsiderable distinction and glory. This reference we are, in every such case, taught to make by St. James; who, speaking of the abuses of the tongue, and of cursing our fellowmen as one of those abuses, mentions the original character of human nature as a consideration plainly enhancing both the absurdity and the guilt of this evil conduct. 'Therewith,' says this apostle, bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, who are,' or as in the Greek, who were made in the similitude of God.'

In the text, the Author of all things is exhibited as holding a consultation, concerning the creation of man. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' The work of creation is in the Scriptures indifferently attributed to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That it is attributed to the Father, will not be questioned. That it is attributed to the Son, and to the Spirit, can no more be questioned, if we allow the Scriptures to speak the customary language of men; or indeed, if we allow them to speak language that has any defensible construction, or any meaning.

The text declares to us, in a clear and decisive manner, that more persons than one were concerned in the design of

creating man; and that some person or persons were addressed by the speaker. Various attempts have indeed been made to avoid the proof, furnished by this passage, to the doctrine of the Trinity; and in this manner to force out of view the obvious and only meaning of the terms. But none of these attempts, which I have seen, will bear examination.

In the first place: The style royal is not adopted here. This is the use of the plural personal pronoun, instead of the singular, to denote an individual; a practice adopted by modern princes, with an intention to distinguish themselves from inferior mortals. He who can believe that Jehovah would in this manner violate the propriety of language to distinguish himself, and countenance human pride and folly, in its ridiculous labours for the acquisition of personal superiority, must, to say the least, have formed extraordinary views concerning the character of his Creator. That God has not acted in this manner is unanswerably clear from the universal tenour of the scriptural language. Only a single specimen, and that a doubtful one, of the style in question, can be found in the sacred writings. Nor is this in the Hebrew style; but copied from the decree of a Persian monarch, some thousands of years after the Pentateuch was written. The simplicity of the scriptural language is supreme. Every thing is spoken of as it is, and in the mere phraseology of A Jew, if the passage had been intended to speak in this manner, would hardly have been able to discover its signification.

nature.

But what places the point in question out of dispute is the declaration of the same glorious Being, in the third chapter and twenty second verse. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil.' It will not be pretended that even a modern prince, when declaring that one of his subjects had become like himself, would say, This man has become as one of us.

Our Saviour, who understood this subject incomparably better than these commentators, has explained to us this phraseology in a manner which solves every rational doubt. Speaking, as St. John declares, John xii. 41, in Isaiah vi. 8, He says, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us.' Again, addressing his Father, John xvii. 21, He says, That they all may

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