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δε δοκον εν τω ιδιω οφθαλμω ου κατανοεις; ευλαβείσθω ουν ο επίσκοπος, συν τοις διακονοις αυτού, ακουσαι ῥημα τι τοιούτον τουτέστι, ΜΗ ΔΙΔΟΤΩ ΕΦΟΡΜΗΝ.

CONST. Apost. Lib. ii. Cap. 17. "It is innocence which enables eloquence to reprove with power; and guilt attacked flies before the face of him who has none. And therefore, as every rebuke of vice comes, or should come, from the preacher's mouth, like a dart or arrow thrown by some mighty hand, which does execution proportionably to the force or impulse it received from that which threw it, so, our Saviour's matchless virtue, far from the least tincture of any thing immoral, armed every one of his reproofs with a piercing edge, and an irresistible force: so that truth, in that respect, never came naked out of his mouth, but either clothed with thunder, or wrapped up in all the powers of persuasion, still his person animated and gave vigour to his expression: all his commandments being but the transcript of his own life, and his sermons a living paraphrase upon his practice.

SOUTH. Serm. on S. Luke, xii. 15.

(6) Page 325. In many important branches of knowledge, the student of to-day is better informed than the proficient of the last century.] The progress of human reason, which necessarily accompanies the progress of society, together with the causes and consequences of that intellectual advancement, have been most beautifully and philosophically developed by Mr. DUGALD STEWART. The science of theology, we cannot question, has also been progressive; but more slowly, and less palpably; as might naturally be ex

pected. The most valuable productions are always of the most tardy growth, and the most rare discovery. But, even more than a century ago, the pious sagacity of our great Christian philosopher, the excellent ROBERT BOYLE, prognosticated an advancement in theology, which we of the present age must still contemplate at a humble distance; but which may well animate the hopes, and enliven the exertions, of those who dedicate their best powers to the service of the sanctuary. The passages to which I allude, however apparently dissimilar in the subject-matter, and however superficially unlike in phraseology and manner, have, at bottom, a great and radical agreement. Without further preface, therefore, I shall produce them together, as jointly constituting a most comfortable argument, that no Christian student ought to faint in his hopes, or to flag in his labours.

"In consequence of the gradual improvements which take place in language as an instrument of thought, the classifications both of things and facts, with which the infant faculties of each succeeding race are conversant, are more just and more comprehensive than those of their predecessors: the discoveries which, in one age, were confined to the studious and enlightened few, becoming, in the next, the established creed of the learned; and, in the third, forming part of the elementary principles of education. Indeed, among those who enjoy the advantages of early instruction, some of the most remote and wonderful conclusions of the human intellect, are, even in infancy, as completely familiarized to the mind as the most obvious phenomena which the material world exhibits to their senses.' ""

"If these remarks be just, they open an unbounded prospect of intellectual improvement to future ages; as they point out a provision made by nature to facilitate and abridge, more and more, the process of study, in proportion as the truths to be acquired increase in number. Nor is this prospect derived from theory alone. It is encouraged by the past history of all sciences; in a more particular manner, by that of mathematics and physics; in which the state of discovery, and the prevailing methods of instruction, may, at all times, be easily compared together."

"Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Mind." Chap. iv. Sect. 6.

The reader is now entreated to carry along with him the spirit of the principles just developed, while he considers the following most important extracts from ROBERT BOYLE; and then soberly to ask himself, what limits can be placed to the possible progress of those future theologians who shall engage in sacred studies, with humble, yet with philosophic minds; with enlarged, yet with discriminative views; with all the preparations of knowledge, and with all the more precious accompaniments, of integrity, of piety, and of pure affection.

"You will not do right, either to theology, or the greatest repository of all its truths, the Bible, if you imagine, that there are no considerable additions, to be made to the theological discoveries we have already; nor no clearer expositions of many texts of Scripture; or better reflections on that matchless book, than are to be met with in the generality of commentators, or of preachers, without excepting the ancient Fathers themselves."

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"I meet with much fewer than I could wish, who make it their business to search the Scriptures for those things, — such as unheeded prophecies, overlooked mysteries, and strange harmonies, which, being clearly and judiciously proposed, may make that book appear worthy of the high extraction it challenges, and, consequently, of the veneration of considering men ; - and who are solicitous to discern and make out, in the way of governing and of saving men, revealed by God, so excellent an economy, and such deep contrivances, and wise dispensations, as may bring credit to religion; not so much as it is Roman, or Protestant, or Socinian, but, as it is Christian. But these good affections for the repute of religion in general are to be assisted by a deep judgment. For men, that want either that or a good stock of critical learning, may easily oversee the best observations, which usually are not obvious; or propose as mysteries, things that are either not grounded or not weighty enough; and so, notwithstanding their good meaning, may bring a disparagement upon what they desire to recommend."

"And, indeed, when I consider, how much more to the advantage of those sacred writings, and of Christian theology in general, divers texts have been explained and discoursed of by the excellent Grotius, by Episcopius, Masius, Mr. Mede, and Sir Francis Bacon, and some other late great wits, in their several kinds, than the same places have been handled by vulgar expositors, and by other divines: and, when I remember, too, that none of these newly named worthies was, at once, a great philosopher, and a great critic, I cannot but hope, that when it shall

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please God to stir up persons of a philosophic genius, well furnished with critical learning, and the principles of true philosophy, and shall give them a hearty con'cern for the advancement of his truth; these men, by exercising, upon theological matters, that inquisitiveness and sagacity which has made, in our age, such a happy progress in philosophical ones, will make explications and discoveries, that will justify more than I have said in praise of the study of our religion, and the divine books that contain the articles of it. For these want not excellencies, but only skilful unvailers."

"I despair not, but that a farther use may be made of the Scripture, than either our divines or philosophers seem to have thought on. The encyclopedias, and pansophias, that even men of an elevated genius have aimed at, are not diffused enough to comprehend all, that the reason of a man, improved by philosophy, and elevated by the revelations already extant in the Scripture, may (by the help of free ratiocination, and the hints contained in those pregnant writings, with those assistances of God's Spirit, which he is still ready to vouchsafe, to those that duly seek them,) attain unto in this life. Neither the fundamental doctrine of Christianity, nor that of the powers and effects of matter and motion, seems to be more than an epicycle, if I may so call it, of the great and universal system of God's contrivances; and makes but a part of the more general theory of things, knowable by the light of nature, improved by the information of the Scriptures. So that both these doctrines, though very general, in respect of the subordinate parts of theology and philosophy, seem

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