The world's history declares the existence and government of God. History is but the record of men's acts and God's providences, of men's crimes and God's punishments. Once He swept away the human race with a flood of water because the wickedness of man was great upon the earth. Again, He testified His displeasure against the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah by consuming those cities by fire from heaven, and leaving the Dead Sea to roll its solemn waves of warning to the end of time. No amount of learning or skill, wealth or commerce, power of arms, or extent of territory, has ever secured a wicked nation against the sword of God's justice. Read the black record of the past. Where is the greatness of Egypt, Nineveh, Babylon and Petra? Tyre had ships, colonies and commerce, Rome an empire of half a hemisphere; Greece had philosophy, arts and liberty secured by a confederation of republics, Spain the treasures of the earth's gold and silver? but these did not exempt them from the moral government of God. His laws sway the universe, and link together sin with misery, and crime with punishment, in the brazen fetters of eternal justice. These nations have been hurled down from the pinnacle of their greatness, to dash themselves in pieces against each other in the valley of destruction; and there they lie, wrecks of nations, ruins of empires, naught remaining, save some shivered fragments of former greatness, to show that they once existed and were the enemies of God. {70} [ILLUSTRATION: THE DEAD SEA] {71} * * * * * CHAPTER V. OUR NEED OF REVELATION. REVELATION PROGRESSIVE--ITS RELATION TO CIVILIZATION--SOLOMON--HIS PROVERBS--NEWMAN'S ABSURDITIES--CARLYLE--PARKER--HEATHEN PHILOSOPHY IMMORAL--ANCIENT ROMAN SONGS--CHARACTER OF HEATHEN DEITIES--RELIGION OF INDIA--COMPTE--BRADLAUGH--CHESTERFIELD--PAINE.