INTRODUCTION. 



Dlays of his Power, Wisdom, and Beneficence, 

 as the material universe exhibits, should be treat 

 ed, by his intelligent offspring, with indifference 

 or neglect. It becomes us to contemplate, with 

 adoring gratitude, every ray of our Creator s 

 glory, whether as emanating from the light of 

 Revelation, or as reflected from the scenery of 

 nature around us, or as descending from those- 

 regions where stars unnumbered shine, and 

 planets and comets run their solemn rounds. 

 Instead of contrasting the one department of 

 knowledge with the other, with a view of depre 

 ciating the science of nature, our duty is, to 

 derive from both as much information and in 

 struction as they are calculated to afford ; to 

 mark the harmony of the revelations they re 

 spectively unfold ; and to use the revelations of 

 nature for the purpose of confirming and am 

 plifying, and carrying forward our views of the 

 revelation contained in the Sacred Scriptures. 

 With regard to the revelation derived from the 

 Sacred Records, it has been imagined by some, 

 that it has little or no reference to the operations 

 of the material system, and that, therefore, the 

 study of the visible works of God can be of little 

 importance, in promoting religious knowledge 

 and holy affections. In the sequel of this vo 

 lume, I shall endeavour to show, that this senti 

 ment is extremely fallacious, and destitute of a 

 foundation. But, in the mean time, although it 

 were taken for granted, it would form no argu 

 ment against the combination of science with re 

 ligion. For it ought to be carefully remarked, 

 that Divine Revelation is chiefly intended to in- 

 truct us in the knowledge of those truths which 

 interest us as subjects of the moral administra 

 tion of the Governor of the world, or, in other 

 words, as apostate creatures, and as moral 

 agents. Its grand object is to develop the open 

 ings and bearings of the plan of Divine Mercy ; 

 to counteract those evil propensities and pas 

 sions which sin has introduced; to inculcate those 

 holy principles and moral laws which tend to 

 unite mankind in harmony and love ; and to pro 

 duce those amiable tempers and dispositions of 

 mind, which alone can fit us for enjoying happi 

 ness either in this world, or in the world to come. 

 For this reason, doubtless, it is, that the moral at 

 tributes of Deity are brought more prominently 

 into view in the Sacred Volume, than his natural 

 perfections ; and that those special arrangements 

 of his Providence, which regard the moral reno 

 vation of our species, are particularly detailed ; 

 while the immense extent of his universal king 

 dom, the existence of other worlds, and their 

 moral economy, are but slightly hinted&quot; at, or 

 veiled in obscurity. Of such a Revelation we 

 stood in need ; and had it chiefly embraced sub 

 jects or&quot; a very different nature, it would have 

 failed in supplying the remedies requisite for 

 correcting the disorders which sin has introduced 

 tmong mankind But, surely, it was never 



intended, even in a religious point of &quot;iew, that 

 the powers of the human mind, in their contem 

 plations and researches, should be bounded by 

 the range of subjects comprised in that revelation, 

 which is purely, or chiefly, of a moral nature, 

 since the Almighty has exibited so magnificent 

 a spectacle in the universe around us, and en 

 dowed us with faculties adequate to the survey 

 of a considerable portion of its structure, and ca 

 pable of deducing from it the most noble and 

 sublime results. To walk in the midst of this 

 &quot;wide extended theatre,&quot; and to overlook, or to 

 gaze with indifference on those striking marks 

 of Divine omnipotence and skill, which every 

 where appear, is to overlook the Creator him 

 self, and to contemn f he most illustrious displays 

 he has given of his eternal power and glory. That 

 man s religious devotions are much to be suspect 

 ed, whatever show of piety he may affect, who 

 derives no assistance, in attempting to form some 

 adequate conceptions of the object ofhis worship, 

 from the sublime discoveries of astronomical 

 science ; from those myriads of suns and systems 

 which form but a small portion of the Creator s 

 immense empire !* The professing Christian, 

 whose devotional exercises are not invigorated, 

 and whose conceptions of Deity are not extended, 

 by a contemplation of the magnitude and variety 

 of his works, may be considered as equally a 

 stranger to the more elevated strains of piety, and 

 to the noble emotions excited by a perception of 

 the beautiful and the sublime. 



&quot; The works of the Lord,&quot; says an inspired 

 writer, &quot; are great, and are sought out by all 

 those who have pleasure therein.&quot; They all 

 bear the stamp of Infinite Perfection, and serve 

 as so many sensible mediums to exalt and ex 

 pand our conceptions of him, whose invisible 

 glories they represent and adumbrate. When 

 contemplated in connection with the prospects 

 opened by Divine Revelation, they tend to ex 

 cite the most ardent desires after that state of 

 enlarged vision, where the plans and operations 

 of Deity will be more clearly unfolded and to 

 prepare us for bearing a part in the immortal 

 hymn of the church triumphant: &quot; Great and 

 marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, 

 just and true are thy ways,thou King of Saints.&quot; 

 The most illustrious characters that have adorn 

 ed our race in all ages, have been struck with 

 the beauty and magnificence of the visible crea 

 tion, and have devoted a certain portion of their 



As some readers seem to have mistaken the 

 Author s meaning, in this and similar passages, it 

 may be proper to state, that his meaning is not 

 that a knowledge of natural science is essential to 

 genuine piety ; but, that the person who has an op 

 portunity of making- himself acquainted with tfa 

 science of nature, and of contemplating the wonders 

 of the heavens in their true light, and who does not 

 find his views of the Creator expanded, ar. 1 his reli 

 gious emotions elevated, by such studies, has reason 

 to call in question the nature and the sincerity of hii 

 devotional feelings. 



