Проповеди и лекции

t tieccb^ary part of tiistraction; but it is too important, it is too sacred, to be hfi in tiie binds of any tcacbcr, and mnsi he remitted to the pEir^^ts : for it ix so ^^irred, tliat peopk arc jealoitK of it, aikd cannut agree to confide it (o any single man or body of men, Tbc best way, ^Ibercfbre, yoti can take, aud the most respectful, to exclude it from thcpublic ^cliODNaltogcther/ low I have resolved to give this ohjectujn a fair bearing, and try it thoroughly. First, I roufil htf(\n by ftaying, that onr mutual lIou^ics of one another hath de5er\red this clever jtortof the hbcral party again*t us: and that it ,h a most »ad and Uiimibating proof of the narrow |Bnd sectarian spirit which Ktill rules and reigns beneath the outward garb of charity, that ko favourable an ear should be given to ao v^ickcd a conclusion as that the principles of revelation are to be excluded from the schools which have an eye In the great body of ilw rising generation. How 11 hath come to pass, (hat now, foi- the first lime ^in the hititory of nations professing Christianity^ fihould be deemed impossible to oi^nize any ^method of teaching it that shall be acceptable to til, and be thought better to forego it altogether, to mft utterly unat^oimtablfl upon any other trinciplc than this; Tliat the love, and rcvtrcnce, id pertinacious adherence which we have to our iveral peculiarities, is become greater than the love and reverence which we owe to our com- munity of belief and practice. At the Ucfomia- lion tlicy found no dilliculty in this matter, but easily coalesced, notwiihsianding their ditTtrrences 79S ox EDLCATIOS. t^^' upoo liie subject of relipon: and, acconho^y, all schools then founded had a 5pe<aal ere to the coltiTatioii of the mind and character, by mcuu of religioD. And yet the creeds^ and catechnms^ and other f(»iDtdahes of the charch, harie recemd no fnaterial change; in this c!OaDtryT no change at all since that time. Either, then, they were not so veil informed on the subject of reli^on, and kas carefol of its parity then than ve now aie, which I think nobody will dare to allege : or we are become more attached to particnlar dogmas, and minute di^tinctioDs than they were ; in onr exceft- sirejealonsy of which, we are willing to fiir^o the advantage of any natiooal system of edocalioa which shall coDtain relleioa as a constant and essential part. I have oft protested before the Christian church, that we are more closdy en- trenched in our sectarian pecnliarities than erer; and I give this as the sufficien