PIETY AND HUMILITY. 



147 



effect, it is obvious, that such branches of know- 

 .edge as are calculated to enlarge the capacity 

 f the mind, and to throw a light over the reve- 

 ations and the works of Goa, should no longer 

 8e overlooked in the range of our religious con 

 templations. 



V. The extensive range of thought which the 

 diversified objects in nature present, WOULD 



HAVE A TENDENCY TO INSPIBE US WITH 

 A SPIRIT OF PIETV, AND OF PROFOUND 

 HUMILITY. 



It is owing, in many instances, to want of 

 attention to the impressive displays of wisdom 

 and omnipotence in the material world, that our 

 pious feelings and devotional exercises are so 

 cold and languid. We stalk about on the sur 

 face of the earth, and pass from one day to an 

 other, without reflecting on the grand and com 

 plicated machinery around us, which is carrying 

 us along through the regions of space, and from 

 one portion of duration to another, as if the 

 mighty energies of the Eternal Mind, exerted in 

 our behalf, were unworthy of our acknowledge 

 ment or regard. How few, for example, reflect, 

 when they open their eyes in the morning, and 

 perceive the first beams of the rising sun, that 

 since they lay down to sleep, the divine power 

 has been exerted in carrying them more than 

 four thousand miles round to the eastward, in 

 order that they might again be cheered with the 

 morning light ; and that, during the same period, 

 they, along with the earth and its vast popula- 

 ion, have been carried forward 476,000 miles 

 from that portion of space which they occupied 

 seven hours before ! Or, if they have no idea of 

 the motion of the earth, and attach no belief to 

 such an opinion, how is it they do not re 

 flect, that after night has thrown its shades 

 around them, the sun, and ten thousand other 

 vast globes, must move several hundreds of mil- 

 Jions of miles before their eyes can again behold 

 the light of day? Either the one or the other of 

 these cases must be the fact ; and, in either case, 

 Jhere is presented to our view a display of the 

 omnipotence and the superintendence of Him in 

 whom we live and move, which demands our 

 gratitude, our admiration, and praise. And can 

 it ever be supposed, that such reflections, com 

 bined with all the other excitements to reverence 

 and gratitude, will not tend to elevate our con 

 templations, and to raise our pious feelings to a 

 higher pitch of devotion? Whether the psalmist 

 entertained any views of this kind when he com 

 posed the ninety-second Psalm, we cannot cer 

 tainly determine ; but I presume, the pious and 

 contemplative mind, when awaking from the 

 slumbers of the night, under such impressions, 

 might sing the first part of that song of praise 

 with peculiar emphasis and delight &quot;It is a 

 good thing to give thanks to Jehovah, and to 

 sing praise to thy name, O thou Most Hih ! to 

 42 



show forth thy loving kindness in the morning. 

 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy 

 work,&quot; (or thy powerful energy :) &quot; I will tri 

 umph in the works of thy hands. O Lord ! 

 how great are thy works! and thy thoughts&quot; (or 

 contrivances) &quot; are very deep ! A brutish man 

 knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand 

 this.&quot; 



An extensive acquaintance with nature ar, J 

 science, combined with Christian principle, 

 would also induce profound humility. The maa 

 who has made excursions through the most di 

 versified regions of thought, is deeply sensible of 

 the little progress he has attained, and of the 

 vast and unbounded field of divine science which 

 still remains to be explored. When he consi 

 ders the immense variety of sublime subjects 

 which the volume of inspiration exhibits, and of 

 which he has obtained but a very faint and im 

 perfect glimpse the comprehensive extent, and 

 the intricate windings of the operations of Pro 

 vidence, and the infinite number of beings over 

 which it extends the amplitude and magnifi 

 cence of that glorious universe over which Je 

 hovah presides, and how small a portion of it 

 lies open to his minute inspection he is hum 

 bled in the dust at the view of his own insigni 

 ficance ; he sees himself to be a very babe in 

 knowledge ; and, as it were, just emerging from 

 the gloom of ignorance into the first dawning? 

 of light and intelligence. He feels the full force 

 and spirit of the poet s sentiments 



&quot; Much learning shows how little mortals know.&quot; 



When he considers the comprehensive extent of 

 the divine law, and its numerous bearings on 

 every part of his conduct, and on all the diver 

 sified relations in which he stands to his God. 

 and to his fellow men ; and when he reflects on 

 his multiplied deviations from that eternal rule of 

 rectitude, he is ashamed and confounded in the 

 presence of the Holy One of Israel ; and, on a 

 review of his former pride and self-conceit, is 

 constrained to adopt the language of Agur and 

 of Asaph &quot; Surely I am more brutish than an) 

 man, and have not the understanding of a man.* 

 &quot; So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a 

 beast before thee.&quot; He views the meanest and 

 the most ignorant of his species, as but a very 

 few degrees below him in the scale of intelli 

 gence, and sees no reason why he should glory 

 over his fellows. 



This sentiment might be illustrated from tha 

 example of somo of the most eminent men, in 

 whose minds science and religion were combuiea. 

 The Honourable Mr. Boyle was the most un 

 wearied and successful explorer of the works oj 

 God, in the age in which he lived, and all nis 

 philosophical pursuits were consecrated to tna 

 service of religion. Among other excellent 

 traits in his character, humility was the most 

 conspicuous. &quot; He had about him,&quot; says Bishop 



