indeed, one of a thousand,' and is now, but one of those, ten thousand times ten thousand,' that are about the throne; where he is singing that song, which was his great entertainment here, as it is now his endless joy there: Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty; and just and true are thy ways, O King of Saints.' To follow him, in the like exercises here, is the sure way to be admitted to join with him in those above; to which, God of his infinite mercy bring us all, in due time, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, Amen.*

As a fit conclusion to this noble discourse, and especially as an incentive to young theologians, I cannot do better, than extract the following important passages from Mr. Boyle: . .

'You will not do right, either to THEOLOGY, or to 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 exposition of many texts of scripture; nor 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.

I meet with much fewer than I could wish, who make it their business to search the Scriptures for these 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 man, 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 overlook 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 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 Epis copius, 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 a;. . and when I remember, too, that none of these newly-named worthies was, at once, a great philoso pher, and a great critic, I cannot but hope, that, when it shall 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 concern 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 unveilers.

I despair not, but that a farther use may be made of the scripture, than either our divines or our philosophers seem to have thought on. The encyclopedias, and pansophias, even that 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 made in 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 to in this life. Neither the fundamental doctrine of christianity, nor that of the power and effects of matter and motion, seems 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 to be but members of the universal hypothesis: whose objects I conceive to be the nature, counsels, and works of God, as far as they are discoverable by, for I say not to us, in this life.'. . BOYLE. Excellency of Theology. Works, iv. 16. 19. Lond. 1772.

A passage encouraging like hopes, is, with great pleasure, borrowed from an able writer of the present day: . .

'Besides, I think it not only probable, but morally certain, that the PIOUS and DILIGENT use of biblical reading, in future times, together with the illustration of events, will cause the scriptures, generally, to be better understood, than they have ever been; and will, in particular, elicit deci. sive and interesting predictions of the Messiah, which the intelligence of the christian church has not yet seen in their native design.' DR. J. PYE SMITH. Script. Testim. i. 280.

Nor were different anticipations formed, by one of the profoundest thinkers of the last century: . .

I am persuaded, that if the choice and best of those observations upon texts of scripture, which have been made dispersedly in sermons, within this your majesty's island of Britain, by these forty years and more, leaving out the largeness of exhortations and applications thereupon, had been set down in a continuance, it had been the best book in divinity which had been written since the apostles' time.' LORD BACON. Works, ii. 313.

This praise is certainly hyperbolical: but if it had not possessed some

" It is an argument with me, that the world is not yet very near its end, that the church has made no greater progress in understanding the mysteries of the scriptures. The scriptures, in all their parts, were made for the use of the church here on earth and it seems reasonable to suppose, that God will, by degrees, unveil their meaning to his church. It was made mysterious, in many places having great difficulties, that his people might have exercise for their pious wisdom and study; and that his church might make progress in the understanding of it, as the philosophical world makes progress in the understanding of the book of nature, and in the unfolding of its mysteries. A DIVINE WISDOM appears in ordering it thus. How much better is it, to have divine truth and light break forth in this way, than it would have been, to have had it shine at once to every one, without any labour or industry of the understanding? It would be less delightful; and less prized and admired; and would have had vastly less influence on men's hearts; and would have been less to the glory of God.' PRESIDENT EDWARDS. Misc. Obs. Works, viii. 198.

CONCLUSION

OF AN

ADDRESS TO POSTERITY:

FROM

THE HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES,

BY

GILBERT BURNET, D.D.

LORD BISHOP OF SARUM.

;

Glory to God! and to the Power who came
In filial duty, clothed with love divine
That made his human tabernacle shine
Like ocean burning with purpureal flame;
Or like the Alpine mount, that takes its name
From roseate hues, far kenned at morn and even,
In hours of peace, or when the storm is driven
Along the nether region's rugged frame!

Earth prompts,. . Heaven urges : LET US SEEK THE LIGHT!

W. WORDSWORTH.