SERMONS.

SERMON I.

GOD THE AUTHOR OF LIGHT.

GENESIS 1. 3.-And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.

THE creation of the world is an event eternally memorable. It is so in strangeness, and potency, in wisdom, and benignity. How strange the event! where nothing was but empty space, a stupendous system now exists. Without any pre-existent materials, a spacious world is built. Out of nothing, existence widely extended, and almost infinitely diversified, is produced. How potent was the cause which was competent to such effects! How omnipotent the volition and the word which derived from emptiness the world and the fulness thereof! In the effect, wisdom was no less apparent than all-producing power. Nothing was produced which was useless, or unappropriate. In the adjustment was no mistaken arrangement. In the combination there was nothing unharmonious. The spacious edifice everywhere displayed wisdom profound, and design unerring. But the event proclaimed not only the power and wisdom, but also the benevolence of the Creator. Every production, in its kind, was perfect. Every living thing was endued with its appropri ate faculties, assigned to its appropriate element,—and liberally furnished with whatever was necessary to its existence, and

happiness. In the world, redeemed from wild confusion, perfect order reigned. Revived from the coldness of universal death, it everywhere teemed with life. Called from the darkness of eternal night, it felt the cheering light of day, and in the brightness of its beams everywhere reflected the glories of the invisible God. For God commanded the light to shine out of darkness,― First, that every progressive movement of creating power might be distinctly perceived; and that through every successive age of the world's duration, creatures in God's light might see light, and read the inscriptions of power, wisdom, and goodness so distinctly imprinted on every page of creation's wide-spread volume

Let us trace some of the prominent instances in which this record has been verified-when God, by his efficient mandate, caused light to shine out of darkness.

1st. This record was verified in the creation of natural, or material light.

"In the beginning God created the heavens, and the earth and the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters; and God said, Let there be light, and there was light." This was the first means employed to redeem the world from chaos, and from night. This brilliant fluid is, in its essence and specific nature, too subtile to be defined by our senses, or to be analysed by the nicest experiments. In its rapid flight it is too swift to be accompanied by our tardy movements of mind. In its excursions it is too distant to be measured by the scanty line of human intellect. In pleasantness and utility it is preeminent. How shall we begin to describe, its beauty! Of ten thousand surrounding proofs which shall we select to show its pleasantness, and its worth? It makes our day the season of labor, and busy life. Its early dawn revives the animal creation which had been buried in the death-like inaction of sleep. It is greeted by the songsters of the grove, and gives a renewed impulse to busy industry. Summoned by its signal and guided by its rays man goeth forth to his work, and his labor

until evening." It is an active, and potent principle in the operations of nature. The vegetable kingdom needs its influence; and by its drooping and sickly aspect in darkness or the shade, confesses the absence of that which is its life and joy. To its presence it does homage by the exhibition of all its glories. It clothes surrounding nature in all its varied hues and colors, and renders it distinctly visible in all its varied forms. It is light which renders visible and legible the countenance-the external glory of man-that expressive index of active mind, and of deeply-felt emotions within. Amidst the surrounding darkness of night's gloomy reign, it kindles up its rival fires, cheers our dwellings, protracts the hours of useful toil,-spreads around the social circle its cheerful charms: and obedient to devotion's call, illuminates the temples of the living God. This benefit, the first born of order, and the most brilliant of earthly beauties, has been dispensed with a liberality proportional to its glory and its usefulness. It flows in an unintermitting flood from the bright orb of day, clothing with light as with a garment, our earth and other consociated worlds. It is diffused around the globe widely as the abodes of man. The means of exciting and diffusing it are liberally bestowed in every clime, and are discoverable, and manageable by every tribe of man. The savage reclaims from night a portion of enlightened space by his blazing faggot, and his pitchy torch. Civilized man, more conveniently and efficiently extends the empire of light by the cheerful candle, the glowing lamp, or brilliant gas.

"Hail holy light! offspring of heaven, first born,
Or of the Eternal, co-eternal beam!

May I express thee unblamed? Since God is light,
And never but in unapproached light
Dwelt from Eternity, dwelt then in thee.
Bright effluence of bright essence increate,
Or hear'st thou rather, pure ethereal stream
Whose fountain who shall tell? Before the Sun,
Before the heavens thou wert, and at the voice
Of God, as with a mantle didst invest

The rising world of waters dark and deep

Won from the void, and formless infinite."-MILTON.

But again, 2dly, God said let there be light and there was light; when he presented to the human mind the light of science, and the knowledge of useful and ornamental arts.

What the condition of man, in these respects would have been had he kept his first estate, we are unable to say. In what measure science would have prevailed,-to what extent it would have been needful, or employed,-how easy of discovery, or how successful and etricient in its application,-are questions to which we offer no explicit answer, farther than to say, that, no doubt, man, the high-priest in nature's august temple, would have known much of its order, convenience, beauty, and magnificence; and understood much of its relation to the worship and glory of God :—and art would have promptly leut its aid in furnishing, and effecting whatever was needful to man as the sinless lord of earth uncursed. But on this earth, and on men as they now are, how much of sublime, and useful science has God shed! How much of his works has man been taught to scan! How many of nature's laws has he been taught to read! To him how many of its secrets have been revealed! How many of its springs is he able to move, and in their operation make them subservient to his ease, his interest, and his enjoyment! From sacred history it appears that arts were almost coeval with the first born of the human race. Artificers in brass and iron furnished the implements necessary to the cultivation of the earth, and the convenience of life. Nor were they unacquainted with "music's melting, mystic lay." The harp and the organ lent their aid to tranquilize their cares, soothe their sorrows, and elevate their joys. In that infancy of the world, and of the human race, wants were few.

The pursuits, and cares, But with the advancing age

and manners of men were simple. of the world has been, in the same measure, the increase of artificial wants, the spirit of enterprise, the frequency of experiment, the progress of discovery, the cultivation of the human intellect, and the communicative goodness of God, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge." What a flood of light does the sun of science shed around us! Illumined by its beams,

man explores the starry world, and ransacks the deep places of the earth; examines the resplendant caves of ocean, and derives from the perpetual hills their hidden treasures; ascertains the properties of matter, and adjusts them to great and beneficial results. Fire, water, air, and earth, and sea are made eminently subservient to his purposes, and lend their potency to augment his power. Among many examples, I mention the application of steam in all its undefinable, and efficient results:-the art by which the rays of light are employed to give us with such facility, promptness, precision, and faithfulness, the features of the human face-and still more the device which employs the electro magnetic influence to transmit intelligence with lightning speed, and thus enable us, though far separated from each other, to converse as though we were face to face. In all these, in all like examples, "God said let there be light and there is light." For to him the production of this light of science is to be attributed, though not so immediately, yet as really and fully as of that light which blazed forth on primeval chaos. This truth did not escape the notice and acknowledgment even of heathen sages. Needful knowledge, and important discoveries, inventions in agriculture, and arts were ascribed to divine guidance. Things. of so great importance were admitted to be not the result of man's wisdom alone, but as it was stimulated and illumined by superior influence, and more exalted intelligence.

These confessions are required not only by the universal truth, That it is the spirit of the Lord which giveth understandingthat man's rational nature is the gift of God: but, also, by the consideration of that diversity of natural inclination and talent which is manifest in man, and of those diversified circumstances in the providence of God which stimulate in various ways the human mind, give direction to its energies, lead the way to useful invention, and surprising and important discoveries. The incidental, yea, almost accidental manner in which many important discoveries have been made; the remarkable instances in which men have found that for which they were not seeking, and of which they had never thought are facts, which, while