these manifestations of it, occasionally in his works, and more frequently in his word, are, perhaps, designed to direct our minds to the subject, as not of an arbitrary or human origin, but flowing necessarily from the nature of God, itself; and therefore, must have an eternal moral obligation upon all intelligent creatures. Now, if this view of the subject be correct, as it evidently appears to me after a great deal of investigation, that there is undoubtedly a foundation for it; what a powerful argument does it form for the sanctification of the sabbath? And those who would endeavour to do away with this sacred day, from the consideration that it is only ceremonial, and not moral, are certainly mistaken; and may as well endeavour to alter the established laws of nature concerning God's bow in the clouds, and the harmony which springs out of the seven sounds of the octave, or the changes of the moon, which appears with a new face to the inhabitants of this globe every seven days; and thus is as a sign in nature instructing man of the sabbath. of providence, or history, both of the world and the church, is represented by the same septenary number. By comparing the following passages, we perceive how, in a general manner, God conducted the affairs of this world upon the septenary principle, and how the first yaw or rest, into which he himself entered, was emblematical of the the last yaw or rest, which remaineth in heaven for the people of God: Gen. ii. 2; vii. 4, 10; viii. 10, 12; xli. 25, 32; Exod. xvi. 22, 30. Where God is represented as working a weekly miracle for the express purpose of preserving this seventh day revolution. Also Josh. vi. 3-16. Heb. iv. 1—11. and Psal. xvi. 11. But without resting the subject on what is thus declared in scripture, we must observe again, that it is even written in legible and indelible characters in the book of nature, as well as in the book of revelation. This appears evident from the seven colours of the rainbow, and the seven notes of the octave in music. In both cases, nature arranges these objects constantly in sevens, without any variation less or more at any time. And to this class of natural bodies, instructing mankind by sevens, the lunar phenomena may with equal propriety be added: for the Moon taking twentyeight days, or thereabout, to com The number seven, therefore, first, from its being the number of perfection; secondly, from its being frequently employed in this mystical sense, both in scripture and in ancient tradition; and thirdly, from its being written in legible and indelible charac-plete a revolution in its orbit, and reters in the book of nature, as well as in that of revelation; shews its foundation to be more deeply laid than we are at first sight apt to suppose. This number, both among believers and heathens, was not only the number by which they computed their time, divided into weeks of so many days; but it was considered by all, as the number of perfection, sufficiency, or completion. It frequently occurs in this sense, I say, both in scripture, and in ancient tradition. Throughout the former, it is used with emblematical reference to the scheme of providence, displayed in the creation and history of the world. Its application to the creation of the world is quite manifest; for, it is said, "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is; and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it," &c. And in the book of the Revelation, and some of the Prophets, the scheme gularly changing its figure every quarter of its course, presents to us a new face every seventh day. Each quarter being thus specifically marked, consists of a septephemeral number, if the expression is allowable. But how But further, as the word yaw, or seven, signifies likewise an oath, or a person made sufficiently secure by means of an oath, Heb. vi. 16. so God condescends to say of himself, Isa. liv. 9. nyaw "I have been made sufficient security that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth.” was this? In the history, Gen. ix. 8-17. there was no wrath of God spoken of. But there was his sign, or bow in the clouds, which consists of the seven coloured rays of light, which, from their very number, constitute to every succeeding generation the yaw, or seven-fold representation of the oath or determination of God, in the form of a semi-circle in the heavens, that * Parkhurst Heb. Lex. under Yaw, iv. he will never again destroy the earth | trumpets-seven kings, seven thunders, by a flood. The rainbow, containing seven thousand names of men slainthe seven coloured rays of light, is the the dragon with seven heads and seven emblematical yaw, testifying to all ge- crowns; the beast with seven heads; nerations, that the destructive work seven angels, with seven vials of the of a deluge is completed, past, and seven last plagues," &c. &c. gone; and that the earth shall never again be destroyed by water. So that here a law of nature is made to instruct man in a very important part of the counsel of God; and that in a very beautiful and simple manner indeed! As an example of the many instances which Mr. Macnab adduces from scripture of the frequent reference to this sacred number, I notice the following: There are also in the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse, repeated allusions to a symbolical period, denoted by the half of seven, or three and a half; it is called, a time, and times, and half a time, or three years and a half, or