THE CLAIMS OF GOD UPON US, AS INTELLIGENT AND MORAL BEINGS.

1. IF persons have never directed their attention and applied their powers, to examine the evidences of a Divinity, which Nature exhibits, they cannot be competent to pronounce an opinion in this controversy. They may be very wise in their own estimation, very confident in their own assumptions, very peremptory in stating what they believe or disbelieve; but their testimony is of no weight; all their knowledge is from hearsay; they are only the vehicles of other men's opinions. They may conjecture many things; but they know nothing. It requires an infinity of patience, if the expression may be allowed, to endure the ignorant, arrogant, impious prating of sceptics of this description. In vain do we attempt to impart a new idea to their minds; or to dispossess them of ideas already received; or to diminish their confidence in their own accuracy; they must be right! Talk of mental vassalage! What can surpass this? Of being credulous! Why here is the concentrated essence of credulity! Of prejudice? This is double-distilled bigotry! Of positiveness! This is dogmatism ad nauseam, to disgust! It is not for such persons we have written; we can hardly hope to benefit them. Solomon spoke from a profound knowledge of

human character, when he said," Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him."

But there may be some persons atheists, or inclining to atheism, who are exceptions to the above their minds, are unhinged; but they are yet candid and courteous; conscious of their liability to mistake, ready to listen, and open to conviction. They have thought much, read much, conversed much-are not wholly destitute of solicitude, at times, about their unpopular opinions-cannot avow with the same ora cular confidence as some, their dissent from every thing like religious opinion-and, now and then sigh out, with one of old; What is truth? We have all along hoped that our brief statements, should they fall under their notice, might prove of service to individuals of this class. Such persons are, in our apprehension, like a man who has fallen, or is falling, into a vortex, and will soon be lost, unless rescued. We see them sinking, the waters will soon close upon them!-but even in the jaws of death, they are not awake to their danger'; nay, they flatter themselves with safety! This situation of the utmost peril, as we believe, awakens a thousand inexpressible sympathies in our bosoms, towards their destiny; and every view and thought of it, only deepens, to an intense degree, our anxiety for their deliverance.

2. An able writer has said, "It is an immense conclusion, that there is a God." The importance of the conclusion arises not so much from its difficulty, as from its practical utility. As a speculative truth, it must be assumed in all philosophical investigations,or the student of Nature will be the victim of perplexities, without end. It must be the terminating point in all his inquiries, the last link in his chain of causes and effects, the great invisible centre of emanation, whence proceed all the phenomena, which awaken his curiosity, and engage and exhaust his powers. He must travel

"through Nature, up to Nature's God." As' a1 moral truth, there is nothing to be compared with it, when duly apprehended, for restraining or stimulating human conduct; for appalling the vicious or animating the virtuous of mankind. And, indeed, it is the fulcrum, on which the moral Archimedes must fix his lever, if he would impart any valuable and permanent impulse to his fellow-creatures, in the direction of their own highest interests.

3. The Creator of the world is likely to be its Governor. The latter relation does not necessarily, (so far as we know), arise from the former: but, they who believe, that there is a Great Being sustaining the one, will hardly disbelieve, that he bears the other. As order, in the material world, supposes laws, by which that order is established and preserved; and laws, again, implies a law-giver, by whom they are appointed and upheld so, a moral constitution would seem to make laws necessary; and these, again, a moral Governor, who has instituted, and administers them; and who holds us accountable to himself. By analogy, we infer, that He who sustains and directs the whole machinery of external Nature-matter of whatever kind, or however modified-by the agency of second causes, embraces, also, within the limits of his wide dominion, the hearts and lives of his intelligent creatures, whom he has appointed to be influenced by reflection--by the feeling of right and wrong-by a sense of dissatisfaction and uneasiness in evil practices; and the reverse, in virtuous courses. The philosopher, in looking abroad, beholds the operation of the active principles of Nature; and by self-introspection, he will discover the effects of what we will venture to call, the forces of a moral constitution.

4. It is impossible to disconnect from our idea of God, relations sustained towards us; and while these relations secure benefits, they imply and impose reciprocal

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obligations. A Creator, it will be admitted, has a propriety in the things, or persons, created ; and may demand their appropriation. A righteous sovereign. will exercise his office for the good of his subjects, and has a right to expect their homage. A benevolent master will care for his domestics, and look for fidelity and diligence in his service. And, a wise and good parent will provide for his offspring, and expect, in return, filial love and obedience. Now, assuming, that there is a God (which, indeed, cannot be denied, without assuming the most monstrous things conceivable,) he bears towards us all, these important characters and relations; performs for us all, these high offices; and demands of us corresponding behaviour.

5. We may justly suppose it a primary duty we owe to God, to inquire for him amongst his works. To make known himself-his being and perfections-was, probably, one of the high ends of the creation. And to view his works, regardless of this end, is to dishonour him and ourselves. They are to be sought out; and he is to be sought out in them. Without impressive and assuring convictions of the fact of the Divine existence, religion cannot exist amongst men; and, every effort to perform religious worship, to cherish religious affections, and, in short, to observe the numerous and incumbent duties of a religious life, will prove as vain and ineffectual, as an attempt to give solidity to a shadow, or

animation to a corpse. The least lurking scepticism on

this point, renders a man as morally incapable of religious emotions, as wood or stone. And, to review the evidences. from Nature, of a creating and presiding Deity, may reprove the unbelief of some, and confirm the faith of others. No person will regret the expenditure of a small portion of time, or attention, in looking into a subject, worthy of a seraph's powers; and as profitable, as it is high and splendid. To contemplate Nature, is always a pleasing exercise to a person of

intelligence and taste; but, to view it with the eye of a religious philosopher, is to feel wonder and admiration, at the displays which it makes of the Divine perfections; and the closer the inspection, the more will he wonder and admire.

"He sees with other eyes than theirs. Where they
Behold a Sun, he views a Deity:

What makes them only smile, makes him adore.” 1

6. The Deity may be supposed to require, that we should be solicitous to know his will concerning our duty to himself, and to each other. To be dutiful is to be virtuous. All duty implies obligation; and obligation, a knowledge of that to which we are obliged. In the absence of this knowledge, omission can, under a righteous government, involve no guilt. Could an offender prove his entire ignorance of the law, against which he has committed offence, after employing all the means within his power to obtain information, his offence should subject him to no punishment. What degree of knowledge, of obligation and duty, in a religious and moral point of view, some of mankind possess, it may be difficult to say; but there are none who can plead absolute ignorance, in these respects. Where will be found the man, who can sincerely declare his total ignorance of all duty, both to his Maker and to his fellows? And, where can be found the individual, who can excuse himself for many things, which he does, or for many which he leaves undone? A consciousness of offence is common to mankind. Every man feels within his bosom, that he is without excuse, in many things which he allows himself. There is such a thing as the light of nature; only by this, we would be understood to mean, the knowledge which man might attain, by natural means, rather than that which they have, at any time, actually possessed.

In reference to many things, this light of nature shines 1 Night Thoughts. Night VIII.