without a pause.*-What think you of COTES-second in sublimity of philosophic genius to none but NEWTON? That man,' says he, must be blind, who, from the most wise and excellent disposal of things, cannot immediately perceive the infinite wisdom and goodness of their almighty Creator; and he must be mad, who refuses to acknowledge them.'

That this world has not been from eternity, but that it was either created from nothing, or fitted up by the Supreme Being for the habitation of man, a few thousand years ago that it was afterwards destroyed by an universal deluge, brought upon it by the same Being-that it has been repeopled by the descendants of one family, who escaped the general destruction-these things are either ancient facts, or ancient fables-if they are facts, both atheism and infidelity must be given up-and that they are facts and not fables, might, if time would permit, be satisfactorily proved from a detailed examination of the history of every nation in the world.

!

The credible annals of all nations, not excepting Egypt or Chaldea, China or India, fall short of the deluge.-The annals of all nations, ancient and modern, barbarous and civilized, speak of a deluge as of a dreadful catastrophe which had destroyed human kind, through the interposition of a superior Being offended by the vices of the world. The annals of all nations bear witness to the existence of a God who had created all things.~

He who has employed most time in examining the history of remote ages, will be most convinced of the truth of the following propositions-that profane authors derived their notions of a Supreme Being from patriarchal tradition-that they corrupted this tradition —that the Bible is the only book in the world in which this tradition is preserved in its original purity-that this invaluable book throws light upon the origin and ancient history of every nation in the world-and that the history of the Jews, contained in the Bible, and connected with their history to the present time, is the strongest proof which can be brought, not only against atheism, but against that species of deism which contends that God never visibly interposed in the government of the Jewish nation.

When it is said that the annals of all nations fall short of the deluge, it must be understood, that the nation of the Jews is excepted. I look upon that people with astonishment and reverence; they are living proofs of facts most ancient and most interesting to mankind. Where do we meet with an Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, corroborating, by his testimony, any one of the events mentioned in the history of their respective empires? But we meet with millions of Jews in every quarter, and in every country of the world, who acknowledge not only the existence of a God, as other nations dobut that he is the very God who enabled Moses to work miracles in

This anecdote, though commonly told of Sir ISAAC NEWTON, more properly belongs to Sir ROBERT BOYLE. The religious feelings of the great philosopher mentioned by the reverend author were equally warm and habitual.

Egypt; who delivered to him that law which they now observe; who called Abraham, the father of their nation, from the midst of his idolatrous kinsmen; who preserved Noah and his family in the ark ; who formed Adam out of the dust of the earth; who created all things by the word of his power.

Wherever we have a Jew on the surface of the earth, there we have a man, whose testimony and whose conduct connect the present time with the beginning of all time. He now believes, and he declares that all his progenitors have constantly believed, the history contained in the book of Moses to be a true history-he now obeys the laws which God gave to Moses above three, thousand years ago— now practises the circumcision which God enjoined to Abrahamnow observes the passover in commemoration of the mercy vouchsafed to his nation when God destroyed the first-born throughout the land of Egypt-now keeps holy the seventh day, on which God rested from the works of the creation. When nations institute rites to preserve the memory of great events, the uniform observance of the rite authorizes us to admit the certainty of the fact. The Jews have for thousands of years (and the patriarchs, before the Jews, probably did the same) observed a very significant rite in commemoration of the creation; and another in commemoration of their preservation from one of the plagues of Egypt: why should we hesitate to admit the certainty of these events? Adam lived with Methuselah two hundred and forty years, Methuselah lived with Shem the son of Noah ninety-eight years, and Shem lived with Abraham one hundred and fifty years: what apprehension can we reasonably entertain that the account of the creation could either have been forged or misrepresented, when it had passed through so few hands before it reached the founder of the Jewish nation?

If the refutation of atheism and deism be so easy and certain as I have here stated it to be, whence comes it that there are now so many, or that there ever were any either atheists, or unbelievers in the truth of the Jewish and Christian dispensations? I put these dispensations together, because those amongst us (I speak not of the Jews) who deny or admit the divine mission of Moses, will deny also or admit the divine mission of Jesus Christ...

There are many causes of infidelity, such as-profligacy of manners, which induces men to hope that religion may not be truewant of serious attention to the proofs on which it is establishedhasty conclusions that, because some religions have been proved to be impostures, all are so-or superstitious ceremonies and revolting doctrines, which are, in many parts of Christendom, obstinately maintained as parts of Christianity.

It is, besides, the not properly considering the extent of our capacity, the not clearly distinguishing the things to which our ideas are suited, from those to which they are inadequate, that has made many men fall into an irksome scepticism, some into actual infidelity, and a few into the madness of atheism.

For what purpose was I born?-in what course of actions does the felicity of my nature consist?-am I author of these reputed actions, or am I a machine incessantly and irresistibly impelled to action, by external motives over which I have no control?-will my existence be terminated by death, or continued beyond it?—will the quality of - my future existence (if there should happen to be one) depend on my moral conduct here? These and other questions of similar import every man of reflection must, at one time or other, put to himself; and when he does put them, he will perceive that his reason is unequal to the clear solution of any of them. That Jesus Christ was born in Judea near eighteen hundred years ago—that he wrought miracles in that country-that he was crucified at Jerusalem-that he arose from the dead-that he ascended into heaven-that he enabled his disciples to work miracles, and commanded them to teach the world the doctrines which he had taught them--these are some of the main facts on which the truth of the Christian religion is founded. Now it appears to me to be a much easier matter to prove the truth of these facts, than to give, from reason, a satisfactory answer to any of the difficulties which I have mentioned.

