Page:Biographia literaria; or, Biographical sketches of my literary life and opinions (IA biographialitera03cole).pdf/317

 them against the temptations of Scorners, by shewing that the Scheme of Christianity, as taught in the Liturgy, and Homilies of our Church, though not discoverable by human Reason, is yet in accordance with it; that link follows link by necessary consequence; that Religion passes out of the ken of Reason only where the eye of Reason has reached its own Horizon; and that Faith is then but its continuation: even as the Day softens away into the sweet Twilight, and Twilight, hushed and breathless, steals into the Darkness. It is Night, sacred Night! the upraised Eye views only the starry Heaven which manifests itself alone: and the outward Beholding is fixed on the sparks twinkling in the aweful depth, though Suns of other Worlds, only to preserve the Soul steady and collected in its pure Act of inward Adoration to the great I AM, and to the filial that re-affirmeth it from Eternity to Eternity, whose choral Echo is the Universe.