Page images
PDF
EPUB

er that group of graces which a- heathen composed the sermon on the mount should not censure the credulity of him who believes in the mysteries of revelation.

dorn the unassuming followers of Jesus--love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The first are not more inferior to the last in kind than in duration. The laurel fades and talls when the brow that wore it becomes cold in death. But the graces of the christian when they cease to be obscured by a body of sin, are constellated into a diadem to crown his immortal spirit.

The moral precepts of paganism respect only the external deportment, while those of christianity extend their dominion to the heart. They are the statutes by which an enlightened conscience sits to try the secret thoughts and affections of the heart. But how shall we account for such an important improvement upon "the philosophy, falsely so called," as we are presented with in the scriptures? It is perfectly natural to ascribe the former to the genius of man; for it displays the very imperfections which a finite capacity would overlook, and the errors which are, at this day, the offspring of a depraved taste. But the sacred books bear the impress of a more exalted original. Had their au thors, then, more learning or acumen than the philosphers of polished Greece and Rome? Certainly not. Nor could they have obtain ed their notions of the peculiar morality of the bible from any source beside the oracle of heaven. He, who can believe that a

2d. Christianity is the most important means in operation for accomplishing the ends of infinite benevolence.

We have seen that it is the gracious design of God to make men happy by communicating to them his own moral likeness; and that such a design accompanied by infinite wisdom and might, must go forth towards its accomplishment in a train of secondary causes the most eligible for the purpose.

The fundamental truths of christianity are the same with those of natural religion. No one disputes their salutary influence, wherever they have made an impression on the mind of man; nor can any one reasonably doubt that the power of this good influence is increased in proportion to the distinctness and permanency of such impressions. Allowing, therefore, that the abstract principles of religion are as legible on the page of nature as of revelation, if it is plain that the latter is attended with circumstances, which give to these principles a cogency and effect unknown in natural religion, and unfelt by the bosom which is a stranger to the gospel, then there can no longer be any doubt that christianity is a plan adopted by infinite wisdom for the moral renovation of man.

Now upon the strength of principles equally clear to the infidel

[ocr errors]

and the christian we affirm that, aside from the distinctness and lustre which the bible, as a commentary upon the works of nature and providence, has given to moral truth, the christian religion infinitely transcends the religion of nature in its power to form the moral character into the image of God. Those truths in natural religion, which are plainest on the face of things, are still presented almost exclusively to the intellect ual perception of men, and appeal to their feelings scarcely more than a geometrical proposition, while in the gospel they are bodied forth in the living examples, and addressed to every sense and sympathy of human nature.

The influence of example in the formation of character is exerted in two ways. In the first place, by presenting to our minds the abstract principles of moral action with the greatest possible distinctness.

Not only the dreams of fancy, but the deductions and demonstrations of reason itself, never attain to that life and reality, nor to that degree of familiarity with the thoughts, which accompany sensible knowledge. The power of contemplating those truths, which, like the relations in pure mathematics, have no types nor illustrations in the external world, is among the last acquisitions of the mind; and the fundamental doctrines of religion which by the methods of revelation are now

mass

made plain to the simplest capaci. ty, if they could be approached only by abstraction, might have remained forever remote from the apprehension of the of mankind. The love of country is a passion, which, in a greater or less degree, pervades the recesses of every bosom. Yet no one can peruse the story of Regulus without feeling that his idea of patriotis is improved and deepened by the contemplation of such an example? We may safely presume that the nature of moral principles is rendered as much more intelligible through the medium of actions, as the Elements of Euclid through that of diagrams. Whatever things God has allied in nature, are studied with the greatest advantage; and we might as well hope to comprehend the beauty of the human countenance from a verbal definition of it, as to gain an adequate idea of moral attributes from the mere fitness of things. When, therefore, we behold in revelation the principles of natural religion embodied in a palpable form; the perfections of God exemplified in an interesting course of divine conduct towards men; and the whole adapted to the powers of the human understanding; we are compelled to believe that christianity is the offspring of that divine benevolence which designed that the knowledge of God should effect the renovation of man.

But this is not all-the influ ence of example in the second

place, is exerted by its exciting the sympathetic emotion of virtue. The sympathetic emotion of virtue is that feeling which arises in our minds on seeing or contemplating a virtuous action, disposing us in general to acts of a similar nature. For example, if we behold or read of a signal instance of gratitude, our admiration of the person is accompanied by a desire to perform acts of gratitude without any object. This latter is the emotion of which we speak; an emotion most favorable to the formation of moral character since it is excited by virtuous examples only and secretly prompts the mind to seek occasions for the useful exercise of virtuous principles and feelings. Lord Kaimes to whom we are already indebted, speaks of the utility of this emotion in the following words:

person may acquire a settled habit of virtue, intercourse with men of worth, histories of generous and disinterested actions, and frequent meditation upon them, keep the sympathetic emotion in constant exercise, which, by degrees introduces a habit, and confirms the authority of virtue."

