characteristic in the mind of our Creator. It is in the works of His hands, and in the regulation of their multiplied operations, that we discover at once the ingenuity that contrives, the skill that executes, and the wisdom that regulates and sustains. What finite intellect can comprehend the unnumbered wonders of this fair world? What architect could sweep an arch like the perfect dome of Heaven, or so firmly and perfectly adjust the magnificent fabric beneath? What human wisdom could so nicely arrange the fair proportions and equal balancing of mechanical movement we behold on every hand? What monument of art can compare with the curious and astonishing mechanism of the body we inhabit ; of the eye, that paints within its little orb the glories of the universe; of the ear, that trembling receptacle of harmonious sounds; of the human voice, that perfect instrument of music and intelligence?

And how varied and profuse the contrivances of beauty and of skill, by that Hand that plans not only for our comfort, but our delight. He paints the violet and the rose, and sprinkles the fields with all the varied flowers of spring. He adorns the birds of the air with their rich plumage, and gives "the goodly feathers to the ostrich." His hand scatters the purple and gold on the fishes of the sea, lights up the glowworm's lamp, and sheds sparkling beauties on flies and worms.

Nor is it for man alone these beauties are designed, for the mind of the Maker rejoices in the works of his hand. Thousands of flowers are blooming in unexplored forests, and are shedding their beauty and their fragrance for Him alone. The bottom of the ocean is spread with pearls and soft coloured shells, where no eye beholds but His that formed them. The caves of the earth are hung with glittering spars, and adorned with precious gems, that glimmer only for Him, who thus exhibits his delight in all that is varied, beautiful, and new.

And how clearly is exhibited His love of order, fitness, and propriety, in the material world! What perfect gradations of

classes, orders, genus, and species, in every department of His works! What perfect regularity in the movement of all the machinery of nature! The sun ever "knoweth his going down, and the day-spring from on high his place." All the vast mechanism of His hand moves on with a precision and order, unknown in the operations of men.

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But the perfection of His skill is not found in the material world. It is mind that first bespeaks the impress of Infinite Wisdom; mind with all its fearful and glorious powers, looking before and behind” to gather wisdom from the past, and to plan for future time; wandering in discursive flights through time and space; collecting, comparing, and combining its varied stores; endowed with fearful susceptibilities and trembling sympathies; capable of the highest aims and the noblest aspirations; capable too, of the most terrific perversion, and the most appalling depravation; formed to understand and appreciate moral excellence; endowed with powers of never ending expansion in knowledge, glory, and happiness; formed after the likeness of the Invisible God; the miniature image of the Creator Himself!

But the wisdom of our Maker is not more exhibited in the formation, than in the government of mind. Myriads of such gifted beings, furnished with the power of perfect liberty, and independent volition, he yet controls, and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. The greatest statesmen upon earth, when striving to regulate the workings of the human mind, and to control events which depend upon them, forever are baffled, and testify to perpetual miscalculation and failures. a. The power of controlling circumstances, and of so applying motives as to sway the minds, even of a few of their fellow men, is what none can calculate upon with any certainty. But amid millions of these active minds, Jehovah rolls on his undisturbed decrees, bringing light out of darkness, good out of evil, and order out of confusion.

If we approach the Word of God, we shall find the decla

ration, and the exhibition of the same Divine characteristic. The most elevated human intellect, with all its boasted stores of knowledge, these inspired interrogatories must humble to the dust. "Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wonderous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge and wisdom; how thy garments are warm when he quieteth the earth with the south wind? Hast thou with him spread out the sky which is strong as a molten looking glass? Where was thou when I laid the foundation of the earth, declare, if thou hast understanding. Whereupon are its foundations laid, or who laid the corner stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days, and caused the day-spring to know his place? Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been open to thee, or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Where is the way where light dwelleth, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof? Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail? Hath the rain a father, or who hath begotten the drops of the dew? Canst thou bind the the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee, here are we? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall not he see? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?”

But there is one exhibition of intellect, which is peculiarly delightful. It is that nice perceptian of fitness which ever secures from any violation of order, delicacy, and propriety. Those actions which are the effects of this characteristic, are called examples of the morally beautiful and sublime. In no being ever conceived of, or portrayed by man, was there such a display of these excellencies, as we find exhibited in the character of our Divine Creator, when he dwelt on earth.

He appeared here in the character of a man, and entered

into all the relations of life, as a son, a friend, and a subject of government. And we see every thing in all his varying circumstances and actions, exactly conformed to the dignity of his divine character, and yet exactly consistent with his voluntarily assumed relations. In his early days, we find him a member of the family circle, and yielding obedience to the authority of his parents. When appearing as a member of community, his tribute money was demanded, after calmly expressing his real superiority to human authority, he directed his disciples to pay it, thus assuming that it became him, "to fulfil all righteousness." When interrogated as to his right to instruct, and to assume the authority of a divine teacher, by the envious Pharisees, he hushed them by enquiries so appropriate, and so difficult to answer, that they shrunk away from his presence. And when again they tempted him, by apparently constituting him a judge in a civil case, where a guilty female, by the laws of the country, had forfeited life, one single address to their conscience, drove away the guilty and abashed accusers, and then in consistence with his character of a pitying Saviour, he bade the guilty being, “go and sin no more." 7

How exactly appropriate was his tender demeanor, when parents brought their offspring to receive his blessing, and his disciples forbade it. But he rebuked them, and said, "suffer little children to come unto me. And he took them in his arms, and laid his hands upon them and blessed them." And as the hour of his sorrow drew on, how did these interesting exhibitions cluster around. We behold him at the last supper with his faithful followers, where his beloved friend fears not to lean upon his bosom, and where, as an example of humility, he girds himself to minister as a servant to his friends. We see him in the hour of agony returning for sympathy to his disciples; and finding them asleep, after the enquiry, What, could not ye watch one hour?" he makes the kind excuse, "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

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What considerate affection is displayed in his last interview with His disciples, while he seeks to support and comfort them, and to prepare their minds for the scenes of terror and dismay which were to follow.

When denied by his ardent yet forewarned disciple, how appropriate the rebuke of his speaking eye, as "the Lord turned and looked upon Peter; and immediately the cock crew." And when brought before the tribunal of his enemies, he was called upon to testify his innocence, as he opened his lips, he was smitten upon the mouth. It was the Creator, receiving this most humiliating insult from one of his creatures! What language could so exactly express both the calmness of Divine majesty, and the upbraidings of injured innoence; "If I have done evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?"

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And the last being who engaged his care, ere he closed his eyes in death, was his mother. He saw her desolation, he saw his beloved disciple, and to him he bequeathed his filial cares, saying, "Son, behold thy mother!" "And immediately that disciple-took her to his own house.” "And then, knowing that all things were now accomplished, he said, It is finished, and bowed the head, and gave up the ghost!"

A fourth cause of affection, is the power of sympathy.— There is no other cause that so powerfully operates to produce affection, and none which seems so indispensable to its existence. So much does the mind desire it, and so sensibly feel the want of it, that a being entirely destitute of it, one who could neither feel for our sorrows, nor rejoice in our happiness, would be an object of total indifference, if not of aversion.

On this subject, therefore, the Bible is most full and explicit, in regard to the character of our Creator. In searching its pages, in reference to this and all other points, the standing law of interpretation never is to be violated, that the ordinary and common meaning of language is always to be taken, un