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ciations of natural theology by their acquaintance with the Bible. For too often it has happened that men, learned and wise in their own conceits, yet wanting the meekness and teachable lowliness of heart, so emphatically described in the Scriptures as constituting the fit state for receiving the words of eternal life, have been more occupied in scrutinizing Revelation according to their own preconceived notions of what it ought to be, than in examining with candour the evidences of its truth. Now, however suitable it may be to the taste of learned disputants, who have no inclination to approach the Redeemer on his own terms, to try the merits of the Bible by the light of nature, yet to the faithful believer in Christ, such themes are of comparatively trifling interest. Firmly persuaded of the truth of the Bible, and of that momentous history which it unfolds of the Creation, the Fall, and Human Redemption, the Christian is prepared to contemplate the countless wonders of creation as the workmanship of that Almighty Being, who "amidst unnumbered worlds remembered man ;" and the first impulse of his heart will be to exclaim with grateful ecstacy, "Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him; or the son of man, that thou so regardest him!"

In his progress through the sacred volume, he finds every attribute of the Deity set forth in such glorious array as cannot be surpassed, yet so intelligibly, that the humblest intellect is capable of grasping the sub

limest truths, with a power which no natural philosophy could impart, and with an influence which the regenerated disciple of a crucified Redeemer is alone capable of experiencing. Then it is that, with the utmost fervour of devotion, he exclaims in the hallowed accents of his Church, and in the words of an inspired Prophet :— "I will magnify thee, O God, my King; and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever. Every day will I give thanks unto thee; and praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and marvellous, worthy to be praised; there is no end of his greatness. All thy works praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints give thanks to thee. They shew the glory of thy kingdom; and talk of thy power. That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom, might be known unto men. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; and let all flesh give thanks unto His Holy Name, for ever and ever."

Bishop Patrick mentions a saying of the ancient Hebrews, that "He could not fail to be a child of the world to come, who would say the 45th Psalm three times every day;" and it may be safely averred, that the devout Christian whose daily practice it is to repeat this Psalm, with a due impression of its incomparable majesty, solemnity, and piety, will stand in no need of natural philosophy to give him the keenest relish for the glories of creation, or the profoundest reverence for the God of nature; whilst he will find himself drawing

nearer and nearer to the fountain of light and life, and more and more disposed to "rejoice in the God of his salvation."

To get a clearer idea of the superiority of the inspired strains of the Royal Psalmist, over the most ambitious efforts of other the most gifted poets, who have raised a hymn in praise of their Great Creator, founded on the majesty of His works, it may be well to compare Coleridge's beautiful "Hymn before sun-rise, in the vale of Chamouni," with the 45th and following Psalms; a comparison which cannot fail to suggest a doubt whether the philosopher can have read the Sacred Scriptures with attention who presumes to insinuate that the Word of God is not the best index to our devotion.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FARTHER ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE SUPERIOR
ADVANTAGES OF REVELATION.

It is not, however, as I have said repeatedly, with any intention of weakening the claims of natural theology to our admiration, or of depreciating the advantages of science and philosophy, in their various bearings upon the pleasures and interests of mankind, that I am thus earnest in my endeavours to vindicate the superior pretensions of the Bible. The services of natural theology may be readily admitted, without allowing the evidences of Revelation to be made well nigh dependent on it. It may be readily admitted, that many may have been led by the study of nature to the study of the Bible; but "as long as the heavens declare the glory of God," so long must every Christian be a natural theologian, whether conversant or not with the science of natural philosophy.

"That there is a God, is a truth so clearly revealed in Scripture, that it is scarcely possible for us to find a passage from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse in which it is not either expressed, presupposed, or implied.' Divine authority assumes the

place of proof, and no deductions of metaphysics, however subtle-no illustrations of natural theology, however ingenious—will produce so lively an impression of the Being and Attributes of God, as His own pure unadulterated word.

"We must not, however, conclude," Mr. Drew continues," because the sacred writers have in general rather assumed the existence of God, than given us logical proofs of the fact, that they furnish no evidence of its certainty. Instead of this, the same important truth which we attempt to ascertain by philosophical disquisition, is occasionally developed in a most con clusive manner. Sometimes, indeed, the arguments are presented to us indirectly only, and we are left to collect them from incidents which are unexpectedly introduced, or professedly exhibited. But, at other times, when the proofs are avowedly presented, they are drawn from topics which every one can comprehend, and a few words connect the premises and the conclusion. But these circumstances, by having the advantage of imparting variety, place the fact in a more conspicuous light, and give to the evidence an additional force.

"On the same principles, that the existence of God is assumed and proved, the sacred authors proceed to

*S. Drew on the Being, Attributes, and Providence of the Deity.

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