If we consider the worship of God as a moral duty, in which light it is undoubtedly to he viewed, we shall see the most immense diversity of absurd rites, and monstrous objects of superstition ; yet, amid all these aberrations of the human understanding, the leading principle of religious worship is recognised, and the duty of man to adore a supreme power is acknowledg ed.—In short, amid all the diversity of human conduct, we can always trace some leading connecting principle, though infinitely varied, according to the circumstances of society, in regard to knowledge, education, and re finement. In some instances this principle is faintly developed, in others grossly perverted ; but in all ex hibiting features of affinity, which compel us to recog nise its common origin, and to see that it has an immu table foundation in the arrangements of Heaven.
The history of the various nations which have flou rished on the face of the earth, is chiefly interesting from, observing the development of the same moral principle, from the first simple elements on which it is founded, till it is carried to the highest improvement and most extensive application of which it is susceptible. We are often struck with the singularity of manners and customs which we observe in different states, but our wonder vanishes on being made acquainted with their circumstances, prejudices, and habits. That which at first sight appeared singular or anomalous, is discovered to be natural, in the imperfect state of improvement which they have reached. It resembles the feelings of a child, which, though springing out of human nature, and laying the foundation of the attainments of man hood, yet appear removed at an infinite distance from the disciplined feelings of maturer years. Thus we see certain important principles very imperfectly exempli fied in particular states of society : they are struggling with prejudices which tend to repress them, and einerg ing from the midst of circumstances which for a while weaken their influence. They are, howe•er, accommo dated to the taste of the nation at the time ; and a pre mature reformer would in all probability livet the chains of prejudice, or ensure his own destruction ; whilst he who watches the tide of public feeling, and seizes the proper moment for innovating on public opinion, will early the whole nation along with him in a triumphant career of improvement, and will lay the foundation of principles and feelings which will never cease to ope rate till the nation shall cease to exist.
We are often astonished to see how slowly and re luctantly some of the most obt ions principles of politi cal morals are recognised. The Lacedeolonians put to death the pi isoners whom they took at /E,.:;os Putanws, though they were fighting the hattles of their country. Indeed the most refined of the ancient nations generally acted on the most contracted principles of political ex pediency ; and we more frequently meet with instances of generosity in the case of a successful despot, than in that of a free and high-minded people. I low long was it before the principLes of civil liberty were understood, and how imperfectly are they still understood, over the greater part of the world. Yet nothing. can he more
obvious that the foundation on which they rest. It is evidently this, that no man has a right to restrain the freedom of another, so long as he does not use it in a way injurious to the public interest. Yet this principle is counteracted by the love of power which every man feels, or by the advantage which he may derive from supporting a successful usurpation. In consequence of these conflicting principles, there is a constant struggle between the love of freedom on the one hand, and the love of power and the servility of interest, on the other ; and even when freedom prevails, it cannot temper its own ti iumphs, but, by running into licentiousness, sub verts its own rights, and often produces a puejudice in the mind against its fairest claims.
But whilst we contemplate the gradual and imperfect evolution of the moral principle in various states of society, we see at the same time the beauty of God's moral government, which makes the same principle which consolidates the rudest states cement the most polished and the most powerful ; expanding with their growing wants and their advancing knowledge, till at last it gives birth to feelings, of which the ruder mind could form no conception. Such a view is surely well calculated to produce liberality and mutual forbearance. We might almost as well find fault with a man for being born blind, as with an illiterate savage for not feeling the finer moral sensibilities of our nature. The is not yet developed, because no excitement has been applied to it ; and the inditidual thus circumstanc ed is like a child who has an ear for music, but, from want of experience and training, cannot as yet distin guish one tune from another. And the same estimate which we apply to the moral state of nations, we ought likewise to apply in judging of the characters of indi viduals. How often do we see incongruities which we lament, and which yet do not, on a fair estimate, amount to moral delinquencies ! They arise rather from some obliquity of the understanding, which has been disturb ed by inveterate prejudice, or fettered by invincible ig norance : and we ought to regard persons thus unhap pily situated, with the same indulgence as we view na tions a century or two behind our own, in point of ge neral improvement. In fact, every individual, in his moral progress, has to go through all the stages which have conducted nations, during the lapse of many centu ries, to their highest pitch of moral and political im provement. We see him, fur instance, at one time dis tinguished by the prejudices which characterized the tenth century. We see him struggling, with difficulty, through the mists of ignorance, till at last some event, similiar to the revival of letters, or the art of printing, or the Reformation in religion, agitates his mind, rouses his faculties, and raises his feelings to the highest tone of moral refinement.