the gods; as illustrating their benevolence, providence, continual watchfulness, and anxiety concerning men, and the impossibility of perceiving them. The philosopher states the character of Him, who made and preserves the world; in whom every thing useful, lovely, and good exists, as not liable to injury, disease, or old age as infallible, and as governing the whole universe. Yet we find that he gives the duties or offices of providence to others, and does not confine them to this one Being; and as a most striking instance of the uncertainty of character in the Socratic deity, we find the philosopher, as his last command, ordering a cock to be sacrificed to Esculapius. It need not be repeated how such contrarieties are in opposition to our mental faculties.

The atheistical notions of the ancient philosophers are clearly illustrated in the paper on Atheism in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia. To this and the above works, the reader is referred; and he will find, taking the faculties as demonstrated by phrenology for his touching stone, not one of the many deities to stand the test.

E

These remarks will be closed by a portrait of the Epicurean God, which, being drawn by a heathen philosopher, Seneca, is the most perfect we have: "Epicurus fancies God to be without power, and without arms: above fear himself, and as little to be feared. He places him betwixt the orbs, solitary and idle; out of the reach of mortals, and neither hearing our prayers, nor minding our concerns; and allows him only such a veneration and respect as we pay to our parents."* Of this being our faculties cannot approve. Our Causality and Comparison cannot recognise a God without power; our Veneration combined with the other faculties, denies, both that God is not to be feared, and that the reverence due to him is not greater than that we owe to our parents. Our Benevolence will not allow of a God who is not engaged in benevolent providences; and Conscientiousness cannot recognise a being not exercising justice.

Amidst this variety of divinityships, we cannot find one portraiture that claims the approbation of our mental faculties. All

* Seneca de Beneficiis.

have some blot, some stain, that renders them hideous to behold. And, if we direct our attention from them to the God of the Deists of modern times, something more consistent, but in one respect glaringly defective, will be seen. It is true, that deistical diligence has worked out a being, in whom are many beautiful traits of character. It is one of their own making; and is nothing more than a melange of whatever pleased them in the Gods of heathen idolatry, and in the Author of Christianity. But one feature condemns this creature of fancy: and this is, that justice does not hold a part in its character. The violated law, whether of nature or of revelation, is overlooked by the Deist's God; whereas, Conscientiousness, a primitive faculty of man's mind, calls aloud for punishment upon every offender against any just commands. The Deists represent God as merciful, but not as just. Of this Deity, our faculties, unbiassed, cannot allow; and man cannot by their unanimous consent bow before such a being; for, though it is true that God is a God of mercy, he is enabled to show forth this

lovely trait, only as connected with justice. Deists boast of leaving to Christians the God of revelation, and taking to themselves the God of nature: but, if this view. be correct, they embrace a shadow, not a substance; a being, neither in nature nor in revelation.

As yet, the glorious object has not dawned. Are we left in this unpleasant deficiency? Is there no being on whom our Conscientiousness, Benevolence, Hope, Causality, Comparison, Cautiousness, and Love of Approbation will alight? Is there no being in whom Justice, Mercy, Glory, Infinity, Power, and Holiness shine forth as constituent features? We have: and this is the God of revelation. In order to prove this, we must have recourse to revelation itself, and take its testimonies concerning its Author.

As a prominent feature, we find the Unity of the Deity. Equally so are the attributes of Love, (indeed it is said "God is love,") Mercy," Goodness, Wisdom,d

a Exod. xx. 3; Deut. iv. 35, 39.

C

b Exod. xxxiv. 6; Joel xi. 13; 2 Cor. i. 3.

c Psalm lxxxvi. 5; Psalm cxlv. 9.

d Psalm xliv; Acts xv. 18; Heb. iv. 13; Psalm civ. 24.

e

Power, Omnipresence,' Immutability," Justice, and Holiness. We are taught that He is every where: that nothing is hidden. from his eye and that He will bring every secret thing to light, whether it be good or evil. The Christian's God is represented as being jealous" of His honour, and will not give His glory to another. This, and all other traits in the God of revelation, our faculties, unbiassed, delight to contemplate. It is here that Veneration finds its resting place: here alone, that happiness is to be found: here, that the creature discovers the image in which he was created.

It is hoped that the truth of the second proposition is now fully seen. That it will appear, that man, being constrained by the constitution of his mind, to worship some being, can approve of the God of Christianity only as the fit object of worship.

I am well aware that objections may be started against this view, by having recourse to the particular character of the

e Isa. xiv. 24; Dan. iii. 17, 29; Rom. i. 20. f Psalm cxxxix. 7.

g Mal. iii. 6; James i. 17. h Gen. xviii. 25; Deut. xxxii. 4; Rev. xv. 3. Lev. xix. 2; 1 Sam. ii. 2; Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8.