LECTURE III

ISAIAH xl. 5.

"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

In my preceding Lecture, I laid before you a brief, but faithful epitome of heathen idolatry, comprehending the variety and character of the objects to which they paid religious honors; together with the barbarity and cruelty of their sacrificial offerings, the lascivious and brutal conduct of the worshippers, and the universal prevalence and toleration of the most detestable vices-vices which could not but degrade the human mind, and paralize all the noblest energies of reason and virtue, to reform the lives and morals of human society! And when we reflect that all these cruelties and abominations were directly countenanced and encouraged by the civil institutions of heathen countries; yea, more-when we reflect that these horrid crimes were lauded as the most acceptable offerings of religion, and the certain means of appeasing the wrath and procuring the favor of the object adored; we ask, with confidence, was not the moral condition of human beings such as to need the light of revelation to instruct, improve, and civilize the society of man?

If we were to survey other countries, in later ages, and even down to our own times, we should find little less to excite our pity and astonishment. A great part of the eastern world is still enveloped in the darkness of Mahometan imposture, or groan under the weight of pagan idolatry. The extensive regions of Hindostan, containing about 100,000,000 of inhabitants, are principally involved in this deplorable darkness and ignorance, even to the present hour. The worshippers of the ponderous idol of the eastern world, are annually crushed to death beneath his merciless car, as the willing victims of superstition and

the most deplorable ignorance; while the plains of Hindostan are lighted up by the unsparing flames of the funeral pile, and thousands of widows are sacrificed to the most inhuman superstition.

I might notice a fearful catalogue of other cruelties, which are still practiced in heathen countries; but the heart sickens at the horrid picture, and turns with painful sensibility from the scenes of such barbarous superstition, and the eye of pity contributes the tear of regret to the weakness and misery of man, while destitute of revelation's clear and friendly light to illuminate the pathway of his understanding. I shall forbear to mention the human sacrifices which were formerly offered by the aborigines of America, as I have forborne to notice the gross idolatry of other barbarous nations; and briefly consider the character of modern heathenism, under the plausible names of philosophy and science.

These acknowledge no God, but nature, no eternal principal, but matter, and no obligation but such as would contribute to the gratification of passion, or subserve their temporal interest. But of such philosophers, it may well be said, "they worship they know not what :" And doubtless they are not aware that they are offering their homage to inert and inconscious matter; to the sun, the moon and the stars; to rocks and mountains, hills and valleys, rivers and plains, oceans and continents; to animals and plants of every description; and even to the grossest passions that ever rankled in the human heart! For these, it cannot be denied, are parts, and the principal parts of nature with which we are acquainted. If there was, therefore, any inconsistency in the worship of those ancient pagans, of whom we have already spoken, the same inconsistency attaches to the character and views of modern skepticism. No wonder, then, that a promiscuous intercourse should be justified and pleaded, as fancy might suggest or inclination dictate!

Are these thy boasted triumphs, O reason! Are these thy proud trophies of renown, O philosophy! Is this the beastly eminence on which ye would place us? Yes --this is the altar on which we are invited to sacrifice the noble institutions which have emanated from the light of revela

tion, and diffused their benign influence through all the moral codes of the civilized world!

It is true that Zoroaster, Socrates, Plato, Confucius, Seneca and Cicero, entertained more rational and consistent views of the great First Cause of all things, and of the moral and religious obligations of mankind: But the histories of their times prove to us that all the refinements of their philosophy failed to produce the most desirable effects upon their countrymen, and left them still in darkness, and under the shackles of a most despotic and cruel superstition. So that with all the lights and advantages of nature, reason and philosophy, the world groaned under the oppressive weight of ignorance and crime.

I have now briefly delineated the condition of man, without the friendly aid of revelation; and our hearts have recoiled and sickened at the imperfect picture of human enormities which prevailed throughout the most enlightened, refined and philosophical nations of the earth, which has been laid before you; notwithstanding we have been compelled by considerations of modesty, to draw a veil over the darkest shades of their abominations. What has been brought to the light, however, is sufficient for all the purposes of a clear and successful contrast. We shall now proceed to compare this deplorable state of society with what we find to be the condition of man under the influence and direction of revealed religion.

It is perfectly apparent from history, that in a short time after the deluge, idolatry became the prevailing religion of the whole post-deluvian world: That it was almost universally practised until the days of Abraham, to whom most important truths were communicated, and by him transmitted to his posterity; truths, embracing the character and designs of God, and opening and illustrating the moral duties of man to his Creator. Of this, the Patriarch appears to have been so fully convinced, that he totally forsook the idolatry of his Chaldean countrymen, and betook himself entirely to the worship of one God, as the Creator and Governor of heaven and earth.

History informs us that his sons observed the maxims of truth which he had received, and were, themselves, persuaded of the unity and universal government of God;

and that they practised a purer and more simple worship than their heathen neighbors.

Isaac, who was the legal heir of this Patriarch, with his son Jacob, received a confirmation of the truth revealed to their venerable sire, and transmitted it, with the duties of pure devotion and faith, to the twelve tribes of Jacob, who were trained up in the discipline and admonition of the wisdom and religion of their fathers: And among them, we hear nothing of idolatry for about four hundred years. There might have been, it is true, some examples of departure from the belief of a revelation to their ancestors, but if it were so, history is silent upon the subject.

From the time of the descent of the Israelites into Egypt, till about the period of their Exodus, we hear little of them except that a large company of them once revisited the land of their ancestors, to deposit the earthly remains of their revered father.

At length there appears to have been one of their number, reared up in the palace of the Egyptian monarch, who professed to be divinely inspired and instructed to deliver his countrymen and kindred from their bondage and slavery: That he actually led them from the bondage and tyranny of Egypt, and delivered to them a code of laws, professedly by divine authority, which they received, and acknowledged to be from God. (Whether his authority was divine for what he did, will be discussed in a future Lecture.)

After performing many astonishing prodigies (which we term miracles) for their deliverance and support, a law is presented to them, which sternly prohibits the worship of but one God, accompanied with the assurance that he created and governed the heavens and the earth, and was the proper Ruler and Moral Governor of the universe. It prohibited licentiousness of every description, and prescribed the duties of love and obedience to God, and the obligation of kindness, forbearance and benevolence to mankind. And it is strongly, and with much reason, suspected, that the wisest and best of the heathen philosophers drew the leading features of their systems of mo rality from this ancient and venerable code.