His kingdom is over all. To him pertains the kingdom, the power, and glory. The Lord's throne is in the heaven, and "dominion and fear are with him." In the original creation of man, he was invested with a similitude of this divine and extensive government. He was constituted lord of this lower creation. Great and extensive power was given to him. He was cloathed with perfect authority and dominion over all the creatures in this world. In this respect he was made after the likeness of God, and received what might be stiled the governmental or political image of the Most High.

Thirdly, Man was made more eminently in the image, and after the likeness of God, both in the nature of his soul, and in the qualities and endowments of it. The human soul is a substance, a spirit, immaterial, invisible, and immortal, so also is the uncreated Jehovah.

The soul is a substance which can exist without connection with, or dependence upon matter. It can and doth exist without the body-therefore, is a substance distinct from it. It subsists or continues in being, when the body is destroyed or mouldering into dust. Solomon informs us, "When the body returns "to the earth as it was, the soul shall return unto God who gave "it." Christ, who had a real human soul, when expiring on the cross, commended his soul into the hands of his Father; knowing that it would exist when his body should be dead. So the proto-martyr Stephen, when dying, prayed to Jesus to receive his spirit; having full assurance, that though his persecutors could kill the body, they could not destroy his soul. Thus we find the souls of the rich man and Lazarus, both in existence after their bodies were dead and buried, the one in torment, and the other in felicity. These things prove to us, that the soul is a substance, and does exist independent of the body. God is a substance independent of all matter-and in this respect, angels and the souls of men,bear the image of the great Supreme.

The soul is also a spiritual and immaterial substance. It consists not of matter or material parts, as blood, and flesh, and bones. Hence, says our Lord, "A spirit hath not flesh and"bones, as ye see me have." It would be endless to cite all the passages in the bible, where the souls of men are termed spirits. Herein does the soul resemble God, who is every where declared to be a Spirit.

The soul is likewise invisible. This necessarily flows from its immateriality and spirituality. Was there ever man so weak and foolish as to call into question the existence of his soul, because he could not discern it with his bodily eyes? They might with equal propriety question the existence of angels and of God, for these were never seen. And when we read of Angels, or God himself appearing to men, it was not their real being which was visible, but only the shape or figure which for that season they had assumed. Wherefore, in this respect, the soul bears the image or likeness of God, who is called "The king invisible, "whom no man hath seen or can see."

Moreover the soul is immortal. It cannot die with age, or perish by disease. Nothing can extinguish its existence hut God, who gave it; and this he pledged himself never to perform; in his promises of eternal life to believers, and in his threatnings of everlasting punishment to the finally impenitent and unbelieving. Thus, as the soui lives forever or is immortal, does it not hereinwear a resemblance of the ever living and immortal God? It is true the immortality of God is infinitely different from the immortality of men or angels, but the present business is not to show the difference, but the similitude.

Fourthly, The soul is constituted of understanding, will, and affections and in these, he is eminently created after the likeness of Jehovah. "God's understanding is infinite. There is no

searching of his understanding." His will is perfect. And all the things which are, is because he willed their existence. We

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Moreover, this divine image consisted in righteousness. "God "made man righteous." The heavenly will was the rule, agreeably to which he was formed. His will was made compleatly answerable to the divine will. Therefore, there was in him no blemish or defect. There was no perverseness, refractoriness, or stubborn obstinacy in his will, no corruption in his heart, no bias. or propensity to evil; the positive bent of his will was to love God supremely, to serve him perfectly, and to enjoy and delight in him ultimately.

He was created also in holiness. He came from the hand of his Maker a holy being. Holiness was the glory, the ornament, and beauty of his soul. This gave the highest polish and grace to all his other excellencies. His holy will was under the direction of an holy understanding, his knowledge was holy, and all his volitions holy-hence, all the powers and faculties, inclinations and appetites in man were in the most perfect and holy harmony. There were no jarring desires, no corrupt wishes, no irregular or interfering passions, no murmuring or repining thoughts, no remorse or clamours of conscience. All was perfect peace and tranquility within, and no apprehensions or fears of danger with-" out. Thus "God created man in his own image, in the image "of God created he him."

