Of God and his Perfections.

THERE is but one God, the author, the creator, the governor of the world; almighty, eternal, and incomprehensible. The sun is not God, though his noblest image. He enlightens the world with his brightness; his warmth gives life to the products of the earth. Admire him as the creature, the instrument of God; but worship him not. To the One who is supreme, most wise, and beneficent, and to him alone, belong worship, adoration, thanksgiving, and praise. He has stretched forth the heavens with his hand; he has described with his finger the course of the stars. He sets bounds to the ocean, that it cannot pass; and says to the stormy winds, "Be still." He shakes the earth, and the nations tremble; he darts his lightnings, and the wicked are dismayed. He calls forth worlds by the word of his mouth; he smites. with his arm, and they sink into nothing.-O! reverence the majesty of the Omnipotent; and tempt not his anger, lest thou be destroyed.

The providence of God is over all his works; he rules and directs with infinite wisdom. He has instituted laws for the government of the world, and has wonderfully adapted them to the nature of all beings. In the depths of his mind he revolves all knowledge; the secrets of futurity lie open before him. The thoughts of thy heart are naked to his view; he knows thy determinations before they are made. Wonderful he is in all his ways; his counsels are unsearchable; the manner of his knowledge surpasses thy conception.-Pay therefore to his wisdom all honour and veneration, and bow thyself in humble and submissive obedience to his supreme direction.

The Lord is gracious and beneficent; he created the world in mercy and love. His goodness is conspicuous in all his works; he is the fountain of excel

lence, the centre of perfection. The creatures of his hand declare his goodness, and all their enjoyments speak his praise. He clothes them with beauty; he supports them with food; he preserves them from generation to generation. If we lift up our eyes to the heavens, his glory shines forth; if we cast them down upon the earth, it is full of his goodness. The hills and the valleys rejoice and sing; fields, rivers, and woods, resound his praise. But thee, O man! he has distinguished with peculiar favour, and exalted thy station above all the creatures. He has endowed thee with reason, to maintain thy dominion; he has furnished thee with language, to improve by society; and exalted thy mind with the powers of meditation, to contemplate and adore, his inimitable perfections. And in the laws he has ordained as the rule of thy life, so kindly has he suited thy duty to thy nature, that obedience to his precepts is happiness to thyself.

-O praise his goodness with songs of thanksgiving, and meditate in silence on the wonders 'of his love. Let thy heart overflow with gratitude and acknowledgment; let the language of thy lips be praise and adoration; let the actions of thy life show thy love to his law.

The Lord is just and righteous, and will judge the earth with equity and truth. Has he established his laws in goodness and mercy, and shall he not punish the transgressors of them? O think not, bold man'! because thy punishment is delayed, that the arm of the Lord is weakened; nor flatter thyself with hopes that he winks at thy evil doings. His eye pierces into the secrets of every heart, and he remembers them for ever. He respects not the persons or the stations of men. The high and the low, the rich and the poor, the wise and the ignorant, when the soul has shaken off the cumbrous shackles of this mortal life, shall equally receive from the sentence of God a just and everlasting retribution, according to their works.

Then shall the wicked tremble and be afraid; but the hearts of the righteous shall rejoice in his judgments. -O fear the Lord, therefore, all the days of thy life, and walk in the paths which he has opened before thee. Let prudence admonish thee, let temperance restrain thee, et justice guide thy hand, benevolence warm thy heart, and gratitude to Heaven inspire thee with devotion. These shall give thee happiness in thy present state, and bring thee to the mansions of eternal felicity in the paradise of God.

The Little Philosopher.

MR L. was one morning riding by himself, when, dismounting to gather a plant in the hedge, his horse got loose and galloped off before him. He followed, calling him by his name, which stopped him at first, but on his approach he set off again. At length a little boy in a neighbouring field, seeing the affair, ran across where the road made a turn, and getting before the horse, took him by the bridle, and held him till his owner came up. Mr L. looked at the boy, and admired his cheerful ruddy countenance. Thank you, my good lad, said he, you have caught my horse very cleverly. What shall I give you for your trouble? (putting his hand in his pocket.)

