Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THOUGHTS O1V RELIGION. CHAPTER I. ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE. When man considers himself, the first thing that claims his notice is his body ; that is, a certain portion of matter evidently appertaining to himself. But if he would know what this is, he must compare himself with all that is superior or inferior to him ; and thus he will ascertain his own just limits. But he must not rest contented with the examination of the things around him. Let him contemplate universal nature in all the height and fulness of its majesty. Let him consider that glorious luminary, hung as an eternal lamp, to enlighten the universe. — Let him consider that this earth is a mere point, compared with the vast circuit which that bright orb describes. Let him learn with wonder, that this wide orbit itself is but a speck compared with the course of the stars, which roll in the firmament of heaven. — And if here our sight is limited, let the imagination take up the inquiry and venture further. It will weary with conceiving, far sooner than nature in supplying food for thought. All that we see of the universe is but an almost imperceptible spot on the ample bosom of nature. No conception even approaches the The Copernican system was not then generally received by the members of the Romish Church. limits of its space. Let us labor as we will with our conceptions, we bring forth mere atoms, compared with the immensity of that which really is. It is an infinite sphere, whose centre is every where, and whose circumference is no where. And, in fact, one of ths most powerful sensible impressions of the omnipotence of God is, that our imagination is lost in this thought. Then let man return to himself, and consider what he is, compared with all else that is. Let him consider himself as a wanderer in ...