169 
his Beloved. The beauties and the glories of the revelation 
afforded us in the sacred books, come out more fully the 
more Ave study them, especially in the originals ; but there are 
many things yet on which we wish to gain instruction, and 
about which we are still profoundly ignorant. I scarcely 
expect to see the solution of all difficulties, or, as the Jews 
would have said, the untangling of all the knots. Christian 
philosophy does not rest on these obscurities, but on well- 
proven historical facts. 
In the sketch above presented of the formation of the cha- 
racter of Thomas, I have touched upon some of the leading 
characteristics of Christian philosophy. In the first place, 
there is absolute certainty in the revealed knowledge of God, — 
a firm foundation on which to build Christian life. This cer- 
tainty is presented to the world on such evidence as renders 
its rejection inexcusable, Avhilst it is confirmed to those w r ko re- 
ceive it, in a manner A\ r holly ineffable and divine. Christ says, 
“ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known 
of mine, as the Father knoweth me and as I know the Father ” 
( KaOojc yivwcJKSi fie 6 7 rarrjp, Kay to yivuxsrKto tov tt arepa) 
In the next place, this knowledge is not of an abstraction, but 
of a Parson. f Connected with this, is the very important fact 
that Christian philosophy presents us with a perfect pattern, J 
according to Avhich it is expected that a Christian should 
walk ; and, not only so, there is a poAver of transformation in 
this pattern rightly beheld, which moulds into the same image 
the character of the believer. § In contrast Avith the character 
of faith, and personal trust and obedience, thus formed by the 
reception of the revelation which God has given us of Himself, 
let us examine the pretensions of philosophy to a knowledge 
of God, derived from her oivn resources ; and the bearing Avhich 
this spurious profession has on the formation of character. 
It has been shown, in a recent paper communicated to this 
Institute, that “ all the motions of Avhich Ave have, or can haA r e, 
any experience, are relative motions only. That relative 
motions might be turned into absolute, if the absolute motion 
of any one body, Avith reference to mere empty space, could be 
ascertained. Blit this discovery is impossible.” 
* See Alford in loco. 
t In the Indian poem the hero is overwhelmed by the display of the 
glories of the Almighty, but reassured when he resumes a human form, 
exclaiming, “ Having beheld thy placid human shape I am again col- 
lected, my mind is no more disturbed, and I am once more returned to my 
natural state.” — Compare Keble’s Poem for Quinquagesimz Sunday. 
X 1 John i. v. 1-3. § 2 Cor. iii. IS. 
