For

animals, in this part of the world. And doubtless, we shall have reason to regret the loss of others, in time to come. the animal world is perpetually changing.

3. The moral world is perpetually changing. Under this phrase, we comprise individuals, families, societies, nations, kingdoms, and empires, together with the various orders, ranks, and conditions of men. All these belong to the moral world, and require a distinct consideration.

There has been a constant succession of rising and falling empires, from Nimrod, to Lewis the Sixteenth. This succession has sometimes been more, and sometimes less rapid. Some nations have sprung from a smaller, and some from a larger stock. Some have made a slower, and some a swifter progress in arts and in arms. Some have flourished a longer, and some a shorter time. Some have been slow, others rapid in rising and in falling. Some have gained a larger, and some a smaller dominion. Some have risen higher, and fallen lower than others. Some have left marks of their existence, and monuments of their greatness. Others have sunk into total oblivion. In many instances, the succession has been absolute, so that the marks of succession are obliterated. The fashion of this world is so changed, that the places of ancient kings, the bounds of ancient empires, and the walls of ancient cities, are totally lost. Where was the garden of Eden? Where was the tower of Babel? Where were the walls of Babylon and Nineveh? What were the arts of Egypt and Chaldea? What were the arms and dress, of the Greeks and Romans? The revolution of ages and empires has concealed these things from our knowledge. We cannot ascertain the origin of the present nations of the earth, or determine from which branch of Noah's family they descended. Such changes have passed over the kingdoms and nations of the world in times past; and such are still passing over them. The political world is still in convulsions. Nations are struggling with each other, for the power of dominion. One nation is falling into the hands of another. Large kingdoms are crumbling to pieces. Great and ancient nations are in the last stages of declension, and upon the verge of ruin. And similar changes will, in all probability, pass over younger and smaller empires, which are rising to flourish and to fall.

Kingdoms comprise smaller societies and communities, which are subject to change, not only by national revolutions, but by fortunate and unfortunate events peculiar to themselves. Societies civil, religious, and literary, are subject to continual changes. No charters, compacts, or agreements, are sufficient

to prevent animosities, contentions, divisions and dissolutions. They rise and flourish for a while, and then decline, and crumble into ruin. It is the fate of all societies to neglect, to abuse, to forfeit, and to lose their privileges. Hence the continual revolutions in human societies. Some are rising, and others are falling. Some are starting up anew, and others verging to oblivion.

Communities of all kinds are composed of families. These are changing from generation to generation. One family increases till it becomes extremely numerous. Another diminishes till it becomes extinct. One family is distinguished for health, another for beauty. One for riches, another for honor. One for genius, another for piety. And these distinctions they often support till the third and fourth generation. Then they commonly lose their family character, and sink into obscurity, while others run through the same revolutions.

Individuals are still more liable to perpetual changes of body and of mind. These changes, however, are so natural, so common, and so gradual, that they are hardly thought to be changes, and many pass through them, without observing the real alterations and ravages of time. But there are other changes more sudden, more unexpected, and more shocking to individuals. These are visible, and compel observation.

Men are perpetually changing circumstances. The strong become weak, and the weak strong. The healthy become sickly, and the sickly become healthy. The rich become poor, and the poor become rich. Such changes of circumstances are taking place every day, and everywhere. The man who is smiling in the morning, is mourning at night. The man who began the year with high hopes, ends it in disappointment and despair. The man who goes out full, returns empty. The man who never saw an evil day, at once feels all the calamities of life. The glory and fashion of every person is passing

away.

Men are constantly changing ranks, which involves a change of company, and a change of circumstances. The man who had lived in obscurity, is called into places of distinction and observation. This creates new views, new hopes, new fears, and new prospects. Presently he is thrown from his seat, and mixes with the unnoticed again. In every age and part of the world, the distinction and change of ranks prevail. The same mutability awaits the highest, as well as the lowest in station. The Mogul loses his head. The Emperor relinquishes his empire for a monastery. The Pope loses his triple crown. The Prince exchanges his palace for a prison. The General, instead

of dying by the sword of the enemy, falls by the hand of justice. The Judge, instead of giving, receives the sentence of death. The man who had been loaded with honors, is loaded with chains and reproaches.

