LECTURES,

CORRECTED AND IMPROVED,

WHICH

HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FOR A SERIES OF YEARS,

IN THE

COLLEGE OF NEW-JERSEY;

ON THE SUBJECTS OF

MORAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.

THE FORMER PÅRT EMBRACING,

I. The general principles of human nature considered as a subject of moral science.

II. The principles of ethics, or the moral relations and duties of men.

III. The principles of natural theology.

IV. And lastly, those of economics, or family relations, as preparatory to the consideration of
the relations and duties of civil and political life.

THE LATTER PART EMBRACING,

I. The rules which ought to regulate the conduct of men towards one another in a state of
civil society, and the means of enforcing those rules.

II. The rules and principles which give the form to the society or government itself, and
which direct its operations.

III. And finally, the rules which should govern the conduct of independent governments or
states to one another-the whole comprehending those general principles on the subjects of
jurisprudence, politics, and public law, or the law of nature and nations, with which every
man of liberal information in a free country ought to be acquainted.

BY THE REV. SAMUEL STANHOPE SMITH, D. D. L. L. D.

DISTRICT OF NEW-JERSEY, ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-ninth day of August, in the thirty-seventh year of the independence of the United States of America, Samuel Stanhope Smith, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit: "The Lectures, corrected and improved, which have been de livered for a series of years in the college of New-Jersey, on the subjects of moral and political philosophy, by the Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith, D. D. L. L. D. The former part embracing, 1st, The general principles of human nature considered as a subject of moral science. 2d, The principles of ethics, or the moral relations and duties of men. ed. The principles of natural the ology. 4th, And lastly, Those of economics, family relations, as preparatory to the consideration of the relations and duties or civil and political life. The latter part embracing, 1st, The rules which ought to regulate the conduct of men towards one another in a state of civil society, and the means of enforcing those rules. 2d. The rules and principles which give the form to the society or government itself, and which direct its operations. 3d, And finally, The rules which should govern the conduct of independent governments or states to one another-the whole comprehending those general principles on the subjects of jurisprudence, politics, and public law, or the law of nature and nations, with which every man of liberal information in a free country ought to be acquainted"-In conformity to the act of the congress of the United States entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned," and also an act entitled "An act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned, and extending the benefit thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."

ROBERT BOGGS,

Clerk of the District of N. Jersey.

of Natural Theology, wherein it consists, and its con-
nexion with the science of morals-The proofs of the
divine existence divided into two kinds, the scientific,
and popular-Mr Hume's idea of cause-Sketch of Dr
S. Clarke's demonstration of the being and attributes of
God-The popular mode of reasoning from the works
of nature to the existence, wisdom and power of its
Author.An exhortation to study natural history par-
ticularly with this view.-Proof of the same truth from
the general sentiments of mankind.-Proof, from the
absurdity of the reasons invented to account for the
origin of things independent of God.-Chance and dis-
order ignorantly ascribed to the works of nature. The
attributes of the Deity-First, of the natural attributes,
spirituality, unity, wisdom, power, eternity, omnipre-
sence-Second, of his moral attributes, holiness, good-
VOL. ii.

B

ness, justice. Some objections to the divine goodness on the score of the evils which exist in the world considered. Of the evils which attend our entrance into the world, and departure from it.Of the justice of God, distributive, and vindictive.

NATURAL Theology, which consists in the knowledge of those truths which may be discovered by the exercise of human reason alone, concerning the being and attributes of God, is intimately connected with the science of duty and morals. Among the strongest perceptions of our nature are those which indicate to us a moral law to which we are subject, and render us susceptible of moral obligation. From that sense of morality, which has been already explained, results a profound conviction of the existence of this law, and of a Supreme Lawgiver who imposes obedience to it by the authority of our own internal sentiments, and by the reference which they bear to his righteous judgment which they teach us to apprehend. As reason brings from every survey of the works of nature, irresistible demonstration of the existence of a Deity, infinitely wise, powerful, and benevolent; conscience draws from our own internal feelings, the deep persuasion of his being a most holy and righteous judge of moral conduct. The conviction of these truths must ever possess a useful influence on the morals of mankind. The informations of reason, or the restraints of con