I want nothing, Sir, said the boy.

Mr L. Don't you? so much the better for you. Few men can say as much. But, pray, what were you doing in the field ?-Boy. I was rooting up weeds and tending the sheep that are feeding on the turnips. -Mr L. And do you like this employment?-Boy. Yes, very well this fine weather.-Mr L. But had you not rather play?-Boy. This is not hard work; it is almost as good as play.-Mr L. Who set you to work?-Boy. My daddy, Sir.-Mr L. What is his name?-Boy. Thomas Hurdle.-Mr L. And what is yours?-Boy. Peter, Sir.-Mr L. How old

are you?-Boy. I shall be eight at Michaelmas. -Mr L. How long have you been out in this field ? -Boy. Since six in the morning.-Mr L. And are you not hungry?-Boy. Yes; I shall go to my dinner soon. Mr L. If you had sixpence now, what would you do with it ?-Boy. I don't know; I never had so much in my life.-Mr L. Have you no playthings?-Boy. What! Playthings! What are those?

Mr L. Such as balls, nine-pins, marbles, and tops. -Boy. No, Sir; but our Tom makes footballs to kick in the cold weather; and then I have a jumpingpole, and a pair of stilts to walk through the dirt with; and I had a hoop, but it is broken.—Mr L. And do you want nothing else?-Boy. No; I have hardly time for those; for I always ride the horses to the field, and bring up the cows, and run to the town on errands, and that is as good as play you know.—Mr L. Well, but you would buy apples or gingerbread at the town, I suppose, if you had money?-Boy. O! I can get apples at home; and as for gingerbread, I don't mind it much, for my mammy gives me a pie now and then, and that is as good. -Mr L. Would you not like a knife to cut sticks?Boy. I have one-here it is-brother Tom gave it me.-Mr L. Your shoes are full of holes: don't you want a better pair ?-Boy. I have a better pair for Sundays.-Mr L. But these let water in.--Boy. O! I don't care for that.-Mr L. Your hat is torn too. -Boy. I have a better at home, but I had rather have none at all, for it hurts my head.-Mr L. What do you do when it rains?-Boy. If it rains hard, I get under the hedge till it is over.-Mr L. What do you do when you are hungry before it is time to go home?-Boy. I sometimes eat a raw turnip.-Mr L. But if there are none?-Boy. Then I do as well as I can; I work on, and never think of it.—Mr L. Are you not dry sometimes in this hot weather?— Boy. Yes, but there is water enough.-Mr L. Why,

my little fellow, you are quite a philosopher.-Boy. Sir?-Mr L. I say you are a philosopher, but I am sure you don't know what that means.-Boy. No, Sir, no harm I hope.-Mr L. No, no, (laughing). Well, my boy, you seem to want nothing at all, so I shall not give you money to make you want any thing. But were you ever at school?-Boy. No, Sir, but daddy says I shall go after harvest.-Mr L. You will want books then?-Boy. Yes, the boys have a spelling-book and a testament.-Mr L. Well then, I will give you them-tell your daddy so, and that it is because I think you are a very good, contented little boy. So now go to your sheep again.Boy. I will, Sir. Thank you.-Mr L. Good-bye, Peter.-Boy. Good-bye, Sir.

INSTANCES OF THE CARE AND WISDOM OF PROVIDENCE.

1. Of the Structure of the Mole.

THE structure of this little animal is wonderfully fitted for the kind of life which it is destined to lead. Its dwelling being chiefly below ground, and in the dark, sight is of little use to it. Its eyes are accordingly very small; and to protect them from the earth, they are somewhat sunk into the head; the skin with its glossy hair being drawn so close all round as almost entirely to conceal them. To compensate the deficiency of sight, it has the sense of hearing remarkably acute. This serves to warn it of danger. If any one attempt to seize or destroy the mole while it is working in its hillock, unless he approach with the utmost caution, it catches the sound of his footsteps, and instantly darts down into its retreat. The form of the ear is also adapted to its situation. A protuberant ear, like that of other quadrupeds, would

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