to the Father but by me*. And yet the apostle Paul declares, That the invisible things of him (speaking of the Deity), from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead †; and that when the gentiles knew God, they glorified him not as God+ Whence we may infer, that the knowledge spoken of by the master and the disciple is not the same; that the former is of a superior nature to the latter; and that the ablest philosopher, after all he can learn from the heavens and the earth, must apply to the great Teacher and Prophet of mankind, for that knowledge of God which will make him wise to salvation.

The natural presumption of the human mind, especially when strengthened by a conceit of superior attainments, will not easily be reduced to this submission. But it must be done. If any man seemeth to be

* John, xiv. 6.

+ Rom. i. 20.

Rom. i. 21.

wise in this world, he must become a fool, that he may be wise *. The most towering philosopher, though he exalt himself as the eagle, and set his nest among the stars, must stoop to divine instruction; that is, he must divest himself of all vain opinion of his scientific abilities; he must renounce the proud and visionary theories of men, who conceal their impiety, and oftentimes their ignorance, under the name of reason; and must come, with the simplicity of a child, to the school of the despised Nazarene, to be taught the first elements of divine knowledge; or he may find that all his parts and speculations will only serve to work him more deeply into error.

It is to the want of this submission of the understanding, so highly becoming a creature and a sinner, that we must chiefly ascribe that awful prevalence of infidelity and atheism, that marks the age in which we live. To this a neighbouring country is indebted for her sophists, who, under

1 Cor. iii. 18.

the fair pretext of conducting her to greater light and liberty, have plunged her into tenfold darkness and bondage*. And to the same cause it must, in a great measure, be assigned, that so many Christians in name, fall short of a real participation of the blessings of Christianity.

Let not him, then, who has retired from the world in search of divine knowledge, suppose that he will gain his purpose unless he take a farther step, which is much more difficult, and retire from his own philosophic wisdom, to attend his teaching who is in the bosom of the Father, and is intimately acquainted with all his counsels; who, in his person, in his doctrine, in his example, and in his cross, has thrown that light on the divine character and dispensations, which would be sought for in vain amidst the works of nature, and the volumes of philosophers.

*This was written in the year 1797.

John, i. 18. and v. 20.

III. All this, however, must be understood in conjunction with prayer; which, if carelessly or proudly omitted, there is no reason to expect that either Nature or Christianity would be sufficient to lead the most profound enquirer to a proper acquaintance with the Deity; as on the other hand we are encouraged to hope, that the most illiterate novice, who, is seriously attentive to this duty, and at the same time is diligent to improve every means of information afforded him, will not finally be left to perish for want of knowledge. If any one lack wisdom, says the apostle, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not*. This spirit of prayer is not suspended on scientific researches learned prepara

or

tions, and seems almost the natural growth of retirement, when, in silence and solitude, far remote from the bustle of the world, and no longer borne up by its passions and its vanities, the soul sinks into herself, and from a feeling of her own igno

* James i. 5.

rance and weakness, pours out her cry to the great Author of her being.

To imagine we can ascend to the knowledge of Him who dwelleth far above all heavens, by study without prayer, or by prayer without study, must generally be resolved into a disposition, either to exalt unduly the powers of the human understanding, or to overlook its proper use; and is in the one case to err with the mere philosopher, and in the other with the enthusiast. To guard against both these dangers, from which retirement in itself affords no security, a few more particular remarks may not here be impertinent.

Prayer without a due regard to the various discoveries which God has made of himself, in his works, and in his word, may be construed into a censure of his infinite wisdom, as if what he had already done was in vain and to no purpose. Nor is such a procedure less big with danger than it is with presumption; as it tends to sub