entire mental constitution is in conscious harmony. It is only in the presence of this idea that the Mind is capable of the degree of virtue and happiness which its nature consciously demands. We cannot exist without a consciousness of such facts pertaining to the fixed correlation between the changeless demands of our own nature and the reality of God, as the Infinite and Perfect. Our nature shudders and shrinks back with horror at any other conception of God than this. The idea of God, as the Infinite and Perfect, is the great want of universal Mind. To every other want, in the universe within and around us, a corresponding reality exists. To know the demands of the nature of anything, is to know with perfect certainty the reality of corresponding objects in creation around. Shall we suppose that the great overshadowing want of universal Mind is the only necessity to which no corresponding reality exists? Now, believe that the conscious correlation of our immortal powers to the idea of God, as the Infinite and Perfect, and to that idea alone, is one of the chief grounds of the affirmations of our Intelligence, under consideration, pertaining to God.

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4. In all minds, also, there exists a conscious conviction that God should be nothing else than the Infinite and Perfect. Morally perfect we know he ought to be. So the Intelligence affirms, that having voluntarily given existence to beings whose nature demands nothing else than Infinity and Perfection in him, he ought to be to those beings what their nature, as he has constituted it, demands. Hence, also, from the depths of our being, there not only comes up a solemn prohibition against attributing finiteness and imperfection to God, but a solemn admonition to esteem, adore, and worship him as nothing else than the Infinite and Perfect. Every one who properly listens to what is passing in the inner sanctuary of his own mind, will recognize what I mean in these declarations.

5. Worship is recognized by universal Consciousness, as a changeless demand of our nature. Yet every one feels that he does that nature infinite violence, when he worships anything but divinity, and divinity in harmony with any idea. opposed to that of God as the Infinite and Perfect. What does such a law of universal Mind indicate? Certainly, that God, the only object of worship, is nothing else than the Infinite and Perfect. In the consciousness of such demands in our nature, the Intelligence perceives at once,

as their logical antecedent, the reality of Infinity and Perfection in the author of that nature.

6. One other ground of conviction under consideration yet remains to be designated, a ground more fundamental, if possible, than any yet pointed out. Mind is everywhere revealed to itself, not only as destined to an immortal existence, but as possessed of powers involving in their own nature the elements of endless progression. Every power and susceptibility of our nature possesses this one characteristic, a fixed adaptation to a state of endless growth and expansion. Of this characteristic of his own immortal powers every one is really, though he may not be reflectively, conscious. What do such powers indicate in respect to their author? Nothing else than Infinity and Perfection. As Mind descends to a contemplation of its own powers and susceptibilities, and perceives in them all the elements not only of Immortality, but of endless growth and expansion in thought, feeling, and action, here it finds those pencillings in which it reads, with the most profound and solemn convictions of its being in the presence of eternal realities, the Infinity and Perfection of the author of its existence. Mind knows, that in the endless growth and expansion of its immortal powers, nothing but Infinity and Perfection in God can meet the eternally enlarging demands of those powers. In view of its own powers and destiny, Mind reads, with the most undoubted conviction, the Infinity and Perfection of the eternal guardian and disposer of the immortal interests involved in the possession of such powers.

Such, as I conceive, are the grounds of the affirmations of the universal Intelligence in reference to God, as the unconditioned and absolute cause of all that conditionally exists, and as the Infinite and the Perfect.

Nature of the Argument above adduced.

A question may arise in some minds, in respect to the nature of the above argument pertaining to the idea of God, whether it is an a priori or a posteriori demonstration of the Divine existence and character. It would hardly belong to either, according to the common definitions of the words, and yet it, in an important sense, partakes of the nature of both. The argument, unlike those commonly presented, does not attempt a direct and logical proof of the validity of the idea of God. It assumes, in the first instance, the va

lidity of the idea, as a first and absolute truth of Reason; it then, in the next instance, falls back upon the idea itself, for the purpose of finding its chronological antecedent, or the phenomena and truths in view of which the validity of the idea is affirmed by the Intelligence.

This I suppose to be the only proper method of conducting the argument. What, as in the present case, my Intelligence gives me as truth, I am not at liberty to doubt, even while searching for the grounds of my convictions of its truth. Let it be understood, then, that the design of the above argument is to present the grounds of the universal conviction in respect to the existence and perfections of God. If I have been successful, I have, in reality, given the highest demonstration of the objective validity of the idea of God.

Relation of the Idea of God, above elucidated, to all other Ideas of Him.