I hasten now to invite your attention to the

Second head of this discourse, which was to enquire what was the glory and felicity of man in his primitive state or condition.

As he was perfectly holy, so he must be in a compleatly happy situation. Holiness and happiness are always in an indissolvable connection; yea, holiness is felicity itself. This state bore a near relation to the state of the blessed in heaven. Nay, I know not any thing, by which it can be better illustrated, than by saying, "It was heaven upon earth." It wanted nothing of celes tial perfection and eternal felicity, but confirmation. Man, in

hia Paradisaical state, was not only a holy, but a ry glorious creature. How glorious was his appearance, how majestic his countenance, and how beautiful his mein, and all his deportment? Did Moses' face shine with a dazling splendor, after he had been with God in the mount? What must have been the superior and divine lustre in Adam's face, when he came perfect in holy purity from the hands of his Creator, dwelt in his immediate presence, and enjoyed the fullest and most intimate communion with him? God is glorious in holiness-therefore, man, as he was made after his likeness, was without doubt altogether glorious. His thoughts, words, and actions all shone with a divine glory There was no stain nor spot without, and there was no defilement or impurity within. With the utmost propriety it may be said, the king's son was ineffably glorious, and his apparel of wrought gold.

Man was not only glorious, but he was a peculiar favourite of heaven. God then, in very deed, dwelt with man. There was a free intercourse between heaven and earth. There was no need of Jacob's ladder, nor of Elijah's fiery chariots to bear man to the fruition of his God. How inconceivably happy was the original condition of man?

He was also in confederacy, in a league of peace with the great Supreme. And while he was true to his allegiance with heaven, surely no evil could befal him. How exalted was the dignity and honor of man? He was the great personage, whom the Most High delighteth to honor. He was the companion of Seraphs, and attended by cherubic hosts, and the highly honored of the Lord.

Another ingredient in the happiness of the Paridisaical state, was the high authority and government with which he was invested. He was the only sole monarch that ever existed. His dominion extended over the whole of this inferior creation. And the palace of his residence was in the most delightful spot of the whole earth. His habitation was in Eden, which signifies plea

sure; and

only in Eden, but in the garden of Eden; the most pleasant apartment in all this delightful place. And it is not said that this garden was created like the rest of the world, but that God planted it, which holds forth that there was in it a collection of the most curious, beautiful, and useful plants and trees in the whole creation, Every thing that charmed the eye, delighted the fancy, and pleased the taste, "every tree that was pleasant to "the sight," created fragrancy in the air, "and good for food," was introduced and disposed of in all the grandeur of divine order. From hence man was happy in his nature, happy in his circumstances, and perfectly happy in all his enjoyments. Of what does the imaginary happiness of fallen man consist? Is it not riches, and pleasure, and honor? This man, in his primitive state, possessed far beyond any thing the human mind can now conceive. Honors, pleasures, and riches, he enjoyed to the utmost of his wishes, and in the highest possible perfection.

Let this suffice for the original rectitude and felicity of man, which might be easily enlarged with great advantage, but I proceed to close this subject with a few reflections.

First, We are here taught the infinite wisdom, goodness, and love of the glorious Jehovah, in the formation of all creatures, but especially in the creation of man, the glory of all his works, and dignifying him with power and dominion over this lower universe. He was framed with sufficient abilities, and endowed with every quality and accomplishment to fit him for his exalted How glorious was the Creator, how illustrious was the

station. creature?

Secondly, We here learn how excellent a being man was when he came in all his brilliant lustre from the pure hands of his celestial Maker. He must be wonderful in his nature, endowments, and dignity, about whom divine wisdom called a council, as it were, to exert all the powers of Godhead, in his formation. What must the production be but something as near as possible to the