Who can describe the effect of Regulus' generous conduct upon the Roman Senate, at the moment when he needed only have spoken one word and it would have restored him to his liberty, his estate his dignity, his wife, his children, and his country-but that word appearing to him contrary to the honor and welfare of the state, he firmly renounced his home, and all that is dear to humanity, for exile, torture and the cross! We may well imagine that every breast beat high with the courage and patriotic love, so conspicuous in their illustrious friend, and longed for a suitable opportunity to display its zeal in similar acts of devotedness. Never did patriotism taught by philosophy or celebrated in song, produce an impression like this; because while speculation improves the intellect, and poetry delights the fancy, it is only the eloquence of example that can reach the deeper sympa

"The emotion under consideration bestows upon good example the utmost influence by prompting us to imitate what we admire. This singular emotion will readily find an object to exert itself upon, and at any rate it never exists without producing some effect, because virtuous emotions of that sort are in some degree an exercise of virtue; they are a mental exercise at least if they appear not externally.-thies of the soul. And every exercise of virtue, internal and external, leads to habit; for a disposition or propensity of the mind like a limb of the body becomes stronger by exercise.Thus by proper discipline every

Now the system of religious truth which purports to have been revealed from heaven is most happily adapted to this susceptibility of our natures. However clearly the attributes of God were impress

ed upon the creation, their feeble in the universe an intelligent,

appeal was made to the understanding, not to the feelings of the heart. The natural earth and heavens, without the index of revelation, would have been almost a blank, as to any moral meaning, and proportionably dull in moral effect. The absence of some perfect example which the christian might admire and imitate, would be such a deficiency in the means of his moral health and happiness as nature would experience, if the sun from this moment should become a rayless world of ice.But in the bible the truths of natural religion are clothed with the forms of intelligible actions; and the Deity, no longer perceived only in the clouds and winds, approaches man in the known and intimate relations, of father, friend, Savior, judge and rewarder. He has not only delineated his character in verbal expressions of his mind and will, but has come forth in those overtures of providence and grace which are calculated to appeal most powerfully to the sympathetic emotions of men.-The divine conduct towards the Jews, redemption by Christ, the life, sufferings and death of the Sav. ior, the zeal and devotedness of inspired men, are so many features of the deity, in which, "we behold with open face, the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image from glory to glory.

God therefore must be the author of revelations, or their exists

benevolent, and infinite cause, criminally unemployed-christianity must be from above: or weak and depraved man has transcended the omniscience, efficiency, and grace of Jehovah, in the discovery and application of means to accomplish the purposes of the divine will. H.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

The religious instruction of children and youth is a topic which ought frequently to be introduced and should be insisted on

with more special earnestness, where there is evidence that the duty of giving such instruction is by many viewed with indifference and neglect. To my own mind, it has long appeared plain, that if any one duty could be proved to be reasonable, that of giving early religious instruction was a duty of that nature and that in nothing could, in consistency, be made to appear more palpable and striking than in a neglect to give religious instruction among those parents who acknowledged the importance of religion.

My design, in this paper, is to address parents affectionately, yet faithfully, and to urge, the reasonableness and importance of this duty in a way to produce conviction and cause a discharge of this seri. ous and interesting obligation of parents to their children.

In the first place, the religious their attention is turned to such instruction of children is possible. subjects, frequently shew, how It is no impracticable duty that much interest they feel in this is now recommended. kind of instruction and how much more capable they are of understanding it, than many seem to suppose, indeed, may it not be said, with too much truth, that religious knowledge is sometimes more interesting to the children, than to the parents, and that children are, in many cases, more ready to receive some knowledge of their God, their Savior, the scriptures and their duty, than parents are to afford it either by personal instruction, or by encouraging others to impart it to them.

What has been done, may be done again; and religious instruction has often been bestowed by parents on their children. It has been probably given not only by the learned, who might be supposed to have more ability of imparting it; but by thousands in the common walks of life, with ordinary opportunities of gaining information. Nor does it require that children themselves should be gifted with any extraordinary powers of mind, in order to be capable of receiving instruction of this nature. As soon and as early as a child can receive any useful instruction, it can receive the first elements of religious knowledge. None doubt the possibility of teaching children on other subjects than religion. But the same capacity of acquiring and retaining instruction which they manifest in relation to other subjects is suited, also, to acquiring and retaining religious knowledge.

When children become interested in the objects which animate and inanimate nature presents, it is, evidently, possible to refer them to the Great Author. When they perceive their relation to their earthly parents and are capable of realizing their obligations of love, gratitude and obedience to them, is it not possible, to tell them of a heavenly parent to whom they are under still stronger obligations? Is it impossible, that they should be early taught to act with a reference to the all-seeing eye of God, to seek to please him and to fear his displeasure? All this, and much more, is not only possible, but easy.

It has, indeed, been often found easier to give religious instruction than any other. The child is very easily interested in such representations as are suitable to be given him respecting God, and in many scripture narratives, such As it respects the possibility of for instance, as the history of giving religious instruction to Abel, of Joseph, of Daniel, and children, there cannot be ground others of the same kind. Their for controversy. Knowledge, questions and observations, when much more difficult, is taught

« PreviousContinue »