uniting religion with your studies will be further apparent. A very elegant and perspicuous inquirer into the philosophy of mind, has mentioned among the advantages derived from the reading of fictitious narratives," that by exhibitions of characters a little elevated above the common standard, they have a tendency to cultivate the taste in life; to quicken our disgust at what is mean or offensive, and to form the mind insensibly to elegance and dignity." Now if it tends to purify and elevate the mind, to contemplate fictitious representations of human excellence, to how much greater extent, as well as more certainly and constantly, will a similar effect be produced by the habitual contemplation of an ever present and immutable God !—a character, which, to use the language of a living author, "borrows splendor from all that is fair, subordinates to itself all that is great, and sits enthroned on the riches of the universe."* Nor ought it to escape your notice, that the strongest motives to cultivate both the intellectual and moral powers, are involved in the belief, that we shall exist, and become immortal beyond the grave. If you, who now possess the powers, and execute the functions of intelligent agents, are, by the next fever or the next casualty to be extinguished forever-if there be nothing in you, which the fire cannot consume, nor the worm devour, there is indeed, less excitement to laborious study. For who would take much pains to trim a taper, which shines but for a moment, and can never be lighted again? But, if mind is capable of endless progression in knowledge-endless approximations to the supreme Intelligence—if, in the midst of unremitting success, objects of new interest will forever be presented, what prospects are opened to the view of man! what strong inducements to application and research! Few scenes of more solemn interest, I think, are ever exhibited on earth, than that which is presented in the last moments of a profligate man, possessing learning and talents. It is an obvious dictate of reason, not less than of revelation, that * Hall. men are accountable for what they have. In these circumstances, his mind recognizes two sources of alarm. It contemplates the things which have been done, and those which have been omitted. In that large sphere, in which minds of this description are designed to move, it finds nothing on which to repose with pleasure. Neither by precept nor example have the duties of morality and the solemnity of religion been enforced. All that influence, which he might have had on the side of order, and virtue, and piety, has received an opposite direction. In the contemplations of those around him, ideas of a lax morality, of talents, and erudition, have been most unhappily associated. Many, who respected him for the latter qualities, have been consoled under the lashes of conscience, and confirmed in vice, by the authority of his example. For the evil done, and the good neglected, he is now required to account before the Eternal! Young Gentlemen-A very few years will now fix the character, which you are to sustain through life. Those further advanced in age, are often surprised at the rapidity, with which the habits and feelings of the collegian are exchanged for those of the citizen. We witness young men, taking leave of the places of their education, and, if habits of regularity and diligence are formed, we are soon reminded of our own progress in years, by recognising them in the pulpit, at the bar, or on the bench. The blossoms are scarcely fallen, before the fruit is seen swelling into ripeness. In this address I have had occasion to observe, that the mind is enlarged and elevated by the habitual contemplation of an object, so full of splendor and majesty, as the Supreme Being. But the effect hereby produced, is less important on the intellectual powers, than on the heart. On your moral resemblance to Him depends, not only your usefulness in life, but your security or ruin through all the periods of unmeasured duration.Towards Him let your views be habitually directed, with reverence, humility, and hope. To establish an intercourse between heaven and earth, and to diffuse over this world, something of that light which encircles the divine majesty: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among men: They beheld his glory, the glory, as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. You cannot duly appreciate this religion, even as a system of duties and motives, without contemplating that palpable gloom, which had for ages, enshrouded the world. But I will not on this occasion, repeat remarks, which your course of education has rendered familiar. My object is less to eulogize Christianity, than to leave on your minds a practical sense of the connexion which it has with your peace, your honor, and salvation. In the spirit of this holy religion, and relying on the atonement and intercession of its Author, may you, amidst all the changes of human affairs, but especially at the present interesting moment, prefer to heaven the poet's prayer: "Father of light and life! Thou Good Supreme! O teach me what is good! Teach me thyself! Save me from folly, vanity, and vice, From every low pursuit! And feed my soul ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT THE COMMENCEMENT IN 1815. Young Gentlemen, In all those parts of the universe, which are subject to human remark, we recognise the effects of divine legislation. That there are certain laws, agreeably to which all changes in the material world are effected, is acknowledged by atheists; the inconsistency of admitting laws without a lawgiver notwithstanding. It is no more denied by the infidel, than by the religious philosopher, that similar causes uniformly produce similar results. If Deity has suffered no particle of matter, however worthless, to exist, uncontrolled by laws, it will hardly be questioned, that intelligent beings have some kind of designation; in other words, that the object of their existence will be answered by their proceeding in a particular course, and frustrated should they pursue the opposite. Gravitation is not more a law to material * objects, than virtue is to all beings, who are capable of it. I know not that the present occasion can be better improved, than by addressing you on the immutable, independent nature of moral obligation; or of that virtue, which results from a compliance with it. "Morality," to use the words of an able writer," is fixed on an immoveable basis, and appears not to be, in any sense, factitious, or the arbitrary production of any power, human or divine; but equally everlasting and necessary with all truth and reason." When it is asserted, that morality is not the production of any power, human or divine, we do not deny, that those persons reason conclusively, as well as reverently, who infer the rectitude of a measure from the fact of its having been adopted by Deity;-because, being previously assured of his moral perfections; that is, of his infinite attachment to the eternal rules of truth, goodness, and justice, we conclude with unwavering confidence, that no particular act of his can violate these rules. In this however, it is by no means implied, that the standard of moral rectitude is factitious, or dependent on the will of any being whatever. The rectitude of actions does not depend on their proceeding from one being or another; but on their coincidence with the immutable principles of virtue. Almost all men think with good reason, that they speak honorably of the Supreme Being, when they say, that all his measures are taken because they are right. Now this language implies that there is, independent of all will, such a thing as right and wrong. If I say of the vernal forest, it is green, or of the sun, it is luminous, I assert nothing, unless I affix some ideas to those epithets. The immutable principles of morality necessarily result, we believe, from the nature of things, and from the relation, which they have one to another. As God is the author of all things, the relation, subsisting between them, may be considered, as depending on Him. But, while objects continue, in all respects, as they are, no change can be produced in their relations. A figure, which is now a square, may be turned into a circle. But, while it continues a square, it must have the relations of such a figure. Now, it is just as absurd to ascribe to Deity the power of changing vice into virtue, or virtue into vice, as to speak of his giving to a globe, so continuing, the properties and relations of a cube; or to speak of his making a whole, which is less than the sum of all its parts. So certain is it, that the reality of moral obligation, or the distinction between virtue and vice, is not the creature of power, that were we to make the most absurd of all suppositions, viz. that there is no intelligent Author of the universe, even then a |