BOOK OP NATURE LAID OPEN. 5 



expect to bring us to renounce the hope of eternity. 

 To minds thus perverted, all that excites sorrow 

 among mankind affords a ground of triumph; even 

 when living in the country, they shut their eyes to 

 the plentiful harvest that waves around them, to the 

 beautiful sky over their heads, and to the benefkent 

 effects of the orb of day. Let us not lend an ear to 

 those gloomy reasoners, who, while they are ad- 

 mitted to the enjoyment of so many blessings, 

 refuse to trace them to their Divine Author Their 

 theories are contradicted by the concurrent voice of 

 every people; the most uncivilized nations are im- 

 pressed with a belief of *he existence of a Creator, 

 and are accustomed to contemplate him in his 

 works Hardly had our world risen out of chaos, 

 hardly had our ancestors been admitted to the en- 

 joyment of light and life, when their thoughts were 

 directed with gratitude to the throne of their Maker. 

 Their mode of worship was in the beginning as 

 simple as the nature that surrounded them; but the 

 first application of their progress in art and science 

 was to give dignity and splendour to their adoration. 

 Temples were constructed with magnificence, and 

 assembled tribes repeated there the hallowed verses 

 taught to them by their fathers. 



That man does not receive instruction from the 

 creatures of God is not their fault, but his own. 

 Their language is not dull and languid, but loud and 

 incessant; while he, alas! remains deaf to the re- 

 iterated cries o f> nature; and although 4< day unto 

 day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth 



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