feelings occupy the highest place in the structure of our nature,—and that man never acts conformably to his whole nature, but when these sentiments and feelings are permitted to mingle with all his other active powers, and give to all his habits and pursuits their predominant character and direction.

From the important place which our religious dispositions thus occupy in the general scheme of our nature, it was to be expected that a corresponding importance should have been attached by Divine Providence to the right ordering of these dispositions ;—and we, accordingly, find the high estimation in which the religious nature and duties of man are held by God, very distinctly pointed out by the following considerations.

That, in the first place, God has always represented himself as "jealous of his glory;"—or determined to claim for himself the purest offerings of the piety and homage of mankind. It cannot be necessary to state, that the idea of God being "jealous," in the strict acceptation of that term, is not warranted by any conceptions we can form of his character or principles of conduct;—and the only meaning of the expression,-which is so often used in the sacred writings, and is so expressive in itself,—

must be, that from the pre-eminent importance which the Deity attaches to the religious feelings and character of human nature, he is determined to mark his displeasure at every attempt that may be made either to pervert these principles, or to treat them with contempt or disregard;—that he wishes men, throughout all their varieties, ever to consider themselves as religious beings, and as capable, by means of their religious powers and services, of holding direct intercourse with him ;-that all acts of piety ought, consequently, to be most reverentially performed,—and all the services by which religious feelings are expressed, to be most strictly guarded;—and, generally, that men should feel,and act habitually upon the feeling,—that their proudest honour and best privilege lies in having been so constituted as to be capable of recognizing their alliance to God,-of performing solemn services directly dedicated to his honour,—and of holding, by means of these, constant intercourse and communion with him.

And, accordingly, it deserves to be remarked, in the second place, that the importance attached by the Deity, to the religious sentiments and services of men, has been unequivocally marked by his hav

ing made it the leading object of all his dispensations to purify and improve their religious views and feelings. It was for this purpose that, at an early period of the history of mankind, he selected “one family” to be the depositaries of his worship, and the guardians of his promises;-that afterwards he instituted, by his own authority, a system of "ordinances and laws," which were intended to separate "the peculiar people" from all other nations,—and to preserve the doctrine of his Unity,-and of his righteous government, amidst all the superstitions and errors of the world at that period;—and, lastly, that, by means of the Founder of our faith, he instituted a pure, and simple, and liberal system of doctrine and worship, suited to the progressive character of human society, and capable of undergoing corresponding adaptations as human knowledge becomes extended,-and the sentiments and feelings of men are refined and enlarged.

And the events of Providence, in the general arrangements of human society, have, in fact, since the time when this pure and simple system was first established by its Author,-been so guided as to have had a progressive influence in giving greater perfection and consistency to the religious views and prac

tices of men;-so that, upon reviewing the grand operations of Providence, in the past history of our race, it is impossible not to perceive that his dispensations have had it as their progressive purpose gradually to improve the religious feelings and practices of men, and by this means at once to better the entire structure of human nature,—and to bind men, more directly and firmly, by means of their improved forms of worship and modes of feeling,— to himself, the Fountain of all Good.

In the third place, the importance attached to our religious feelings and services is distinctly marked by the fact, so often already stated, that it has pleased the Author of existence to give to these feelings a pre-eminent place in the general structure of human nature,-insomuch, that it is as a religious being that man is obviously distinguished from all the other creatures that inhabit this world,

-and that it is in the performance of the services which his religious nature prompts, that he at once assumes his most august character, and feels most intensely his relation to all the higher and more spiritual orders of the creatures of God.

Accordingly, all nations have had an intimate feeling of this supremacy of our religious sentiments

and practices, and have testified their indelible sense of this supremacy, by the care with which they have addressed themselves to religious rites,— and by the imposing forms which they have ever been most anxious to give to their devotional services. In this, as in every thing else, the native sentiments of the multitude of mankind afford a far better intimation of what is right and accordant with the intentions of Providence, than the partial speculations into which men are so apt to run, under the influence of intellectual vanity,-or the degrading operation of worldly anxieties.

EXCELLENT EFFECTS WHICH OUR RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS, WHEN UNDER DUE CULTIVATION, ARE ADAPTED TO PRODUCE ON THE OTHER PARTS OF

OUR NATURE.

Hitherto we have chiefly been employed in combating the idea that religious services can only be defended on the ground of the good effects which they are calculated to produce on the other more active portions of our feelings or conduct,—and in evincing that they are to be considered as becoming and direct expressions of feelings that are essential