THERE are two propositions, almost of the nature of axioms, which ought to be kept steadily in mind, when surveying the works of God, whether those of his visible creation, or of his moral government.

The first of these initiatory truths is, that, the choice of manner, of time, of form, and of arrangement in the works of God, being wholly of Divine Will, there must have been some design in, some reason for, the mode adopted, seeing that any other mode was equally within the Divine Power.

The second initiatory proposition, likewise nearly allied to truths of a self-evident kind, is, that, when God reveals any thing to man, concerning his works, of which his creatures could not have been informed without revelation, the Almighty must have had a reason for making it known; into which reason it is not only lawful, but the duty of man, to enquire. "Things revealed belong to us and to our children.'

Applying these axioms to the subject with which Revelation opens-the creation of the heavens and

the earth, it may be assumed as an incontrovertible truth, not only that there was a most important reason for six days being employed in that work, when Almighty Power might have effected it in one moment and at one word, but that God intended the reason of it to be enquired into and to be understood by man, otherwise the fact itself would not have formed the subject of an express revelation from heaven.

SCIENCE will be applied to in vain, for an explanation either of the choice of six days, or why the fact forms the first lesson recorded in the page of inspiration. The philosophy of the schools observes the phenomena of nature, explains them by the laws which are found to regulate them, and directs the knowledge, so obtained, to the improvement of the useful and liberal arts. Scientific enquiry is seldom carried, with advantage, beyond this point. All the works of God, even the most minute portions, or the apparently most circumscribed classes of them, are, to human capacity, infinite; and all the industry and research of mankind have as completely failed in tracing matter to its simple elements, as all their reasoning powers have been found incapable of expressing, or even of imagining, how matter was called into existence, or impressed with its varied forms. There is a limit, even to the 'godlike apprehension' of man; and a bourne, beyond which all would have been darkness, even to the brightest intellect, had it not pleased God to reveal what took place while as yet there was no man, or ever the earth was.'

Man, feeling acutely the limited extent of his knowledge, turns to Revelation, in the hope of finding those secret operations of nature laid open, which his own powers cannot penetrate; and he lays the book aside, in disappointment, because it neither gratifies his curiosity, nor corroborates his favorite fancies and theories. He forgets, that discoveries in natural philosophy have evidently been granted by Providence to him, as the reward of industry; that the obscurity in which nature is wrapped, stimulates that industry on which his temporal comfort chiefly depends; so that revelations, on such a subject, would have disarmed his curiosity and blunted his energy. He forgets, also, that discoveries in science have generally kept pace with, and have been in no small degree regulated by, the wants of mankind and the state of society: while the revelations from heaven have been of unvarying importance and universal interest.

To the volume of Revelation, then, the wise and the simple must alike return, if they desire to know aught of the CAUSE of all they see around them. Without it, the wise can see no farther than the fool; and, without it, 'as the fool dieth so dieth the wise.' They have both considered all the works which are done under the sun they have seen all things full of labour: the eye not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. The one has looked on, perhaps, with a more acute eye and with deeper thought; has seen more of contrivance, more of design, yea, more of Omniscience, more of Omnipotence, more of a GOD-yet, without Revelation, both would de

part, as unable to account for the appearance of creation, now and at the beginning, as. to understand why God should have given such sore travail for the sons of men to be exercised withal. This is a hard saying; but no one knows the truth of it so assuredly, as he to whom it is most unpalatable; as he who affects to hide, under a laugh or a sneer, the corroding conviction that, in all the heights or depths of philosophy, he cannot obtain the least insight into the origin or object of his own existence, or of the creation of which he forms a part.

On applying to the inspired Records, which open with an account of the creation of all we see around us, we find, as already noticed, no circumstances stated, such as might be expected, were the object of the revelation to aid philosophical enquiry or scientific research. But if the elucidation of natural phenomena be, evidently, not the main object for which the account of creation-week was recorded in the Bible; and if we are warranted in assuming that it did not find a place there capriciously or accidentally, we must look elsewhere for a key to the introduction of such a subject in such a place. And where can we look, with more propriety, than to the volume to which it forms the solemn and appropriate introduction?

In searching the Scriptures for elucidations of the first subject contained in them, there are two widely-diffused misapprehensions, of which we must previously disabuse our minds. The first is, that the work of creation was effected in solitude and in silence; and the second, that the great subjects,

which afterwards formed the matter of revelation to man, were not contemplated when the earth was created, but arose afterwards out of unforeseen or accidental circumstances. Now, so far from creation-work having been done in solitude and in silence, every fiat regarding it was pronounced in the presence of myriads of angels, who beheld the operations with the deepest interest, and "shouted for joy," as they were successively unfolded; and, so far from the intentions of God regarding man having then been uncertain, or at least kept secret, they had been so publicly known in heaven, that the inspired writers, subsequently, founded much of their doctrine on the assured and incontrovertible fact, that they had been PROMISED in Christ Jesus ERE THE WORLD BEGAN. Not only this, but the same writers assert that these purposes were opposed or objected to; that the fulfilment of these purposes was then, as it still is, THE TRUTH of God, and that the objection to them, or offence at them, was then, as it still is, THE LIE.

It is not necessary for us to know, neither can we, while in the body, comprehend, the nature of the world of spirits. But this much we are assured of, that there are, and were previous to the creation, principalities and powers amongst them; and that amongst them there were some who kept not their first estate," in consequence of "not abiding in the truth."

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It is equally hidden from us, what was the precise extent, so to speak, of the truth revealed to them, against which they rebelled; but it is evident