In the ardour of youth, in the tumult of sensual passion, in the profligacy of dissipation, in the bustle of business, in the sordidness of avarice, in the loftiness of ambition, thoughts of such a serious cast may either not occur, or not be regarded. But they will obtrude themselves on a bed of sickness at any period of life; they will surround the pillow of the unfortunate; they will penetrate the recesses of retirement, whether occasioned by a satiety of enjoyment, the chagrin of disappointment, or by any of the sad vicissitudes incident to every human station; and if they should arrest our notice on no other occasion, they will certainly steal upon us with the increase of our age, and generate, in those who reject Christianity, no small perturbation, when the feebleness of declining life most requires tranquillity and consolation,

Be it our business then, as it is our duty and our interest, to confirm ourselves in the belief of that Gospel by which all difficulties of this nature are done away. If that Gospel be true, (as it certainly is,) we know for what purpose we are born-that we may live for ever. We know that we are not machines, but accountable for our actions, which machines cannot be. We know in what the felicity of our nature doth consist-in living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.' We know that death is not eternal sleep, but the commencement of everlasting life.

ON PRAYER.-By Dr. OGDEN.

[Dr. Samuel Ogden was born of poor parents, at Manchester, in 1716. He raised himself by his merit to considerable preferment in the Church. Two volumes of Sermons have established his credit as an eminent Divine. He died at Cambridge, 23d March, 1778.]

You may remember a little ancient fable to the following purpose: 'An old man upon his death-bed said to his sons as tirey stood round him, I am possessed, my dear children, of a treasure of great value, which, as it is fit, must now be yours: they drew nearer: nay, added the sick man, I have it not here in my hands; it is deposited somewhere in my fields; dig, and you will be sure to find. They followed his directions, though they mistook his meaning. Treasure of gold or silver there was none; but by means of this extraordinary culture, the land yielded in the time of harvest such an abundant crop, as both rewarded them for their obedience to their parent, and at the same time explained the nature of his command.'

Our Father, who is in Heaven, hath commanded us in our wants to apply to him in prayer, with an assurance of success :- Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find. Now, it is certain, that without his immediate interposition, were his ear heavy,' as the scripture phrase is, 'that he could not hear,' there is a natural efficacy in our prayers themselves to work in our minds those graces and good dispositions which we beg of the Almighty, and by consequence to make us fitter objects of his mercy. Thus it is that we ask, and receive; we seek, and, like the children of the sagacious old husbandman, find also the very thing which we were seeking, though in another form: our petitions produce in fact the good effects which we desired, though not in the manner which we ignorantly expected.

But yet, allowing this consideration its full force, there is no necessity of stopping here, and confining the power of prayer to this single method of operation. Does the clear assurance of its use in this way preclude the hopes of every other advantage? Must we needs be made acquainted with all the efficacy of every thing that is our duty, and know the whole ground and reason of all the actions which Almighty God can possibly require of us?

When the Israelites under the conduct of Joshua were commanded, upon hearing the sound of the trumpet, to shout with a great shout; and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city;' was the reason of this command, and the operation of the means to be made use of, understood by all that were concerned? Was it the undulation of the air, think you, the physical effect of many concurrent voices, that overthrew the walls of Jericho? or, suppose the people were commanded to shout in token of their faith, (for it was by faith, as the Apostle speaks, that the walls of Jericho fell down,) which way is it that faith operates in the performance of such wonders?

You will say, no doubt, that these were wonders, and the case

infraculous; and that we are not from such extraordinary events to draw conclusions concerning the general duties of Christianity.

The drought that was in the land of Israel in the time of Elijah, I suppose no one will deny to have been miraculous. Yet we have the authority of an Apostle to conclude from it in general, that good men's petitions are efficacious and powerful. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.' What is this brought to prove? That the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.' And this is the

Apostle's argument: the prayer of the Prophet produced first a famine, and then plenty in all the land of Israel; and if you, Christians, exercise yourselves in confession and prayer, the disposition of your minds will be the better for your devotions.

But the prayer, concerning which St. James is speaking, may seem to you to belong to the same class with that of Elijah, and to be the prayer of men that could work miracles.

Hear another Apostle: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.' The plainest places in the scripture will be mysteries, if the sense be this, that we can expect no help from God in our distresses; but may try, by acts of devotion, to bring our own minds to a state of resignation and contentment.

Give us this day our daily bread. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father. The hairs of your head are numbered.' Can the meaning of all this be, that God Almighty made the world; that it is not to be altered; and we must take the best care we can of ourselves while we live in it?

6 King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets?' said the great Apostle, arguing with equal solidity and eloquence in defence of that capital doctrine-the resurrection of our Lord from the dead. He desired no other concession than the belief of the scripture; on this foundation he undertook to erect the whole fabric of Christianity.

Do you believe the Scriptures? If not, it is to no purpose to stand disputing concerning the duty of prayer, or any other duty commanded in the Gospel. We must rather return back to the first principles of religion, and lay again, as the same Apostle speaks, the foundation of faith towards God.

But there is no occasion for this; you are desirous to go on to perfection; admitting the truth of Christianity, and believing the Scripture to be the word of God.

The Scriptures teach you, that our Lord Christ being crucified, dead, and buried, the third day he rose again from the dead. Now this is a great and astonishing miracle; it is a thing of which we have no experience; it is against all our rules and observations; and directly contrary to the established order of the world, and the course of nature: ́yet you believe this.

The Scriptures also tell you, that hereafter your own bodies in like manner shall be raised from the grave, and stand before the judgment