done to remove objections, and to satisfy a reasonable mind.

The proposed investigation will necessarily be, in some degree, of an _a
priori_ character; not, however, as we trust, so much so as to render it
vague and without practical value. It will be _a priori_, inasmuch as it
will not assume the existence of a revelation, and then proceed to
examine its character. This would be to beg the question at issue. It
will not be _a priori_, so far as it consists in instituting an inquiry
into the faculties of the human mind, and their capacity to receive a
revelation; and into this it will be found that the investigation will
mainly resolve itself.

* * * * *

1. We may commence our inquiry into the subject by noticing, _that a
knowledge of God_, _to be obtained in some way or other_, _seems almost
essential to the well-being of man_. If it be granted, that there is
such a Being--and few, it is presumed, would go so far as to deny
this--it must be of great importance for us to know the relationship in
which that Being stands to us, and we to Him. We can hardly suppose it
possible that an Infinite Being, in some sense, as we suppose will be
generally allowed, the Governor of the world, should not have an
important relation to _all_ other existences; much less, that the
relation which He bears to _man_, the most noble existence of which we
have any actual experience, should be of an insignificant character.
Looking, too, upon man as a free and moral agent, accountable, as
conscience declares, for his actions to his fellow-men, it seems almost
certain that he must be also responsible for his acts in relation to the
Deity. The general belief of mankind, in all ages and in all places,
tends to the same conclusion; and, if it be admitted that there is an
eternal world into which the consequences of our actions follow us, a
knowledge of the relationship in which we stand to God becomes of still
greater importance. But if this knowledge probably may be, and, should
the general belief of the world have a foundation in fact, certainly is,
of great importance, it can hardly be supposed that a God of love would
allow us to remain in ignorance of it; and the question arises, _how it
is to be obtained_.

It may be observed, first of all, that _the Deity does not_, _like other
objects_, _come within the direct cognizance of our perceptive
faculties_. We have an organization, by means of which w