cause all mankind are parts thereof, and partakers of the good: they are also involved in its destiny, and have no means of averting any signal catastrophe which may overwhelm such parts as they inhabit; much less those parts which are distant. God, who created the whole, by his providence governs the whole, leaving no portion of his creation to what men call chance or fate.

But although God governs the whole creation, he governs it by laws. The laws which govern matter he created when he erected the universe, and the laws which govern spirit, emanated from himself: they are holy, just, and good-a transcript of the Spirit from which they emanated.

To know the laws by which the Creator governs matter, then, is well worthy the attention of mankind; but to know well the laws by which he governs spirit is of the last importance; because the eternal well-being of spirit depends upon its conformity to these laws. This question, viz. "What does this portion of the creations of God, which we denominate the universe, or the solar system, contain?' will form the subject of these essays; and in searching for the answer, the revelations of the Selfexistent, and the discoveries of men, must be placed in requisition.

The experiments of men in all ages have afforded light, and an increase of light, to their successors; and during the present age, splendid additions have resulted from investigations of the most patient and laborious cast these, far from discrediting the volume of truth, confirm the revelation of God as far as they go, in all its parts. The day has more than dawned upon the philosophy of the Bible, and meridian splendours await it: a little while, and we shall behold the wisdom of God in his creation and in his word, as one light from heaven, like the sun at noon, while all that seemed to shine shall hide their diminished heads. Then will it be known, that "In the beginning," Elohim was infinitely more wise than man throughout his generations; and that even in the end, when every discovery of every age is summed up, that it was the foolishness of men which scorned the wisdom of the Bible, and that it would have been wise in them, had they hallowed it with all their powers.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Here we behold the Elohim in two-fold action, viz., the creator of and operator

upon matter. The principal atoms of the materials of the whole universe, called into existence by the Creator, are here conglomerated, and the great master builder prepares this mass of raw materials for use. The atoms of matter are so minute, that, individually, they are invisible; even the strongest microscopes fail to render them visible.

The molecules of water, although they consist at least of two atoms, viz., one of hydrogen and one of oxygen, cannot be distinguished amidst the fluid; no, not with the aid of the most powerful magnifiers. Hence the idea arises, that matter is divisible ad infinitum; because the atoms are so minute, that in a sphere like our earth they approach infinity; and after every division of its particles by the utmost ingenuity of man, these minute particles individually, contain several atoms.

This immense mass of atoms, when newly created, and while unconnected each with each, would constitute a vast fluid. For if water is fluid, which is composed of molecules, each consisting at least of two atoms, this mass of single atoms being at least twice as rare, if all atoms are of equal size, would be fluid in its primeval state. Sand is often found in fluid masses in the arid deserts of the East, and is acted upon by the winds similar to the ocean, and frequently with as awful destructions to mankind-burying the traveller beneath its billows; yea, even whole caravans. But those sands are composed of particles which individually contain several atoms this is proved by the ease with which these particles are divided into smaller particles. With what propriety, then, does the sacred volume call the congregated primeval atoms, fluids or waters, and the mass of these, the deep, or the abyss.

The earth in this stage of creation is represented to be without form, and void. The earth, I conceive, here means the whole of the materials previously created; because, although they were at the moment only unconnected atoms, and consequently in a fluid state, they were the actual substance out of which infinite wisdom purposed to form, and subsequently did form the earth, and all the spheres of the solar system. In fact, they then were so many earths as there were different kinds of earthy atoms, and it was only needful to assort, concoct, and connect these atoms, in order to form the various earths which crown the planet we inhabit, and every other sphere throughout this universe.

