MANKIND have differed in nothing more than in their religious opinions. Their creeds have been as various as their coun­tenances. Education has no small share in pro­ducing this wonderful variety. We are passive to its influence.

Religion, of some kind or other, has been ac­knowledged by all mankind, in all ages, and in all parts of the globe. It has been considered as the most noble employment of the soul, and pro­ductive of the most beneficial consequences to civil society. These things have occurred, al­though most of the religions extant owe their ex­istence more to ignorance than to argument, and are more the effects of blind credulity, than rea­sonable conviction. This arises from the nature of the subject. Our religion is formed before the reasoning faculties are sufficiently matured for examination. Principles imbibed in infancy are extremely difficult to be eradicated. They grow with our growth, they strengthen with our strength. Here commences the boasted empire of conscience, whose dictates it is thought the highest criminality to violate. There is some­thing too in the subject of religion so solemn and awful, that we dare scarcely attempt to reason ourselves out of pre-established errors. A dread of something hereafter, the hopes of happier days, rush upon the anxious soul, and disarm it of its reasoning power. Men in all ages have been the subjects of religious fear. Immoderate [Page 4]forebodings of a world to come, have robbed the present of half its lawful enjoyments.

Religion, designed to render man "mild and sociable to man," has rendered him selfish and implacable. Absurdities and persecutions have been the attendants of every system of religion under heaven. How often have the rights and dignity of human nature been insulted, degraded and trampled upon? How often have the honour and character of Deity been traduced, by the im­pious and absurd doctrines of religious establish­ments? How often have mankind been deceived and led astray from truth, by systems bearing on­ly the name of Divinity? How often has the sa­cred name of Jehovah been insulted by men act­ing under the specious appearance of superior piety? These abuses, with many others commit­ted under the mask of religious hypocrisy, have induced some to reject all revelation, as repug­nant to reason; imposing on the ignorance and credulity of the vulgar; degrading the exalted abilities of man, and inconsistent with the charac­ter of Deity. They either artfully insinuate, or openly declare, that the religion of a Saviour stands on the same foundation with that of a Ma­homet, and the fables of antiquity. They insist that ignorance and imposition are equally the supporters of all. They renounce all the lumin­ous truths of revelation; they place in their stead the forlorn "age of reason." They aim their wit and ridicule at the very existence of Chris­tianity, and treat with impious and ungenerous contempt that life and immortality brought to light by the gospel. They rob virtue of her hope. They add insult to the misfortunes of life. They transform the beauties of Paradise into the barren wilds of non-existence. They plant on the grave the seeds of annihilation. They level man with the brute. Destined, like a meteor of the night, to blaze for a moment, he vanishes [Page 5]forever in the shades of darkness. To-day he exults in the highest glory; to-morrow he min­gles with the worm in the dust.

Man, as a being prone to err, becomes an ob­ject of commiseration. Ridicule is a breach of humanity; it is oftering violence to the feel­ings of the human heart. We will shed the tear of sorrow over the tomb of man's departed glo­ry; but let us not deprive him of that religion which alone can alleviate the misfortunes of life.

While men have been pleading an universal toleration of religious opinions, we rejoiced at their success; we saw them disarming persecution of her weapons; we imbibed their sympathy; we warmed with their philanthropy. That elegance of style and independency of thought which charac­terize the writings of some who have opposed reve­lation, have in some instances captivated the passions and seduced the judgment. They have with great exultation vilified the character of the clergy. We are sensible of ecclesiastical abuses; they cannot be too much exposed: but while we deprecate the ambition of the clergy, so destructive to the peace of civil society, when strengthened by the arm of the magistrate, let us not abuse indiscrimi­nately an order of men so important and useful to mankind. Society, in an improved state, cannot exist without them. Though they form the mind and mend the heart, yet some, either from ignorance or envy, have represented them as unfriendly to the improvements of the human mind—to the lights and progress of philosophy. We feel ourselves peculi­arly pleased and honoured in appealing to the pre­sent occasion, as a full refutation of their illiberal aspersions. Those venerable Worthies, whose pre­fence gives dignity and respect to the ceremonies of this day; whose benevolence is at this moment listening to the feeble efforts of the speaker, rise su­perior to the insinuations of malice, and sufficient­ly evince their attachment to science and virtue.

[Page 6] But what have the systems and errors of men to do with the religion of heaven? We renounce all systems but the system of God. Men, in support­ing their favourite opinions, have undoubtedly been led into error. This by no means derogates from truth. While we smile at the incomprehen­sible commentaries of system-builders, our vene­ration for the great original is increased. Like its divine Author, it cannot be destroyed. Heav­en and earth shall pass away, and nature dissolve at the feet of Jehovah—but religion exists for­ever.

As a system coming from heaven, with every mark of its divinity, it ought to influence our be­lief and actions. But, say some, the belief of the Christian scriptures is no proof of their truth and importance. Because, continue the objectors, the same proof is applicable to every system of er­ror extant. This will be granted. Things are either true or false, independent of belief. "Man cannot create, he can only discover."

