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pressed his intention of visiting his friend, unless any peculiar cause should prevent him:" and on the day preceding that which he had so appointed, he finished his mortal career. But however we may regret the early termination of a life from which so much was to be expected, the evident strength of his religious principles forbids us to regard his fate as premature. His name will be preserved in the register of those men, who afforded the brightest promise of excellence to their own time, and exhibit the fairest models for the imitation of future ages.

PART II.

LECTURE V.

THE PERFECTION OF THE LAW OF GOD.

Psalm XIX. 7.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

In the introductory part of this psalm, David dwells upon the evidence of creative power and wisdom suggested by the splendid phenomena of the natural world. In the second part, which we are now to consider, he advances a series of most important propositions, all bearing reference to the will of God, as revealed in his word. By a mode of speech not unusual, especially in the poetical parts of the Holy Scriptures, he employs several terms, which all refer to the same thing. He denominates the written word of God

"the law of the Lord," because it contains the whole doctrine established by God for the regulation of man's life; "his testimony," because it is set forth as a witness between God and man, both of the promises which are made on the one part, and of the duties which are enjoined on the other; "his statutes," and "his commandments," because they are imposed upon mankind by the supreme authority of God; "his fear," because it teaches man to worship God with a holy reverence;b and "his judgments," because they declare his will now, and will be made the rule of final judgment hereafter.

Without dwelling, then, upon any nice distinctions in the different meanings of the terms employed, we may refer them all to that written book of life, which we profess to receive as the sole standard of our faith and practice.

I. The first assertion is this;

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting" or restoring "the soul."

Whoever is previously convinced of the existence of God, and has endeavoured to study his attributes, may say with truth that all the works and words of the Lord are perfect, that is, that they are fully adapted to the purposes for which they are intended, because they pro

b

a Psalm i. 2. cxix. 70. Jer. viii. 8. Mal. ii. 6.

Comp. Gen. xxxi. 53. Heb. Psalm lxxvi. 11.

ceed from a Being who is perfection itself. But the manner, in which the Psalmist introduces the present assertion, implies more than this. It plainly is designed to point out a contrast, between the demonstration of God's wisdom and power as derived from the study even of his most magnificent works, and that which is obtained from the diligent perusal of his holy word. It indicates a degree of fulness and completeness in the one, which the other can never possess.

This difference is in itself sufficiently apparent. The contemplation of the Creator's works must lead every intelligent mind to acknowledge his existence; and will afford some faint conception of his wisdom and power. "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." Still, between the God of heaven and man upon earth, there can be discovered by observation alone no such relation as will enable us to act agreeably to his will.

• Rom. i. 20.

We

d" Wherefore we conclude that sacred Theology, which in our idiom we term Divinity, is grounded only upon the word and oracle of God, and not upon the light of nature: for it is written, cœli enarrant gloriam Dei, but it is not written, cœli enarrant voluntatem Dei. But of that it is said ad legem et testimonium: si non fecerint secundum verbum istud." Bacon, de Augment. Scientiarum, Lib. 1x. Cap. 1.

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might know that there is a God; for that fact is demonstrated by every object which we behold; by every breath which we draw. We might conclude that his power was far greater than that of any created being; for his material works display a series of regularly organized bodies, extending as far as our observation can be carried. And an analogy which cannot be resisted leads us still further. We have no reason whatever to limit the works of God precisely at the point, to which our sight, aided by artificial means, is able to penetrate into the infinity of space: and we cannot avoid concluding the wonders of creation to be so great, that all which man can ever discover forms a comparatively small portion of the Universe. We might conclude also, from the same source, that God was every where present; for to whatever point our attention is directed, there we meet with evidence of his constant agency: that he was supremely wise; for contrivances of every varied form, precisely fitted for the purposes which they should meet, continually offer themselves to our notice: that he was most benevolent; for these contrivances are every where adapted to a beneficial purpose.

Still, a man, who observed what passed within himself, would soon discover, that there were many most important questions, respecting

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