AN INQUIRY CONCERNING RELIGION. PART I. THE BEING AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. THE most important inquiries in which the human mind can be engaged are those which relate to the Author of our being, to the relation in which we stand to him, and to the hope which we may entertain of his favour here and hereafter. Is there indeed a God? Is he my Creator? Am I dependent on him for all I enjoy? Is my future existence for weal or for woe in his hands? These are questions, which nothing but absolute stupidity, or the most reckless unconcern on the most important of all subjects, can prevent a thinking being from asking himself. "Do you believe in the existence of a God?" There are, I hope and believe, very few who will hesitate to answer this question in the affirmative; B but it is certain that these words may be used in very different senses by different individuals. Among the ancient heathens, even the most cultivated and refined. of them, the Greeks and Romans, the notion of a Deity was only that of a being possessed of power superior to that of man. Jupiter himself, though called the Father of gods and man, was said to be the son of Saturn, whom he dethroned, as the former had previously dethroned his own father. Fate or Chaos is referred to as the origin of the gods, and existence from eternity was not ascribed to any of them. Fine theistical sentiments may be met with here and there in the writings of the ancient philosophers, but I do not find that the exalted ideas now entertained of the Deity are to be found distinctly indicated and enforced in any of them. I shall endeavour to show shortly that the eternity and the unity of the Creator may be satisfactorily proved by the works of his hands; but it is only since the promulgation of the Christian religion that men have been led to the proper mode of considering this subject, and it may well be doubted whether, without revelation, the human mind would ever have attained the sound and rational theistical views which now prevail among the most intelligent individuals in all Christian countries. It will perhaps be the best course, in treating of the most important subject of the existence of God, to state what appear to be the conceptions of the Deity usually entertained by intelligent persons. All, I think, now agree in believing God to be a selfexistent uncaused being who has enjoyed independent existence from all eternity. To the modern theist such beings as Jupiter, Apollo and Minerva would not be considered gods; but would rather be classed with angels or demons, beings to whom powers are ascribed beyond those of man, but who are not held to possess the independent and uncontrolled power which we attribute to God. Another of our conceptions of Deity in which all are agreed, is that he is possessed of original underived power. In all ages and countries indeed, and in all states of mind, from the lowest and most uncultivated to the highest and most improved, power has always been attributed to the gods; but it was held by the heathen to be limited and controlled by fate. Self-existence and power, however, are not the only elements which form our conception of the Deity; and he is always held to be intelligent as well as selfexistent and powerful. There is nothing to distinguish a being without intelligence, although selfexistent and possessed of uncontrollable power, from what is usually called fate or destiny. Could we suppose such a being to exist, we could feel no love or reverence for him or it, whichever it ought to be called, nor fear of any other kind than that which we have of thunder, floods, or earthquakes. We might indeed have extreme dread of such a power, but that feeling could not be enhanced in the smallest degree by any reference to our own character and conduct. Such a being could give no laws for the regulation of our lives, and therefore we could have no hope of reward for obedience, or fear of punishment for disobedience. Intelligence then must be held to belong to God, and the notion of fate as controlling the Deity is no longer a doctrine of any theist. In entering on an inquiry into the foundation of |