But the credence of false systems of religions, is no proof or argument against one which carries indelible characters of its divinity. It rather heightens its value. Virtue never more interests the heart than when contrasted with vice. To reject all truth, merely because we are liable to err, is the height of absurdity. Man, it is true, is from his cradle exposed to deception. This by no means argues him destitute of knowledge. Admit this reasoning to be just, and you not only destroy the credibility of revealed religion, but you strike at the root of all knowledge, and level man's boasted acquirements in the dust.

The weakness of human reason to determine on many things in morals and religion, points out to man the necessity of some superior guide, of some unerring standard, to which he may refer his ac­tions, and appreciate their worth. The very idea of man's moral agency involves in it the suppo­sition [Page 7]of laws to ascertain and govern his actions. From whom can those laws originate, but the Le­gislator of the Universe? If God govern the natu­ral world by universal laws, why not the moral? The same necessity is evident in both. The pro­mulgation of these laws is the revelation we plead for. The necessity and importance of such a reve­lation becomes a serious and all-interesting enqui­ry. It involves in it man's present and future happiness.

The great end Deity had in view, in delivering to man a transcript of his mind, was to make known to him his true character; to teach him in what his real happiness consists; to confirm the wishes of his heart in immortality; to offer the greatest incentives to virtue, the greatest deter­ments from vice, by establishing the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments. The in­comprehensibility of some parts of revelation has, with great force and dependence, been urged as an insuperable objection to their veracity. It re­mains for those who make the objection to prove this peculiar to revelation.

As well might we reject the truth of our own existence, because we cannot comprehend the laws of animal motion. Shall we disbelieve the existence of all those magnificent scenes disclosed to our view throughout the works of creation, because we cannot comprehend all the laws by which they are governed? Man, after all his won­derful discoveries, will find more to admire than to comprehend—more to animate his devotion than to confirm his unbelief.

This, so far from being an argument against the truth of revelation, is one of the greatest in its favour. If man had been its author, would it not in every respect have been within the sphere of his comprehension? Like all the works of man, whe­ther of genius or imitation, it might have been perfectly understood.

[Page 8] In a revelation coming from heaven, we can­not expect, in the present state of existence, fully to comprehend all its designs. The weakness of human reason is such, as to render us totally un­qualified to scan the counsels of the Divinity.

That there are many things beyond the com­prehension of the human mind, is the experience of philosophy. The Christian scriptures are not a singular case. Omniscience is an attribute of Deity only. It is sufficient for man he can learn his duty, and motives powerful enough to prompt him to its performance. Revelation contains both in an eminent degree. All knowledge flows from God. The mind that can fully comprehend the anatomy of a fly, is equal to the knowledge of the universe. The power that can give animation to a mite, can with the same ease move unnum­bered worlds.

Astonished at the wonderful discoveries made in the philosophic world, some have supposed revelation to be superfluous. Philosophy, it is true, discloses to us ten thousand scenes, all beautiful; all magnificent; all sublime. Af­frsted by science, man has read the great volume of creation; he has triumphed over the elements; he has rendered the laws of nature obedient to his will. But however extensive man's researches may be; however he may have improved his mind or exalted his nature by the lights of reason and philosophy; yet, assisted by these alone, all his prospects, all his expectations, terminate in uncertainty. Clouds and darkness hover over the regions of the grave. We mark man's entrance into life; we observe the developement of his genius, in all his wonderful discoveries; we fol­low him to the tomb—but, destitute of the light of revelation, we lose him forever.

The disposition of Deity towards man, in par­doning his sins, and restoring him to future hap­piness, can never be discovered by the efforts of [Page 9]reason, however improved by philosophy, or matured by experience. The history of ages proves to us the uncertainty in which the light of nature and the sagacity of philosophy leave man, with respect to a future existence.

The human mind, long before the dawn of the Christian aera, had arrived at an astonishing de­gree of refinement. Poets had reached the height of sublimity, orators had harangued in all the ve­hemence of eloquence, philosophers had taught the principles of morality; but the great problem of man's immortality remained unsolved. It was reserved for revelation to demonstrate the truth of man's resurrection. Her energising voice awakes the slumbers of the tombs. She gives to man a new creation. She proclaims him the heir of immortal glory. Situated in the midst of gaz­ing worlds, he interests the feelings of all that bright train which bow before the burning throne of God.

The prospects of man are great—his happiness inviolate. Deity has distinguished him as an ob­ject of his peculiar beneficence and attention. He has stamped on him the seal of his divinity. His progress in science and religion proves the in­finite perfectibility of his mind. Erect in stature, man seems formed for contemplating all the beau­tiful and sublime works of nature. Although an inhabitant of earth, his wishes reach beyond the stars. The glittering portals of heaven lie wide extended for man's reception. The shades of ignorance and tyrannic gloom, which have so long beclouded the prospects of man, are vanishing before him. Wafted on the wing of inspiration, we hail the period as not far distant, when the religion of peace and good-will shall emancipate man, and give to the universe the highest possible happiness.