and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun; which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."

27. And that those whose conceptions cannot extend to the right contemplation of the material universe, may not be without a lesson, Heaven furnishes one in the insect world. Thus, we find the association of bees to surpass all that has ever been heard of among men. A modern author observes, that the hive is a school, to which numbers of persons ought to be sent for prudence, industry, benevolence, patriotism, economy, neatness, and temperance, are all visible among the bees. These little animals are actuated by a social spirit, which forms them into a body politic, intimately united, and perfectly happy. They all labour for the general advantage. They are all submissive to the laws and regulations of the community; having no particular interest nor distinction, but those which nature, or the necessities of their young, have introduced among them. We never see them dissatisfied with their condition, or inclinable to abandon their hive in disgust, at finding themselves slaves or necessitous. On the contrary, they think themselves in perfect freedom and perfect affluence; and such indeed is their real condition. They are free, because they only depend on the laws; and they are happy, because the concurrence of their several labours inevitably produces an abundance, which contributes to the riches of each individual. Human societies, compared with this, will appear altogether monstrous; for although necessity, reason, and philosophy, have established them, for the commendable purposes of mutual aid and benefit, a spirit of selfishness too often destroys all. And one half of mankind, to load themselves with superfluities, leave the other destitute of common necessaries.-(Wonders of Nature and Art.)

28. Let us however hear what another writer says. Among men, observes Buffon, all thediversity of character and variety of action proceed entirely from the mind. But brute animals who have no mind, and consequently are destitute of that principle which can alone give rise to variety of character, or of personal accomplishments; must, when they resemble each other in organization, or are of the same species, do the same things in the same manner, and imitate one another more perfectly than one man can imitate the actions of another man. Of course, the talent of imitation possessed by the brute animals, so far from implying thought or reflection, proves that they are absolutely deprived of both. Bees, taken separately, have less genius than the dog, the monkey, and most other animals. It will likewise be

admitted, that they have less docility, less attachment, and less sentiment; and that they possess fewer qualities relative to those of the human species. Their union presupposes not intellectual powers, for they unite not from moral views: they find themselves assembled together without their consent. This society, therefore, is a physical assemblage ordained by nature, and has no dependence on knowledge or reasoning. Whatever may be the effects of this association, it is clear that they have neither been foreseen nor conceived by the creatures which produced them, and that they result solely from laws of mechanism, established by the Almighty. The hexagonal cells of the bee, which have been the subject of so much admiration, furnish an additional proof of the stupidity of these insects: this figure, though extremely regular, is nothing but a mechanical result, which is often exhibited in some of the most rude productions of nature. Crystals, and several other stones, as well as particular salts, &c. constantly assume this figure. By reciprocal compression, they necessarily assume an hexagonal figure. In the same manner, each bee endeavours to occupy as much space as possible, in the limited dimensions of the hive; and, therefore, as the bodies of the bees are cylindrical, they must necessarily make their cells hexagonal from the reciprocal obstruction they give to each other.-(Of the Nature of Animals.)

29. Hence it is abundantly obvious, that the sublime law of association, is capable of its highest application to moral beings only. What Addison says of the soul, will apply to moral association. There is not, in my opinion, says he, a more pleasing and triumphant consideration in religion, than this of the perpetual progress which the soul makes towards the perfection of its nature, without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength, to consider that she is to shine for ever with new accessions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge, carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man. Nay, it must be a prospect pleasing to God himself, to see his creation for ever beautifying in his eyes, and drawing nearer to him by greater degrees of resemblance. With what astonishment and veneration may we look into our own souls, where there are such hidden stores of virtue and knowledge, such inexhausted sources of perfection? We know not yet what we shall be, nor will it ever enter into the heart of man to conceive the glory that will be always in reserve for him. The soul, considered with its Creator, is like one of those mathematical lines, that may draw nearer to another for all eternity, without a possibility of touching it; and can there be a thought so transporting as to consider ourselves in these perpetual approaches to him, who is not only the standard of perfection but of happiness!-(Spec

tator.) No mathematical truth is more evident, than that by rightly associating, all may become what they were originally designed to be, a little lower only than the angels.--(Psalm viii. 5.)

30. Let us imagine the transcendently happy state of things actually to exist, that would prevail on earth if the divine will were done as extensively and as perfectly as it ought; and that ONE rebel arose to disturb this state. What then should be the conduct of ALL the others? Why, obviously, by every possible exertion to bring him back to his duty. And if another or others joined him in his rebellion, the exertions of the rest should be redoubled. Like the children of Israel, they should for this purpose be gathered together as one man. (vi. 232.) If the generation in which the disorder arose were so unmindful of its interests, as to omit by all lawful means as far as possible to suppress it, the next would obviously be bound so to do, and the same of every subsequent one. Let us further suppose, that in many successive generations, the numbers of the rebels augmented; the duty of all the truly faithful servants of Heaven, in every generation, obviously must have been, to redouble their efforts to suppress the miserable disorder. What proposition in Euclid can be more clear, than that the farther men generally are from doing the divine will, and the more the numbers of the contumacious increase; the more powerful are the inducements for all the wise and good to emulate one another in holy living, and to cause them to put forth all their strength, to bring all their more erring brethren to repentance; to induce them earnestly to seek for that which makes alike for their temporal and eternal well being. The faithful servants of Heaven, in whatever age of the world they arose, and those of the present day therefore, might or may truly say to each other, 'Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' 'The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.' Let each of us individually, and as far as possible all of us collectively, pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.' Let us remember and apply to ourselves the words of our Lord,-'I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work.'

