of the heathen philosophers enveloped in ignorance, uncertain as to the truths of religion, need we wonder that the great mass of the Gentile world were not led, from the contemplation of the works of God, to know and adore their almighty Author? Need we be surprised at beholding the Gentile nations prostrate in adoration before the orbs that shine in the firmament, faint images of the Creator's glory? or trembling with superstitious homage before the vilest reptile that crawls on the earth? Let us no longer hear then of the ability of unassisted reason to discover and ascertain the necessary truths of religion. They were made known at the first by God himself, and spread through all nations by tradition. Reason is competent to illustrate and confirm them; and yet, alas! she disgraced and obscured them by the grossest superstitions. The world was never destitute of a revelation of God's will; natural religion, therefore, a religion discovered and established by human reason solely, never has existed. Some of the truths of revelation -as, for example, the being, and perfections, and providence, of the one supreme God, and the immortality of the soul-reason can go further in explaining and confirming, than she can those doctrines connected with the Trinity of persons in the Godhead, and man's redemption by the blood of the Son of God. But the former were made known by original revelation-reason did not discover them. It is impossible to prove that, left to herself, she ever could have discovered them, had they not been made known.

Cause then have we to bless God, that, on subjects so essential to our perfection and happiness as the knowledge of his nature and will, and our

eternal destiny; we have an authority on which to rest, more certain and stable than the discoveries of reason, which, like "the fashion of this world, passeth away." God communicated his adorable name and will to our first parents. This knowledge, obscured by the fall, he in part renewed to the patriarchs, and more fully declared in his law and covenant with the Jewish nation. But, in his unsearchable counsels, he reserved its glorious and perfect consummation for the last revelation of his will by Jesus Christ. In the blessed Gospel of his Son is contained a discovery of the divine perfections and will, of the way of salvation, and of our eternal existence, to which reason never could have attained, but which is perfectly agreeable to her clearest and most enlightened dictates. This Gospel rests on the luminous and conclusive evidence of miracles and prophecy. The sufferings and death of those who first proclaimed it, attested its supernatural facts, involving the truth of its holy, and salutary, and exalting doctrines. Its rapid spread through the world, though opposed by the bigotry of the Jews and the learning and power of the Gentile world, proved that the arm which sustained it is divine. So valuable then to us, as it respects the order, the peace, the purity of the present life; so indispensible, as it respects the destinies of the life to come; let us hold fast to this blessed Gospel, resisting the assaults of the vain wisdom of this world, which would wrest us from this sure anchor of all our hopes, and cast us on the troubled ocean of doubt, and gloom, and despair.

There yet lives in the recollection of the present generation, the awful example of the impiety and crimes into which men will plunge, when forsaking

the unerring light of revelation, they take for their guide the illusive dictates of reason, and the corrupt impulses of their passions. A fearful war was waged, of atheism, irreligion, and licentiousness, against religion, virtue, and social order. The din of the conflict still sounds in our ears-the traces of its ravages are not yet obliterated in the nation which it desolated. The spirit of enmity to religion and to social order that kindled this conflict and so long fed its flames, exerts among us the deadly purpose of exterminating our holy religion, that licentiousness may have no control on its corrupt and desolating reign. Let us cling with renewed steadfastness to that pure, enlightening, and consoling system of religion revealed in the word of God, which will secure us from the corrupting principles of that world, "the fashion of which passeth away," and conduct us to everlasting perfection and bliss in the future existence which it reveals.

Unchanging and substantial happiness is not to be found but in the love and favour of the everliving God, the means of obtaining which are revealed in the Gospel of his Son. May his grace excite you from the heart to embrace, and strengthen you to hold fast his divine truths and promises. May his blessing, that maketh truly rich, that conveys unfailing and sure light and peace, follow you in all your enjoyments and pursuits. May his merciful providence preserve you, to come before him in this holy temple, on many returns of this day, more fervent and vigorous in your love and trust in him, more sincere and devoted in his service.

May he, the almighty and eternal God, be your VOL. III. 6

refuge and your portion, that when the vain wisdom of this world passeth away, your peace, stayed on him, the rock of ages, may endure for ever. May he be your Deliverer and Saviour, that, beyond this transitory and perishing world, you may find an inheritance eternal, undefiled, and that fadeth not away,

SERMON V.

THE RACE NOT TO THE SWIFT.

ECCLES. ix. 11.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

THE universe is governed by that almighty Being whose power called it into existence. That it owes its origin to some cause, and that this cause must be intelligent, infinitely powerful, and infinitely perfect, is a strong dictate of reason. "The fool only saith in his heart, there is no God."*

But if the world be created by an infinitely powerful and perfect Being, it must be preserved and governed by him. The same intelligence and power which produced it, will be necessary to sustain it. The infinite perfection of the Creator cannot permit him to be a passive spectator of the work of his hands, nor his infinite goodness to leave his intelligent creation unprotected. "The Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath."+" He is the Governor among the nations."+

Under the control of the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, the physical and moral world is

* Psalm xiv. 1.

† Deut. iv. 39.

Psalm xxii. 28.