Knowing then the artifices and fophiftry of unbelievers, who conftantly lie in wait to deceive"; and fenfible of the benefit, the very great benefit, of guarding the more ignorant, but well-meaning Christian from their infidious affaults; it became the concern of the pious Founder of this LECTURE, who nobly defended religion by his writings, and eminently adorned it by his life; it became, I fay, his concern, especially when he faw the bold and threatning encroachments of infidelity, to ftrengthen the hands of believers against it, and to fupply them with proper arms of defence.

With this view, and in a manner the most likely to accomplish the end, he exprefly provided by his laft Will and Teftament, that a fucceffion of Preachers might be continued on, whofe province it should be to clear and explain the fundamentals of religion; to collect and illuftrate the evidences of it; to remove the objections, which from time to time might be urged against it; and thereby to inftruct and enable

their hearers to give an answer to all, who might prefs them with doubts and questions about it.

At my entrance then on the duties of this office, and by way of introduction to the principal defign which I have proposed to myself in the execution of it; I think it neceffary to befpeak your attention to a certain point or poftulatum, that lies at the bottom both of the Philofopher's inftitution, and the Apoftle's exhortation.

And the point is this

"That our religion is capable of a rational defence"-or elfe it had been to little · purpose, either for the one to require us, or for the other to appoint us, to give a reason for it.

But it is indeed from this principle, from the consciousness, if I may fo fpeak, of its own rationality, that our religion disdains to be taken upon truft; that it urges itself to a trial; and defires no other favour, but that of a fober and difpaffionate examination : fure then of approving itself, to the conviction of any candid inquirer, as a wise anđ gracious

gracious inftitution; highly conducive to the real happiness of mankind; and exhibiting, in the form of its several difpenfations, evident marks of its divine original.

To a cool, candid reafoner it must appear, I think, fomewhat strange, that the Deist, who is fo ready to acknowledge this material fyftem, which we now behold, to be the real workmanship of God, fhould yet be fo averse from admitting the truth, and owning the divinity of that spiritual system, which ftands revealed in the holy Scriptures. For, if the frame of the world fpeaks God for its author; if the attributes of the Deity are plainly difcernible from the works of creation; if the ftupendous grandeur and aftonishing immenfity of the whole fabric point out his fupreme power; if the beautiful fymmetry, regular difpofition, and admirable propriety of the feveral parts, are manifeft indications of his infinite wisdom; if the harmonious tendency and concurrence of all, towards the fupport and welfare of the fyftem, proclaim the excellency of his goodness: if thefe manifestations in the maB 3

terial

terial world refer us up to God, and prove that his hand produced, and directs it; must not the like manifeftations in the Spiritual world neceffarily refer us to the fame perfect Being?

Now, if we look into the Scriptures, where that world is reprefented to us, we fhall clearly perceive, if we are not blinded by fome inveterate prejudice, the very fame fignatures of divinity-equal exertions of power, analogous difpofitions of wisdom, and fimilar intentions of goodness-impreffed on the works of grace, as are manifefted in the works of nature. And therefore, if we judge of moral, as of natural things, we must needs allow, fince the criteria are of the fame kind, that the fcriptural fyftem of religion was at first planned, and all along fupported, by the fame great and gracious Being, who created and governs the natural fyftem of the world.

If nature be efteemed "the power of God, and the wifdom of God," operating to the welfare of the body; religion is as evidently "the power of God, and the wifdom

dom of God," operating to the salvation of the foul. To be convinced of this, we need only attend to the ftriking analogy, that fubfifts between them.

If we fee, as we cannot but fee, that the conftitution and courfe of nature is wifely accommodated to the security and welfare of the animal life; and that this accommodation is applied and continued, not by one uniform immutable process, but by a course of agency variously diverfified, according to the various relations of the creatures, and the various neceffities to which they are fub. ject: do we not also fee, that the scheme of religion, or the economy of grace, is adapted in like manner to the fecurity and happiness of the spiritual life; and that, to answer this purpose, the administration of the Deity is varioufly diverfified, according to the various ftates and conditions, or the moral exigences, of mankind?

41 Cor. i. 24.

• Incolumitatis ac falutis omnium caufa videmus hunc ftatum effe hujus totius mundi atque naturæ. CICERO de Orat. Lib. iii. § 45.