49 
the moral standard be an elevated or a degraded one, man has 
always possessed principles in his nature which have impelled 
him to a course of action in violation of that law which he has 
yet recognized as binding. The facts are facts of history. 
14. An imperfection in his knowledge of the moral law 
places man in a very different position from an imperfection 
in any other kind of knowledge. A man may hold a false or 
imperfect theory of astronomy, or geology, or music, without 
having the most important interests of his daily life, com- 
promised thereby. But an imperfect or false conception of 
the moral law compromises the very purpose of his being. An 
imperfect moral law stands to the spiritual world in the same 
relation as an imperfect law of gravitation would to the 
physical ; i.e. } both would produce confusion in proportion to 
their imperfection. 
15. In like manner, as a question of fact, and apart from 
all theory, philosophy has recognized that the superior reason 
or enlightenment of a small portion of mankind has enabled 
them to recognize a moral law of a far more elevated character 
than that acknowledged by the majority. Let it be observed, 
however, that no reasoner, however perfect, has elaborated a 
complete moral law, or a body of ethical doctrine. One has 
recognized one elevated truth, and one another j but as far as 
existing materials enable us to judge, the reason of no one 
man has enabled him to attain to the entire moral law of 
Christianity as a comprehensive whole. It is even question- 
able whether, in any writing composed independently of all 
Christian influences, we can discover a full enunciation 
of the precept, “ Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy- 
self,” although we can unquestionably find approximations 
to it. What has been accomplished is, that different phi- 
losophers at different times, and as parts of entirely differ- 
ing systems, have evolved detached portions of the ethical 
system of Christianity. But it should also be . carefully 
observed that these detached portions of the Christian moral 
law are often intimately united with foreign and even hostile 
elements, which greatly qualify the character of the principles 
themselves. However nearly many moral precepts found in 
the writings of Stoics and in the Christian Scriptures may 
agree in words, it is impossible rightly to estimate their real 
character without considering them not merely as separate 
moi^l aphorisms, but in relation to the entire system, ethical 
and theological, with which these are connected. 
16. Philosophy has also distinctly recognized another fact 
of the highest importance in reference to our inquiry. How- 
ever high may have been the standard of obligation, which a 
VOL. v. e 
