tinction, fo effential to the true foundation of Theology, is made by another, who excels him as much in divinity of thought, as in fublimity of expreffion. "Hardly do we 66 guefs aright at the things that are upon the earth, and with labour do we find the "things that are before us: but the things "that are in heaven who hath fearched out, 66 or thy counsel who hath known; except "thou give Wisdom, and fend thy Holy Spirit from above $?" Some few individuals of the human fpecies have been fo dark in understanding, so prepofterous in judgment, or fo perverse in reafoning, as to call in question the poffibility of this divine communication: and they have been fo impertinently abfurd, as to demand the formal demonftration of an univerfal truth, which is one of thofe that (if I may fo fpeak) demonftrates itself by refulting immediately from the existence of God. To doubt of this important truth, is to infult their maker by doubting of his power, and by denying that he, who gave men sense and Wisdom, chap. ix. 16, 17. reafon, reason, the only means by which natural knowledge is acquired, cannot convey to them knowledge in another and different way. "He that planted the ear, fhall he not "hear? He that formed the eye, fhall he "not fee? He that made the mouth "fhall he not fpeak? And he that framed "the mind, fhall he not teach man know"ledge *?" k Appointed the lords and fovereigns of the whole visible creation, and diftinguished with: many divine and extraordinary gifts; admitted, by the information of the external and internal fense, to the poffeffion of fo much knowledge, fpeculative and practical; and thought worthy of the ftill higher favour, to be taken into a near connection with the fu preme lord and governor of the universe, by being conftituted his moral fubjects accountable to him; He, who hath bestowed upon men these fupereminent prerogatives, who has endowed their understanding with the power of drawing fo much knowledge from principles in nature, and of communicating Pfalm xciv. 9. i Exodus iv. II. Pf. xciv. 10. it to each other by human intercourse; He, who hath given them the ftill diviner prerogative of the will, can, out of the treasures of his wisdom, impart to them other and fublimer truths by his fupernatural communication, for the employment of that understanding, and for the exercise of that will. Who may presume to wonder, that He, who is the fountain of all truth, fhould communicate to his moral agents fuch portions of it, as their reason cannot deduce from those material and mental fubjects with which it is connected; particularly when he can enlighten the willing mind, and prepare it for their reception and improvement? His omnifcience knows the neceffities of his moral agents created for happiness and enjoyment, his goodness is always ready to fupply them, and no one can doubt his power: "" for the "greatness of his mercy reacheth unto the "heavens, and his truth unto the clouds '." The poffibility and probability of fupernatural communication being so far established, VOL. II. 'Pfalm xlvii. II. let let us next enquire into the proper nature and conftitution of this fupernatural information, which forms the Principle of Theology. When Mago arrived at the gates of Cartharge, charged by the victorious general with the important embaffy of the defeat of the Romans in the battle of Cannæ, though they did not themselves witnefs the truth of that great event, the whole fenate entertained the welcome news on the relation of the brother of Hannibal; and, on his pouring out the rings of the Roman knights, who fell in that bloody action, in the veftibule of their house, they were fully confirmed of the truth of the intelligence, and abfolutely convinced of the important fact. And, when Columbus, on his arrival in the western hemisphere, told the Indians that the fhips in which he had failed over the Atlantic, were made by men, though they could have no conception how such vaft and complicated machines were built, they gave credit to this truth on the word of that celebrated navigator. Had thefe different facts not been credited by the in m Livy, lib. xxiii. cap. 11, 12. formed, formed, their miftruft or disbelief could have made them no lefs true. They were, however, credited by both parties on the authority of their informants: in the first instance, by men who were capable of understanding clearly the nature of the victory of Hannibal, and how it was accomplished, from the narration of his brother: and, in the fecond, by men, who were incapable of comprehending the complex and artful conftruction of ant European fhip, or of conceiving how it could be erected by human means. And, whether the nature of the facts related were understood or not by the informed, was alfo a circumftance, which did not in the leaft affect their positive truth. They were entertained and credited alike on the teftimony of others; and they were both equally true. Si In fimilar circumstances are all men placed, from the condition of their nature, in regard to most of the truths which affect human life and action. Confined within narrow limits of time and place, poffeffed of different degrees of knowledge and information, and, indeed, of different capacity and reach of understanding for their acquifition, „bourat لها C 2 they |