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his government, and a patient continuance in well doing, looking forward to the consummation of our earthly pilgrimage, when we shall be taken into his beatific presence to know, and to see, and to love more abundantly.

Nevertheless, though we are to check vain curiosity, yet such a knowledge and belief as I have mentioned above, are absolutely necessary to our felicity here.

There is implanted in the soul of man, a natural affectation of whatever is great, marvellous, and new. Who would stoop to survey a little brook that murmurs at his feet, when the mighty ocean lies expanded to the sight? Who would gaze upon the feeble rays of a common star, when a comet, or some strange phenomenon, blazes through the vault of night? The contemplation of things great, wonderful and new, as it delights and fills the soul with uncommon elevation, so it teaches us to believe that if there is an object capable of delighting us forever, he must have these qualities. He must be all perfection. He must be such, that if we should contemplate and adore him for ever, the great, the wonderful and the new would never be exhausted, nor suffer diminution in him!

Now this active energy was undoubtedly stamped on our minds, to raise us above the objects of sense, nor suffer us to rest beneath our native love. From Heaven the soul descended, and thither must return, before she can find an object fully commensurate to her more generous affections! Else, wherefore burns within us this constant hankering after something

new and untried*? Wherefore does every object, with which we are conversant here, so soon grow familiar to the sight, and pall upon the enjoyment? Why does the soul desire to give unconfined range to her flight, and pry into every nature through the immense of being? Why, when she has travelled as far as thought can reach, or time itself permit, is she still unsatisfied, crying "farther! yet a little farther!"

Whence all this, but because, in this mortal state, she is, as it were, confined from home, from the immediate vision of him who is her true delight, the great model and source of all perfection? Whence, but because in all things else, she discovers marks of imperfection; and the new, the great and the wonderful in them, are soon exhausted? Nothing can be a God to the mind of man, in which any defect or blemish can be discovered.

'Tis fatally true that souls grovelling in sin and folly may, for a while, lull their best faculties asleep, and rest satisfied without thinking of God, or by making gods of his creatures. Yet this is but a very transient rest, disturbed by every cross accident, that is capable of rousing and keeping up reflection. Then all that we trusted to is vanished; and the mind, if it would shift and turn forever, can find no more ease till it has come to its true God; till it has conceived a being, able to save to the uttermost all who put their trust in him!

• See some beautiful passages to this purpose, in Dr. Akenside's sublime poem, on the Pleasures of Imagination.

But having once fled to this being, in the methods appointed by his grace, we can rest fully satisfied; through the eye of faith in him, though we find it in vain to look for his uncircumscribed essence here, or there; in this region, or among that order of beings. For it is high as the heavens, what can we do? And deeper than hell, what can we know? It is longer than the earth and broader than the sea!-He is all! He is every where! And, though in that all, and, this every where, the soul be swallowed up and lost, yet there it can rest; fearing his power, adoring his wisdom, and trusting his goodness!

Here at last is firm footing! Almighty wisdom to contrive, almighty goodness to influence, and almighty power to execute, what is best on the whole! Under such a governor, virtue may safely trust all her concerns both now and for ever! What need man to know more for the present, but that such a being exists over all, and independent of all?

Yet though this be our main business, still it may neither be improper nor presumptuous to look forward, with an earnest longing, to that time when we shall see and known and love him more abundant

ly

Oh for a glimpse of him my soul adores! &c.

But while I meditate on these glorious and rap turous subjects, I am carried beyond the usual length of a single essay. Yet-Oh! that I could meditate upon them for ever! Oh! that they were become the chief joy of all mankind, and that every reader could, for himself, say Amen!

POSTSCRIPT.

THE reader will easily see, that the HERMIT's labours terminate abruptly in his foregoing No. VIII. when he was just opening himself for their continuation, in subsequent numbers, to treat, as occasion might offer, " on the Being and Attributes "of God, and the most useful topics of true, practical, and " evangelical religion;" which God has been since pleased to spare him to handle more at large, and prepare for the public, in the volumes now in the press.

With the HERMIT's labours, the publication of the AMERICAN MAGAZINE, the vehicle of their conveyance, ceased also. The cause of this was some very arbitrary proceedings of the Assembly, or Legislature of Pennsylvania, of that day; which necessitated the author to undertake a voyage to Great-Britain, of which an account will be given, in a volume of his works, more immediately connected, than the present, with civil and political concerns.

His associates, therefore, in carrying on the MAGAZINE, (most of whom were among his ingenious young PUPILS, whose talents he wished to encourage and cultivate, both in sentiment and composition) declined the weight of continuing the work, in his absence, or without his aid and direction.

Some idea of the HERMIT'S political principles, may be formed, from his No. III, above; containing " advice to the authors of the Magazine; not very acceptable to some of the little tyrants of that day; and which foreboded opposition, and destruction, if possible to the work. But I forbear further remarks for the present.

A PHILOSOPHICAL MEDITATION,

AND

RELIGIOUS ADDRESS

TO THE

SUPREME BEING.*

PREPARATORY ADDRESS.

O ETERNAL Source of Life, Light and Love; that permittest thy reasonable creatures to open their souls to Thy divine influence by Prayer! compose my thoughts, raise my affections, and grant that I may approach Thy awful Presence, with an humble sense of my own indigence, and with worthy

* This piece was one of the earliest of the author's compositions. It was written for the use of young Students in Philosophy, and published, in London, 1754, at the end of a book of Ethics, and on the plan of the same. The Ethics were written by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson the Father, first President of the college of New-York.

Hence this Composition consists of the same parts with the treatise on Ethics itself, viz.

First, Speculative and Religious Truths relating to God, which make the Address and Acknowledgment of Him; and Truths relating to ourselves, which make the Confession.

Secondly, The Practical duties that result from these Truths, which are Moral, Divine and Social. Petitions for Grace to discharge these aright make the Petitory parts.

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