himself to every man's conscience | has the advantage of the individual formerly alluded to, in that proportion are the advantages of education to the gospel ministry apparent. Let this principle be generally adopted, and the outcry which, from a certain quarter, has been raised in favour of what are called legitimate teachers, and national institutions, and against the innovators of the present day, will be hushed in the silence of conviction, produced by the powerful language of piety, of genius, and of truth. in the sight of God?" He who can convey truth through only one medium, and that of the humblest sort, is not likely (humanly speaking) to gain access to more than one class of men. Amongst the well informed, not to say the refined, their natural unconsciousness of the value of the gospel treasure will be in creased by the meanness of the vessel in which it is deposited; and hence the labours of this worthy individual, however disinterested, are not likely to be productive of very general usefulness. Whereas, on the contrary, the man of education, who combines with his information, a moderate share of refinement, and who also possesses unaffected piety, will, we apprehend, be enabled to adapt his ministrations, so as at once to be understood by the most illiterate of his hearers, and at the same time to keep pace with that progressive mental improvement which society undergoes. Hence, by the blessing of God on his labours, he will bring many to admire Christ and the gospel, who at first only admired the correctness of his diction, or the suavity of his address; the extent of his information, or the liberality of his mind. Standing upon this commanding eminence, he will survey, as from its summit, with humble confidence, those over whom the Holy Ghost has made him an overseer. He will receive that affection and respect which the union of piety and talent ever commands; and will in turn delight, as a well-instructed shepherd, to feed his flock "according to the integrity of his heart, and guide them accord ing to the skilfulness of his hands." So far, therefore, as he VOL. XI. But we might trace the effects of influence in the man who owes it to his education, not only in his public ministrations, but in the more private walks of his life. There we should see it introducing him to companies, in which, under different circumstances, he might have been unwelcome, and affording him various and repeated opportunities of scattering a few seeds of the word of life, which possibly may spring up when least expected, because cast into an apparently unfriendly soil. We should trace it in some instances as the means of his introduction to those valuable institutions, which have for their object the glory of God in the salvation of men; thus leading him to lend his aid in accelerating the motions of that mighty moral engine, which, from the construction of its parts, and the magnitude of its operations, indicates nothing short of the bold design of the evangelization of the whole world. In whatever way, therefore, the influence resulting from education promotes truth, in whatever way it brings sinners to Christ, its advantages must be evident, and will be admitted. In addition to what has already been advanced, it may not be Y deemed irrelevant, if we attempt | ciety, and partly by a well-direct farther to trace the advantages resulting to the minister of the gospel from a well-directed course of Education, in the liberality of sentiment and feeling which is thereby often induced. ed course of reading and thinking, be induced to maintain his sentiments with more candour and modesty than he formerly did, if not to alter his views where he least expected to discover a mistake. The reason is obvious. He has looked beyond the dense and clouded atmosphere which ignorance and bigotry had drawn around him: he has read; he has reflected; and whilst he is determined not to sacrifice truth on the altar of affection, he has imbibed the love The human mind, which is contracted by ignorance, becomes expanded by knowledge. When we know but little, we are extremely apt to attach to that little an undue importance; and, by a partial view of truth, to become more attached to some of its parts, than disposed to receive it as a whole. There are manyly spirit of genuine Christianity, who, from the peculiar arrangements of Providence, have been accustomed to view the church of Christ only as it has existed within the limits which have bounded their own party; whose intercourse has chiefly been with persons of kindred sentiments with themselves, and whose reading has chiefly been directed to one class of books. Hence have originated a bigotry and narrowness of mind, both with regard to men and to sentiments, the natural result of their situation in life; dispositions exeeedingly unfriendly to the growth of the best feelings, and far removed from the genuine spirit of the gospel. Now there is that in the very nature of a well-directed course of education, which is calculated to remove these things; and we conceive it to be no mean feature of its excellency, that it produces this effect. That candidate for the Christian ministry, who enters the academy with a set of opinions held under the influence of strong prepossessions, and with a class of feelings towards those who differ from him, not of the most amiable description, will, it is apprehended, ere long, partly by the collisions of so. which suffereth long and is kind, and which induces him to say, as he gazes on the dwelling-places of Zion, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." By knowing more, he has been taught the lesson to value himself less: he sees how much is yet to be known, and how very far he falls short of attaining it. His knowledge, instead of gendering pride, will, as it becomes more extensive, and is sanctified, tend to humility. Hence will flow the exercise of that liberality of sentiment and feeling, of which we are treating; and which, so far as it is agreeable to the mind of God, so far as it recommends the gospel of Christ, so far as it promotes the objects of the ministry, and so far as it is the result of the cultivation of the mind, places before us, in the clearest light, the advantages of that cultivation. Having made these observations, it is matter of joy to reflect, that we live in a day when contrary sentiments are seldom avowed. If there was a time when our