Chap. XX^^j Education. 149 



iin^ivoidable lot of man while under the present 

 dispensation. It is true, the same scriptures speak 

 of a future period of iiullennial happiness and 

 glory, when divine knowledge shall universally 

 abound, and when peace and happbiess shall fill 

 the 'World. But the Millennium of the Bible dif- 

 fers essentially, both in its caust and nature^ from 

 the period which the advocates of this philosophy y 

 falsely so • called *, describe in such glowing co- 

 lours, aiid expect with so much confidence. The 

 believers in the former expect it to be produced 

 by the prevalence of that divine illumination, and 

 that evangelical holiness, \\'hich have already been 

 found so transcendently efficacious in promoting 

 the virtue and happiness of men, notwithstanding 

 the obstacles which have stood in the way of their 

 benign operation j while Helvetius, Condorcet, 

 Gqdwin, and their disciples, expect every thing to 

 be ; accomplished, by the progress of knowledge, 

 which has been so thoroughly tried, and proved 

 so lamentably ineffectual . The Millennium of 

 scripture is represented as a period of knowledge, 

 benevolence, peace, purity, and universal holi- 

 ness ; but the millennium depicted in philosophic 

 xlreams is an absurd portrait of knowledge with- 

 out real wisdom, of benevolence without piety, 

 and of purity and happiness without genuine 

 virtue. 



It will be readily granted, indeed, to the advo- 

 cates of this delusive system, that education is ex- 



* It, is to be regretted that the word philosophy, so noble and 

 elevated in its original and only proper meaning, should be so 

 often prostituted by an application to the reveries of pride, igno- 

 rance, and vanity. 



