his Truth shall stand to the end of the world, and his Gospel. till the last of the Redeemed is ready for glory. There is a spiritual church, consisting of Christ's faithful people, and of them only, gathered perhaps out of all denominations; and this church, founded on the everlasting Rock, is impregnable to every assault of its enemies. No weapon formed against it can prosper. This consideration should afford every true believer great consolation, under all dark appearances, either in visible churches or in the world. 'Tis God's cause, and not man's. The arm, therefore, which supports it, is omnipotent and divine." The Lord of Hosts is with us (may this church of the first-born triumph) the God of Jacob is our refuge." ON THE MOST USEFUL MODE OF PREACHING, THE office of the ministry is allowed by all, who have not totally resigned themselves to the influence of Infidelity, to be of the first importance amongst mankind, as it immediately respects their immortal interests, their well-being in time and in eternity; while other offices only regard the order, harmony, and happiness of civilized life. If an ambassador amongst men, who personates his prince, is dignified by his office above his fellow-subjects, how much more honourable are those who minister in holy things, as ambassadors for Christ! The discharge therefore of so great and important a trust, with becoming propriety, must surely be deemed by ministers of the gospel, an object which demands their most diligent attention and study, that they may become workmen, who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. The credit of the gospel-ministry, and consequently the usefulness of it, depends much more on the manner in which the word of life is dispensed than is generally imagined; and especially in this our day, when gross ignorance is not so prevalent as it was in former times, and when Profligacy and Infidelity are so prone to catch at any thing that may seem to countenance their rejection of Christianity. If then the ene mics of truth are ever ready to seize occasions for speaking reproachfully of the disciples and religion of Christ, how cautious should ministers be in the palpit, as well as in their daily intercourse with mankind, lest they subserve, in any way whatever, the views and wishes of their watchful adversaries! While we give some ministers of the gospel credit for their sincerity, and for the simplicity of their intention to promote the interests of the Saviour's kingdom, we cannot at the same time but lament, that their extemporaneous discourses should be unworthy the great subjects they proclaim. Many serious Christians, whose information rises above the common level, are grieved at the incoherence which is sometimes exhibited in the pulpit; and peculiarly so, when they perceive any intelligent neighbour who makes no profession of religion, occasionally mingle in the congregation: and besides a want of order and connection, we are sometimes struck with the inattention of the preacher to a due selection of leading ideas, which are appropriate, or directly tend to illustrate and enforce the passage under consideration. As injudicious habits of preaching, which have been indulged for several years, become so inveterate as seldom to be removed, or even in any considerable degree corrected, it is earnestly to be wished, that young ministers would avail themselves of the instruction of able and learned divines, who have made the mode of discussing the important truths of Christian Divinity an object of their intense thoughts and application; for the earlier they do this, the greater will be the advantages derived. They will thereby form habits of accurate and judicious arrangement and discussion: they will acquire a more comprehensive view of their subjects; and not feel regret that they are about to offer to their hearers crude and undigested thoughts: and they will experience far greater freedom, satisfaction, and pleasure in preaching, than they otherwise can reasonably expect to find. Is it objected, that the people in general who compose a congregation, are unable to discern the beauty of a well-connected discourse, and that there is but little occasion, therefore, to cultivate the habit of orderly arrangement? To this objection we would reply, That, though the generality of hearers cannot perceive distinctly the beautiful order of the component parts of a discourse; yet they are much more likely to be struck with what is iucid and proportionate than with what is confused and incoherent: as persons may be ignorant of the rules of architecture, and yet admire the proportion, harmony, and beauty of an edifice. But allowing that the great body of the people are incapable of admiring a sermon at once judicious in its arrangement, and perspicuous in its discussion, are we to pay no deference to the intelligent part of our hearers, who may be capable of appreciating the merits of a discourse? Is it right, or becoming our character, that we should disgust them? Rather ought the ministers of the gospel to endeavour so to acquit themselves, as that the most judicious part of their hearers may have no just cause of offence, while the most ig norant and simple may clearly understand. W. THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. ON THE CAUSES OF THE CELESTIAL MOTIONS. ACCORDING to the established laws of nature, bodies will remain in a state of rest till moved by some external cause; and when once put in motion, will continue to move with a uniform velocity until some obstacle oppose their progress. If when a body is projected in a straight line, it be acted upon by another force, drawing it toward a centre (and hence called the Centripetal Force) it will describe a curve, which will be either a circle or an ellipsis, according to the proportion between the projectile and the centripetal force. A body revolving in an orbit, endeavours to fly off from the centre (this is called the Centrifugal Force); and the greater its distance, the greater will be this force. Its velocity will be increased in proportion as it is nearer the centre. Thus, if a ball fastened to a cord be whirled round, and the cord suddenly let go, the ball will fly off; but if the string be drawn up so as to bring the ball nearer the centre, it will revolve more rapidly. Two bodies connected together, revolve round the common centre of gravity. If two balls of equal or unequal size be connected by a wire, there is a certain point in the wire where they will balance each other: this point is the centre of gravity, round