31. Consider, reader, when at the close of your earthly career, what will be your feelings, if you can humbly and truly say of yourself, 'When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the

lame. I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out.' Think reader what a source of unspeakable felicity it will be to you throughout eternity, that you have saved one soul from the bitter pangs of eternal death! What will be your exultation, when you shall be surrounded by angels in the mansions of the blessed, congratulating you as being the honoured instrument of turning many to righteousness. What will be the transports of your joy, when you shall thus be welcomed by your Lord: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' Of what importance it is for each to do all that lies in him, is obvious from considering, that with few exceptions, it is simply and entirely by the neglect on the part of each individual, of doing all that lay in him in the cause of virtue that the mighty, mighty, mighty aggregate of guilt and misery which has been committed and suffered since the creation, and which now deluges the world, has accumulated.

32. Let it be considered, as far as human ability can estimate. it, what would be the effects of millions all working for the good of each other; all watching with a holy jealousy the conduct of each other, to prevent the slightest ill arising to any single associate, and to educe, under the divine blessing, the highest degree of good to all. How unspeakably powerfully would such a state of things operate to make all love each other and their Great Creator, to the utmost extent of their powers. And what a mighty plenitude of happiness to all would thence result. Such we may suppose it is, with the angelic host. And the happiness enjoyed by men on earth might be at once the prelude and preparation for that inconceivably greater felicity that awaits them on their translation to Heaven. It is assuredly very reprehensible for any to desire to dogmatize over their fellows. But when the faithful servants of Heaven, with due humility, at suitable seasons and places, endeavour to repress the iniquity going on around them; let the contumacious forget not, that their being regardless of these holy endeavours, in a high degree increases their accountability in the sight of God; for contemning one of the great means he has appointed, for repressing human wickedness, and all its miserable consequences. Thus we see, as to every man, how true it is, that in the well-being of all around him, and of those that are to succeed him, are involved his temporal and eternal welfare. (vi. 201.) Each can in no way become happy in time or eternity, but by promoting to the utmost of his power the good of all mankind; even, if necessary, (so that the glory of God would thereby be promoted,) by laying down his life for the great object. The sole rule for the whole conduct of every man that comes into the world, therefore is, to do all that lies in him, that the will of God shall be done as perfectly and as extensively as possible.

33. Antecedent to an examination of the matter, a sinless spiritual being would, it may be expected, consider it almost incredible, that (among creatures constituted by Heaven as men are); there really should be one rebel against its most gracious will. So far, however, from this being the case, the true state of things, as we have elsewhere said, is, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' But our inquirer would probably be yet ready to urge, that though all have sinned, it has been in some venial matter, and but for a moment ; and that having seen the error of their ways, men have loathed themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and for their abominations. But, alas! it is quite different from this, as they drink iniquity like water. Our inquirer would probably still be ready to insist, that it could only be a few who acted thus, and that no instance could be found, of a whole generation in any nation, pursuing an unrighteous course. What, then, must be his astonishment to learn, that not one generation only, but all the generations throughout a nation's existence have thus acted; by allowing their constitution and code to be established and maintained in opposition to the will of the Most High. And how must this astonishment be increased by finding that this is so with most or all the nations that have existed, and do now exist, on the whole earth.

34. How utter the rebellion of the human race throughout its generations has been against Heaven, may in some degree be perceived from what follows. Several thousand years have elapsed since the creation. Countless myriads of human beings have peopled the earth, and nearly a thousand millions now exist upon it. With the exception of those to whom portions of land have been assigned, by the special appointment of Heaven, as was the case with the ancient Hebrews; the great question of the right to the property in the land, has been one of the highest importance to every other man that ever came into, or now is in the world. How great, then, must have been, and now is, the wickedness of men in suffering this all-absorbing affair to remain unsettled. One should have imagined that the first man that ever arose in the world, who had not a property in the land especially assigned to him from above; would, on arriving at mature years, have directed all the powers of his mind to the determination of the great question; and that, if he neglected it, some one at least in his generation would have taken it up, and placed it on a foundation fixed as the throne of the Eternal, whence alone it could have emanated. What language, then, is sufficiently condemnatory of this whole generation for having neglected to perform this great duty; and what as to all future ones, down to and including the present; and every man at least, if not every woman in it? In the earlier ages of the world a man could say to his neighbour,-'Is not the whole land before