most, or imperfectly discovered-or that they can, now that they are revealed, be shown to be antecedently probable, by striking analogies with that part of nature with which we are acquainted; or be supported by such arguments, distinct from that of their original, as are almost or quite sufficient to compel our assent.

I shall now request the attention of my audience while I attempt to illustrate the truth, that reason and religion require us to believe and act in the same manner that reason would lead us as far in the same path which religion points out as her natural weakness would permit, and that when enlightened and strengthened by revelation, it is necessary that she should continue to accompany, assist, and secure us to the end of our pilgrimage.

1. Religion requires us to believe nothing that is not per fectly consistent with reason. I shall here instance the two most important and fundamental doctrines of revelation the doctrine of the unity of God and the perfection of his attributes, and that of a future retributory state. The importance of the knowledge of the unity of God will be recollected when we advert to the Jewish religion. It was one of the principal ends of this dispensation to keep this truth in remembrance, and there is no one which is so often repeated in the Old Testament. But it is a truth at which philosophy never arrived. Idolatry and polytheism were at the foundation of all the religious systems of heathen antiquity. The absurdities of the popular belief were indeed too great to obtain the credence of all her sages; and their doubts and avowed incredulity as to the faith of those around them, and their aspirations for divine illumination, remain to confirm our own creed, and animate us with gratitude for the blessings of revelation. But when this great doctrine is once taught to us as it is in Christianity, with what a firm embrace does reason grasp the truth, and how are the arguments accumulated to

render it indisputable! It is now so deeply impressed on our minds, so combined with our philosophy, that were it possible we should be convinced that Christianity was of human invention, and that God never revealed himself to the world, yet this truth would remain immovable; we should still raise our souls to heaven and say with unwavering faith, "Tous there is but one God, the Father," even though we could not add “and one Lord Jesus Christ." We may speak in a similar manner concerning the other doctrines respecting God which are taught us in the holy scriptures. They find not a mere cold reception into our belief; they have to overcome no sentiment of improbability; but they are confirmed and supported by innumerable arguments from the structure of the world, of the beings with which we are acquainted, and from the nature and constitution of our species. We perceive manifestations of power in the material creation so great that we call it infinite; indica. tions of wisdom to which we can affix no bounds; and we are so constantly experiencing the paternal and benevolent care of the Supreme Being, that we must all most feelingly acknowl edge that God is love. How different would be the state of our faith were God represented in the scriptures as a malignant and cruel being who was pleased with the misery of his creatures; or like the gods of the Epicureans, indifferent to his creatures, withdrawing himself from the care of his creation, and leaving us to ourselves. Then indeed would revelation be inconsistent with reason; but now their voices harmonize; and the truths which would command our submissive reception as the word of God, are confirmed in our minds, by considerations which reason presents and which ought alone to convince us.

The other Christian doctrine which I will instance as in the highest degree rational, is that of a future life. It is one that more than any other survived the lost remembrance of early revelation among pagan nations. We perhaps cannot

find a system of religion from which it is excluded. But it was retained without any strong and practical belief of its most important circumstance, that the future life is retributory; and although it was not entirely without its influence upon the human character, yet till Jesus Christ brought life and immortality to light, all beyond the grave was uncertain obscurity. The evidence upon which we receive it, the declarations of our Saviour, confirmed by his own resurrection, is such as almost to prevent the occurrence of a doubt; and we can now bring in proof of it so many analogies, and by it can remove so many difficulties, that our belief is too firmly established for us to relinquish it, did we regard the doctrine as unsupported by revelation. The changes of their mode of existence which we witness in other animals; our capaci ties for improvement which cannot here be fully exercised; the tendencies to the perfection of our nature which we observe, and which are now opposed by accidents that may be removed; the vigor of the soul amid the decay of its earthly vehicle; and the eager desire of a continuance of existence, are facts which our reason offers to confirm this most interesting truth. But it is principally recommended to our belief as a solution of the fact, otherwise mysterious and inexplicable, that there is evil in the world. How otherwise can we reconcile to the character of God, the sufferings to which the virtuous are exposed almost equally with the wicked, or how could it appear that God punishes sin, when those who habitually practise it sometimes pass through life in external prosperity, and seem to die without expiatory pain; or how would be manifested the advantages of continual improvement in virtue, if at the moment when the greatest excellence was attained, all existence were to cease. It cannot surprise us that the sublimest reason should be humiliated and baffled by such questions, when it was uninformed as to the great

truth which alone can solve them; but we must wonder at that being who calls himself rational, who can, after this solu tion has been revealed, continue to doubt that man shall live though he die, or that can believe the doctrine of a future life inconsistent with reason.

It is not necessary to mention particularly any other doctrines of religion. The character of God, and the immortali ty of man, are at the very foundation of Christianity, and whateyer other truths it inculcates may be shown to be equally credible, and equally conformable to the dictates of reason.

2. I now proceed, secondly, to consider, whether any duties are required of us by religion which do not perfectly recommend themselves to our understandings. There are some virtues, as honesty and truth, which are so essential to the existence of society, that the benefits which they procure to us in this world have always been sufficient to produce at least a professed regard to them; and it may be shown that obedience to all the other requisitions of God will produce such present good effects as to make it our interest to observe them. Our heavenly Father in giving us laws intended to produce such characters as in most respects would sufficiently repay our obedience, even if this were our only life. He has closely connected virtue and happiness; and it is rarely the case that the one can be promoted by departure from the other. And this union may be traced in almost all our duties, although it is not equally apparent in all at first sight. Let us take, for instance, that of self-denial. If any have thought the injunctions to this duty unreasonable, it must have been from ignorance of its nature or of their own interest. For all the desires and propensities which God has implanted in our natures, there are provided the proper and adequate means of gratification, but to all are affixed certain bounds, depending on their own intrinsic value, and the cir cumstances in which we live; and if we pass these appointed

limits, our enjoyments will cease, and pain only will occur to us in our immoderate search for pleasure. Excessive indulgence of any one desire will not only effectually destroy in us the power of gratifying it, but diminish our capacity of pleasure from other sources. Now in far the greater number of instances where this virtue is to be practised, the whole of Christian self-denial consists in abstinence from such excessive indulgence of our desires and appetites, as would either destroy the pleasure of such indulgence, or cause us to neglect the pursuit of some superior good; and is not this a discipline to which every wise man would subject himself even without the religious sanctions by which it is now made so obligatory?

The reasonableness of the requirements of religion with regard to our affections and conduct toward God and toward our fellow-men, may likewise be easily displayed. When we become acquainted with the existence and character of God, it is the first dictate of reason to secure his favor. Any imaginable suffering which should continue during this life only, we should wisely endure to obtain the good will of a Being who would give us eternal happiness in another world; and now when God commands us to do nothing inconsistent with our present welfare, is it less wise to comply? The love and gratitude which he requires, and the constant reference of our actions to his will, are but the voluntary offerings of a well regulated mind. The expressions of these dispositions in prayer and praise are natural, and would be sufficiently recommended to us by their propriety without the annexation of any rewards to them; but those of you, my friends, who are habitually attentive to these duties, have become endeared to them by the blessings which our bounteous Parent has made dependent on the exercises of devotion;-and does not reason enjoin to us to seek our own happiness? Again, what are the requisitions of religion with respect to others that