which they will revolve, if put in motion. It is on these principles that the motion of the heavenly bodies is accounted for. A principle of attraction between the different bodies that compose it, pervades the whole system, varying according to the magnitude and nearness of the attracting body. All the planets attract each other, and are all attracted by the sun, to which they would all tend, were it not for the centrifugal force generated by their motion in their orbits, which exactly balances their tendency to the centre, and thus preserves them in their places. Were this force greater, they would fly off into space, like the ivory ball when the cord is let go were it less, they would rush toward the sun. All the planets, as well as the sun, must revolve round the common centre of gravity; but because of the sun's magnitude, the centre of our system is in that luminary. Hence we see the reason why these planets which are nearest the sun move with the greatest rapidity, because they are nearer the centre of gravity. From the same cause it is that, as the planets move in an ellipsis, they increase in velocity as they approach the sun, and move slower as they recede from it. The same principles that regulate the motions of the primary planets round the sun, govern the secondaries in their revolufutions round their respective primaries. It is impossible to say what is the cause of that attraction which thus holds the planets in their places; the laws which regulate it are known and understood; farther than this, the researches of Newton could not go; he could only say, that He who created the planets, and gave them their motion, impressed upon them this tendency towards the centre round which they revolve— If there be in the works of nature that which baffles the greatest industry, and overwhelms the largest minds, need we wonder that in the works of grace and the operations of the Spirit of God, we should perceive mysteries not to be unravelled? We see the outward fruits that are brought forth in the life and conversation of the regenerate; and we know, from the scriptures, that it is the Holy Ghost "who worketh in them both to will and to do;" but how he works we know not. The symptoms of the spiritual life are manifest, but its springs are hidden. We may justly admire the wisdom and power of God in causing two opposite principles, like those of the centripetal and centrifugal force, so to operate as to effect his purpose, The same wisdom is disand preserve the order of nature. played in bringing good out of evil, and in causing the opposite passions of men to counteract each other. How many men are there who would be monsters of avarice, cruelty, or lust, if pride did not interfere and lead them to seek the good opinion of their fellow-creatures, which they are conscious they should forfeit by giving way to propensities that all would condemn! And even the oppositions of men to the interests of Christ, and all the persecutions and trials the Christian meets with, are made the means of promoting the very cause they are meant to injure. "Out of the eater cometh forth meat, and out of the strong cometh forth sweetness." And though the existence of sin and misery is a mystery not to be explained, yet we may rest assured, that in some mysterious way it will be so over-ruled as to afford a greater display of the divine glory than could ever have been given without its existence. So that glorified Saints shall have reason to sing, "Sin has its dire incursions made, "That thou might'st prove thy pow'r to save; DODDRIDGE. Time of revolv-| Hourly ing round the motions in Sun. Theirorbit. Jupiter Fatura 79.04: 89,170 490,000,000 0 9 55 37 4332 14 27 900,000,000) 0 Georgium Sidus 35,1121,800, 00,000 unknown 29,083 10 16 2 9759 I 51 22,7GX Reverend Sir, ON LOTTERIES.. I was pleased to see, sometime ago, the Lottery brought forward as a subject of investigation among the Queries that are frequently offered for information on dubious points which occur to the observers in your useful Miscellany. The remarks of your correspondents on that head, are respectable for the conscientious jealousy they evince of being led to countenance any thing in itself sinful; but I apprehend that they have not sufficiently entered into the merits of the case. In Dr. Cotton Mather's History of New England, there is a very curious article on this very point. "The judgment of the Ministers met at Boston, 11th May, 1699, upon a Case addressed unto them concerning Lotteries." They were a body of men too eminent in the annals of the Christian Church not to lend an importance to their opinions on any subjects, when given collectively and after solemn deliberation; and on the subject in reference they in substance say," 1st, Great is the difference between a Lottery set up by persons acting in a private, capacity, and a Lottery set up by the government, who bave power to lay a tax upon the people; but choose to leave to the more easy determination of a lottery, the persons who shall pay the sum which the necessities of the public require. A Public Lottery takes only from the voluntary, what the government might have demanded by a more general imposition; and only when the people are plunged into such distress, that a more general imposition would be grievous to them; and it employs for the welfare of the public all that is raised by the Lottery: whereas a more Private Lottery is managed by those who have no antecedent claim unto any thing of their neighbours; and is designed merely for private advantage." They then proceed to shew, "gd, That such Private Lotteries cannot be justly carried on, or exercised as a profession, being thus solely for individual, not general advantage. 3d, That the obtainers of prizes in such, have the estates of others transferred to them, without having rendered, or designing to render, any service to the community in the act." And, 4th, That in these Private Lotteries, when the prizes do not amount to the sum deposited by the adventurers, there is a plain cheat on the public; and their being instituted is only a scheme to defraud the people of such a sum, by inviting others to share in it." It is evident, however, in all this, that a public establishment, where the profits are designed for national service, is very carefully excepted from the censure; they decide, that government, who receive the profits, have originally a previous right to public contribution. The prizes therefore in such, are to be viewed as rewards which the state (who has a permanent r ght to the whole) ap |