forty-two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, being three years and a half, containing twelve months of thirty days each. Besides the above, there are, in every part of scripture, innumerable other allusions to the septenary number, indicating its connection with the whole scheme of creation and providence. "On the seventh day God rested from the work of creation-Enoch the seventh from Adam, was translatedthe killing of Cain was to have been avenged seven-fold-Noah had seven days warning of the flood, and was commanded to take fowls into the ark by sevens-Abraham gave seven ewe lambs to Abimelech, as a memorial for a well-Joseph mourned seven days for Jacob-the seven years'plenty, and seven years' famine, were foretold to Pharaoh by the vision of seven fat and seven lean cattle, and seven full and seven blasted ears of corn.-Among the Jews, their divinely appointed feasts were almost constantly regulated by the number seven; thus, the seventh year was declared sabbatical; and at the end of seven times seven years, commenced the Jubilee, &c.-And in the book of the Apocalypse, we likewise behold this sacred number more frequently referred to than any other: -John was commanded to address seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia-There appeared seven golden candlestics, and seven stars, in the hand of him that was in the midst-ther their division be accurate. the seven lamps before the seven spirits of God-the book with the seven seals-the lamb with seven horns and seven eyes-the seven angels with seven In heathen tradition, we also find innumerable allusions to the septenary number.* Cicero declares (whatever he may mean by the expression) that it contains the mystery of all things. Hippocrates affirms, that this number, by its occult virtues, tends to the evolu tion of all things. He means, I suppose, that things go on till they are repeated such a number of times, till they come to their climacterix or completion: And he, like Shakspeare afterwards, divides the life of man into seven ages. *That is to say, the seven ewe lambs were the token, or memorial of the agreement, or covenant, into which Abraham and Abimelech had entered respecting the well. The ewe lambs consisting of seven in number, emblematically represented the deed as completed, and from which there could be no appeal. The ancient Arabians, in like manner, according to Herodotus, lib. iii. ch. 8. in making their solemn covenants, used seven stones smeared with human blood. Nor is it unworthy of our notice, that the translators and publishers of our common bible, had in some way been impressed with the idea of this subject; for they have inserted an index, divided into the seven ages of the world, as they call it. Thus admitting, that the number seven, in their opinion, comprehended a scheme of history or providence, including all things; though it is questionable whe This number, also, in the time of our blessed Lord, and indeed long before that period,† seems to have been used proverbially. Hence, says *Cook's Inquiry into the Patriarchal and Druidical Religion, 2d Ed. p. 4, 5. Boyce's Pantheon, p. 168, 2d Ed. Leland's Christian Revelation, part 1, ch. ii. Dr. Waterland's Charge, 19th May, 1731, p. 4-58. Holloway's Originals, vol. ii. p. 58. Beausobre's Introduction to the New Testament, in Bishop Watson's Theological Tracts, vol. iii. p. 236. Herodotus, lib. iii. ch. 8. + Gen iv. 23, 24. 1 Sam. ii. 5. Prov. xxvi. 25. Jer. xv. 9. Peter, "Lord, how often shall my | of himself? Since, however, he did brother sin against me, and I forgive not accomplish it even in three perihim?" He asks-"Till seven times?" ods, but extended it to seven, six of as if such extraordinary forbearance which were operative, and the seventh would render it complete or perfect. marked by a cessation or rest from his But our Lord, in order to convince works, because they were completed him, that in this important article, and made answerable to the purpose merely one seven, though a complete for which they were intended; the number, was too little, answered him question still remains, By what law in like manner, by an extension of the was God regulated, even in this? number to "seventy times seven.”* Was it not by some law or principle in his own nature? This, I own, is a great and sacred subject: and, I tremble to launch into an ocean so vast and boundless; but as the holy oracles of God speak of it, even so, as long as with due reverence, humility, and sacred awe upon our mind, we proceed upon that ground alone, we may be assured our warrant will bear us out. Now, therefore, after it having been thus demonstrated, how universal and deeply rooted the notions of mankind, respecting this peculiar number, have uniformly been; and how they constantly associated therewith the idea of plenitude, totality, and completion, and the like; is it not natural to conclude, that undoubtedly there must have been something at the bottom of it which gave rise to such singular procedure? Is it any wonder that we should insist on the fact, that philosophers have laboured in vain to reconcile this refractory number with some astronomical cycle; and that the acutest infidels have been strangely perplexed to account for the ideas of mankind respecting it? "It has, indeed," as Mr. Macnab observes, "fairly baffled them." In order, therefore, to explain this moral phenomena, he very properly has recourse, as we have now done, to the scripture account of the creation in six