the
very sun of his system! the soul of the world! the origin of all that is
excellent and lovely! the source of light, and life, and motion, and
genial warmth, and plastic energy!_ Dim is the light of reason, and cold
and comfortless our state, while left to her unassisted guidance. Even
the Old Testament itself, though a revelation from Heaven, shines but
with feeble and scanty rays. But the blessed truths of the Gospel are
now unveiled to _our_ eyes, and _we_ are called upon to behold, and to
enjoy "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of
Jesus Christ," in the full radiance of its meridian splendor. The words
of inspiration best express our highly favoured state: "We all, with
open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord."

Thou art the source and center of all minds,
Their only point of rest, ETERNAL WORD
From thee departing, they are lost, and rove
At random, without honour, hope, or peace:
From thee is all that soothes the life of man;
His high endeavour, and his glad success;
His strength to suffer, and his will to serve.
But O! thou bounteous Giver of all good!
Thou art of all thy gifts thyself the crown:
Give what thou canst, without thee we are poor,
And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away.

CHAPTER V.

_On the Excellence of Christianity in certain important Particulars.
Argument which results thence in Proof of its divine Origin._

The writer of the present work, having now completed a faint delineation
of the leading features of real Christianity, may be permitted to
suspend for a few moments the farther execution of his plan, for the
purpose of pointing out some excellences which she really possesses; but
which, as they are not to be found in that superficial system which so
unworthily usurps her name, appear scarcely to have attracted sufficient
notice. If he should seem to be deviating from the plan which he
proposed to himself, he would suggest as his excuse; that the
observations which he is about to offer will furnish a strong argument,
in favour of the correctness of his preceding delineation of
Christianity, since she will _now_ appear to exhibit more clearly, than
as she is usually drawn, the characters of her Divine original.

It holds true, indeed, in the case of Christianity, as in that of all
the works of God