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ly," or in a bodily manner, or the fulness of the Godhead, clothed in a body; how very similar to the expression, "the word was clothed, or made manifest in flesh," or in a body.

Now, as it appears that the terms, Spirit and Word correspond, that what is said of the one is said of the other, I think it is evident that we have no more ground for supposing one to be in itself a Person, (or previous to its being embodied in flesh,) than the other, but that the same truth is expressed in another form, when it is said, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit," &c., and "God hath spoken unto us by his Son," "The word which God sent-preaching peace, by Jesus Christ," "The great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord," &c. This sense of the expressions is also corroborated by the consideration, that as the term, Christ, signifies anointed, so the anointing is the Spirit or the Word, and the human nature, or the Man Jesus of Nazareth, THAT which, or, he who, received the anointing, and thereby became the anointed, or the Christ. "God hath made that same Jesus, both Lord and Christ." Accordingly, we find the Saviour described in both these ways: "JesusChrist," &c., "Jesus the Christ."

The "Word," then, or "Word of God," is not a person, an individual being-but properly and really, it signifies the expression of God's will, it is that which God hath spoken-it is, in fact, what it literally imports, the words of God, only that it is expressed in the singular number, to denote its unvarying, unchanging nature, and its identity: and, perhaps, to exhibit this identity, and place it in a striking point of view, the Apostle, John, wrote this introduction to his Gospel History; the intention of which appears to be, to collect and concentrate the evidence for the divine authority and mission of Jesus Christ, by stating that the same Almighty voice which was God himself, (speaking,) which spoke all things into existence, and without which nothing was made that was made; that same all-powerful word which was life in itself, and the source of life and light, natural and spiritual, to all mankind; the same divine inspiration which spoke by the Prophets-was now speaking in the most explicit and comprehensive manner, by Jesus Christ, "the word was made (manifest) in flesh""full of grace and truth;" for "God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him." "Never man spake like this man." "And of his fulness have all we received"-for "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

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BETWEEN MAN'S MORAL NATURE, AND THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE.

Poets, Philosophers, and Theologians, hold up their hands in astonishment, that men can live mid the glories of this outward world, without a belief in God,-without a moral excellence and joy. But I am far from being amazed by this fact. For, so fully do I believe in the dependence, even of present happiness on moral conditions, that I am ready to lay down the position that a development of the moral powers is a pre-requisite, even to understanding what the world is, of course pre-requisite to enjoying the world, and seeing of what it contains the proof.-I say, we cannot understand the world without the strong action in our own souls, of the four great principles of the moral nature; which are Love, and Reverence, and Conscience, and Faith.

For what is the outward world? It is no dead, chaotic mass, whose materials and qualities can be known by a mere mechanical division and management,-but it is a piece of harmonious life, order, and beauty. The intellect alone cannot understand it;-for its noblest traits cannot be reached by analysis without limit, and argument without end. What are these traits? In other words, what is the outward world?

In the first place it is an expression of Goodness. He, who does not understand, that, by the energy of Love it has been shaped in grandeur, and clothed with beauty, and set into majestic motion, does not understand it in one of its greatc harac

ters.

"A primrose, on the river's brink,

A yellow primrose is to him,

And it is nothing more."

And what is necessary that a man may understand the world as an expression of Goodness? Evidently a developement of the principle of Love in his own breast. Without this, no matter how mighty his intellect. Intellect may comprehend intellect. It is Love only, that can understand and rejoice in the expression of Love.

Again; the outward world is a manifestation of infinite. Greatness and Glory. And this is another of its principal traits; and how can you understand it in this character without reverence? You may be a philosopher; yet the mere philosopher does not understand, in this great feature of it, the world upon which he has been all his life-time gazing. His Telescope reaches the feathery mist, which seems a curtain of gauze hung on Creation's farthest border, and he recognises it as an accumulation of millions upon millions of worlds. Does he understand his "field of view," does he understand himself, when he does not adore? He explains the decomposition of light in the colors of the rain-bow. But does he understand it himself, when, failing to look with reverence to him who has spanned the Heavens with this beautiful arch, he simply says, that the rain has fallen of its own accord, and the Great Lamp of day has spontaneously shot forth its horizontal rays, and the broad band of brilliancy has been stretched out with no aid but from material instruments?

