SERMON I.

ROMANS i. 20.

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of "the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things "that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead."

THE Apostle here distinctly asserts, that it was within the power of the Heathen, to obtain some conception of the attributes of the Deity; or in other words, some knowledge of natural Religion, from a due attention to the works of his creation.

But it is not so much my intention, on the present occasion, to illustrate or defend this assertion; as to adduce this text, as an exemplification of a well known maxim of philosophical reasoning; and thence to claim the Apostle's sanction, for its general adoption in theological investigations.

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The maxim to which I allude, you will immediately perceive to be this; that in all analytical enquiries, we should commence with the things most known, and proceed from thence to others less known; and that we should always consider the conclusions thus obtained, as subject to modification and correction, either from the discovery of new phenomena, or a more complete induction of the old.

Thus, in the case before us; the Apostle proposes the visible creation, in all its wonderful and harmonious variety, as furnishing a number of well known and intelligible facts; from the study of which, we might ascend to the knowledge of the eternal power and Godhead, of its mighty Author.

Again; when a Revelation discloses to us, new displays of Divine power and wisdom; we must conceive ourselves at liberty, to correct our former conclusions; without any impeachment of the system of reasoning previously adopted.

Thus, in each of these systems, Nature and Revelation, this maxim seems to hold good; and our religious knowledge should be improved, by a patient and pious examination, of the actual exhibitions of his own attributes, which the Deity has vouchsafed.

A due attention therefore to this maxim, may if I mistake not, conduce to some useful practical results; not by leading to the discovery of any new truths, but by enabling us to compare the relative merits of some former conflicting systems; and so to determine by it, as by a test, which are the more philosophical and conclusive.

I shall therefore endeavour briefly in the present discourse, to make such application, to a few of the inquiries belonging to natural religion.

The first subject to which I would direct your attention, is the comparison of the direct and indirect investigations of the Divine attributes; or as they are sometimes called, the arguments a priori and a posteriori. These, though not necessarily opposed, yet have been sometimes managed so, as to lead to very conflicting results. The former is generally preferred by metaphysicians, the latter is more agreeable to ordinary understandings.

By the direct method it is pretended, that the human mind from the mere naked consciousness of its own existence, can reason out the being, nature, and attributes of the Deity. That this consciousness leads demonstratively to the admission of some creating power

left of them in the

is evident; but when we proceed to determine, by mere abstract inferences from this single datum, the attributes of this power; without any regard to the other traces which he has nature of our own minds, in the works of his creation, and in the dealings of his Providence; we are surely leaving out of consideration, premises, which according to the maxim laid down, ought to be regarded as of the utmost importance. It is not therefore astonishing that this line of argument, though not necessarily fallacious, should have conducted to defective results. Being insufficient, on the one hand to explain the phenomena, of which in its progress it had taken no account; and on the other to overturn the false systems, built upon the partial consideration of these neglected facts.

Accordingly some of the first deductions from it, have produced disputes, far beyond the range of ordinary minds: and the daring metaphysician, soon launches into the boundless doctrine of Infinites; where it is imagined that the voyage of intellectual discovery is completed, because the human mind, unaided and alone, has been set adrift on an ocean without bottom, and without shore. Whereas, had observation been extended beyond the one fact, and made to embrace the displays of Divine Wisdom in the external world; the

equally wonderful phenomena of the human mind; and the actual dealings of providence with the human race: the conclusions arrived at, though less bold and speculative, would have accorded better with practical experience, and the true state of things, as they really exist around and within us. Accordingly we find, that the most successful and satisfactory attempts to supply the defects, or to controvert the errors alluded to; have always consisted in appeals to facts.

It may indeed, be argued; that sensitive knowledge, is not of equal value with intuitive, as furnishing grounds towards the investigation of the Divine attributes. Though this objection, was for a long time allowed more weight than it deserved; yet it cannot in any way hold good against the necessity of attending closely to mental phenomena. These at least are subjects of consciousness; and ought to be impartially admitted among the premises adopted in every such inquiry.

Thus it appears, that the most philosophical method of investigating the nature and attributes of the Deity, (independently of Revelation,) is that described by the Apostle in the text. And it is easy to perceive, that as Reli, gion is the business of all mankind; so this method is far more accessible than the other to