denomination was unfriendly to the cultivation of the mind, that time, we trust, is drawing to a close. It was the PROV. X. 10. He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: But a prating fool shall fall. Low cunning and subtle reserve are generally injurious to others; a prating spirit, on the other hand, that divulges all that is known, will be equally ruinous to ourselves. that strikes the true medium beHappy the man tween these extremes, and unites the wisdom of the serpent with the simplicity of the dove! feign of ignorance and spiritual | best policy: he that deviates pride. May its terrors never be from this rule perverts his way; revived! If occasionally we hear and let him manage his matters the language of objection, or of with ever so much art and secrecensure, it proceeds generally cy, his iniquity shall not be alfrom those who have not enjoyed ways concealed-the Almighty the advantages described, and will find him out. who are not sensible of their worth. It is like the hollow murmur of a worn-out tempest. Let it expire in silence. The union of humility and piety, with proper cultivation, will serve a more effective end in support of our own principle tlian volumes on the subject. As Baptists, we cannot but hail with joy the existence of our education societies, and anticipate the day when their blessings shall be still more extensively diffused. Under proper regulations, they may be the means of conferring lasting and inestimable beneledge: fits on the denomination, and on But he that hateth reproof is brutish. the world. Let us pray that a He, and he only, that loves the succession of pious and intelli-means, loves the end. The gent men may be educated under their auspices, who shall be distinguished by holy zeal in the cause of their Master, and steady perseverance to the end of their course;-men who shall adopt for their motto the language of the great apostle of the Gentiles, For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. SCRIPTOR. Dec. 12, 1818. OCCASIONAL NOTES ON THE PROV. xii. 1. Whoso loveth instruction loveth know means of knowledge are instruction as to what is right, and rebuke as to what is wrong. He that is an enemy to either of these means is an enemy to the end; and, whatever he may pretend, deserves not the name of a man, but of a brute. PROV. xii. 3. A man shall not be established by wickedness: But the root of the righteous shall not be moved. Men are apt to think of gaining their ends by wicked means, PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, but it shall not stand; in the end And as to those who never take perverseness is nothing short of that into consideration, though despising him: it is a setting his they think they have the advan-authority at defiance. tage of an upright man, in that they are not tied up to rule as he is, yet it is all self-deception: they shall either be disappointed of their ends, or disappointed in them. Chap. xiv. 22. The state and disposition of the heart often determine our success in the pursuit of truth. If we go about it in a proud spirit, full of self-sufficiency, we shall stumble at every thing we meet with: but he that understandeth his own weakness, and inquires with a childlike temper of mind, has got the clue to all useful knowledge. PROV. xiv. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. Silence is the best answer to some persons: disputing with them will answer no end. PROV. XIV. 23. In all labour there is profit: But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. Tell me not of those who talk most, but of those who do most. PROV. xvii. 24. Wisdom is before him that hath understanding: But the eyes of the fool are in the ends of the earth. An understanding mind is not in want of objects to contemplate. It can discern and read wisdom in all the works of God; in all the events of his Providence, and the declarations of his word: there is something to employ his mind in every thing before him. But to a fool, the world is a void; and his mind roves to the ends of the earth. (without stopping to any good purpose,) for want of something to think about. maker of them all, and hath made [ of conscience, they do not love them all of one dying nature. PROV. xxiv. 27. Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. Necessaries should be attended to before conveniences. This will apply to Matt. vi, 33. xxiii. 23. Note. Mr. Fuller spoke from this, July 8, 1785, and applied it to temporal things; to the concerns of the soul before those of the body; of God and religion before the concerns of this world; to the main doctrines of truth before curious criticisms, and to the great duties of religion before anise, mint, and cummin. ECCLES. vii. 15-19. A cutting sarcasm on the unrighteous and foolish taste of the world. Be not righteous overmuch; neither fore an arrant villain: if you play too much at that game, you may lose your life by it. Neither must you be too much of a fool; for, however small the regard may be which mankind may have for sterling merit, yet barefaced foolery will not go down with them. Therefore, if you would please the world, and get honour there, you must not be a sterling wise man, nor yet a stark fool.' Here the sarcasm ends, and he assumes seriousness. Ver. 18. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: For he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. they will, and let things go as But let them all say what they may in this world, righteousness and wisdom shall be found best at last; and he that feareth God will not dare to sacrifice these excellencies, to obtain a few temporary honours. Ver. 19. Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. A consciousness of his being in the right, too, will wonderfully sustain his mind, far more than any popular applause could do.' From this it appears, how fo reign the sense is which is usual If you wish to be promoted, and go through the world with applause, you must not be very righteous, nor yet overwise: a man whose conscience will stick at nothing will get promoted be-ly put upon these verses: many you; and a vain, confident fool will gain the popular applause, while you, with your sterling but modest wisdom, lie utterly neglected. Therefore, be not righteous overmuch, nor make yourself over wise. Why should you ruin yourself? understand them as though they The words of the wise are as goads, and If preaching may be compared |