between contending disputants; I know ther, be brought about, for it is a change only where ignorance, under the disguise of a to be effected by the power of thy hand; and gown and a beard, has obtained the title of as soon as our souls are made sensible of it, science; but, where true knowledge is to be thy praise shall be for ever sounded within found, I know not. We grope in the dark, us, as in temples devoted to thy service. and though it is truth only we are in quest Let thy whole church, O Lord, flourish of, we fall into innumerable errors. But, and rejoice in the light of thy favour. Be whatever may be our case with respect to the favourable to this our university, city, and knowledge of nature, as to that of heavenly nation. Dispel, we pray thee, the thick and divine things, let us cheerfully embrace clouds, and quiet the winds and storms; for that rich present which Infinite Goodness when they rage most, and make the greatest has made us, and be thankful that the day-noise, they know thy voice, and obey it. spring from on high hath visited us. "Be- Thou art the only God of peace, who creatcause there was no wisdom on this earth," est it with a word, and makest righteoussays Lactantius, "he sent a teacher from ness and peace mutually to kiss one another. heaven." Him let us follow as our guide; We depend upon thee only; and to thee for he that follows his direction, shall not alone we render praise and glory, as far as walk in darkness. we can, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us pray. EXHORTATION IV INFINITE, eternal Creator, and King of heaven and earth, bodies and spirits, who, being unmoved thy self, movest all things, and changest them at thy pleasure, while OUR life is but a point, and even less than thou remainest thyself altogether unchange- a point; but as it is not a mathematical able; who supportest all things by thy power-point, as they call it, nor quite indivisible, ful hand, and governest them by thy nod, when we divide it into minute parts, it apthe greatest as well as the least; so that the pears something considerable, and assumes greatest are no burden to thee, nor dost thou the imaginary appearance of a large space contemn the least. Behold! the nations be- of time; nay, according to Aristotle's nofore thee are as the drop of the bucket, and tion, it appears divisible in infinitum. Belike the small dust of the balance; and these sides those common and idle divisions of huisles of ours, with all the rest in the world, man life, into the four stages of childhood, are, in thy sight, but a very little thing. youth, manhood, and old age, and into periods Yet thou deignest to be present in our as- of ten years, which suppose the yet smaller semblies, and take notice of our affairs, which divisions of years and months; men have are very inconsiderable. Let our souls adore many various ways of distributing the periods thee, and fall down, with the greatest humi- of their life, according to the different oclity, at the footstool of thy throne, continu-cupations and studies they have been engag ally intreating thy grace, and constantly of- ed in, the remarkable events that have hapfering thee glory. Our praises add nothing pened to them, and the several alterations to thee; but they exalt ourselves, enhance and revolutions in the course of their lives. our happiness, and unite us with the society And I doubt not but you, young gentlemen, of angels; yet thou receivest them with a look upon this present instant of time as the gracious hand, as most acceptable sacrifices, beginning of a new period of your life; you and incense of a sweet-smelling savour. Let have my leave to do so, provided you seriousus celebrate thee, O Lord, who art great, ly consider, at the same time, that the whole and greatly to be praised. Let all nations of the life we live in this world, is of a frail praise thee, from the rising of the sun to the go- and fleeting nature, and, in some respect, ing down thereof. Set our hearts on fire with nothing at all. And into whatever parts or the flames of thy divine love, that they may periods we divide it, if we consider the mi wholly ascend to thee as burnt-offerings, and series and lamentable calamities with which nothing of ours may remain with us. O! it is fraught, the life, even of a child, may blessed transmigration, where the blind confidence of the flesh is transformed into a lively and pure faith, that has no dependence but upon thee alone; where self-love, and A great part of mankind no sooner look the love of the world, is exchanged for the upon themselves to be capable of worldly aflove of thy infinite beauty: when our will fairs, and think on entering upon some proshall centre in thine, and be altogether absorb-fession suitable to a state of manhood, but ed by it. Let this change, O bountiful Fa- they are cut off, in the very beginning of their course, by an unforeseen and untimely death; and, to be sure, this is the great dis Cum nulla in terris esset sapientia, e cœlo misit doctorem. seem too long; but, if we consider the time only, we must conclude the life of the oldest man to be exceeding short and fleeting. temper of young, and even of old men, that, many words to persuade you to industry, and by their desires and designs, they launch a continual progress in human studies, and out a great way into futurity, and form a philosophical learning. If