[1] From that unbelief which loses sight of and forgets the
Ruler and Lawgiver of the world, and which is prone to
worship whatever dazzles the senses and flatters our carnal
nature. What should we say if a child, in a time of doubt
or danger, would not run to ask its parents what to do, but
were to run away from its parents and ask a stranger, or
were to ask its own ignorance, or its own whims, or the
ignorance of its playfellows--yea, were to ask its toys?
Surely such conduct would bespeak a loveless, undutiful
heart and a silliness such as could only be excused during
the faint early dawn of the mind. So is it a proof of a
loveless, undutiful heart not to seek counsel of God; nor
is such conduct less unwise than undutiful. For what do we
want in a counsellor except wisdom and foresight--wisdom to
know the principles and laws of things, and foresight to
discern their consequences? Now, neither of these faculties
can we find in any earthly counsellor, except in a very low
degree. For, not to speak of the numberless accidents which
warp and bias our own judgments and those of our
fellow-men, and lead them awry, even at best man's
understanding, unless so far as it is enlightened from
above by a knowledge of heavenly laws, can only reckon up
what is wont to be, without any insight into what must be;
and his eyes are ever so hoodwinkt by the present that he
cannot even look forward into to-morrow. Whereas everything
that God ordains must be right and true, and must stand
fast for ever, even after heaven and earth have past away.
He knows what we ought to do, _and He will bear us through
in doing it._ Yet we choose rather to be led by the blind
than by the Seeing. . . . Herein the very heathens condemn
us. For they, though they know not the true God, yet
believed there were powers in the heavens far wiser and
longer-sighted than man; and so believing, they acted
accordingly. Rightfully distrusting themselves, they sought
to ascertain the will and purpose of those powers by
searching it out according to the means whereby they
imagined it would be revealed.--_J. C. Hare._