The many attempts to improve insolvent laws are so many proofs of their insufficiency or injustice. The law which, notwithstanding the sentence of the judge, abrogates the power obtained by the creditor over the debtor, is a proof that such a sentence was wholly or in part founded in injustice; and, if it was partly so, who can say what part of it was right? The law which pronounces insolvency a fraud and provides no punishment, but as an individual creditor may judge, is partial and wrong; it subjects two persons, whose crimes are every way alike, to be differently punished, and it enables the rich to purchase a remitment of the punishment. In order to produce any equitable or wise effect, insolvents must be classed into those unavoidably so, and those fraudulently so. The former must assign their estates for the benefit of their creditors and be free from further punishment; the latter must also assign their estates, and further be accountable to their country, as in all other cases, for the committing of the crime. With this object in view, it is to be hoped that the legislature will succeed in forming a code somewhat better and more satisfactory than any yet devised. From Poulson's Advertiser. AN ESSAY ON THE NATURE OF LAWS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MORAL. BY A LAYMAN. [By Law, is here meant, rule of action. When applied to moral When conduct, it will carry the idea of truth, order and sincerity. joined with material substances, with which our senses are conversant, it will intimate regularity, uniformity, and orderly action.] The earth we tread upon, the air we breathe, the clothes which cover our bodies, the sun which shines over our heads, and which warms and enlightens the world, the food we eat, the heart which beats in our bosoms, the speech we use to communicate our thoughts to each other, could neither exist nor subsist, without rule or law. There is no kind of existence whatever which could possibly come into that existence except by means of law. 368 No nation can possibly cohere together without law; without law it must be a mischievous rabble. No family can cohere without laws of order; a house filled with irregularity of conduct; with jarring differences, and with contentious passions; must, sooner or later, crumble into decay and final ruin. That individual, whether male or female, who lives without any proper rule of conduct, will most assuredly live also without respect or csteem. Every person among us, arrived to years of discretion, must, both from feeling and reflection, know, that within the human breast there exist such turbulent passions as, if suffered to burst forth into open act, without restraint, would induce destruction upon the possessor. On the other hand, when nations are guided by wise laws, they must be both great and happy. When families are conducted by harmony, reciprocal affection, and tender offices, they must thrive and flourish. When individuals regulate their conduct by sound principles of moral law, and physical propriety, they must needs be esteemed and respected. And what is much more, they will enjoy an inward felicity and satisfaction in well doing, far superior to fortune or to honors; or to any thing else this world can bestow. From this cursory view even of the subject, it may appear of how vast consequence is law. The best things among men, however, have been, and may again be perverted. Law has been perverted. Law, just, pure and holy law, may again fall into unhallowed hands which may pervert it. But woe to the perverter. CHAPTER II. When the ALMIGHTY FIAT was expressed, and visible nature came obediently into manifest existence, law, as an inseparable continent, attended the creation from the beginning to the end. If matter had been a chaos, previous to the impression and regulation of law, then it must needs have existed without or independent of the DEITY; for where GoD is, there is order, there is law; and to suppose a chaos existing without God, is to rob him of one of his attributes, his omnipresence; and if omnipresence be taken away, God himself is removed from the ideas of the soul. But matter, or visible nature, is a servant and not an independent existence, and so long as it obeys the laws of order, has the care and superintendance of the GOD OF ORDER, its Master, over it. The general laws of the visible world are not only in space and time, but they are space and time themselves. All progressions of space are measured by time, and all periods of time are marked by the spaces or things which they passed over. Heat and light are, both of space and time; the states of light from dawn of morning to the darkness of night, are marked by the space passed over, together with the time they continue; their increments, decrements, &c. The various instruments used in the sciences show this. The shadow on a sun-dial, the hands on a clock or watch, the rising or falling of quicksilver in a weather-glass, or in a thermometer, all show the different changes of the things to which they are applied, by the spaces passed over in a certain period of time. This visible creation is, therefore, bounded and limited by space and time; nor can possibly, by any means, exceed those limits. The human body as well as every other part of matter, has its commencement and increase, its bounds, its limits, and is distinctly a subject of both space and time. Now space and time, in their very natures, exclude the idea of infinity and eternity. If space were infinite, it could no longer be space, because infinity is unmeasureable, but space can be measured. In like manner time and eternity are dissimilar; for time has an end, but eternity not. Infinity and eternity, space and time, are not mere names without implicating things. It would make human language foolishness, were this the case. But as there is time and space visible to the eye, so is there both an infinity and eternity existing beyond it. Space and time cannot possibly create and change themselves. Their very limited and bounded existence prove demonstrably that this is the case. A self-creating power would not, could not bound itself. Limitations, when they exist, must be imposed by another. But, a self-creating power is an absurdity. This proves that some other besides space and time does exist, and it also proves that other to be more powerful, greatly superior to both. Limitation by law proves a law-giver. VOL. I. 1 No. 8. Above time is eternity. Above space is infinity. Infinity and eternity are, therefore, the lords and masters of time, in the hands of HIM who is both ETERNAL and INFINITE. And forasmuch as whatever undergoes change must necessarily be a created existence; it follows that the Creator is without change himself; consequently that he is uncreated, and self-existent; THE FIRST CAUSE. There is no denying such a first cause, so long as changing matter exists. A change is an effect; and an effect cannot be both cause and effect at the same time. [To be continued.] REMARKS ON MODERN GOSPEL PREACHING. Is it not astonishing that men should think they are preaching the gospel, and doing good to their fellow creatures, whilst they are insulting and degrading the divine law, which is the complex of all wisdom, the power of an endless life? Some, I doubt not, will be surprised to hear of the following words being delivered in a sermon preached this year. "To be blessed, in the first place, is to have one's neck delivered from the legal yoke of precept, and one's soul redeemed and delivered from the terrible sentence of the law." Huntingdon, p. 9. But what saith the scripture? "Blessed are they who keep his testimonies: consider how I love thy precepts. In thy law is my delight." "While grace heals all the wounds made by the fiery law, sin and Satan," p. 10. "The law is the only and eternal rule of righteousness and life, to all the reprobate, to every bond-child, vaim jangler, proud doer, self-righteous, self-sufficient, and independent pharisce," p. 36. Observe then, the law is no rule for a believer. It is said in the prophet, "I will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Mr. Huntingdon classed it with sin and Satan, calls it the book of death; the roll of lamentation, mourning, and woe," p. 38. Some principles only need to be exposed to confute themselves. These seem to be the last struggles of dying Antinomianism, which has great rage, knowing its time is short. Lon. Mag. The heart that so long sighed so fondly for thee Yet, I cannot forget what soft joys 'twould impart, |