WITH A PREFACE BY THE REV. CHARLES KINGSLEY, F.L.S., F.G.S., CANON OF WESTMINSTER CHAPLAIN TO THE QUEEN AND TO THE PRINCE OF WALES,, London and New York: MACMILLAN AND CO. 1874. [All Rights reserved.] PREFACE. I VENTURE to preface these Sermons-which were preached either at Westminster Abbey, or at one of the Chapels Royal-by a Paper read at Sion College, in 1871; and for this reason. Even when they deal with what is usually, and rightly, called "vital" and "experimental” religion, they are comments on, and developments of, the idea which pervades that paper; namely That facts, whether of physical nature, or of the human heart and reason, do not contradict, but coincide with, the doctrines and formulas of the Church of England, as by law established. Natural Theology, I said, is a subject which seems to me more and more important; and one which is just now somewhat forgotten. I therefore desire to say a few words on it. I do not pretend to teach: but only to suggest; to point out certain problems of natural Theology, the further solution of which ought, I think, to be soon attempted. I wish to speak, be it remembered, not on natural religion, but on natural Theology. By the first, I understand what can be learned from the physical universe of man's duty to God and to his neighbour; by the |