enlarged sphere of usefulness as appertaining to Natural Theology, I feel that I am not resting on human imagination, but on the immovable authority of the Scriptures. That from the passages in the sacred writings, which refer to facts within the scope of natural reason as corroborating divine truths, some may be selected, which appear to have in view the power only, or the wisdom, or the prescience, or the simple benevolence of God, I do not deny. But is a doubt entertained whether there are others, which affirm that the holiness of God is unequivocally discoverable by the works of creation? Two examples may suffice to remove it. The first may be found in connection with a passage, which has already been cited generally. When St. Paul asserts to the Romans, that all the Gentiles were without excuse; what is the radical position concerning them, with which he opens his argument? For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. How revealed? Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. How showed? For the invisible things of 1 Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even His eternal power and godhead. Observe the train of reasoning. The wrath of God against all ungodliness was conspicuously manifested to the Gentile world, and in a way which left them wholly inexcusable, because His works of creation, visible to all men, abundantly proved him to be a God who abhorred and would punish every kind of iniquity, a God of perfect holiness. And the Apostle proceeds to state farther, that it was because, when they thus knew God, they glorified Him not as God, he gave them up to become vain in their imaginations and darkened in their foolish hearts, to plunge themselves into the grossest idolatry, and to live in the most detestable practices. The whole mass of Gentile wickedness he traces to this source; to their refusal to learn the plain lesson of the divine holiness daily and hourly spread before their eyes by Natural Theology. Again; when one of the inspired writers speaks of the Supreme Being as feeding the young ravens which call upon Him, be it assumed, if the assumption be desired, that the reference is simply to the divine benevolence. But when our Saviour commands his followers to love their enemies, to bless those who curse them, to do good to those who hate them, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust; not on the good only, but on the evil; not on the just only, but on the unjust; He declares that the voice of Natural Theology pronounces the Deity to be a God, not of benevolence only, but of mercy, and of holiness. It is as though he exclaimed: Behold. in the diurnal effulgence of light, behold in every shower that descends upon the earth, a proof that God discriminates every human character; that He loves righteousness; that he abhors iniquity; that He is slow to anger and of long-suffering forbearance; that He waits to be gracious; that by prolongation of kindnesses He invites the sinner to repentance. Contemplate the duties which by His visible operations He thus declares to be required by him from、 yourselves. Contemplate and dread the punishments, which from a Being, thus proved by His visible operations to be observant and abhorrent 1 Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even His eternal power and godhead. Observe the train of reasoning. The wrath of God against all ungodliness was conspicuously manifested to the Gentile world, and in a way which left them wholly inexcusable, because His works of creation, visible to all men, abundantly proved him to be a God who abhorred and would punish every kind of iniquity, a God of perfect holiness. And the Apostle proceeds to state farther, that it was because, when they thus knew God, they glorified Him not as God, he gave them up to become vain in their imaginations and darkened in their foolish hearts, to plunge themselves into the grossest idolatry, and to live in the most detestable practices. The whole mass of Gentile wickedness he traces to this source; to their refusal to learn the plain lesson of the divine holiness daily and hourly spread before their eyes by Natural Theology. Again; when one of the inspired writers speaks of the Supreme Being as feeding the young ravens which call upon Him, be it assumed, if the assumption be desired, that the reference is simply to the divine W rly benevolence. But when our Saviour commands |