made of coral, or of pearls; for the price of WISDOM, is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh WISDOM? and where is the place of UNDERSTANDING ?—Behold, the FEAR of the LORD, that is WISDOM; and to depart from evil is UNDERSTANDING. If such is the value of WISDOM, the search will undoubtedly repay the labour. But, have we any assurance that the inestimable treasure may be found? The Wisest of men will answer to our satisfaction: My son, if thou wilt receive my words; and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thy ear unto WISDOM, and apply thine heart to UNDERSTANDING: yea, if thou criest after KNOWLEDGE, and liftest up thy voice for UNDERSTANDING; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of GOD-thou shalt understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. All this implies the greatest possible attention to our religious concerns. With these fine sentiments I take my leave, commending you to GOD, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, if you will submit to its authority, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. If you are right, in your present state of mind, may you continue in the right way to the end of your days, and increase and abound therein more and more. I think, however, you should be extremely cautious how you contradict and blaspheme what so many wise and good men esteem the truth of GOD, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets-Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish !-Speaking modestly, your situation is not altogether without danger. It is impossible you should be perfectly satisfied that all is as you could wish *. "Since then we die but once, and after death Our state no alteration knows, But when we have resign'd our breath Th' immortal spirit goes To endless joys, or everlasting woes; Wise is the man, who labours to secure That mighty and important stake, *He was no inconsiderable man who said, "To doubt of the Gospel is folly, to reject it is madness." JORTIN'S Sermons, vol. 4. p. 111. And by all methods strives to make His passage safe, and his reception sure." As to myself, I am thoroughly satisfied with that God, that REDEEMER, and that SANCTIFIER which the Christian Scriptures hold out to the view and acceptance of mankind. I am perfectly pleased with those Scripturest, and with all Let the sceptical reader consult Dr. ROBERTSON, the Historian's, very sensible Discourse on the Situation of the World at the Time of CHRIST'S Appearance, and its Connection with the Success of his Religion. A conscientious reader cannot fail of being edified by such a discourse. † When I have spoken above in such strong terms of the volume of Revelation, it is by no means intended to cast any slight upon the volume of Nature. While we daily study the former, we shall do well to pay all due attention to the latter, according to our opportunities of investigation. To an enlightened observer, they both carry indubitable marks of their great original. The heavens declare the glory of GoD, and the earth is full of his riches. The most perfect catalogue of stars, before the present ingenious and indefatigable Dr. HERSCHEL appeared, did not contain quite 5,000; but by the vast superiority of his glasses, he hath discovered 44,000 stars in a few degrees of the heavens*; and by the same proportion it is supposed, that 75,000,000 are exposed in the expanse to human investigation t. All these stars are of a fiery nature, and conjec tured to be so many suns with their systems of planets moving round them. We know the sun to be the centre of our system. It is accompanied with 19 planets, besides about 450 comets. What an amazing idea does this give us of the works of GOD! And if such is the Work, what must the WORKMAN be! Every part of nature, moreover, with which we are acquainted, is full of living creatures, with stores of every kind to supply their ne cessities. This little globe of ours is known to contain within its bowels a great variety of valuable minerals, and to be covered with about 20,000 different species of vegetables, 3,000 species of worms, 12,000 species of insects, 200 species of amphibious animals, 550 species of birds, 2,600 species of fish, and 200 species of quadrupeds. How immense then must be the number of individuals! One fly is found to bring forth 2000 at a time, and a single cod-fish to produce considerably more than three millions and a half of young. Nay, LEEWENHOEK tells us, that there are more animals in the milt of a single cod-fish, than there are men upon the whole earth. Over all these creatures preside upwards of 730 millions * See the Dissertations of Dr. HERSCHEL, relative to this brilliant portion of the heavens, in the Philosophical Transactions. + JEROME DE LALANDE, Director of the French Observatory, supposes at a glass of HERSCHEL's powers may discover 90 millions of stars in the whole surface of the heavens, and that even this number is but small, in comparison of what exists. Monthly Mag. for Oct. 1798. p. 265. the divine dispensations therein recorded. Our God hath "These are thy glorious works, PARENT of good; Thus wondrous fair; THYSELF how wondrous then! To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and pow'r divine," T plead his own cause, and all the wickedness of men, and the convulsions and distress of nations, shall wind up to his eternal credit. The LORD is King, be the people never so impatient; he sitteth between the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet. His Gospel is no other than the plan devised by infinite wisdom for the melioration of mankind. The immortal seed is sown; the principle of life has vegetated; the little leaven is diffusing itself far and wide. Much has been done; much is doing; much Ishall be done Millions of reasonable creatures have already found eternal rest in consequence of the REDEEMER's dying love: multitudes of souls at this moment are happy in their own bosoms under a sense of the divine favour: and innumerable myriads of men shall arise, believing in his name, trusting in his mediation, and rejoicing in his salvation, maugre all the opposition of fallen Christians and apostate spirits. Wise and gracious is the DIVINE BEING in all his ways, and I rejoice that he is the GOVERNOUR among the people. To his service I avowedly devote my feeble powers, as long as he shall vouchsafe me the exercise of them; nor will I cease to speak the honours of his MAJESTY while the breath continues to actuate this mortal frame. And, "When even at last the solemn hour shall come, Where UNIVERSAL LOVE not smiles around, |