vailed, to the extent which the Prophets declare, may well excite our astonishment. Of the truth of this statement, however, the chapter of the Prophet Isaiah, from which the words of the text are taken, supplies sufficient evidence. It opens with an affecting appeal to the chosen people of God, reminding them of the signal blessings they enjoyed. Under the similitude of a vineyard, cultivated with peculiar care, is represented the unceasing desire of the Almighty to afford them the means of improvement in every grace and virtue, and the just expectation that their conduct should correspond with these advantages. "What could have been done more,” says the Prophet, in the name of the Almighty, "for my vineyard, that I have not "done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that "it should bring forth grapes, brought it "forth wild grapes?" Then follows a series of denunciations descriptive of the prevalent depravity and corruption. Covetousness and rapacity, intemperance and luxury, contempt of the revealed will of God, perversion of moral and religious principle, presumptuous confidence in human strength and wisdom, sensual indulgence and corrupt administration of justice; these are the subjects of the several woes denounced by the Prophet; com

prising a fearful catalogue of national and individual sins. Among these, the denunciation in the text is directed against one, the most comprehensive in its character, and the most formidable in its result; being nothing less than a general perversion of principle; a sort of mental obliquity or blindness, darkening the understanding, misleading the judgment, and polluting the very sources of rational enjoyment: "Woe unto them that call “evil good, and good evil; that put darkness "for light, and light for darkness; that put "bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."

This corruption of principle is of all moral disorders the most incurable. To error, infirmity, and occasional lapses from what they know and acknowledge to be their duty, the best of men are liable. But from these, by timely reflection and consideration, they may be reclaimed. Even vicious habits, grown inveterate by long continuance, are known sometimes to yield to powerful correctives. But if the moral principle itself be unsound, if that conscience, whose province it is to give warning of our danger, be under the dominion of persuasions repugnant to our duty, the case, as far as human means can operate, becomes hopeless. Then, in the strong language of the Prophet, "the whole head is

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sick, and the whole heart is faint "." Every thing is viewed through a distorted medium. Favourite vices assume the character and colour of amiable or heroic virtues. Ingenious sophistries, visionary theories, perplexing subtleties, are extolled as the perfection of human knowledge. Schemes of happiness are formed upon false estimates of human life; and shadows of enjoyment are substituted for the realities of solid satisfaction.

In the sacred writings we are frequently cautioned against such delusions, and exhorted to hold fast those primary moral and religious truths which constitute the basis of 66 a conscience void of offence." "Unto the

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pure," says St. Paul, “all things are pure: "but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their "mind and conscience is defiled "." "Take

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heed," says our Blessed Saviour, “that the

light which is in thee be not darkness©:” and again, "Salt is good: but if the salt have "lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season "it?" Admonitions of this kind clearly warn us of the evils which must ensue from corrupting those sources of moral perfection, whence alone truth, or knowledge, or happi

a Isaiah i. 5. d Mark ix. 50.

b Titus i. 15.

c Luke xi. 25.

ness, in the proper acceptation of the terms, can be derived.

So little solicitous, however, do the unreflecting part of mankind appear to be for the preservation of this integrity of principle, that they listen willingly to every plausible teacher, who, under the specious show of philosophy, or of spiritual illumination, imposes upon them as truths, notions the most irreconcilable with those which issue from the fountain of truth; little aware, that tenfold strength is thus added to the inborn corruption of their nature; to their passions, appetites, affections; to all those powerful incentives to evil, which even the best regulated understandings and the firmest resolutions are not always able to withstand.

With some, this seems to originate in that contemptible vanity which takes delight in maintaining a sort of indiscriminate warfare with all established maxims, under whatever sanction they come recommended. Truth, and knowledge, and happiness, they affect to regard as matters of opinion only, not to be tied down to any fixed and unchangeable rules. In words they do not indeed deny the absurdity of calling evil good, and good evil; but they ask, What is good, and what is evil? Shew us any one maxim in morals,

in philosophy, in religion, that never has been controverted? Shew us any one imputed error or absurdity in either, which has not had its advocates and abettors, among persons neither mean in intellect, nor wilfully perverse in judgment. Where, then, is the universal standard to be found? Or by what authority are one man's tenets to be established as the criterion of another's? Reason, every man's own reason, is to each individual his sole authoritative guide.

Such are the rhapsodies with which the ears of sober-minded men are daily annoyed: -rhapsodies, which might be excusable in heathen ages; but which cannot easily find an apology where the light of Revelation has been vouchsafed. The earnest inquirer after truth may well exclaim with the Psalmist, "There be many that say, Who will shew us

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any good? LORD, lift THOU up the light of "THY countenance upon us "." It is the comfort, the happiness of the Christian believer, to have a surer, safer, and clearer guide, than mere OPINION. It is his theme of daily thanksgiving that he is not left to explore his way, without a clue to direct him through the labyrinths of speculation and conjecture; but has only to walk in the plain

e Psalm iv. 6.