484 
I have been hitherto dealing 1 chiefly with philosophy. I must 
now consider the relation in which reason stands to theology, 
and theology to revelation, and of these latter to science. 
I lay it down as a fundamental principle that theology 
stands to revelation in precisely the same relation as science 
does to God's creation. Creation supplies the facts of science ; 
and the human mind determines the principles of investiga- 
tion. Our reason elaborates the result. In a similar manner 
revelation supplies the facts and principles with which theo- 
logy has to deal. Revelation and creation are only two 
different modes of the divine manifestations. As such, they are 
sisters, and must rest on the same basis of reason, because 
the mind is incapable of supplying any other. This distinction 
between theology and revelation is of the utmost importance 
to enable us to frame clear conceptions on the subject. 
The form in which the Christian revelation has been given is 
unquestionably historical. The function of theology is to 
investigate, elaborate, and systematize its truths, precisely 
the same as science holds to creation. 
It will perhaps be urged that there is a theology existing 
independently of revelation, commonly designated Natural 
Theology. This I concede. But it requires no argument to 
prove that the only possible basis of such a theology must be 
a rational one. Theology, therefore, in its widest sense 
embraces the complete study of the data furnished by God's 
natural and supernatural revelation, in their bearing on the 
moral and religious character of man. 
We must now determine how reason stands related to 
revelation. If the principles which have been laid down are 
correct, the only vehicle through which revelation can be 
communicated is either reason, or an objective fact capable of 
addressing itself to reason, as the person of Christ. 
The cause of this is obvious. God has limited his power 
as to the mode in which he will communicate truth, by the 
conditions which he has imposed, on himself in the creation of 
the finite nature of man. All truth must therefore be com- 
municated through the medium of human thoughts, ideas, 
and conceptions ; in one word, through the instrumentality of 
reason, which is the sum total of the various powers of the 
mind. 
It follows that those subjects which are incapable of becoming 
the subjects of rational thought can form no subjects of reve- 
lation. If it were otherwise, God must create a new faculty 
and impart it to man, to enable them to be apprehended. 
The w^ant of attention to an obvious distinction has been 
a fruitful parent of confusion of thought. While it is quite 
