of the infinite power, the unfathomable wisdom, and the exuberant goodness of the glorious and everpresent Deity.

Beholding the astonishing works of the Almighty Author of nature, reflecting men are confirmed in their belief in his "eternal power and Godhead.” Surveying the illimitable arch of heaven above,the mysterious atmosphere around us,-the fluid ether, the liquid air which we breathe, the outstretched firmament bespangled with innumerable brilliant stars, and adorned with two magnificent luminaries, the sun and moon,-the greater affording its benign influences, as the inexhaustible source of light and heat to all on earth, the latter reflecting the radiance of the solar orb,-and the entire system keeping an undeviating course, in orderly, silent and harmonious motion, imparting manifold blessings to every part of the universe; the beholder is filled with profound astonishment. He feels the force of the psalmist's beautiful language, and is impressed with the sublime sentiments regarding the Divine Architect of the skies -"the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." (Psalm xix. 1.)

Intelligent men of devout spirit survey with wonder the vast terraqueous globe, which the Creator "hangeth upon nothing," poising it in the liquid air, in an exact relation to other bodies still more magnificent, and performing its revolutions, both diurnal and annual, bearing in its mysterious flight through boundless space, all its lofty mountains, continents and islands, with its flowing seas and

oceans, stored with endless treasures, and occupied by innumerable inhabitants,—all evidently ordained for the benefit of man, their constituted lord. And, while contemplating the mechanism of their own. bodily frame, and reflecting on their various mental faculties, the pious are constrained to adore and praise their infinitely glorious though unseen Creator. Enlightened reason prompts them to worship; and, influenced by a spirit of devotion, they give forth their souls in the expressive exclamation of the inspired philosopher, "O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches; so is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts." (Psalm civ. 24, 25.)

men.

Creation is truly a volume of revelation, spread open by the blessed God before all the children of Such it has been acknowledged by many, even among the heathen. Reflecting men have convisible works of God the

fidently inferred from the excellency of his adorable character, and the glory of his moral perfections. They understand the

apostle's argument against the criminal folly of the heathen-"For 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; so that they are without excuse." (Rom. i. 20.)

Irreligious men, however, even while possessing the further revelation of God in the Scriptures, practically deny this argument. Some of them may even admit its correctness; but "having their un

derstanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts" (Eph. iv. 18), they will derive no profit by it. "A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this" (Psalm xcii. 6), so as to yield up his powers in the worship and service of God. But every human being, in the sound exercise of his intellectual powers, admits the correctness of the reasoning of both the apostle and the psalmist. All such, therefore, conscious of ignorance and guilt, ardently desire some further discoveries of their Creator, and the knowledge of his gracious will concerning sinHis favour and his blessing, for the present and for a future life, have been felt by the wisest of the heathen to be most necessary; and the gift to them that has appeared now most to be desired is a revelation from God, plainly declaring our duty to Him, and the way to obtain his grace and mercy to eternal life.

ners.

Special Divine Revelation has, in all ages, been looked for by the most famous sages among the heathen, conscious of their lamentable ignorance regarding the future. They have put forth ardent desires to be instructed, especially regarding the state of man after death,-by a teacher sent from God. Contemplating the miserable condition of mortals, many of the wiser among the ancient Romans, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and others, have uttered their perplexity and grief at their destitution. They have inquired with intense anxiety: "What was the origin of mankind? Whence came

our first parents? What is the destiny of man? Whither are we journeying through this world? Was man created mortal and miserable, as at present? If a man die, shall he live again? Does he sink into non-existence at death? or is there a future life? Is there an almighty gracious Creator? Can a miserable mortal obtain the favour of God? Will he bless us with future happiness?"

Questions so momentous to mankind have frequently been asked by wise and thoughtful men ; the most celebrated among the ancients-Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle; Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus and others-pondered these with solemn seriousness. But these great men, however elevated above the vulgar multitude, could offer only uncertain conjectures, without confidence in their own speculations. Cicero and Seneca, ashamed of the popular idolatries and abominations, professed to believe in one supreme God, while they offered worship to the fabulous divinities. Still, it seems probable that they had gained some rays of heavenly light from the avowed principles of the Jews, if not from the perusal of the Jewish Scriptures.

"Cicero," as the Rev. T. H. Horne remarks, "is justly considered as among the most eminent of those philosophers who argued for the immortality of the soul; yet he laboured under the same uncertainty that distressed their minds. Though he has treated the subject at considerable length, and has brought forward a variety of cogent arguments in behalf of this doctrine, yet, after he has spoken of the several opinions concerning the nature and duration of the

soul, he says, 'Which of these is true, God alone knows; and which is most probable, is a very great question.' And he introduces one complaining that, while he was reading the arguments for the immortality of the soul, he thought himself convinced; but as soon as he laid aside the book and began to reason with himself, his conviction was gone. All which gave Seneca just occasion to say, that Immortality, however desirable, was rather promised than proved by those great men.' While the followers of these great philosophers were thus perplexed with doubts, others of the heathen entertained the most gloomy notions either imagining that they should be removed from one body to another and be perpetual wanderers, or contemplating the grave as their eternal habitation, and sadly complaining that the sun and stars could rise again, but that man, when his day was set, must lie down in darkness, and sleep a perpetual sleep."*

Perfect satisfaction on subjects so important could be gained only by a revelation from God; and these, with many others of a kindred character, were anticipated in all their difficulty, and fully answered in the Holy Scriptures. While their various books meet all the anxieties of the most inquisitive of mortals, they plainly profess to have been the dictates, not of men, nor even of angelic beings, but of heavenly wisdom-the work of holy men, prophets, apostles and evangelists, sent and inspired for this special service by the Divine Spirit.

Christians have always claimed for the Holy

Introduction to the Holy Scriptures, vol. i. p. 11.