It appeals fact, that it is one which we can understand. to the minds of men. For, though a mystical and incomprehensible faith may fill the mind with a painful misgiving and despondency, on the principle that what is dark and mysterious is among the elementary principles of terror; yet, the only valuable impressions, that can be made upon the heart, must proceed from what is addressed to our perceptions as rational beings. Passion flows and ebbs. Emotions are as changeful as the hues of clouds. Feeling varies with all the influences to which we are subjected. The only solid basis of a solid character is thought, reflection, conviction. The very circumstance, then, that our religious views are capable of being understood, that they consider revelation as revealing something, and something which men can know and can do, is better adapted to call forth a really valuable zeal, and interest our better affections, and excite us to virtue and holiness, than all mysteries, however vague, or dark, or terrific. We think this of great importance. I might insist too, in substantiating the same fact, that our system of faith is eminently and peculiarly practical. It every where enjoins duty as the end of doctrine, morality as the end of religious faith. It inculcates a universal holiness of heart and life, and makes the formation of a character for heaven the great object of existence on earth. It does not reveal to us any scheme by which we can be freed from the effects of our own conduct; it does not teach that our final acceptance depends upon the merit or demerit of any other person being imputed to us, or that we are to wait in a state of passive expectancy, until something is done in us and for us, which we, of ourselves, can do nothing to obtain; but, on the contrary, that we are acting, in every moment of our conscious existence, in reference to an impartial tribunal; that God's eye is ever upon us, and that all that is worthy of hope or fear depends upon our own personal endeavors, assisted by the promised aid of God's spirit. It assures us, moreover, that earnest, honest, persevering effort cannot fail. To try is to succeed. To toil is to reap. To struggle is to conquer. To contend is to win. To seek is to find. No good effort is lost. It carries with it, nay it is its own reward. It does something to improve the character; and improvement of character is happiness, happiness here and happiness hereafter. How very serious is this view of human duty! What can call forth human effort, if this do not; and how full, at the same time, it is of encouragement and hope! I might pursue the same train of remark in regard to other leading truths in our system of faith. The august mission of Jesus Christ, his spotless character, its sublimity, its tenderness, its official greatness, its human sympathy, and all the gracious influences of his instructions, life, death and resurrection; the doctrines of the immortality of the human soul; of a future state of retribution; of the promised aid of the holy spirit; are all themes of the most intense and solemn interest. I might show that our system meets all the moral wants of men, that it has light for every darkened mind, and a balm for every wounded heart. But I must pass by these subjects with only this brief allusion to them; and shall advert, in conclusion, to one other trait in our religious belief, which, to my mind, is fraught with life-inspiring energy; and is of itself sufficient to redeem any system from the imputation of being cold and ineffectual. I refer to the belief we entertain of the progressive nature of christian attainments. We think that, in this respect, our views are admirably adapted to that crowning distinction of the human soul, its capacity of indefinite improvement. This, more than any thing else, distinguishes man from all other beings on earth. The gradual advancement of the human mind from its first gropings after light in infancy, to that surpassing energy, which emulates the knowledge of superior natures, is an obvious illustration of this. The same is true of our moral capacities. "No man knows what he can do, until he earnestly endeavors to do what he can; and whoever thus earnestly strives to excel, will often find reason to be astonished at his own success." His moral like his intellectual powers will gain strength by exertion; one conquest will lead on to another; faculties, of which he was before unconscious, will be brought to light. The career of duty is not circumscribed by a narrow circle, in which we must ever tread on in one unvaried round, but is rather to be likened to a continually ascending scale, in which every effort gives an impulse to a higher effort; in which new vigor is derived from every new attainment, and every instance of success is the parent of success. This is universally true of all human exertion. All men who have gotten in advance of their species in the career of earthly excellence, have ever placed before them the immense, the infinite of perfection; a model, which unfolds a new attractiveness the nearer it is approached, an object which advances as they pursue, and leads them further onward the further they go. The higher they ascend, the wider the field of duty opens to their view; every difficulty surmounted gives new animation and energy for new trials. This we believe to be peculiarly true of christian effort. Yes; the course of virtue is ever onward and upward. It may be begun in humiliation, in tears, in confession, in penitence; it leads on through the active and passive virtues of our condition in life; it mounts from one attainment to another; from light to light; from grace to grace; from hope to hope; from strength to strength; and aspires at last to the holiness and happiness of sainted perfection. And if such be our capacity of religious improvement on earth, with all the downward influences of passion, infirmity and sin; what may we not anticipate from that future world, where what is sown in weakness shall be raised in power;" where what has "borne the image of the earthy, shall bear the image of the heavenly;" where, with continually enlarging and improving capacities, we shall approach nearer the Infinite Source of all truth and love; and where nothing shall limit our progress, but the throne of the Eternal One. |