vine Mercy has been stretched forth to aid thee; and if thou reject not its proffered assistance, is ready to conduct thee to a happier state of existence? When thou comparest thy condition with thy desert, blush, and be ashained of thy complaints. Be silent, be grateful and adore. Receive with thankfulness the blessings which are allowed thee. Revere that government which at present refuses thee more. Rest in this conclusion, that though there are evils in the world, its Creator is wise and good, and has been bountiful to thee, SECTION XX. BLAIR. e Mass, más, a body, the service of thesk Sev-er, sêv'-vår, to force asunder Roman church In-stinct, în'-stinkt, the power which determines the will of brutes m Ex-u be-raut, egz-i-bê-rånt, overa d Cell, sel, a small cavity, the cave of an religious person 1 bundant, superfluously plenteous Spec-i fy, spës'-se-fl, to mention, to show by some particular mark e Cav-i-ty, kav'-é-tè, hollowness, a hol-o Di-vers, dl věrz, several, sundry, ma low ny be full ƒ Teem, teèm, to bring forth young, top Tran-sit-ion, tran-sizh'-in, passage, g A-nal-o-gy,a-nal-lo-je, a resemblance In-ter-me-di-ate,in-têr-mè'-dé-ate, in change between things tervening A Com-mu-ni-ca-tive, kom-mune-kar De-du-ci-ble, dé-du-se-bl, collectible tiv, apt to communicate by reason tal view, a scheme biance gar loaf tible, mean, vile i Spec-u-la-tion, spêk-u-là-shân, a men-s Par-i-ty, par'-rè-tè, equality, resem j Cone, kone, a solid body like a su-t Des-pi-ca ble, des'-pé-ka-bl, contemp Scale of Beings. 1. THOUGH there is a great deal of pleasure in contemplating the material world: by which I mean, that system of bodies, into which nature has so curiously wrought the mass of dead matter, with the several relations that those bodies bear to one another; there is still, methinks, something more wonderful and surprising, in contemplations on the world of life; by which I intend, all those animals with which every part of the universe is furnished. The material world is only the shell of the universe: the world of life are its inhabitants. 2. If we consider those parts of the material world, which lie nearest to us, and are therefore subject to our observation, and inquiries, it is amazing to consider the infinity of animals with which they are stocked. Every part of matter is peopled; every green leaf swarms with inhabitants. There is scarcely a single humour in the body of a man, or of any other animal, in which our glasses do not discover myriads of living creatures. 3. We find, even in the most solid bodies, as in marble itself, innumerable cells and cavities, which are crowded with imperceptible inhabitants, too little for the naked eye to discover. On the other hand, if we look into the more bulky parts of nature, we see the seas, lakes, and rivers, teemings with numberless kinds of living creatures. We find every mountain and marsh, wilderness and wood, plentifully stocked with birds and beasts; and every part of matter affording proper necessaries and conveniences, for the livelihood of the multitudes which inhabit it. 4. The author of "the Plurality of Worlds," draws a very good argument from this consideration, for the peopling of every planet; as indeed it seems very probable, from the analogys of reason, that if no part of matter, with which we are acquainted, lies waste and useless, those great bodies, which are at such a distance from us, are not desert and unpeopled; but rather, that they are furnished with beings adapted to their respective situations. 5. Existence is a blessing to those beings only which are endowed with perception: and is in a manner thrown away upon dead matter, any farther than as it is subservient to beings which are conscious of their existence.Accordingly we find, from the bodies which lie under our observation, that matter is only made as the basis and support of animals: and that there is no more of the one than what is necessary for the existence of the other. 6. Infinite goodness is of so communicativer a natuure, that it seems to delight in conferring existence upon every degree of perceptive being. As this is a speculation, which I have often pursued with great pleasure to myself, I shall enlarge farther upon it, by considering that part of the scale of beings, which comes within our/ kuowledge. a 7. There are some living creatures, which are raised but just above dead matter. To mention only that species of snell-fish, which is formed in the fashion of cone that grows to the surface of several rocks; and immediately dies, on being severed from the place where it grew. There are many other creatures but one remove from these, which have no other sense than that of feeling and taste. Others have still an additional one of hearing; others of smell; and others of sig'it. 8. It is wonderful to observe, by what a gradual progress the world of life advances, through a a prodigious variety of species, before a creature is formed, that is complete in all its senses: and even among these, there is such a different degree of perfection, in the sense which one animal enjoys beyond what appears in another, that though the sense in different animals is distinguished by the same common denomination, it seems almost of a different nature. 9. If, after this, we look into the several inward perfections of cunning and sagacity, or what we generally call instinct, we find them rising, after the same manner, imperceptibly one above another; and receiving additional improvements, according to the species, in which they are implanted. This progress in nature is so very gradual, that the most perfect of an inferior species, comes very near to the most imperfect of that which is immediately above it. 10. The exuberant and overflowing goodness of the Supreme Being, whose mercy extends to all his works, is plainly seen, as I have before hinted, in his having made so very little matter, at least what falls within our knowledge, that does not swarm with life. Nor is his goodness less seen in the diversity, than in the multitude of living creatures. Had he made but one species of animals, none of the rest would have enjoyed the happiness of existence: he has, therefore, specified in his creation, every degree of life, every capacity of being. 