THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 69 



end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, 

 and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.** 



It is, perhaps, to the too abstract consideration of 

 the unnumbered benefits derived from the Sun as the 

 great and main agent to whom we are indebted for 

 every blessing that Summer skies afford, that the Gen- 

 tile nations have been so ready to fall into the awful and 

 pernicious idolatry of paying their homage to this glo- 

 rious specimen of the Creator's power, rather than to 

 the Creator himself. Our privilege as Christians it is 

 to thank God that we have been kept from this idolatry, 

 and to shew that we are fully sensible to whom we owe 

 our obligations, while we are thus permitted to behold 

 his beams shining upon us, — 



* To drink the spirit of the golden day, 

 And triumph in existence.' 



In looking at the Sun our thoughts should at this 

 season more peculiarly revert to him who is the Father 

 of Lights, — 



* Nature's immortal, immaterial Sun* — 



who reveals himself in his word as the Sun, no less than 

 the Shield of his people ; who is Light, and dwelleth in 

 Light ; and who, though he will not give his glory to 