the violence and series of projects for many years to come; infelicity of the time has deprived you of any while, in the mean time, they rarely, or at part of that period of years usually employ least very superficially, consider, how foolish ed in these studies at this university, you and precarious it is to depend upon to-mor-will surely repair that loss, as soon as possi, row, and how soon this present form of ours ble, by your subsequent reading and applimay disappear; how soon we may return cation. But, if no such misfortune had to our original dust; "And that very day," happened, you are not, I believe, ignorant, as the royal prophet waras us, "our thoughts, that our schools are only intended for laying even the wisest and best-concerted thoughts the foundations of those studies, upon which of the greatest men, and most exalted princes, years and indefatigable industry are to raise perish." And this I take particular notice the superstructure of more complete erudition; of, that no such illusion may get possession which, by the accession of the Divine Spirit, of your minds: for it is not the common sort may be consecrated into a temple for God. of mankind only that impose upon themselves And this is what I would recommend to in this respect, but the generality of those your esteem, and your earnest desires, bewho desire to be accounted not only men of yond any other study whatever, “That you learning, but also adepts in wisdom, and ac- may be holy, because our God is holy;" tually pass for such. Not that I would pro- that, when you leave this university, those hibit your making an early and prudent with whom you converse, may not find you choice, under the divine direction, of the em- puffed up with pride, on account of a little ployment and profession of life you intend superficial learning, nor bigotted, talkative, to pursue; nay, I would use every argument or fond of entering into unseasonable disto persuade you to make use of such a choice, putes; but consider you all as patterns and and when you have made it, to prosecute the examples of piety, purity, temperance, mointention of it with the greatest diligence desty, and all Christian virtues; particular, and activity. I only put you upon your ly that humility that shone so brightly in guard, not to entertain many and towering Christ himself, and which he earnestly exhopes in this world, nor form a long series of horts all his disciples to learn from him. I connected projects; because you will find will not suspect, that any one of you will them all more vain and fleeting than illusions turn out to be an immodest person, a glut of the night some necessary means will fail, ton or drunkard, or, in any shape, impious some favourable opportunity be missed; and profane; but I earnestly exhort and beafter all your industry, the expected event seech you, my dear young men, to make it, may not happen, or the thread of your life above all other things, your principal study, may be cut, and thereby all your projects to have your hearts purged from all impure rendered abortive. And, though your life and ignoble love of the world and the flesh, should be drawn out to ever so great a that, in this earth, you may live to God length, and success constantly answer your only; and then, to be sure, when you reexpectations, yet you know, and I wish you move out of it, you will live with him for would remember it, the fatal day will come ever in heaven. at last, perhaps when it is least expected; May the honorary title you have this day and that fatal and final day, I say, will at received, be happy and auspicious; but I last come, when we must leave all our enjoy- earnestly pray the Father of lights, that he ments, and all our schemes, those we are would deign to bestow upon you a title more now carrying on, and those we have brought solid and exalted than is in the power of man to perfection, as well as those that are only to give, that you may be called the sons of begun, and those that subsist only in hopes God, and that your conversation may be suit, and ideas. able to so great a name, and so glorious a Father. Let us pray. And these very arguments, that have been used to confine your minds from indulging themselves in too remote prospects, will also serve to persuade you, in another sense, to look much farther; not with regard to worldly enjoyments, for such prospects, strictly ETERNAL King, thy throne is establishspeaking, cannot be called long, but to look ed and immovable from everlasting, and will far beyond all earthly and perishing things, continue so throughout all the ages of eternito those that are heavenly and eternal and ty: before the mountains were brought forth, those that will not raise their eyes to such before thou hadst formed the earth and the objects, as the apostle Peter expresses it, world, even from everlasting to everlasting, "are blind, and cannot see afar off." thou art God. All things that exist, whether But of you, my dear youths, I expect visible or invisible, derive from thee their better things; I need not, I imagine, use being, and all that they possess, and they all, from the least to the greatest, are subser- that the greatest part of them do not resolve vient to thy purposes, who art their supreme upon any fixed and settled method of life, King and Father; many of them, indeed, but, like the brute creatures, live and die act