This whole mass would be globular; for it invariably occurs that fluids assume

that form whenever they are suspended, or fall in space: hence this mass would be equally accessible on every side, and might revolve or be revolved at pleasure by the Creator. Without form.' If this applies to the atoms individually, then, as only crude matter was created, this points us to the necessity of an operation upon each, in order to its being reduced to a specific substance and form; and if it applies to the whole, it refers to the circumstance, that the creation of matter, in the first instance, did not imply the formations which were the result of subsequent operations; such as a sun, primary and secon dary planets, atmospheres, strata, rocks, oceans, earths, &c. &c. Without form

and void.' Void of order and beauty a confused mass- a chaos. Space is an immense, indeed we may say an infinite void; and it is only in those portions of space where the Infinite has created and planted matter or spirit, or both together, that space is otherwise than void.

The creation of the solar system occupies hundreds of millions of cubic miles; this was and is in space, although it abstracts its whole volume from the void of space. While in one mass, and in its primitive atoms, it occupied only a small portion of that area in space which was destined to receive it, probably the centre, and therefore the remainder was yet void. Deity occupies space completely; for he is omnipresent, and of course no place can be found where he is not; nevertheless his creations, in all probability, do not as completely fill space as he himself does; although they are far and wide, deep and high, approaching infinity; but, if they do not completely fill space, then there are portions of space which are void.

'Darkness was upon the face of the deep. This huge mass of opake atoms had no light in itself, and it appears there was no light afforded by space, or any previously created substance in space; for darkness was upon its face, or exterior. Without form, void, and dark; what a chaos was this-what a work, to induce order and beauty from such a state of things. Who is equal to this? The infinite Elohim, and him alone. It is highly probable, that many stars or suns existed at this moment; for we have a note in the first chapter of Genesis, that "He, Jehovah, made the stars also;" thus, of course, they were in existence, in the beginning of the solar system; but these stars or suns are so immensely distant from that portion of space occupied by it, that darkness would and did reign there, maugre these;

their tiny rays could afford no genial heat, no cheering light, at such a distance, at all equal to the wants of an universe. Every night when the moon is absent, we find the insufficiency of all the stars in the firmament to furnish either the light or genial warmth which the earth, and human wants, require.

What in this exigency of creation is to be done? That which was done, and that alone: The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." "He brooded over the abyss"-fluttering like the hen over her brood, inducing action in the mass, and concocting the whole. Here the Creator becomes the operator, and from crude matter produces genial substances for the several purposes of his subsequent formations. If human reason were to become the judge in this case, even it would say, taking the omnipotence of the Creator into the account, this was the proper time for such an operation; then, when the atoms of the universe were in one mass, and could be operated upon by one continuous action, then was the proper time to refine and concoct them into substances genial to the worlds that were, in the purposes of the Infinite, to be erected out of them; and not afterwards, when these worlds were formed, to disturb or disrupt the spheres, for the purposes of refining the materials of which they were formed in detail.

In these mighty works, as no assistant or agent is once named, it is fair to conclude, that Elohim was the only being engaged as the creator, and as the operator upon the products of his power. Whatever, therefore, we behold, it is the workmanship of his hands. The minute and exact action of Deity, even when that action is exerted upon the largest scale, points out the perfection of his works. They are not the showy and flimsy productions of a vain mind, but the solid and substantial products of Infinite Wisdom, as well as of Omnipotent Power; and from age to age evince these as forcibly as they did in that primeval day, "when all the sons of God shouted (on beholding them) for joy." But however pleasing it is to view the Creator in his works, the stupendous character of these works induces an awe which language cannot paint, an awe which may be felt, for it is within the scope of every mind, but it cannot be described by the most exalted genius among men; and "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy," will ever be approached, even in his works, by the truly wise, with that reverence which induces praise.

RESULTS; OR, THE HUNTSMAN'S DEATH.

(By The Rev. J. Young)

"How vast and endless the results which flow,-
Like ocean-tides of happiness or woe;
From things so trivial to the human eye,
That few 'mong myriads can the eause descry;
From which the fate of nations may arise,
Or wand'ring hosts be gather'd to the skies.-
But GoD ordains, experience teaches this,--
Each minute cause the germ of boundless bliss."
RECORDS.

