"The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." His invisible perfections are seen in his visible works. As if the apostle had said, The admirable formation of the world is a sensible demonstration to all mankind of an eternal, omniscient, and self-existing Being, who was its author and contriver: the strokes of the Creator's hand are conspicuously engraven in every part of nature; the heavens, the earth, the ocean, and all things they contain, are evident testimonies of the excellence of the first cause; and therefore they who shut their eyes, refusing to see the footsteps of the Deity, are most certainly without excuse.

Let any man consider the evidences, which are within the reach of his own observation, of the existence of God, and he will find they are numerous and convincing. When we see things, void of all sense and reason, directed to as proper and beneficial ends as they could be were they possessed of these qualifications, we may be certain there is a reason without them, an infinite Being, who, having formed them, thus directs their motions; it being inconceivable how mere chance, or blind necessity having no design, art, or contrivance, should as constantly and regularly operate as reason itself.

Consider, for instance, the heavenly bodies, which are utterly void of understanding, and therefore cannot direct their own movements. How came they to be placed, and continue, at

such commodious distances from each other? whereas, in the immensity of space, there were millions of other situations to occupy. If under its own direction; the earth might have found sufficient space for a residence, either much nearer, or more remote from the sun than it is. But, if it had, what would have been the result? Would it not have been constantly parched, or always frozen? whereas, in its present relative situation, it is at the most convenient distance to be warmed and cherished by the enlivening rays of the solar orb; from which it receives such a temperate heat as renders it comfortable, fruitful, and congenial to the health of its inhabitants. Since, therefore, of the vast number of situations in boundless space which surrounds the earth, in some of which it might have been fixed, it was placed in the most proper one, and does still continue in it, without any plan or choice of its own, it is evident there is an overruling wisdom which selected its situation, and an almighty energy which renders it stationary.

How came the sun, having no intellect by which to govern itself, to be determined to such a regular and useful course of motion (to speak unphilosophically) which causes it to move round the earth in twenty-four hours, which revolution it has performed for many ages without any alteration in the line of its progression, whereby the regular returns of day and night are produced to both hemispheres, and the heat and moisture, on which all generation depends, are preserved in a due and correct temperature?

And, though it does thus equally move round the earth, yet in its course it every day describes a different circle, almost a whole degree farther toward the north, or south, so constantly as not to vary in its revolution either one way or the other, and by which are produced the different seasons of the year. How then came the sun, which has no conception of utility, and proposes no end, to be directed into such a beneficial course of annual motion? It is evident that all its motions are governed by an infinitely wise and overruling mind.

The moon is a planet wholly destitute of sense and intellect, yet its motion is regular, which is a striking instance of a superintending agency. That no part of the earth might be deprived of the necessary comfort of light, God made this satellite to supply this globe with it in the absence of the sun; which is a benefit of great importance to man.

Now I say, these heavenly bodies perform their motions with as much regularity and exact order, as if they had fully considered, and perfectly understood, the reasons of these motions. But it is not by a reason of their own that they thus act, because whatever they do they necessarily do, and cannot possibly do otherwise; for they never vary in their operations, never try any new experiments, but always proceed in the same road, and repeat the same things in the same method; which plainly evinces, they cannot do otherwise, and, consequently, that they act not from reason, but necessity. Since,

therefore, the reason of their acting so rationally and wisely is not from themselves, it is a plain evidence that they are guided by a Divine mind, which has the directing of their motions, and governs and disposes all things.

Pointing, then, to this system of wonders, a person, to the entire confusion of atheists, may demand :-Who made the firmament; and, placing the sun it, appointed its motion, and caused its influence? Who has measured its race, that it should, without failing, perform its daily and annual revolution, so as to divide times and seasons to all the world? Who has given a particular motion to all the voluminous orbs of heaven? Who beat out a path for every star in which to walk and shine? Who framed this globe of earth, and supports its pillars? Whe gave the sea its bounds, enclosing the great and proud ocean with a girdle of sand, so as to restrain it from overflowing the land while more elevated? Who bids the rains descend, and refresh the mountains, plains, and valleys? Why does the rain ever fall or ever cease? Why does not the sun start from its centre, and overwhelm and burn up the earth, which it has hitherto replenished with beauty and joy? Why does not the air putrefy, and become infectious to man and beast? Who gave instinct to animals, and why do they propagate each its kind? and why does every species remain entire, when so many individuals are continually lost and die? Why do not animals rise up in rebellion against man, and destroy him? Who limits and controls

contending nations, that one does not prevail to the destruction of the rest? And, by what secret energy has the established order and harmony of nature been maintained during so many thousand years? To these questions atheists could never return proper answers.

Many absurdities, woful confusion, and sad consequences, would necessarily follow the denial of the existence of God. For if there were no God, it is impossible there could be any, because eternal is one of his essential perfections so that while the atheist affirms there is no God, he does, and must also of necessity assert, there can be none. If there were no God, all the intrinsic difference between moral good and evil, virtue and vice, would be at an end. If there were no God, and the belief of this were rooted in the minds of men, there would be nothing but confusion, injustice,rapine, falsehood, violence, and every other evil abounding in the world, and rendering mankind miserable. There would be nothing to keep men in awe, and prescribe bounds to their blind, irregular, and impetuous passions; for, it is the sense of a Deity, the fear of God, as the supreme Judge of the world, the merciful rewarder of goodness and virtue, and just avenger of vice and wickedness, that is the foundation of all good order among men; and, surely, that which destroys all these principles, cannot be a truth. Nay, if there were no God, the condition of mankind would be beyond expression miserable. On this supposition, they would have no comfort