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and in which those moving bodies of water or vapour, the clouds, pass along; then the separation of the elements, earth and water, took place; the one into dry land, the other into deep and almost unfathomable oceans. The next mandate which goes forth, renders the new-made earth fruitful, clothes it with verdure, decks it with beauty, and crowns it with abundance. At the same moment, Spring puts forth her buds and blossoms, and Autumn pours forth his luxuriant stores. Alas! what a veil of misery and wretchedness has man's transgression thrown, not only over the moral world, but even over the beauteous face of nature! On the fourth day, Jehovah enkindled those celestial luminaries, which serve to enlighten, invigorate and bless the world; which have afforded the food of science to the philosophic, and of devotion to the pious mind. While all still moved on toward the perfect accomplishment of the vast plan, and God saw that it was good. The sea and the air were next impregnated with their living myriads. All the inhabitants of the waters, from the gigantic leviathan to the minutest of the finny tribe, were at once ushered into existence. Then too, the vaulted heavens began to echo with the harmonious notes of the feathered race, who, in one chorus, warbled the praises of their Creator. On the commencement of the sixth day, the earth was stocked with an endless variety of living creatures; some of enormous bulk, and others of so minute dimensions, as to elude the keenest eye of the naturalist, and the utmost refinements of art. But the top-stone of the building was yet to be laid; that which, like an exquisitely carved cornerstone, should give unity, strength and beauty to the whole fabric. This was the creation of man. Before the formation of man, (with reverence be it recorded) Deity itself seemed to make a momentary pause, and to call a solemn council! In other instan- . ces, Jehovah said, "Let there be light," &c. but in this, Let us make man! Behold at once a body of wonderous, complex, and delicate structure is framed from the dust of the earth. Yet this is but the habitation, the clay-built palace; the immortal inhabitant had not yet entered. The breath, the spirit of the Lord, went forth and infused into this exquisitely constructed frame, an immortal something, called the soul; which, both on account of its immortality and purity, might with truth be said to be impressed with the image of God.

The whole plan being completed in six days, the sacred penman adds, On the seventh day, God rested from all his works; not on account of fatigue, the constant result of human labours, which renders the sabbath a welcome day of rest to the industri

ous poor; but to signify that we ought, in commemoration of this great event, to dedicate to God a seventh part of our time; that it should be to us, not only a period of cessation from worldly business, but a holy rest unto the Lord. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

It were an endless, though a delightful task, to expatiate on the rich variety, the boundless extent, the inscrutable wonders of creation. Could we extend our view, at one glance, over the face of this earth which we inhabit, and see here, a vast continent stretched out, covered with an infinite variety of vegetable and animal wonders; and there, a spacious ocean which reflects from its lucid face, the glories of its Creator; could we penetrate beneath the surface, and explore all the hidden wonders of the mineral world; could we soar above the clouds and vapours, which overhang this little spot of earth, survey the whole universe, trace the courses of the celestial bodies, move on in the orbits of the planetary systems, or visit the fixed stations of those distant sparks, the stars, which one moment faintly glimmer on the sight, and the next, seem lost in obscurity; were it possible that human imagination could grasp but half of these, oh! how great, how exalted, how wonderful must the great author of all appear! Yet these are but a portion, and how small a portion of his ways!

Often have the talents of great and good men been employed in tracing the analogy between the works of nature and those of grace. It is the less necessary to lengthen this paper by entering into this view, though it be a most important view of the subject. Suffice it to say, that the same creating energy is necessary to renew the moral world, to illuminate the dark chaos of the human heart, and to create sinners anew in Christ Jesus unto good works, as that which in the beginning created the heavens and the earth. Does the creation furnish us with exalted conceptions of God, and lead us to give honour to its divine Author? How much more may the great work of redemption inspire our songs! A work which far excels in the wisdom and grandeur of the outline, in the magnitude and importance of the object, and in its interminable duration.

The plan of creation was like that God who sketched it; but the stupendous plan of salvation was (if on a subject so awfully great, we may use so much freedom), the chef-d'œuvre of divine wisdom. The one was executed by the fiat of Jehovah; but, to accomplish the other, it behoved Christ, the son of God, to descend from heaven, to endure the death of the cross! The works

of creation even now fade and grow old; soon will they crumble into dust but the redemption of the soul is precious, because eternal. Soon shall the visible heavens and earth pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat; nor shall even a wreck of the material world remain: yet then the works of grace shall shine with unsullied lustre, and unfaded pomp. MEMORABILIA.

REMARKABLE CONVERSION.

