his name." He, therefore, who would demonstrate the being and attributes of God from his works must study this, as well as, or rather above, every other work which we know to be His. Suppose, for instance, that we would arrive at some adequate notions of the mercy of God: we may find it, indeed, largely displayed both in the material forms around us, and in their mutual adaptation each to the other; so as that the greatest possible degree of pleasure results to the creature: or we may find it in several bountiful provisions of providence, or moral rule; which make virtue, which is man's chief good, his greatest pleasure also: but nowhere, surely, shall we find it more manifestly indicated, than in the salvation which God hath provided for his rebellious creatures, in Jesus Christ. And then, as for the essence of God, the very fact of a Trinity of persons in one Godhead, is, so far as we are concerned, a part and consequence of Christianity; since (though it were false to say that it is merely economical) it would not in all likelihood have been revealed to us, except that we might receive with it a better acquaintance with the scheme of Redemption. Now, surely, he who has an abiding impression of these things in his heart, is likely to be the most accomplished natural theologian : not perhaps as that science is a science of demonstration, and of refutation of atheistical doubts and cavils; for, in so far as it serves this purpose, Natural Theology can borrow nothing from Christianity, or from any revelation: but as theology is a science delight

ful in its pursuit, ennobling in its tendencies, and of spiritual profit in its results.

Besides the study of the truths of natural religion, there is another study which claims our attention, as connected with our confession of faith in GOD ALMIGHTY, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the study of the a priori evidences of Christianity. As the first intention of Natural Theology is to evince the being of God against the atheist; so is it the first intention of this last study, to found an argument in favour of revelation in general, and of Christianity in particular, against the objections of the deist or the sceptic. But the evidences of Christianity may be presented with advantage to those who are not professed infidels, as Natural Theology may be studied with profit by those who never denied the being of a God. And it is not because I expect my words to fall upon the ears of atheists or infidels, that I enter upon such discussions as these; but because I trust that the devotion of those who acknowledge the existence and providence of the Almighty may be elevated; and the faith of some who are in name and place, externally at least, Christians, may be enlarged and confirmed; while we point out the place which natural religion ought to obtain in the hearts and devotions of all men; and while we shew how much Christianity is in accordance with the dictates of the heart of man, and with the highest exercise of his reason.

I would now, therefore, my brethren, refer you to your own hearts, and to the truths of natural reli

gion, for strong presumptive proofs, that a revelation was to be expected from God; and that such a revelation as Christianity professes to be, is not of all others the least likely to be true.

Let me then direct your eye inward upon your own spiritual nature, and especially upon your conscience or moral sense. Let me remind you of its uninvited demands on your attention; of its authoritative judgment on your actions, words and thoughts; of its irresistible sanctions in the hope or fear, in the selfcomplacency or self-abhorrence, in the pleasure or remorse, which wait upon its decisions: and let me ask you, Whence is this principle, at the same time inquisitorial in its tribunal, authoritative in its judgment, and remunerative in its consequences, and, above all (though speaking within us) independent of our will, often actually opposed to it, and starting into the greater vigour and authority from opposition? Is there not here a sufficiently intelligible proof of the existence of some just Being above us, a moral ruler, a judge, a rewarder of virtue and of vice? Conscience may not indeed be the voice of God in the sense of a particular impulse of his Spirit in an individual (though I say not that it is never so); yet so far at least it certainly is the voice of God, as to attest sufficiently to our hearts and reason the being of a Deity, and to render it impossible that any one should be an atheist, in whom the voice of conscience is not wholly silenced.*

* See Bishop Taylor's Ductor Dubitantium, I. i. 1, and see especially Bishop Butler's second and third Sermons at the Rolls.

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And to suppose the most unfavourable case. recklessness of all that is immaterial and unseen may have destroyed in some persons the habitual motions of conscience; they may have been demoralized and degraded into creatures who have no thought of a Being whom they cannot see, and no notion of justice exercised by a power invisible to mortal eye; and as the toad, not less stupid than loathsome, thrusts its head into a dark corner, and when it sees not its pursuer, fancies itself unseen and safe so may they find a fancied security and impunity in vice; because their stupidity prevents their recognising the voice or the hand of the avenger. But God hath conviction in reserve, even for such as these. Conscience lets them live on in gross offences, without attacking them directly; but some unexpected event strikes coldly on their hearts; or they are detected by their fellow creatures in some deep laid and secret plot; and then the thought of another eye, more piercing than that which they could not elude, and which, unseen, marks all their derelictions, is forced upon them; and their hearts confess a mysterious dread of an avenging arm, which hath impressed on them memorials of its power, and which shall strike some time or other, though for a long while it has been held from the infliction of vengeance, and has scarce afforded some small tokens of its existence.

Now, this is just what we might expect, on the supposition that conscience is, indeed, the voice of

God within us; for then we should expect it to harmonize with the acknowledged dealings of God with men, or with such dealings as would be worthy of the Most High. And we know that God does, and we can understand the principle on which he does, leave the worship and remembrance of him, and obedience to him, so far free at least, as that it shall not be forcibly exacted by a constant perception of his presence and power; retaining, however, a medium of communication open, and reminding us, by a mysterious agency, from time to time, of his claims upon us, and of the sanctions by which they are enforced. And this method of God's dealing with us we can understand to be best adapted to our state of probation, and most worthy of his sovereign but mysterious rule.

But conscience has not answered its full purpose, until it has told us more than of the being of God; it has also to tell us of his moral attributes, of our relation to him as our supreme governor, and of our condition in that relative situation. For, if conscience itself cannot be accounted for without referring it to God, neither can its moral verdicts be accounted for without referring them to the moral attributes of God, and to our duty to him; and its terrors cannot be accounted for without referring them to our breach of duty and allegiance, to the offended majesty of the Most High, and to our consequent liability to punishment. Conscience, then, unless by some other means we can account for its voice, and for the particular tone of its dictates, must be re