are His own.

I need not do more than in a word remind you how strong a presumption
there lies in this combination of aspects of the divine nature, in
favour of an actual revelation. It seems to me that, notwithstanding all
the objections that are made to a supernatural and objective revelation,
there is nothing half so monstrous as it would be to believe, with the
pure deist or theist, that God, being what He is, righteous and loving,
had never rent His heavens to say one word to man to lead him in the
paths of righteousness. I can understand Atheism, and I can understand a
revealing God, but not a God that dwells in the thick darkness, and is
yet Love and Righteousness, and looks down upon this world and never
puts out a finger to point the path of duty. A silent God seems to me no
God but an Almighty Devil. Revelation is the plain conclusion from the
premisses that 'good and upright is the Lord!'

I speak not, for there is no time to do so, of the various manners in
which this divine desire to bring sinners into the way fulfils itself.
There are our consciences; there are His providences; there is the
objective revelation of His word; there are the whispers of His Spirit
in men's hearts. I do not know what you believe, but I believe that God
can find His way to my heart and infuse there illumination, and move
affections, and make my eye clear to discern what is right. 'He that
formed the eye, shall He not see?' He that formed the eye, shall He not
send light to it? Are we to shut out God, in obedience to the dictates
of an arbitrary psychology, from access to His own creature; and to say,
'Thou hast made me, and Thou canst not speak to me. My soul is Thine by
creation, but its doors are close barred against Thee; and Thou canst
not lay Thy hand upon it?' 'Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will
He teach sinners in the way.'