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LECTURE VII.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE UPON THE SOCIAL

INSTITUTIONS.

BY social institutions I mean those which form the basis, or

grow out of the various relations of human society. Man is a social being. His physical, intellectual, and moral constitution have a manifest reference to a state of social existence. Destitute of that strength which distinguishes many animals, unfurnished by nature either with weapons to resist, or speed to escape from their attacks, care for his safety alone would lead him to unite himself in close alliance with others of his species. The years of childhood and old age are conditions in which he must of necessity depend upon others; and in claiming during these periods of infirmity, sustenance and protection from his fellow-men, he must consent in the days of his own strength to anticipate and deserve them. Though well nigh the most helpless of all the animal creation, no longer a weak, isolated existence, he has been constituted the lord of this lower world. Instead of being the prey of ravenous beasts, he holds the brute creation in fear and servitude; instead of being exposed to the tempest, his dwelling bids defiance to the winds;. and when the hunger, want, and debility which he has succoured in others, become his own lot, his past services return to him at the hands of his fellows, though it be after many days. But not alone from his physical nature is he impelled to seek the society of his species. His moral and intellectual faculties determine him no less strongly to a social state, and pre-eminently fit him for it. Some of the noblest faculties of his soul, as well as some of the most amiable and exalted of his natural affections could be exercised only in such a condition. Benevolence, complacency, gratitude, and heroism would all lie

dormant if he were an isolated being. Next to the pure fountains of spiritual joy, the most delightful sources of his enjoyment are those for the first time unlocked when he meets his fellow-man. Isolated man can scarcely be said to have the capacity for lofty thought, or great achievement. The noble efforts of human power and genius, of which there are so many monuments in our world, have been made under the strong encouragement, the powerful incentive of society. Led by these impulses, and guided by the light of nature alone, man has no doubt made vast progress in the arts of social life. He has founded empires, builded cities, collected armies, and has framed laws for their government and guidance. Literature and the arts have flourished in a greater or less degree of splendour, and a beneficial, though imperfect code of morality has crowned the work of his mind and hands, and raised it to the highest elevation which his own unaided powers have permitted.

Still however the structure is incomplete. It rests on no sure foundation, and is also imperfectly cemented and fitted together. The elements of which it is compounded are of such conflicting qualities, that they can be brought into harmony and perfect union, only by the all-pervading influence of a pure system of morality, founded on pure religion. To be sensible, of this, it is necessary to take a glance at the various relations of human life where no supernatural revelation has ever been made. And here permit me to remark, this is the only method of ascertaining the appropriate influence of a supernatural revelation upon the social institutions. What was the state of human society before the Bible was given to men? What has been its condition since, and what is it now? There are evils in the social state; but had they no existence before a supernatural revelation was known? In what condition did the Scriptures find the social institutions? In what condition are these institutions found at the present day, where the Bible has never been known, or heard of? Infidels have charged not a few of the social calamities in the world on the introduction of Christianity. But I cannot help thinking, that if they did not feel an interest in rejecting the sacred Scriptures; if these holy oracles

did not so severely reprove their wickedness and rebuke their pride; and if they were not either profoundly ignorant, or obstinately perverse; they would never resort to so dishonourable and disingenuous a mode of reasoning. The true questions in such a discussion are, has human society ever been well organ. ized without the Bible?-Have the social rights and obligations been any where understood and respected, where the Scriptures have had no existence?-And where they have been best understood and respected, and their various relations have been peaceful and happy, has the Bible disturbed this organization, trampled on these rights and obligations, and rendered men contentious and miserable? We are bold to say, that an enlightened and honest answer to these enquiries will do honour to the Bible. Where the Scriptures have found men without any social bonds, there they have laid the foundations and reared the superstructure of institutions that have endured for ages. Where they have found society loose and disjointed, and formed upon principles that must ensure its overthrow; there, as fast as they could exert their influence, have they without fail reduced this chaos to order and beauty. And where they have found it unrefined and impure, gross and cruel; there have they, even in the most corrupted ages of Christianity, silently effected a change in the social relations which has gradually elevated the minds and habits of men to a visible and acknowledged superiority over all pagan lands.

