LECTURES,

&c.

OF NATURAL THEOLOGY.

OF THE BEING OF GOD.

NATURAL Theology consists in the knowledge of those truths concerning the being and attributes of God; the principles of human duty, and the probable expectations of a future state of existence to give efficacy to those principles, which are discoverable by reason alone. It commences with the investigation of the evidences of the existence of God, Almighty, and Eternal; which are usually derived from two sources-the necessary nature of our ideas—and the obvious structure of the universe. Both these modes of proof, which have been distinguished in the schools by scientific terms of discrimination, rest on one common principle, or necessary idea that every thing which begins to be, must have a cause of its existence. Admitting this truth, which cannot well be controverted by reason, it results as a necessary consequence, either that the universe consists of an eternal succession of causes, dependent one upon another; or we must look for its existence in some first principle, eternal, unproduced, the source of all motion and power in the operations of nature,

the cause of whose being is to be found only in itself, and the necessity of its own nature. The idea of an eternal succession of events, each frail and imperfect, and all dependent, one upon another, involves too evident an absurdity to be admitted by the rational mind. We are obliged therefore to adopt the only alternative-the existence of an original and independent source of being, from which all things else have been derived. Whence, then, exists this first cause? Original and underived we can find no reason of its existence but in the necessity of its own nature. A being existing by the necessity of its own nature, can never begin to be; it must be eternal. On the same principle, it must be unchangeable. If any change could take place, it would involve some constituent of its nature which was not necessary. Infinity must be equally predicable of the origina! cause for how should it be limited when nothing previous exists to bound it? or how should necessary existence be confined to a circumscribed space? The unity of the divine essence is no less a certain consequence of this original principle. Two equally neccessary and infinite beings could serve no useful purpose, which could not be equally fulfilled by one. There being no reason, therefore, for the existence of a second, the idea, on all the rules of sound reasoning in science ought to be rejected. Two essences, equally infinite, must necessarily occupy the same place; being equally the cause of all things which exist, they must possess the same perfection; they must be, to every purpose of existence,

the same being. This first, and sole cause of all things in the universe, must also be Almighty; for whatever can ex

ist, can exist only by him. And finally, he must be all-wise, as knowing the natures and powers of all things possible; for nothing is possible, but by him, and every thing is possible that he wills.

This is a very brief and partial sketch of the scientific mode of reasoning, or reasoning a priori, as the schoolmen call it on this subject. The most profound and masterly example of it, which exists, perhaps in any language, is to be found in the demonstration of the being and attributes of God, by Dr. Samuel Clarke, of England. But, I confess, these subtle arguments of a very refined speculation, are little calculated to produce any deep and permanent conviction on the mind. The extreme abstraction of the ideas, although they do great credit to the ingenuity of that celebrated author, can be comprehended only by a few reflecting men; and the most speculative philosopher finds the effort to grasp them, exhaust the sensibility of the heart, and weaken upon it the practical impressions of virtue and piety.

The second, or popular mode of reasoning, is infinitely more simple and obvious. And consists of a species of argument which naturally offers itself to every man, as soon as he opens his eyes with intelligence upon the world. A kind of evidence here suggests itself which reaches the simplest

understanding, and becomes more luminous and interesting in proportion as we extend our observation and inquiries into the system of nature. When we behold its order, variety, and beauty, the proportion, and correspondence of all its parts, the manifest demonstrations of wisdom and design, especially, in the animal and vegetable worlds, in the structure of the earth, in the planetary system, and, as far as we can judge, throughout the universe, can we forbear to acknowledge a wise and intelligent cause, which has planned and arranged the whole? an omnipotent cause, which has given existence to this immense, and various structure? and an infinite providence, which every where presides over its operations? The details of this argument are too extensive to be here minutely pursued. They are not necessary to convince judicious readers of that first of truths, of which all, who have not speculated the heart into scepticism, are already deeply persuaded, and which meets our understanding at every glance that we cast over the face of nature. Yet I cannot too strongly recommend to those, who have the means of cultivating the studies of polite literature, diligently to pursue their researches into the natural history of the universe, expressly with this view, to assemble before the mind the multiplied evidence which it contains, in every part, of the existence, and universal operation of a most wise, and beneficent, and almighty power which pervades, and presides over the whole. It is with this design that I would recommend to every disciple of science a careful study of natural