The best poetry of the world's noblest poets bears witness to this point. For there can be no Poetry truly sublime without adoration. Open the pages even of Byron. See what he says in his Apostrophe to the Ocean.

"Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty's Form
Glasses itself in tempests; in all time,

Calm or convulsed,-in breeze, or gale, or storm,
Icing the pole, on in the torrid clime,
Dark-heaving; boundless, endless, and sublime;
The Image of Eternity:-the Throne

Of the Invisible; even from out the slime,
The Monsters of the deep are made; each zone

Obeys thee; thou goest forth dread, fathomless, alone."

The Form of the Almighty! the Invisible! the Infinile! the Eternal! the Absolute! Reverence is crowded into it! It is intense, sublime invocation and prayer. Would that such had been, not the convulsive, but the habitual effort of that gifted mind! Again I ask, can the world be understood in this one of its chief traits, as a manifestation of greatness and glory, without deep reverence for its author?

Once more, the outward world, in one of its most important characters, is a proof of Infinite Rectitude. The Creation around us, no more abounds with proofs of Almighty Power, than of what may be called the Infinite Conscience. But we cannot understand the world in this trait, without a developement of the conscience in our own bosoms.

Again,-in its last great character, the world appears as an in strument of the soul's preparation for a world above itself. And in this character it cannot be understood without a developement in the soul of that last power of the moral nature, which we have called Faith. But to him whose Faith is bright, how brightly is this trait of the outward Creation revealed! To illustrate this, let me attempt, in the form of allegory, the description of a scene, which every hearer may regard as fictitious, if he finds in his own experience nothing to correspond with it as matter of fact. Once, upon a time, as in the pleasant season of spring, I walked over green herbage, and, mild flowering trees, the sweetness of the air, with the beauty of the scene, so touched me, that I stopped upon my path. The birds sang, not in gay, but moving strains; while the soft wind, breathing through many a leafy bough, joined in melodious concert with their notes. The sun was sinking to his rest, while the moon, with her silver orb, was just rising from hers;—and gladly, though mutely, did they seem to greet each other, across the broad landscape. As the Spirit of beauty began to possess my Soul, how did my heart swell within me, with a feeling which would not be denied,-a feeling that earth is not all,that mortal life is not all, when, suddenly, there rang out upon

the mellow air, the solemn call of a neighboring church-bell, and directly, a few words fell upon my ears uttered in the tones of the human voice.

"There is a Land of pure delight,
Where Saints Immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night,
And pleasures banish pain."

I would have shaken myself free from the enchantment. I asked myself,-"Are these but thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on man? Oh, no, they are no such thoughts; for, with wakeful eyes, I look over the broad surface of the solid earth,-and what do I see; millions upon millions of beings, formed like myself,-each with the same structure of body and mind. Like myself,-they all stand erect in this glorious theatre of Creation. The same firmament hangs over their heads, and echoes to them the same rich and various sounds. The same sun pours down its light upon their paths, and reveals the same grandeur to their minds. The solemn stars shine on, and minister to all alike their silent teachings,—and their constant rays, which would almost seem spiritualized by their passage through Immensity, fall at last, as having reached the point of their destination, even on the infant's just opened eyes. This whole frame of Creation, sparkling at every point of its vast structure, is wholly unconcious of its own brightness. For what, then, was it made but for the soul? And, if intended to waken and inform the soul, will it waken and inform it but for a moment? Is Creation's Light to the mind, but as a meteor's flame to the eye? Then is the means destined to greater dignity than the end. The instrument outlasts its object; unconscious dust survive the living thought." And so my thoughts and feellings went on kindling each other. Was it a dream or a vision of the Truth?

If a vision of the Truth,-and if all I have said be a true description, well may we speak of the Infidelity of the heart! Not at all need we be surprised that the outward world is no proof of a God to him, the powers of whose moral nature lie crushed and neglected in his soul!-He does not understand what the world is.-He cannot of course really enjoy it, or see of what it contains the proof.In this last point, as in those which precede, Genius stands before us a willing witness. I have seen

"A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract

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