The two forms of the Divine idea above elucidated, to wit: God, the absolute and unconditioned cause of all that exists conditionally, and God the Infinite and Perfect, are the great foundation principles in the science of Theology. Whatever is correctly affirmed or denied of God, must be done in the light of these two principles. In their light every other truth of God, and all his works, all the principles of his eternal government, stand revealed to our minds. Do we, for example, affirm omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, justice, goodness, truth of God, it is because these perfections are involved, as essential elements, in our idea of him as the Infinite and Perfect. Do we legitimately deny anything of God, it is because that, in attributing it to him, we should affirm finiteness and imperfection of him. The same holds true of every form in which any particular characteristic is to be attributed to God. That conception of any particular characteristic which most fully harmonizes with the fundamental elements involved in the idea of absolute Infinity and Perfection, is to be affirmed of God; while every other, and especially every opposite form, is to be denied of him.

THE IDEA OF A SYSTEM OF THEOLOGY.

Theology defined.

Theology is the science of God, systematically evolved in the light of the fundamental ideas of Reason pertaining to him, above elucidated. This will be admitted by all in whose minds the idea of science is developed at all, as a correct, and the only correct definition of the subject.

Postulate, Axioms, &c., in Theology.

The great postulate, the foundation principle, in the science, as shown above, is the idea of God as the unconditioned and absolute cause, and as the Infinite and Perfect.

The axioms in the science are the two following:

1. Whatever is involved as an essential element of our idea of an unconditioned and absolute cause, and of Infinity and Perfection, is to be affirmed of God.

2. Whatever, if attributed to him, would contradict the idea of an unconditioned and absolute cause, or affirm finiteness or imperfection of God, is to be denied of him.

All particular attributes, the definitions in the science, are then to be elucidated in the light of the postulate and principles, or axioms, above presented.

Kind of Proof pertaining to each particular Attribute.

The proof, and the only proof, to be presented, that any particular characteristic is to be affirmed of God, is a demonstration of the fact, that such characteristic is essentially involved in our conception of him as the unconditioned and absolute cause, or as the Infinite and Perfect. This is the kind of proof peculiar to all sciences-proof resting upon the principle of contradiction. While it is shown that such or such an attribute, or any particular form of a given attribute, must be affirmed of God, else we deny of him the prerogative of unconditioned and absolute cause, or the characteristics of Infinity and Perfection, we have presented absolute demonstration of the fact, that such attribute belongs to God.

This Science to be evolved in the light of the Works of God, material and mental, and of the Teachings of Inspiration. This science also should be evolved in continued reference

to the works and Word of God. In developing the attributes involved in the principles under consideration, we should not go to the Bible to prove that such a characteristic is to be affirmed of God, but the teachings of Inspiration should be adduced, to show the correspondence between the affirmations of science and the Word of God. Thus the science under consideration would be, as far as it extends, a continued commentary upon the sacred volume. The perceived harmony of the two would give additional force to the influence of each upon the mind. Facts in the external material creation will not be adduced in proof of the reality of particular attributes in God, but creation itself will be thrown before the mind, as the work of God, in the light of all the attributes involved in the ideas of him as the unconditioned and absolute cause, and as the Infinite and Perfect. The great truth to be developed is, What may be accomplished through matter, under the guidance and control of a being possessed of all the perfections involved in the principles under consideration? Of course, no attempt will be made to determine particular developments. But this great thought will be thrown into distinct visibility before the mind, to wit: that all that is possible, through matter, the attributes involved in the ideas of Infinity and Perfection, enable the Most High to discern and accomplish.

In respect to Mind, this science should be evolved in correlation to all the powers and susceptibilities of our nature. The fundamental object of the science relating to Mind being mental development, in harmony with the idea of God as the unconditioned and absolute cause, and as the Infinite and Perfect, under the influence of these ideas, it should be so evolved that the natural result upon the Mind, of a knowledge and contemplation of the system, would be endless progression and expansion of the powers of thought, feeling, and action. The demands of the logical department of our nature will be fully met, when each attribute, and each characteristic of every attribute, are seen to follow, as logical antecedents of the ideas of God under consideration. demands of the Sensibility will be met, when the Divine perfections rise before the contemplation in such a manner, as is best adapted to excite all those feelings and sentiments which the finite is bound to cherish towards the Infinite. The demands of the voluntary powers are met when the Divinity stands in distinct contemplation before the Mind, as the pro

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