There seem to be two sources from which man might of himself arrive at a considerable degree of social culture and enjoyment. The first is from the invention of some system of religion, which by superstitiously influencing his fears and his hopes, would restrain him from crime, and by its imposing ceremonies and dark mysteries, influence him to virtue. The second is by the careful cultivation of those intellectual faculties which God has given him, by the exercise of which his more base and degrading propensities may be subdued, and his intellectual and moral nature be improved and elevated. But to show how insufficient these are to produce the end in view, look at the two celebrated nations of antiquity, which have the most to boast of in these respects, Persia and Rome. The re

ligion of the Persians was the purest of all uninspired religions, and the most calculated to elevate the soul. In the heavenly bodies they worshipped their unknown author, and in the two presiding principles they sought an explanation of the mingling of good and evil upon the earth,—that problem which has so long perplexed and confounded unenlightened reason. But their creed, however ingenious, could only exercise the intellect and amuse the curiosity of its followers. It was destitute of all salutary influence upon their social relations. The history of Persia is a compendium of crimes, suffering, and intolerance. A despot ruled the state, and polgamy, that despotism in miniature, gave law to the private and domestic relations of the people. In all that philosophy and moral culture alone can do for the social institutions, ancient Rome stands preeminent among all nations. Their religion was indeed gross and puerile in the extreme, exercising an unhappy influence upon the lower orders, but disbelieved by the priests who taught it, and by the worshippers in secret, who ridiculed it. Yet so far as the most ingenious and sublime speculations of their sages could refine and improve them, they were favoured beyond example. Look then at their history. In proportion as their philosophy improved, the integrity, the purity, the happiness of their social relations declined; until the state became the legalized organ of oppression and cruelty, the marriage bond the pledge of encouraged licentiousness, the domestic circle the scene of terror, and that love of country for which Rome was distinguished in the best days of the early republic, was extinguished in the blood which flowed indiscriminately from her friends and her enemies.

I have anticipated much that might be said in regard to the relation which exists between the state and its citizens, as these relations are developed in pagan and antichristian countries, in the lectures on the influence of the Bible on human laws and government. If any man will examine the government of Rome from the institution of the regal government, to the expulsion of Tarquin; from the consulship established by Brutus, to the magistracy of the military tribunes; from the usurpation of Cinna, to the supreme power of Augustus; from the

empire of Augustus, to that of Nero; from Nero to Valerian, and from Valerian to Constantine; he will see dissimulation, revolt, tumult, slaughter, revolution, despotism, servitude, peace and war, and where the evils of peace were not unfrequently the worst calamities. Often was that fair land deluged with blood from the ambition of rivals to the throne. And then again, new schemes of mutual ambition would carry fire and sword to the remote and peaceful nations, till the flames of civil war raged in almost every part of the world. The resources of some great mind, increased and irritated by his calamities, possessing all the vices and none of the virtues of his species, would develope itself in all its hideousness, and wreak its vengeance in atrocities that cannot be thought of without horror. While as often elated with success, and dazzled with the pomp and consequence of station, it would again seek repose in brutal indulgence, or sanguinary persecutions. And how much better was ancient Greece, or Gaul, or Germany, or Britain? How much better are the modern nations of paganism, where the power of Christian lands does not restrain their ferocity.

me.

Just in the measure in which the influence of the Bible has been extended to the nations have these evils been diminished or entirely removed. "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me," says the anointed king of Israel, "and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God: and he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain." The relation existing between the State and its citizens, the Bible recognizes as of divine appointment. The foundation of civil government is the will of God. Life, liberty, and property, peace and order, public morals and religion, have never been left by the benevolent author of our social existence, to chance, or anarchy, or the social compact. Government is an ordinance of heaven. "The powers that be are ordained of God," not for their own honour and aggrandizement, but for the good of their subjects-not to gratify the pride, minister to the lusts, and subserve the ambition of rulers, but for the tranquillity,