different smell of the herbs, and were tempted to deposit their eggs, which when hatched produced the animalculæ ; these minute creatures, judging from their evolutions, appear to enjoy life equally with the other departments of animated nature.

In contemplating the infinitely minute, our thoughts are equally at a loss as in endeavouring to understand the grand and vast in creation; let us therefore admire, and adore, and praise where we cannot comprehend; let us conclude with the psalmist, "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."

Judging from the amazing variety discoverable in the works of creation, may we not reasonably suppose that each of the planets in this vast, vast universe, is furnished with inhabitants, rational or otherwise, different in their structure and formation from all other living creatures? It is not unreasonable so to judge, for is there any limit to the power of the Creator? Nor is it improbable that an eternity of blessedness will be partly spent in exploring the wonderful works of God, in different parts of his dominions.

Seeing the eternal Jehovah has given so much proof of his care for the minute parts of creation, may we not gather an argument for praise, on account of the still greater care and love which he has exhibited towards us? In us he has a double interest; we are his by creation, and his by redemption, therefore there is no fear of being overlooked or lost amidst the immensity of his works.

In nature we have a constant monition, in the glorious works that are ever present to our view, to render constant praise to the wondrous power exhibited by the Creator; and there can be no doubt that the inhabitants of other worlds and systems, in some way, render their tribute of praise to Him who formed

them. But "thy saints, O Lord, shall bless thee," for we are distinguished in creation by the condescending love of the Son of God in working out our redemption; the greatness of this condescending love may be conjectured, but will never be fully known until we see him as he is, in his state of exaltation.

When we view our world, and indeed the whole of the solar system, it forms but a speck in the universe, and if it were obliterated from creation would scarcely be missed; and when we look upon ourselves as the inhabitants of so small a part of the solar system, how we shrink into nothing. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket," that is, all the nations, "and are counted as the small dust of the balance," which makes no alteration in the weight. Such are we when compared with God, or with the universe that his omnipotence has brought into existence. We are small, but not contemptible: who shall understand the amazing condescension of the Creator, in the person of his Son, dying for so small a part of his creatures, to redeem us from our sins, and to exalt us to be sons of God! Nay, more, to take us to his bosom, and to enthrone us in his kingdom; to make us kings and priests, that we might live and reign with him. For this, " O Lord, thy saints shall bless thee."

Praise is a pleasant work; it is a grateful employment to set forth the excellences of Him who is always doing us good; it is a soul exalting occupation to extol him whom we love, and whom we delight to honour. Hallelujah! glory be unto the Father, unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah! Amen.

THE HEAVENLY REST.

Ir a person were to inform me that a coach would be travelling along the road to a certain place, at this time to-morrow, it would be a piece of information that might be true, but whether true or not, would be of no matter of interest to me, as there are coaches travelling along the road every day, and at every hour of the day, and on that account I might not be inclined to discredit the statement; still, as I have no reason to care whether or not it was a fact, the information would not interest me at all; but, in the event of my having occasion to travel to the place to which the coach was going, and circumstances concurring to compel me to go at the time specified, and if no other conveyance would be going to the same place on the same day, then, the information would be to me a matter of great interest, it would rise in importance, and I should begin to inquire into the truth of the report I had heard; I should be anxious about it in proportion to the urgency of my business; I should act so as to obtain every information respecting the truth of the report, and I should be particular as to the time, that I might not miss the only opportunity of being conveyed to the place punctually, where my business destined me.

We here see the difference with which information is received by one who has a personal interest in the intelligence, and by one who has not; the one feels the importance of the statement, and acts accordingly-the other cares nothing about it, and acts accordingly.

The truths of the gospel are proclaimed in the ears of all who will attend to the proclamation. Some, no doubt, listen to these truths because they think it decent not entirely to disregard them, and because their neighbours set them the example; others listen to them with complacency, because they feel an interest in them; but how few of this class are absorbed, wholly absorbed, with the importance of the truthshow few make those diligent and anxious inquiries that they would be led to do respecting religion if they considered it an affair of moment, if they were as deeply interested in it as the man of business respecting the conveyance alluded to; and I apprehend the reason is, that things present make their impression upon the mind in proportion as their certainty is realized; while things absent, eternal realities, because future, and having no hold on the senses, lose their force; and yet, should not the consideration of their lasting importance more than balance the hold that sensible objects have upon rational and immortal beings? When we speak of the "heavenly rest," it would seem to be a subject that should interest every one, because every one has business with it, and therefore ought as anxiously to inquire for particulars respecting it, and seek for information upon the question as the man of business would about the conveyance that was to carry him to the town where he was to transact his affairs. The Word of God speaks of a rest being prepared for the people of God; we are therefore to believe the fact upon the bare testimony

of Scripture. The holy God could not deceive, and therefore his word carries with it an assurance that far surpasses every doubt. May I hope, reader, that you will give your serious attention to this truth? that you will take in it an interest equal to its importance, equal to its consolatory and cheering influence.

The meaning of a true rest is, the cessation from all labour. The Creator was six days occupied in the work of creation; on the seventh day he rested from his works, because they were all finished, and were pronounced by himself very good; they needed not to be retouched or revised, therefore he rested. This rest was for our example and instruction, not that Jehovah needed to rest from his works for his own refreshment, for he is never weary; "the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary." Observe, the Creator rested not till his work was finished; this teaches the Christian warrior that his business is marching forward, not halting; fighting, not leaning on his shield; conquering, not sitting at ease as though he were crowned.

God has allowed us the same proportion of time for doing the business of the world that he took in creating it, and has appointed a seventh part of our time to rest from our labour, that we might worship him. This appointment has its rise in his infinite love and benevolence, that in consequence of this cessation from business and labour, we might be fitted to return to it with increased vigour, both of body and mind; and, in the interim, the day of rest, he has directed us to employ ourselves in preparing for that perpetual sabbath of rest which remains for the people of God.

The heavenly rest, the subject under consideration, is not the perpetuation of the rest of every seventh day,