[Extracted from the Life of professor Gellert, of Leipsick.] "PROFESSOR GELLERT's friendship was not merely the effect of natural disposition: it was produced by a sincere love for religion and virtue. He strongly felt that they alone can make any one truly amiable; that they alone constitute happiness; and when he met with persons unfortunate enough not to possess these qualities, he was touched with a most lively compassion; and neglected nothing in his power to make them better, and consequently happier. Some years after his return to Leipsick, he became acquainted with an unfortunate person of this kind. This man was like many others, who are said not to have a bad heart. The love of pleasure and libertinism led him to infidelity; and from thence he passed on to disorders, which equally destroyed his health and his fortune. Attacked by an illness equally disgraceful and painful, he wanted for every thing: he had neither tranquillity of mind, consolation, the means of procuring to himself any assistance, nor any hope of recovery; which hope can alone support the despisers of religion, and give them that degree of calmness ever necessary to their bodily cure. Despair and impatience aggravated the sufferings of this poor wretch: the most horrible oaths proceeded from his mouth every moment; there was no imprecation he did not pronounce against himself, no blasphemy he did not utter against providence! Gellert, touched with compassion by this man's dreadful sufferings, and, above all, by the deplorable state of his soul, was very desirous of relieving him. With this view he began by endeavouring to gain his confidence, to convince him of the interest he took in him, and of the tender compasion he felt for his bodily sufferings. To have begun by speaking to him of religion and of his soul, would only have terrified him. Gellert seemed, therefore, entirely taken up with his illness, and the means of procuring him some alleviation of his sufferings. He assisted him as much as

he could, and with the utmost attention and delicacy interested his friends in his behalf; and thus procured him the assistance and comforts required to calm his mind a little, and put him in a capacity of reflecting. Highly disgusting as was his illness, Gellert was continually with him, ever attentive to assist him, to amuse him, to alleviate his sufferings, and, above all, to let him see that tender sympathy so consoling to the wretched, and which Gellert's eyes so well expressed.

"By little and little the sick man's heart softened: he became less ferocious; and, from regard to so good a friend, he moderated his transports, and the violence of his impatience. This sensibility to the friendship of an amiable and benevolent man, disposed him, by degrees, to that more noble and sublime love with which Gellert sought to inspire him. The sick man began to possess himself, and soon began to reflect; from reflection he passed to repentance, and to sincere endeavours to moderate his desperation, to restrain his tongue, and to abstain from those horrible oaths which had become so habitual to him. At length he not only permitted, but requested his friend to give him notice when, from the violence of pain, he was in danger of forgetting himself. From day to day his perplexity, his anxiety concerning his future state, and his desire of still obtaining forgiveness from God, became more lively. Till then, he had ridiculed the ministers of the gospel; now, he earnestly wished to be instructed and consoled by them. He became more and more resigned to the will of God; his patience increased with his sufferings. He lived longer than was expected; and sometimes found himself so much relieved, that it seemed as if he might still indulge a hope of recovery. Gellert in the mean time had the joy of seeing the daily progress of his conversion. He only left him when his other indispensable duties obliged him to it; and applied his utmost and unceasing care to strengthen in the sick man's mind, on one side, the sense of his unworthiness and abhorrence of his passed irregularities; and, on the other, the hope of obtaining mercy and forgiveness. This penitent sinner drew near his end. One day, when Gellert was alone with him, and they were praying together, the sick man grew suddenly faint, seized the hand of his friend, blessed and thanked him, recommended his soul to God, and expired. Gellert, surprised by a death so sudden and so calm, could hardly believe what he saw; and called for help: but seeing his presence was now become useless, he withdrew, full of emotions of joy, and of gratitude for the grace of God, which he trusted, had made him instrumental to the salvation of an immortal soul."

ON THE EVIL OF VIOLATING TRUTH.

[From the Christian Observer.]

TRUTH and justice are duties nearly allied together, truth being in words what justice is in deeds. And the same arguments which require justice to be practised amongst mankind, require also the practice of truth. Truth is often represented in scripture as a glorious and distinguished attribute of the blessed God: and in his sight all kinds of fraud and deceit are declared to be abominable. Truth requires that every thing should appear as it really is. And of so important and extensive a nature is this virtue, so nearly allied to every thing that is great and good, that it is, on the one hand, by the propagation of truth, that the interests of holiness, and the happiness of man are promoted; while, on the other, sin and misery are propagated by fraud and deceit. The sin which first brought death and ruin into the world, was introduced by a lie. Satan deceived our originał parents, by first exciting a doubt concerning God's veracity, and then by telling a direct untruth. And as it is the glory of God that he is the God of truth, so it is the characteristic of Satan that he is the father of lies. He supports his kingdom by deceit. His temptations consist in conveying false impressions; false impressions of God, as harsh, severe, tyrannical; false impressions of the service of God, as unreasonable, and attended with gloom and misery; false impressions of the nature of true happiness, which he represents to consist in things of a totally different nature from those in which it really consists; false impressions of this world, as good and desirable, while the scripture speaks of it as vain and unsatisfying; false impressions of sin, as the source of pleasure, though in truth it is ever followed by pain, and avenged by death; false impressions of the nature of religion, as consisting in foolish and unprofitable rites, absurd ceremonies, and superstitious practices. Thus the reign of sin is the reign of ignorance, and its whole empire is supported by lies and deceit. Truth, therefore, is justly represented as light; and to discern it, the understanding is enlightened by the holy spirit of God, who reveals things as they are, and manifests them in their true and proper colours, and not as they appeared to us in the ignorance and blindness of our minds. Hence the whole of religion has been represented by some writers as the discovery of truth; and the foundation of virtue has been laid in its being according to truth. Very justly also is the gospel stiled truth, because it truly reveals God to us, showing him to be a being as entirely different from what Satan and our own minds had reVOL. II.

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