days, terminated by a seventh of consummation. But, as we noticed before, a question here occurs respecting the Deity himself, which, if his own word did not seem to warrant, we should have passed it over in silence. The question is, Why did God himself proceed either as it respects time or any thing else, according to a septenary number? Why was not this first and stupendous work of creation completed in a period of one day, or one portion of time, now begun to revolve in his own One Eternal Existence? Or, since the scriptures speak of God in the plural number, saying, "Hear O Israel, for Jehovah thy Aleim, is one Jehovah ;" and in other parts restrict this number to three, namely, the Father, Word, and Spirit; why, it may be asked, did he not accomplish the work of creation in three periods, since he did it not in one, answerable to this triune representation * Matt. xviii. 21, 22. That it was not an arbitrary deed even in God himself, to extend the creation and completion of the universe to a period of seven days, and to stamp the same septenary character on some other parts of his works, we may infer from what is said of him in his own word. In the book of the Revelation, ch. i. 4; iv. 5. there is mention made of the seven Spirits of God; which representation of the DivineBeing seems to constitute the bases of his incomprehensible nature; and according to which he appears to have created and modelled the universe; and that, not merely as it respects the time occupied in its formation, but even as it respects the nature of the laws which govern many of the creatures, whether animate or inanimate. In several instances, it is demonstrable that they proceed upon this ratio; three of which are obvious to every one; namely, the seven colours of the rainbow, the seven sounds of the octave, and the changes of the moon to a new face every seven days. To these we may add a fourth, though not demonstrated in the same manner to our senses, yet it is proved equally to our satisfaction; that is to say, the seven periods occupied in the formation and completion of the universe. These septenaries, therefore, are not merely ideal fancies of the human mind, without any rational foundation; but are things fixed in nature, so fixed, that, like every other law of nature, they cannot be altered, though all men should try to the utmost of their power to do so. The septenary law is undoubtedly to be recognized, as well in the life of man himself, as in some other creatures. As it was alone by observing the phenomena of nature, that the immortal Newton demonstrated the laws of attraction and gravitation; so it was by a similar mode of procedure that the life of man has been observed to divide itself into septenary revolutions. It was not a mere ideal hypothesis of the ancients, to say, that in seven months, and not sooner, after conception, a child may be born, and live-that the primary teeth are evolved in the seventh month, and are shed and renewed in the seventh year-that at twice seven years puberty begins, at thrice seven, manhood-at four times seven, man is in full possession of his strength, and so on. These remarks, like the Newtonian system, are the result of observations; and the causes of the phenomena unquestionably arise from some law in the economy of the human constitution, which is regulated by a septenary revolution. It may, therefore, be called, the septenary law of nature, the same as the motion by which it is observed that bodies naturally approach towards each other, was denominated the law of attraction. (To be continued.) LECTURE ON ASTRONOMY. (Concluded from col. 24.) A general idea of the Newtonian theory may be given in a few words. The sun is the central body of the solar system. The planets move round the sun in orbits which are elliptical, in the following order:-Mercury nearest to the globe of the sun; Venus next; then the Earth, with its satellite the Moon; then Mars; then Jupiter, with its satellites; then Saturn, with his satellites and ring; and last of all, the planet discovered by Herschel, called, in compliment of his late Majesty, the Georgium Sidus, with its satellites. Perhaps it should here be noted, that within the last 20 years, four new planets have been discovered, revolving betwixt the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Vesta, Ceres, Pallas, and Juno. This orbicular motion of the planets is accomplished by the joint action of two laws or forces, as simple as they are efficient and uni versal: the one is centripetal, by which the planets tend in a right line to the body of the sun; the other centrifugal, by which the planets being in motion, do endeavour to fly off in a right line from the axis of their motion. The fixed stars shine with an unborrowed light; and are, in all probability, the suns, the centres of innumerable worlds, revolving round them, as in this our lower system. To illustrate, prove, and perfect this theory, has been the work of the most illustrious names that ever adorned the annals of philosophy; and all to which this paper pretends, is an humble endeavour to elucidate and establish this theory, by submitting some of the results of the observations and reasonings of these learned and scientific men. The Fixed Stars.