Men are continually changing characters, as well as ranks. It has been found by long observation, that very few men have strength and integrity of mind sufficient to endure the change of rank without apparent variation in character. If a man loses his place, loses his interest, or loses his character, however unjustly, he is exceedingly apt to change his disposition and conduct, and suffer an internal as well as external loss of character. Some change for the better, and some for the worse. The vicious become virtuous, and the virtuous become vicions. The idle become industrious, and the industrious idle. The prayerless become prayerful, and the prayerful become prayerless. The visible saint becomes the visible sinner, and the visible sinner becomes the visible saint. And in some instances, real sinners become real saints, and pass from death unto life. Such changes in character are common in our world. How few have supported a uniform character through life? How many who began with fair and promising characters, have lived to disappoint both themselves and their friends? Among elevated characters, these changes have been not only more apparent, but more frequent. Elevated characters meet with more difficulties and trials, but have no more virtue to surmount them. And this will account for the great and frequent changes in the character of great men. No wonder that a patriot should become a tyrant, that a humble priest should become a haughty pope, or that the saviour of a country should become its destroyer. For men of all classes are perpetually changing their characters.

As men are perpetually changing their characters, so they are as constantly changing their customs and manners. There has been a constant succession of these from the beginning of the world to this day. The old world were perpetually changing their customs and manners, till they became so corrupt, that God swept them from the earth, in order to purge it from their corruptions. After the flood, they were more plain and simple in their habits of life, but as they increased in numbers, they introduced new modes of dress, of living, of diversion, and of religion. Succeeding ages copied their example. How did the Greeks and Romans change from time to time, in all their habits of living and dress, as well as fighting and gov erning. The European nations are as fickle as the wind, in their modes and forms. And the changes in customs and manners

have never been greater, or more rapid, in any age or part of the world, than in America, especially within these few years past. We do not appear, or dress, or live, or act like the same people who first settled this country.

Men are likewise perpetually changing their opinions. Principles change with times. Outward circumstances have a powerful influence over the internal views of the mind. And all other changes have a tendency to introduce changes in the opinions of mankind. Accordingly we find, they have always been as subject to change of sentiments, as to any other change. Every revolution of government has always produced a revolution not only in civil, but religious opinions. Every age, and almost every year brings with it new systems of politics, new systems of philosophy, and new systems of divinity. The revolution in England, the revolution in America, and the revolution in France, have been followed with great changes in the opinions of men, upon some of the most important subjects of human inquiry and investigation.

Again, men are constantly changing pursuits. New scenes open new prospects, and new prospects lead men to new pursuits. The industrious farmer leaves his laborious and honest calling, for the more promising, and more disappointing business of trade. The physician turns politician. The divine turns attorney. The merchant turns speculator. And many are seeking places and pensions.

I have only to add, that men are changing affections. Different nations are continually forming new treaties of amity, alliance, and defence. But they are scarcely linked together in these bonds of affection, before some jarring interests, or some designing men, create jealousies, disputes, and bloodshed. Smaller societies are subject to the same alienation of affections. And very few who come upon the stage of life as friends, leave it with the same character and feelings. Nothing is subject to greater inconstancy than friendship. A faithful man in point of friendship, who can find? All the changes passing over men, have a tendency to change their affections. The rising forget their falling friends. The rich forget their poor friends. The high forget their low friends. The designing make a prey of their honest friends. The young forget their old friends. And those who are friends for interest, for the same reason, become inveterate enemies. Thus "the fashion of the world passeth away." Let us now consider the reason of this; or why God has subjected this world to such perpetual changes. This is the Lord's doing, and ascribed to divine agency in the scriptures. David says, "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from

the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." Daniel says, "And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding." And Job says, "With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again." He who made the world and all things therein, might have given them a more firm and stable condition. And we have reason to think, the time is coming when the world will put on a more steady and uniform appearance. Why then has God hitherto caused so many changes and revolutions to pass over the world? This question no one will expect should be fully answered, because many reasons of this, may yet be concealed in the mind of God, who has reserved the times and seasons in his own power. Some important reasons, however, may be easily suggested.

1. One is, to make the world know that he governs it. God makes use of so many secondary, visible causes, in the government of the world, that mankind are apt to fix their whole attention upon these, and overlook the first and supreme Cause. To awaken their attention, therefore, to his own invisible and almighty hand, he orders such changes to pass over them, as they are obliged to ascribe to his invisible agency. This he tells us, was the reason of the changes he brought upon Pharaoh and his kingdom. "But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyp tians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen." For the same reason, he subjected Nebuchadnezzar and his empire to an astonishing revolution. "While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to