leges and blessings require it of you! Yes, ye who call yourselves Christians! If you love the church to which you profess to belong: if you possess a single spark of the spirit of allegiance to her Divine Head and Lord: nay, if you desire not a famine of the word of life; if you desire not the heaviest spiritual judgments to rest upon you, then come forward, and act, as well as speak, like friends of the Redeemer's kingdom. Come forward, and give your influence, your substance, and your prayers, for the help of the Lord against the mighty.* AMEN! * Judges v. 23. AN INAUGURAL DISCOURSE, DELIVERED IN THE CHURCH AT PRINCETON, NEW-JERSEY, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ON THE 12th OF AUGUST, 1812. BY ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, D. D. AN INAUGURAL DISCOURSE, &c. HIGHLY RESPECTED AND VENERABLE DIRECTORS OF THE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL; AND OTHER LEARNED AND RESPECTABLE AUDITORS, CONVENED ON THE PRESENT SOU LEMN OCCASION! THE institution and commencement of a Theological Seminary, under the patronage and direction of the General Assembly of our church, ought to be a subject of mutual congratulation to all its members. But it cannot be concealed, that the same causes which have operated to render such an institution urgently necessary, have also opposed serious obstacles in the way of carrying it into effect The deficiency, among us, of that kind and extent of learning requisite to confer dignity and respect, as well as usefulness, on the professor's chair, is too obvious to require remark. But every important institution must have its infancy and growth, before it can arrive at maturity; and however long we might have deferred this undertaking, the same difficulties would probably have met us at its commencement, which we are now obliged to encoun ter. The sentiments and emotions by which my own mind is agitated, in consequence of the new and important station in which I find myself placed by the choice of my brethren, and especially, the deep sense which I entertain of my insufficiency for the work, I shall not attempt to express. If the design be of GOD, he will prosper the undertaking, notwithstanding the weakness of the instruments employed in carrying it on; and will crown our feeble efforts with success. On HIм therefore may our hope and confidence be firmly fixed; and may • his will be done on earth as in heaven!' I have selected, as the subject of the discourse now required of me, the words of our LORD, recorded in the 5th Chap. and 39th ver. of the Gospel according to John: Ερευνᾶτε τὰς γραφάς. Search the Scriptures. The verb here used, signifies, to search with diligence and attention. Its literal meaning appears to be, to pursue any one, by tracing his footsteps. Thus it is employed by Homer to express the lion's* pursuit of the man who had robbed him of his whelps, by his footsteps; and the dog's† pursuit of his game, by his track. The precise meaning of the word, therefore, both in its literal and figurative application, is expressed by the English Odys. xix. 1. 436. *Il. xviii. line 321. |