THE sun was not high in the heavens; only some of the loftiest hills in their highest altitudes had yet caught its first bright beams. Morning's grey still hung like a curtain of gauze over a considerable portion of the fair county of Leicestershire. Day's bright regent marched on with majestic strides, until the lofty hill of Bardon looked as if encircled by a vest of fire; while the dewy exhalations which hung thick upon the hawthorn hedges, appeared, as they glittered in its speery rays, like strings of pearls or diamonds, affixed there by fairy hands, to give unearthly beauty and magic richness to the scene. No inroads had as yet been made upon the empire of silence by the busy huntsmen, the lowing of cattle, or the bleating of sheep,-all was profound stillness, as upon the first morning of creation, when God said, "Let there be light, and there was light," and while as yet no creature breathed the breath of life.

The clock in the tower of the church of Melton Mowbray struck five, sending forth, from its Gothic elevation, a deep sound which reverberated through the still country, and passed from valley to valley, as in mock response.-All was again solemn silencewhen, suddenly a loud "hallo"-and the cry of a pack of hounds floated upon the breath of morn," and seemed at once to break the magic spell. The exhilarating horn called the huntsmen to the field, and presently, nearly a score of handsome steeds, bearing, as if unconscious of the weight, their anxious riders, snorted for the chase, and, dashing across the country, through Holy, Sileby, and Woodhouse, directed their way towards Charnwood Forest.

The object of their pursuit was soon discovered; a beautiful male fox was unearth ed. The yelping of the dogs, and the cry of the huntsman, soon made the information general, and those who before were far in the rear, in a moment came up with their fellows. The wily animal, for awhile, how ever, contrived to elude the vigilance of both men and dogs, and when it again broke cover, it was seen at a considerable distance in the country. In that direction,

Overleaping every impediment, horses and hounds bounded. One horseman far outrode his companions. His snorting steed, with ears erect, and distended nostrils, heeded neither bridle nor bit. The description furnished by Virgil, of the warhorse, which is translated with so much spirit by Dryden, seemed in part to be realized here.

The fiery courser, when he hears from far The sprightly trumpets, and the shouts of war, Pricks up his ears, and trembling with delight, Shifts pace, and paws, and hopes the promis'd

fight.

On his right shoulder his thick mane reclin'd
Rutles at speed, and dances in the wind.
His horny hoofs are jetty black and round;,
His chine is double; starting with a bound,
He turns the turf, and shakes the solid ground.
Fire from his eyes, clouds from his nostrils flow;
He bears his rider headlong on the foe."

He who bestrode the animal was a fine horseman of about five-and-twenty; elegant in person, and of a connexion, such as prided itself upon its ability to trace an uncontaminated descent, if not from royal blood, at least from some of the most noble and heroic, from the time of the Norman conquest. His companions pressed hard after him, and envied his speed. triumph appeared nearly complete. Reynard already lost ground; the dogs were close upon his haunches; more than once

His

the hunted animal had looked round"grinned horribly," at his cruel pursuers, and again fled for his life.

the horse, sunk into a deep hole, which had At this eventful moment, the fore-feet of he stumbled and fell, while his rider was been overgrown with weeds and rusheshurled with incredible violence against a large oak at a few yards' distance.-His

heart

"Heav'd but one groan, and was for ever still."

"Beauclerk is unhorsed"-burst at once from a dozen lips, and instant aid was rendered him, but, alas! it was too late,his career was ended. He had been summoned, thus unexpectedly, to render his account at the tribunal of God, for the deeds done in the body.

With all possible despatch, he was conveyed to Huclescote, and medical assistance procured, when it was discovered that his head had been dreadfully fractured, and that his neck was dislocated by the fall, so that, whatever human assistance could have been supposed available, even on the spot on which he fell, all would have been in vain.

As the distance from Huclescote to Leicester is only eleven miles, no surprise can be excited from the fact, that two hours had not elapsed after the accident, before the