264 Instirict. 



to be in the direction of the great end first com- 

 manded, it also demands of the comprehending 

 power that it do its work in the most faithful man- 

 ner. While Obligation must have light from the 

 comprehending power, it does not wait for that 

 light to come or not, as some lower impulse may 

 determine, but with royal voice, it demands more 

 light every instant of time, — it demands all the light 

 the comprehending power can give, — it will be sat- 

 isfied with nothing less, and it increases its demands, 

 as the capacity of the comprehending power in- 

 creases, when used in the best manner possible. 

 Can any thing be more beautiful than this double 

 action of obligation in the system of means ? It 

 does not make man a perfect being, as to knowl- 

 edge, but it is beautiful, as the means of constant 

 progress towards perfection. There is resting upon 

 man, evermore, the obligation to do right, and to 

 secure knowledge, that he may know what right is. 

 But are we done with Obligation yet? We 

 think not. In its action just referred to, we have 

 taken it for granted that the action was based upon 

 the decision of the comprehending power, — wheth- 

 er correct or not, — that the result aimed at was in 

 the direction of the great end of life, the end for 

 which man was made. But it must be plain to ev- 

 ery one, that we are not compelled either to make 

 broad generalizations, to understand the great end 

 of life, or the relation of every act to the greatest 

 good of all men, or the glory of God, before we 

 have the impulse of Obligation to act, this fact has 

 been clearly seen by moral philosophers, and it has 



