Evidences of Christianity; Lectures Before the Lowell Institute, January, 1844, Revised as a Text Book - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881. Excerpt: ... LECTURE V. ARGUMENT FIFTH: CHRISTIANITY ADAPTED TO MAN.--DIVISION FIRST, ITS QUICKENING AND GUIDING POWER.-ITS ADAPTATION TO THE INTELLECT, THE AFFECTIONS, THE IMAGINATION, THE CONSCIENCE, AND THE WILL. Christianity is analogous to nature; it coincides with natural religion: it meets the demands of the conscience as a discriminating power; and, as embosoming a perfect morality, it must be from God. We next inquire after its adaptation to man. What are its capacities to quicken and guide those leading faculties in the right action of which his perfection and happiness must consist. Those faculties are the Intellect, the Affections, the Imagination, the Conscience, and the Will. Christianity and the intellect.--Information and reflection.--By the adaptation of Christianity to the intellect, I mean its tendency to give it clearness and strength. I mean by it just what is meant when it is said that nature is adapted to the intellect. The intellect is enlarged and strengthened by the exercise of its powers on suitable subjects. This exercise can be induced in only two ways--by furnishing it with information, or by leading it to study and reflection; and whichever of these we regard, we need not fear to compare Christianity with nature as adapted to enlarge and strengthen the intellectual powers. Information.--And, first, of information. If we consider the Christian revelation, as we fairly may in this connection, as it recognizes, includes, and presupposes the Old Testament, there is no book that can compare with it for the variety and importance of the information it gives; nor can it be exceeded by nature itself. From this, and from this alone, do we know any thing of the origin of the world and of the human race; of the introduction of natural and moral evi...