His kingdom, His providence and divine operation, and forms his life in agreement with such respect; and man falls into disorder, in proportion as he departs from such respect, and from the rule of life which it prescribes.
What is thus true of man, and of every other created subject, is true also of man’s science, or of the knowledge which has been admitted into his mind. All such science, therefore, stands and operates according to order, when it has respect unto the end for which it was given; and it falls into disorder, when it departs from that end. Now, the great end of science, it is plain, is to conduct man to the knowledge and love of his Creator, and to a life in agreement with all the precepts of such love, thus to heaven and eternal happiness. Science, then, stands and operates according to order, when man suffers himself to be conducted by it to this its proper end; and it falls into disorder, in proportion as that end is neglected and disregarded.
Science, when standing and operating according to order, may be compared to a beautiful garden, planted with all variety of choice and delicate plants, yielding both flowers and fruits to its happy possessor, and exposed to the influences of the rain and sun of heaven, from which it derives continual fruitfulness and increase. But science, when standing and operating in disorder, may be compared to a terrible wilderness, abounding with poisonous plants and noxious animals, which bring destruction and death upon its miserable possessor, whilst the whole surrounding atmosphere is contaminated with its infectious damps and vapours.