11. The whole chasm of nature, from a plant to a man, is filled up with diverso kinds of creatures, rising one after another, by an ascent so gentle and easy, that the little transitions and deviations from one species to another, are almost insensible. This intermediate space is so well husbanded and managed, that there is scarcely a degree of perception, which does not appear in some one part of the world of life. Is the goodness, or the wisdom of the Divine Being, more manifested in this his proceeding? 12. There is a consequence, besides those I have already mentioned, which seems very naturally deducibler from the foregoing considerations. If the scale of being rises by so as high man, we may, by parity of reason, suppose, that it still proceeds gradually through those beings which are of a superior nature to him; since there is infinitely greater space and room for progress, so regular a different degrees of perfection, between the Supreme Being and man, than between man and the most despicable insect. 13. In this great system of of being, there is no creature so wonderful in its nature, and which so much deserves our particular attention, as man; who fills up the middle space between the animal and the intellectual nature, the visible and the invisible world; and who is that link in the chain of being, which forms the connexions between both. Se that he who, in one respect is associated with angels and archangels, and may look upon a Being of infinite perfection as his father, and the highest order of spirits as his brethren, may, in another respect, say "corruption, thou art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister." SECTION ΧΧΙ. a Ob-nox-jous, ob-nok'-shås, subject, < At-tri-bute, at-tre-bate, the thing at-) e ADDISON. tributed, honour, quality adherent, Trust in the care of Providence recommended. 1. MAN, considered in himself, is a very helpless, and a very wretched being. He is subject every moment to the greatest calamities and misfortunes. He is beset with dangers on all sides; and may become unhappy by numberless casualties, which he could not foresee, nor have prevented had he foreseen them. 2. It is our comfort, while we are obnoxiousa to so many accidents, that we are under the care of ONE who directs contingencies, and has in his hands the management of every thing that is capable of annoying or offending us; who knows the assistance we stand in need of, and is always ready to bestow it on those who ask it of him. 3. The natural homage, which such a creature owes to so infinitely wise and good a Being, is a firm reliance on him for the blessings and conveniences of life; and an habitual trust in him, for deliverance out of all such dangers and difficulties as may befall us. 4. The man who always lives in this disposition of mind, has not the same dark and melancholy views of human nature, as he who considers himser abstractedly from this relation to the Supreme Being. At the same time 1 that he reflects upon his own weakness and imperfection, he comforts himself with the contemplation of those divine attributes, which are employed for his safety, and his welfare. 5. He finds his want of foresight made up, by the omniscience of him who is his support. He is not sensible of his own want of strength, when he knows that his helper is almighty. In short, the person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being, is powerful in his power, wise by his wisdom, happy by bis happiness. He reaps the benefit of every divine attribute; and loses his own insufficiency in the fulness of infinite perfection. 6. To make our lives more easy to us, we are commanded to put our trust in him, who is thus able to relieve and succour us; the Divine Goodness having made such a reliance a duty, notwithstanding we should have been miserable, had it been forbidden us. Among several motives, which might be made use of to recommend this duty to us, I shall only take notice of those that follow. ! 7. The first and strongest is, that we are promised, is will not fail those who put their trust in him. But without considering the supernatural blessing, which accompanies this duty, we may observe, that it has a natural tendency to its own reward; or, in other words, that this firan trust and confidence in the great disposer of all things, contribute very much to the getting clear of any affliction, or to the bearing of it mantully. 8. A person who believes he has his saccour at hand and that he acts in the sight of his friend, often exerts himself beyond his abilities; and does wonders, that are not to be matched by one who is not animated with such a confidence of success. Trust in the assistance of an Almighty Being naturally produces patience, hope, cheerCulness, and all other, dispositions of mind, which alleviate those calamities that we are not able to remove. 9. The practice of this virtue administers great comfort to the mind of man, in times of poverty and afflietion; but most of all, in the hour of death. When the soul is hovering, in the last moments of its separation; when it is just entering on another state of existence, to converse with scenes, and objects, and companions, that are altogether new; what can support her under such tremblings of thought, such fear, such anxiety, such apprehensions, but the casting of all her cares upon HIM, who |