infancy of being;--time to come is
seen expanding into eternal existence.

* * * * *

Such are the views which open on him who would inquire into the essence
by which man is distinguished as a rational and moral being. Compared
with it, what are all the phenomena of nature,--what is all the history
of the world,--the rise and fall of empires,--or the fate of those who
rule them. These derive their interest from local and transient
relations,--but this is to exist for ever. That science, therefore, must
be considered as the highest of all human pursuits, which contemplates
man in his relation to eternal things. With its importance we must feel
its difficulties; and, did we confine the investigation to the mere
principles of natural science, we should feel these difficulties to be
insurmountable. But, in this great inquiry, we have two sources of
knowledge, to which nothing analogous is to be found in the history of
physical science, and which will prove infallible guides, if we resign
ourselves to their direction with sincere desire to discover the truth.
These are,--the light of conscience,--and the light of divine
revelation. In making this statement, I am aware that I tread on
delicate ground,--and that some will consider an appeal to the sacred
writings as a departure from the strict course of philosophical inquiry.
This opinion, I am satisfied, is entirely at variance with truth,--and,
in every moral investigation, if we take the inductions of sound
philosophy, along with the dictates of conscience, and the light of
revealed truth, we shall find them to constitute one uniform and
harmonious whole, the various parts of which tend, in a remarkable
manner, to establish and illustrate each other. If, indeed, in any
investigation of moral science, we disregard the light which is
furnished by the sacred writings, we resemble an astronomer who should
rely entirely on his unaided sight, and reject those optical inventions
which extend so remarkably the field of his vision, as to be to him the
revelation of things not seen. Could we suppose a person thus
entertaining doubts respecting the knowledge supplied by the telescope,
yet proceeding in a candid manner to investigate its truth, he would
perceive, in the telescopic observations themselves, principles
developed which are calculated to remove his suspicions. For, in the
limited knowledge which is furnished by vision alone, he finds
difficu