--Our attention shall first be directed to some inquiries respecting the fixed stars; and we should be glad to the utmost of our ability, to conduct your imagination, amazed and enraptured, "Amid the radiant orbs The life-infusing suns of other worlds! That more than deck-that animate the sky, 1. Their distance. Perhaps there. never was a bolder effort of human genius, than that which has attempted to calculate the distance, at which those bright celestial bodies are placed from us. The method adopted by the celebrated Hugens was original and ingenious. He closed the end of his twelve-foot tube, with a thin plate, in the middle of which he made a very small puncture; which puncture he contracted until the sun, when looked at through it, appeared of the magnitude and brightness of the star Sirius. He then found, that the appearance of the whole body of the sun, compared with his appearance through the little hole in the plate, was, as 27664 to 1. Now the contracting of the sun, till his diameter is the 27664th part of what we every day see, is the same thing as to remove him 27664 times his present distance from us; and supposing the star Sirius, the nearest of the fixed stars, to be equal in magnitude to the sun, and supposing the sun's distance to be 95 millions of miles; then, 95 millions, multiplied by 27664, the product in miles, is the distance of the nearest fixed star. And what a product! what a distance !— Mr. Hugens concluded from his calculations, that a cannon ball, travelling with its utmost velocity, would require seven hundred thousand years, to pass from us to the nearest of the fixed stars. Another method by which it has been attempted to measure, what indeed seems to be the immeasurable distance of the fixed stars, is by parallax. It seems at last admitted that they have an annual parallax; but on all hands it is allowed that it scarcely amounts to a single second. Allowing it, however, to be "; we have then a right-angle triangle, whose verticle angle is I", and whose base is 95 millions of miles, the mean distance of the earth from the sun. The side of this angle, which is the distance of the star, is twenty billions, one hundred and fifty-nine thousand, six hundred and sixty-five millions of miles! a distance in which our powers of conception are scattered and absorbed ! Perhaps this matter might be rendered a little more plain thus:-Suppose the nearest fixed star to be the centre of a vast circle, in boundless space; from this centre let two radii be drawn, at only 2' apart; these radii must be drawn out till they were 190 millions of miles apart, before they would reach the plane of the earth's orbit. What an angle must that be, only 2′′ of a circle, and subtended by the whole diameter of the earth's orbit! But angles and calculations aside, the amazing distance of the fixed stars is manifest from this extraordinary circumstance, that there is not a telescope in the world which magnifies them in the smallest degree! The effect of telescopes upon these celestial bodies, is not to enlarge their sensible disk, but merely to make them brighter and better defined. Dr. Herschel always found that their apparent diameter was less, as the power of his magnifiers was greater; and the smallest proportional diameter that he ever obtained, was, when he employed the extraordinary power of 6450 times. It is a very curious inference deducible from this statement; that if we were only one 6450th part of our present distance from the fixed stars, they would appear to us no larger in bulk than they do now; but present the same insensible diameter as they do, when viewed through 5 . a telescope which magnifies 6450 times. 2. Their number. The number of these celestial orbs, is even more an object of wonder than their immeasurable distance. What a numerous and splendid host is surveyed by the naked eye! But level a telescope at any point of the heavens, which to the naked eye seems clear of stars, and you immediately discover one, or ten, or more, according to the power of your instrument, and its field of view; take a more powerful telescope, and you discover more stars; and this increase of discovery keeps pace with the improvement and perfection of our glasses, to the very utmost extent of that perfection. Telescopes, however, have their limits, as well as the unassisted eye; but who shall place limits to the empire of existence? Who shall say "Where ends this mighty building? where The suburbs of creation? where the wall begin Whose battlements look o'er into the vale Of non-existence! nothing's strange abode. Where---at what point of space, Jehovah His slacken'd line, and laid his balance by, dropp'd Weigh'd worlds, and measured infinite no more !" The probability is, that the number of stars which come within the limits of human observation, bears no proportion to the number which lies beyond those limits; and that some of those vast globes are so remote, that the first beam which they sent forth at their creation, has not yet arrived at our system! There is no object in the heavens, which fills us with greater astonishment and perplexity, than the Galaxy or Milky-way. To the naked eye, it presents the appearance of a lucid girdle or zone, of an irregular breadth, forming a complete circle round the heavens. To account for this awful tract of glory and light, was long a desideratum in astronomy; and at length, the admirable telescopes of Dr. Herschel have shown that it is occasioned by an immense number of small stars-small, from the inconceivable remoteness of those regions where they exist. That celebrated astronomer found, from observation, some hundreds of thousands of stars, in the Galaxy, within the compass of a few degrees; but when he proceeds |