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Speaking to his Apostles, "Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."* appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."+ And again, " In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."+ "To sit on my right hand, and on my left shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father."§ In the parable also, "His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."|| And, in the same place, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Our Saviour said, "In the resurrection they neither marry,

nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angels of God in Heaven"*"equal unto the Angels"-" the children of God"-looking upon Him as a child regards an earthly parent.

Are there no particulars related of Angels in different parts of the Bible?+

St. Paul says, "As we have borne the image of the earthly (Adam) so we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (Christ):§ "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption." Does the Christian know nothing of "treasure in heaven,"¶"Joy in heaven,' "in the presence of the Father;"** of "praise," of knowledge?"++ Many circumstances of the life to come are communicated only in parables, but many of these are sufficiently distinct. Can we collect nothing from the story of the Rich man and Lazarus ? or from that of the Prodigal ?§§ Would that there were no prodigality but that of wealth-no lavish waste of political power; no spendthrift scattering of + Luke, xx. 36.

• Matt. xxii. 30. 1 Cor. vi. 3.

St. Paul even says, "know ye not that we shall judge Angels ?" Luke, xv. 10. Jesus taught, "there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Matt. xiii. 39. "the reupers (at the last day) are the Angels."

§ 1 Cor. xv. 49. || 1 Cor. xv. 54. ¶ Matt. xix. 21.; & vi. 20. ** Luke, xv. 7 and 10.; "and (Psalm xvi. 11.) at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore."

†† Rev. v. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

1 Cor. xiii. 9-12. Luke, xv. 11. §§ Luke, xvi. 19.

intellect, in science, wit, and learning! It is a most reasonable decree, that "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.'

In my estimation, the superiority of the Scripture is equally manifest in its earthly prophecies and its predictions of eternity, in its human morality and its attributes of the Almighty-in its natural wisdom and its Natural or Rational Theology, in its promises and denunciations. Again and again I ask could such a book be written by mere men and in the ages of the world's darkness? could so many mere men, of such very different characters, concur, through several successive ages, to produce parts so perfectly agreeing together? I should say, that the "God of the spirits of all flesh"+ must have endowed the authors with a superiority of wisdom in a degree fully equal to actual inspiration.

What is that sentiment which induces men to rely with so confident a satisfaction upon the man of tried and known wisdom and probity, especially under circumstances of emergency? Is it not something like that with which Pharaoh king of Egypt had recourse

* Luke, xii. 48. The Bible plainly assures us of "stripes" for the evil, "many" or "few," according to their deeds and knowledge. "Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:" &c.

+ Numb. xvi. 22; xxvii. 16.

to Joseph as a man of consummate foresight and prudence; "can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is." Precisely like this are the reflections which all men make on the Bible, whose studies have been rewarded by even a partial comprehension of its tenour; and I have never heard of such an one who ever found reason to change his opinion.

Natural Theology includes all the knowledge of the Creator which is drawn from contemplating the Creation; and we may allow that ingenuity has accomplished something towards building the Science into a system. It has drawn together innumerable instances from the sciences-physical and moral, to illustrate the existence of a Being, Mighty in action, Wise in contrivance and foresight, Great in goodness, in duration, and in the illimitable extent of His influence. It has shown more or less clearly that man is able to discern good and evil, that he is probably destined for a future existence, that in this world he is full of weakness and wickedness, that he certainly receives the fruits of his doings on earth,† and that he is very possibly responsible for the

• Gen. xli. 38.

+ Notwithstanding the unequal quantities of wealth, knowledge, &c. which fall to the lot of man, it is still pretty evident, that the real happiness of the individual depends rather upon a right mind and just conduct from day to day.

actions of his present life, hereafter.-Now, we have also the Holy Bible, which purports to be written by men instructed of God himself, and to contain all the wisdom requisite to man for his happiness here and in the life to come. This Book has, distributed through its pages, a copious reference to the works of God, as evidences of His Wisdom, Power, and Benevolence.

It is possible, that men of science will declare, that human Theology supplies the deficiencies of the Bible on these topics; but, my opinion is exactly the reverse. If a man, by contemplating himself, or the stars, can be satisfied that there is a Maker in whom all his hopes and fears must rest, I say, it seems to me, (an anatomist, and not totally unacquainted with other sciences,) that scientific studies, as introductory to Religion, are only as so much time lost. This truth is overwhelmingly forcible, if the learner may be supposed to die during his initiatory course. More than once have I been intimately acquainted with bright and promising ornaments of this life, who, in the vigorous pursuit of knowledge and fame, have been warned by the voice of sickness or death, that science and reputation had too long tempted them, not, indeed, to deny or forget, but to hold too cheap the mercy of Redemption.

In addition, the Holy Book of wisdom establishes, by the most convincing reasonings, the truth of man's