establish his natural and moral perfections, on which all the subsequent truths of Revelation are evidently founded. From these obvious realities, they have deduced the nature of moral obligation; and having explored the source of divine mercy, have infused an assurance of eternal life to all true believers. For, as these simple truths become the basis of all the promises of God; so, by our resting on the stability and veracity of his nature, they furnish faith with a sure. foundation.

"On comparing the ideas, which the sacred writers furnish, of the name and character of this exalted Being, with those which we have derived from other sources, we find, that there is not a single attribute, that can be conceived to belong to a Being absolutely perfect, which they have not expressly asserted, and amply unfolded. But they do not stop here. They go farther; and, in their progress, unveil many glorious features in his benevolent attributes, which would, otherwise, have remained for ever undiscovered by human powers."-Drew, ch. xxv. 261.

Since, however, natural theology is not only not at variance with Revelation, but is calculated to work together with it to the praise and glory of God; what danger, it may be asked, is there to be apprehended from the labours of its votaries? The danger is this. The votaries of natural theology, at the present day, are

inclined to take too much upon themselves. They are too much inclined to build their faith upon a wrong foundation-that of natural philosophy. "Upon which foundation, it behoveth every man to take heed how he buildeth. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."-1 Cor. iii. 10, 11.

"The doctrines," my Lord Brougham tells us, 66 of the existence of a Deity and of his attributes, which natural religion teaches, preclude the possibility of such ambiguities, and remove all these difficulties."-(He has been just running down the evidence to be derived from miracles.) We thus learn that the Creator of the world is one and the same; and we come to know his attributes, not merely of power, which alone the direct communication by miracles could convey, but of wisdom and goodness.* Built upon this foundation (the foundation of natural religion), the message of Re

* I would strongly recommend Lord Brougham, and whoever thinks with his lordship on the subject of miracles, to read with attention the 7th chapter of St. Luke; and in particular, to weigh well the import of the following verses :-" And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in the same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have

velation becomes at once unimpeachable and invaluable. It converts every inference of reason into certainty, and, above all, it communicates the Divine Being's intentions respecting our own lot with a degree of precision which the inferences of natural theology very imperfectly possess. This, in truth, is the chief superiority of Revelation, and this is the praise justly given to the Gospel in Sacred Writ-not that it teaches the being and attributes of God, but that it brings life and immortality to light." Discourse of Natural Theol. p. 208.

We used to think that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. But my Lord Brougham, it seems, thinks otherwise. Still he admits, with wonderful candour, that when we have gained confidence in Christianity from what natural theology teaches, we may venture to go a step farther, and acquire a knowledge of the doctrine of life and immortality, which the Gospel alone has brought to light. The doctrine of the Atonement is not even glanced at by his lordship-nay, however true it may be, and nothing can be truer, that we are indebted to the Gospel for having brought life and immortality to light, yet might even this great

seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."

privilege be expected to weigh lighter with my Lord Brougham than with most others, since it happens not a little singularly, that his lordship is one of the few learned men who adhere to the opinion, that the belief of a future state was sincerely, or, according to the modern phrase, esoterically entertained by the wisest men of old. As far, therefore, as they were concerned, not much benefit, with regard to the doctrine of a future state, was to be derived from Revelation-some confirmation merely of their previous creed. Whilst with respect to the multitude, the belief of an hereafter, however corrupted by their multiform mythology, was successfully fostered by the policy of the state, which deemed the sanction of an established religion, inculcating the belief, not only of a life to come, but of a future state of retribution, essential to the well working of the legislative code.

Such at least has been the generally received opinion-so generally received, that Bishop Warburton made it the basis of his argument, for the Divine Legation of Moses. "What," he argued, "short of the veto of Omnipotence, could have induced the Legislator of the Jews to suppress a doctrine which all other legislators considered of so much importance to the well-being of society?" In fact, the inequalities of man's present condition, in a moral point of view more especially, can thus only be reconciled with that notion of equal justice which is essential to a Being of infinite

perfection. Shall not the God of all the world do right? And if the nations, who had gods many, and lords many, were taught the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments, by their uninspired legislators, much rather might the doctrine of a future state of adjustment and retribution have been looked for in the code of one who set up for an inspired Legislator and Prophet.

Now this seems so reasonable an inference, that there are probably very few who do not coincide with Bishop Warburton respecting it, notwithstanding Lord Brougham's taunting expression of a doubt whether "Warburton satisfied any one perhaps, except Bishop Hurd, or whether his great work can ever demonstrate any thing so well, as it proves the preposterous and perverted ingenuity of an able and industrious man."*

But my Lord Brougham is of opinion that the wisest men of antiquity did look forward to a future state of retributive justice, and that consequently, whether Warburton was right or wrong in supposing that the popular creed ran that way, he was certainly

* For a defence of Bishop Warburton' against this unwarranted attack of Lord Brougham's, we refer the reader to Professor Turton's "Consideration of Natural Theology with reference to Lord Brougham's Discourse."