ofStobs's Ponioder Mill, Peebleshire, 509 



even with far stronger combustibles, which, bursting, may 

 strike this globe as the stone did Mr. Hunter. Or suppose 

 that the Ruler of the universe occasionally sends us a cannon- 

 ball about the shape and size of a comet : whether such ball 

 be composed of fire, or water, or cast iron, or larger or 

 smaller than the earth ; or whether with the velocity of light- 

 ning or the tardiness of a stream of water ; or whether such 

 ball be sent by the power of gunpowder or steam, or electri- 

 city, or what is most consistent with all his works — some 

 clockwork machinery, still the effect must be in proportion 

 to the cause. And that this globe has suffered many such 

 blaws-J/p is quite evident ; and that it will undergo many more 

 such, is quite probable: but as a thousand years are but as 

 one day to the Eternal Being, so the times of such " wreck 

 of nature and crush of worlds " are as much understood by 

 us as the strikings of a clock by the fingers and figures on 

 the dial-plate. Though the heavenly bodies are immense in 

 magnitude as well as in number, they are not infinite in great- 

 ness, as many of them can be measured to a great nicety : and 

 as for an infinite number, it is a contradiction in terms ; for 

 though the whole globe, or the whole of ten thousand globes, 

 were composed of mustard-seeds, which are said to be " the 

 least of all seeds," yet one seed taken from them would 

 make the number less. But the Creator of all these globes 

 must be infinite in greatness as well as in all his other at- 

 tributes, at least as much superior to all his works as the 

 boy is above his marbles ; and though he has been pleased 

 to let these bowls roll round in their spheres, with the 

 greatest regularity, for the last few thousands of years, yet 

 these may appear as only a few moments to Him who is 

 eternal; and there can be nothing to hinder Him, at any 

 time, from picking up any one of such bowls and shooting it at 

 any one of the others ; nay, very likely, some globe or other 

 is already on its journey towards our globe, and may shatter 

 it in the manner that the poor powder-maker was shattered ; 

 or it may only burn it, as his companion was burnt. 



No doubt you will say that I am got a long way out 

 of my depth : I grant it, but I care for no depth in either 

 salt water or fresh. I am very fond of swimming ; wherefore, 

 then, should my spirit be confined to grovel among the clouds, 

 only a few hundreds of yards above this dirty globe, not fairly 

 out of the stench of it ? No, no. Sir ; my soul shall magnify 

 the Lord of all worlds, of all systems ; 1 will proclaim Him a 

 great God, and a great King above all gods. I am no atheist 

 nor blasphemer : those who worship little gods in the likeness 



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