of reason. No; we can clearly understand it; and never, while blest with understanding, can we embrace, as a truth of God, a doctrine so diametrically opposed to all the dictates of enlightened reason. Nor need we indulge the belief that the eternal Father of our spirits, who has so highly distinguished us from the rest of creation, by the gift of reason, has ever required his rational offspring to disregard its elearest ictates, in the investigation of revealed truth; or that he will hold us guilty at his impartial tribunal for rejecting those dogmas which it so clearly condemns.

SERMON II.

THE DOCTRINE OPPOSED TO THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

I JOHN IV: 16.-' God is love.'

A belief in the existence of a supreme and intelligent First Cause of all things is common to mankind in all ages of the world. That the material universe, with all its vast, complicated, but perfect machinery, is not the production of blind chance, and that it has not forced itself into existence, are truths so evident to the minds of all intelligent beings, that it is most appropriately said, 'the fool hath said in his heart there is no God.' To borrow the appropriate language of Dr. Paley, 'there cannot be design without a designer; contrivance without a contriver; order without choice; arrangement without any thing capable of arranging:' and when we see, in the stupendous fabric of the universe, and in the economy of nature, such manifest design, such wonderful contrivance, such perfect order, and such just arrangement of all its parts, we can almost as easily disbelieve the existence of all we see, as we can reject the belief that they owe their existence to an infinitely wise and powerful First Cause.

of reason. No; we can clearly understand it; and never, while blest with understanding, can we embrace, as a truth of God, a doctrine so diametrically opposed to all the dictates of enlightened reason. Nor need we indulge the belief that the eternal Father of our spirits, who has so highly distinguished us from the rest of creation, by the gift of reason, has ever required his rational offspring to disregard its elearest ictates, in the investigation of revealed truth; or that he will hold us guilty at his impartial tribunal for rejecting those dogmas which it so clearly condemns.

SERMON II.

THE DOCTRINE OPPOSED TO THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

A belief in the existence of a supreme and intelligent First Cause of all things is common to mankind in all ages of the world. That the material universe, with all its vast, complicated, but perfect machinery, is not the production of blind chance, and that it has not forced itself into existence, are truths so evident to the min all intelligent beings, that it is most

I hath said in his orrow the approthere cannot be trivance without ce; arrangement arranging: and ous fabric of the y of nature, such Lerful contrivance

just aman

Whilst, therefore, reason teaches us there must be a God-whilst the whole creation proclaims his being, and the infinitude of his perfections→→→ whilst 'the heavens declare' his glory, 'and the firmament showeth his handy work,' they all continually remind us that none can 'by searching find out God,'-none can 'find out the Almighty unto perfection." But although it is impossible for frail, short sighted mortals to obtain a perfect knowledge of him whose ways are inscrutable and 'past finding out,' yet he has been pleased to make all those revelations of himself, which are necessary to promote the well being of his intelligent offspring. The immense volume of nature which is spread open before us, is full of useful instruction. In it we behold magnificent displays of the creative energy, the directing wisdom, and preserving goodness of the Almighty,-we can here trace with ever new and increasing delight, the evidences of his parental care for all his dependent creatures.

But it is in the volume of divine inspiration, that our Creator has most fully revealed himself to the children of men. It is here he has proclaimed his name, 'The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping merey for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." Here we learn his nature, which is spiritual; and his character, which is that of a Father. Here we learn his essence, which is love; and here also, we are made acquainted with his glorious purpose in the creation of man, and his gracious