LECTURE I.

THE ATTAINMENTS IN PHILOSOPHY INADEQUATE TO THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND WORSHIP OF

THE DEITY.

ROMANS i. 20-23.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

Ir is perhaps the misfortune rather than the fault of human nature, that when men have been long in possession of a great and inestimable blessing, especially when they have never endured the risk of losing it, they grow insensible to its value, and receiving it as a matter of

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MEN ARE FORGETFUL

[LECT.

course, neglect to acknowledge the source from whence it proceeds. A reflecting mind, indeed, will often arrive at a proper estimate of a privilege by computing what its condition would probably be without it sometimes by observing and comparing the hard lot of others we may learn to appreciate our own happiness; and the misfortunes of some frequently become the means of awakening in others a grateful sense of their exemption from them. The man whose riches protect him from want, might never reflect upon the favours of Providence, did he not sometimes contemplate the many thousands who wander upon the earth destitute and hungry : the constitution which is in the enjoyment of perfect health, might feel no cause for thankfulness, did not many a son and daughter of affliction languish before it in grief and pain; and even the light of heaven would scarcely be esteemed a blessing, were it not for the alternation of darkness. But however obvious this method of comparing our moral advantages may appear, it is practised by a very small portion of mankind, and it generally happens that they who possess such advantages in a high degree, have less of that feeling of gratitude which really ought to be inspired. Now if this be true of "the things which are seen and temporal," it is much more so of "the things that

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are eternal."

OF COMMON BLESSINGS.

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If there be so few who reflect upon their moral condition, in order to recognise and acknowledge the favours of Providence, much fewer are they who ever bestow a thought upon the blessings which result from their religious light and knowledge. The Gospel, which like the sun in the natural world, is a fixed body of light in the spiritual system, shines continually upon us; but in our favoured country we scarcely have the alternative of darkness to make us sensible of the value of the light. We lie down to rest, and we awake, without glorifying God for this, and without being thankful; or, perhaps, following too closely the heathen of whom the apostle speaks, we become vain in our own imaginations, and our foolish heart is darkened. But does this superior religious knowledge, in its general diffusion, exist among us? I suppose we are glad to lay claim to this national distinction. The foundation of all our prosperity as a people must be laid in something; the invisible influence which acts upon our social system, and makes us prosper, not for our virtues, but in spite of our vices, must be recognised in something now I would place it in the influence, more or less remote, which Christianity still exercises over our land, so that I would say, it is to the revelation of Jesus Christ that we owe all that we have as men, and all that we are as

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HOW THIS SUBJECT

LECT.

candidates for a better world. Already I think I hear the cold believer say, "perhaps," and the philosopher whisper, "I doubt it." One I know will talk of civilization; another of civil institutions and religious liberty; a third of the progress of human intellect; and in short, will link together a number of causes, just to divert the mind, if it were possible, from the grand cause; but I have still to affirm, my brethren, that without being indebted to any philosophy or civilization, whatever light and knowledge we possess, which at all can affect our probationary condition, this we owe entirely to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is there any one who doubts it? Is there any one who has given the fact so little consideration, that he hath hitherto omitted to appreciate duly the blessings of Divine revelation? Then is the subject of these Lectures more especially adapted for him; for it is my intention to endeavour to enhance the blessings of the Gospel light, by showing, in some measure, what men have been and are without it. I propose to inquire into the degree of light and knowledge in religious matters, which unassisted reason may attain to, as exemplified in the case of the heathen philosophers. I propose still further to inquire into the state of religion among the Jews, previous to the coming of Christ the whole

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SHOULD BE TREATED.

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tending to show the expediency and the necessity of a Divine revelation. In prosecuting these inquiries, we are not to forget the apostolic injunction about giving heed to "fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying, which is in faith;" I shall therefore avoid all those subtle refinements, in which the strength of reason becomes entangled as in a net, so that a word out of the mouth of babes and sucklings may lead the humbled giant captive. On the other hand, we are not to be scared by the loud but unmeaning cry of some who would descant on the danger and inutility of stepping out of the ordinary line of pulpit instruction: on the contrary, as our Gospel is able to stand the test of the most critical examination, and only acquires greater lustre by comparing it with the dimness which will be found over all other systems of religion, it becomes our duty, as the means of inquiry and the capacity of our audience extend, to follow that other positive injunction of the Apostle"Prove all things, hold fast that which is good :" and if by a review of what the human mind has been able to attain unto, in matters of religion, unaided by the light of revelation, we can convince ourselves, that so far under similar circumstances we might have gone and no farther, then surely we shall be led to acknowledge the