Revelation silent with regard to the wisdom, power, and goodness of God? or that you deem the doctrines relating to these Attributes, so simply rational,-so self-evident, even to pagans and barbarians, as not to be truly matters of Revelation? Do you think that science has rendered these truths of four thousand years in any respect more certain? There should be some difficulty in believing that Moses, fostered amid the idolatries of Egypt, was not illumined by some ray of the eternal wisdom, when "the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands "The spirit of the Prophet Jeremiah seems deeply laden with the Truth of Revelation in declaring to an evil and unrepenting world, the voice of the Almighty, "I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth."+

The writings of most scientific men in these days, contain a Theology very different from, or very far beneath that inculcated in the Holy Scriptures. The Books of Revelation might almost be said to be written chiefly for the purpose of teaching mankind the "nature," that is to say the properties-the powers, dispositions, and intentions of the Creator.

How

• Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.

+ Jer. ix. 24.

6

copious are the declarations, as well as the explanatory instances of His purity, benevolence, and perfections. How fully is it shewn, that He despiseth not any; that He is unwilling that any should perish; that He is merciful, patient, long suffering, ready to forgive, waiting to be gracious, chastening in love, well pleased with the sacrifice of good deeds, and, although not without a dreadful severity, yet listening to the prayers of all, even of sinful men. How incomprehensible is your error, or do I misunderstand you when you write,-" For the wisest of purposes it has pleased Providence to veil in awful mystery almost all the attributes of the Ancient of Days, beyond what natural reason teaches"! We might hail with delight that "natural reason" (even almost as a revelation) that would enable us to distinguish the Divine Attributes, as we learn them in the Bible. It is true, that the Scriptural account is in a great measure consonant with reason and experience; but it is not true, according to experience, that natural reason teaches the knowledge of these Attributes as they are revealed.

The natural wisdom with which we are endowed, may assist us to study the Bible truths, but there is little hope of happy progress for him who is satisfied to rely upon his own unaided reason in investigating the Revelations of God. The man who most clearly understands whence he received the gift of reason,

will most surely know the source to which he must look for the increase of his wisdom. Thus spoke the prophet Daniel :-"I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom ;”* and to this wise and holy man, "greatly beloved," it was revealed, "Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words." The like occurred also to "Cornelius,” “the devout centurion."§ Thus, and thus only, does it happen now to Christian men. By direct interposition, through miraculous agency, we become acquainted with his (the Almighty's) will:" and, incontrovertibly, the knowledge of His "Will" is a vast accession to our knowledge of His "Nature." By the same means, you say, 66 we are made more certain of his existence;" and can we entertain a clearer conviction of His "existence," without a riper sense of His Divine Nature and Perfections?

"His peculiar attributes are nearly the same in the volume of nature, and in that of his revealed word." The Almighty's Attributes are, indisputably, the same everywhere, and through all eternity; but, where are the learned in natural things,-where are the Theo

Dan. ii. 23. + Dan. x. 11.

Dan. x. 12.

Acts, x. 1, 2.

logians and Philosophers who have well learned the knowledge of their Maker and His Will without the study of Revelation? Where is the instructed or unlearned unbeliever who has convinced himself, that, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us;"* and has discovered the law, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" or, who has found out the truth, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God?" Where is he whose natural reason has taught him so much of the benevolent nature of the Ancient of Days as, that, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the

* 1 John, i. 8.

‡ John, iii. 3.

+ Matt. ii. 3, 4, 17.

light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God?"* Do not all these things serve to distinguish, most determinately, what belongs to the Nature and Attributes of the Almighty? "God is a Spirit :"+ What could be desired more "respecting the nature" of a Spiritual "Godhead?" How is it that "natural reason" has fallen so far short of the Divine Revelation in its treasures of instruction, such as this:-"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”‡ It is not the religion of nature, but the precepts of Christ which have taught us to say, "Father," "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

* John, iii. 16.

↑ John, iv. 24.

Matt. xxviii. 19.