INTRODUCTION. xxi vigorating exercise of the powers of reason, bestowed “ upon us as our distinguishing prerogative 1." 9. But, those two propositions are introduced by the following extraordinary axiom: “ Before we examine the “ bearings of physical science on Revelation, our ideas “ should be first settled as to what may be reasonably “ expected from Revelation in this respect 2 .” I must, in limine, resist this most dangerous and un considered principle ; which, if it be true in the present subject, must be equally true in every other subject for which Revelation is asserted. It propounds, that man’s expectations, formed by the indefinite and insecure rule of what he may deem reasonable for Revelation to have im parted, constitutes the test of what has been really im parted by Revelation; consequently, whatever may be contrary to those expectations, cannot have been revealed by God. Such, is the inevitable issue of the principle. Now, it is most certain, that in « settling our ideas ” a priori on this great point, it may very possibly, nay, very probably happen, that we may settle them quite wrong ; for, God may have actually revealed that, which man might not have expected that God would have re vealed, and which he might not have thought it at all reasonable to expect that God would have revealed; and so, the real bearing of physical science on Revelation, may be in direct opposition to what man may have deemed most reasonable to expect. It is not by any a priori reasoning, that the human intellect is capable of ascer taining what is reasonable for God to have revealed; for, “ who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been 1 Introduction toGeol. of England and Wales, p. 1- li. ’ lb. p, 1.