LECTURES ON BUTLER'S ANALOGY.

PART II.

LECTURE I.

IMPORTANCE OF REVELATION.

IN the good Providence of God, we have been permitted to meet together, at the beginning of another year, to resume our study of the instructive treatise of Butler, on the Analogy of Religion (natural and revealed) to the Constitution and Course of Nature. In the first part which relates to what he calls natural religion, the moral system which is natural to man, as that in which man takes his appointed place under the government of Him who is the intelligent Author of nature and moral governor of the world, we have traced the outlines of his destiny, in which the present life is shewn to be a scene of discipline and preparation for a life beyond the grave, at least supposable and credible. The light of nature, however, could not altogether dissipate the shadows, clouds, and darkness which have hung over this the deepest problem connected with human existence;-it was reserved for revealed religion, to bring life and immortality to light by the Gospel of Christ. As to the question whether the soul is mortal or immortal, Cicero has said-" which of these two opinions be true, God only knows; which of them is most probable, is a very great

question. I know not how, (he says) when I read the arguments in proof of the soul's immortality, methinks I am fully convinced; and yet, after I have laid aside the book and come to think and consider the matter alone by myself, presently I find myself fallen again insensibly into my old doubts." What reason could not certify, has been fully revealed to faith.

There are, however, as Butler observes, men who have insisted that the light of nature is sufficient for man, so as to render revelation in its very notion incredible and fictitious. But human history and human consciousness, the state of religion in places where there has been no light from revelation, the doubtfulness of the wisest philosophers on things of the utmost importance, and the inattention, ignorance, and debasement of the mass of mankind, all indicate the importance of a Divine interposition. The light of nature, darkened as it has been, has ushered in the dawn and the day-spring of revelation. "We must observe" (says Lord Bacon) "that the light of nature is used in two several senses; the one as far as it springs from sense, induction, reason, argument, according to the laws of heaven and earth, the other as far as it flashes upon the spirit of man by an inward instinct, according to the law of conscience, which is a spark and relic of his primitive and original purity. And in this latter sense chiefly does the soul partake of some light to behold and discern the perfection of the moral law; a light, however, not altogether clear, but such as suffices rather to reprove the vice in some measure, than to give full information of the duty. So then religion, whether considered with regard to morals or mysteries, depends on revelation from God." (9th Book, De Augm. Scient. 5th vol. 113.) As the principal object which I have in view is to assist you in your efforts clearly to apprehend and thoroughly to appreciate the cautious and

sober instruction contained in this admirable treatise, I must entreat of you, to endeavour to place yourselves as nearly as you can in the position of the writer, so as to view the subject from his chosen stand-point, and to observe the way in which he dealt with the assailants of religion. We are not here to expect an exposition of controversial theology, nor to have any craving satisfied for the discussion of speculative opinions, about which polemical disputants may consistently contend. In going through the first part of the Analogy, I am well assured that the spirit of this suggestion was not neglected by you, for I had most encouraging and satisfactory proof, that by a goodly number of those who heard my former lectures, this first part of the treatise of Butler was carefully read and inwardly digested; the scope and course of the argument, profitably and accurately understood. Although in the way of illustration, or for the purpose of making the lectures attractive to some and instructive to others in the class, who could not have been expected to fall in with the strict and guarded reasoning of Butler, without some preparatory training, I occasionally introduced topics which belonged rather to positive religious teaching than to the argument from Analogy, designed to remove objections against and establish the credibility of religion,—I am confident that you were not thereby in any degree misled into that common mistake of some of Butler's commentators, who have more or less complained (and surely without sufficient reason) of his having dealt with the credentials rather than the contents of Christianity. Is not this to say, that he has composed this masterly treatise, in a form appropriate to the defence of religion when it had been assailed by unbelieving men,-instead of making it an exposition of the favourite doctrines which earnest and zealous men have regarded and taught as constituting in their opinion the sum and substance of the Gospel?

Having assumed that there is an intelligent Author of Nature that innumerable instances of design and system cannot but prove a designer-that in the material and the moral world there is at least enough to leave man without excuse if he fails to conclude that there is an intelligent Author and moral Governor of the world; assuming further, that the objectors go upon what they think principles of reason, for otherwise they are not to be argued with, he first obviates all the general objections against the moral system of nature that is to say, against natural religion.

He proceeds in this second part to consider the case of revealed religion, and begins by shewing its intrinsic importance to man. This is the subject of the chapter on which we are now about to enter. The importance of it is regarded under two aspects-first, as a republication of natural religion, and secondly, as the promulgation of a dispensation distinct from natural religion, additional to it, and not discoverable by human reason unaided and alone.

The consideration of the importance is a fit introduction to a discussion of its credibility, and the more so, as there are those who require to have it proved that it is important to man to have this revelation from God.

There are those who reject it at the outset as wholly unnecessary, and therefore incredible; and others who neglect and (as it were) overlook it as of small importance provided natural religion be kept to. This neglect, though it does not treat revelation in the same way exactly as the rejection of it as incredible, yet, practically, it comes in the end very much to the same thing.

In a general way it may be premised that if God has given a revelation to man, it cannot be a matter of indifference whether it is accepted and acted on by those to whom, and for whose benefit, it has been given. Whatever command

ments God has published, ought to be regarded by us, who are under His moral government, and we are bound to obey them unless we are certainly assured that all the reasons for the commands so given are known to us, and that these reasons have ceased with regard to mankind in general, or to ourselves in particular. We must bear in mind that our ignorance cannot give this assurance, for the whole analogy of nature shows that there may be infinite reasons for things with which we are not acquainted. But the importance of revelation will more distinctly appear by a particular consideration of it—first, as a republication and external institution of natural religion, adapted to the exigencies of mankind and intended to promote natural piety and virtue; and next, as a special dispensation of Divine mercy not discoverable by reason, in consequence of which several distinct precepts are enjoined us. Thus the moral law is authoritatively declared and established, and a redemptive and restorative economy of grace and truth is plainly revealed.

It instructs mankind in the moral system of the world. It teaches this system in the genuine simplicity of its leading doctrines an author of nature, a ruler infinitely perfect, whose government is moral, and whose law is virtue; a righteous judgment hereafter by Him who will render to all according to their works, in a future state. Thus has natural religion been freed from the corruptions and cleared of the doubts and obscurities under which it had been totally corrupted and in a manner lost; the darkness of night has been dispelled; the day-spring from on high has poured its genial sunshine on the gloom of a dark and lowering day. But, again, this republication is authoritative, for it is attested by the miracles and prophecies which furnish credentials to revelation, designed to prove the revealed dispensation which reason could not discover, and these are also adequate to