without knowledge, or design, yet serve without design, and without proposing any thee with a constant and unerring obedience; reasonable end. For how few are there, that others pay their homage from principles of seriously and frequently consider with themreason and inclination, and all the rest are selves, whence they came, whither they are forced to promote thy intentions, though by going, and what is the purpose of their life; constraint, and against their wills. Thou who are daily reviewing the state of their own art great, O Lord, thou art great, and great- minds, and often descend into themselves, ly to be praised, and of thy greatness there that they may as frequently ascend, by their is no end. The heavens are far raised above thoughts and meditations, to their exalted the earth, but thy majesty is much farther Father, and their heavenly country; who exalted above all our thoughts and concep- take their station upon temporal things, and tions. Impress, we pray thee, on our hearts, view those that are eternal! Yet these are most bountiful Father, a profound sense of the only men that can be truly said to live, our meanness and insignificancy; and make and they only can be accounted wise. us acceptable to thee, through thy grace, in And to this it is, my dear youths, that I thy beloved Jesus, blotting out all our sins would willingly engage your souls; nay, I by the blood of his cross, and purifying our heartily wish they were carried thither by hearts by the effusion of thy Spirit from on the fiery chariots of celestial wisdom. Let high. Illuminate, most gracious God, this the common sort of mankind admire mean assembly of ours by the light of thy divine things; let them place their hopes on riches, favour, and let thy effectual blessing, we pray thee, attend the work we are now employed about, (by thy approbation, and the gracious disposition of thy providence,) and may the result of all be to the glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. EXHORTATION V. honours and arts, and spend their lives in the pursuit of them; but let your souls be inflamed with a far higher ambition. Yet I would not altogether prohibit you these pursuits; I only desire you to be moderate in them. These enjoyments are neither great in themselves, nor permanent; but it is surprising, how much vanity is inflated by them. What a conceited, vain nothing, is the creature we call man! For, because few are capable of discerning true blessings, which are solid and intrinsically beautiful, therefore the superficial ones, and such as are of no value at all, are catched at; and those who, in any measure, attain to the possession of them, are puffed up and clated thereby. THE Complaint, with regard to the variety of all perishing and transitory enjoyments, which has been long general among mankind, is indeed just and well-founded; but it is If we consider things as they are, it is an no less true, that the vanity which resides in evidence of a very wrong turn of mind to the heart of man himself, exceeds every boast of titles and fame, as they are no part thing of that kind we observe in the other of ourselves, nor can we depend upon them. parts of the visible creation: For, among all But he that is elevated with a fond conceit the creatures that we see around us, we can of his own knowledge, is a stranger to the find nothing so fleeting and inconsistent; it nature of things, and particularly to himself; flutters hither and thither, and, forsaking since he knows not that the highest pitch of that only perfect good which is truly suited human knowledge ought, in reality, rather to its nature and circumstances, grasps at to be called ignorance. How small and inphantoms and shadows of happiness, which considerable is the extent of our knowledge! it pursues with a folly more than childish. Even the most contemptible things in nature Man wanders about on this earth; he are sufficient to expose the greatness of our hopes, he wishes, he seeks, he gropes and ignorance. And with respect to divine feels about him; he desires; he is hot, he things, who dares to deny, "that the knowis cold, he is blind, and complains that evil ledge mankind have of them, is next to abounds every where; yet he is, himself, nothing?" Because the weak eyes of our the cause of those evils which rage in the understanding, confined, as they are, within world, but most of all in his own breast; such narrow houses of clay, cannot bear the and therefore being tossed between the waves piercing light of divine things; therefore thereof, that roll continually within and with- the Fountain of all wisdom hath thought out him, he leads a restless and disordered proper to communicate such imperfect dislife, until he be at last swallowed up in the coveries of himself, as are barely sufficient unavoidable gulf of death. It is, moreover, to direct our steps to the superior regions+ the shame and folly of the human race, * Ως ουδεν ανθρώποισι των θείων σαφές. • Αβελτερία. Η Υπέρτερα δωματα. EXHORTATION VI. of perfect light. And whoever believes this will remain safe and quiet, and shall not be truth, will, doubtless, make it his chief care moved for ever. O blessed soul ! that has and principal study, constantly to follow this thee for its rest, and all its salvation; it shall lamp of divine light, that shines in darkness, be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, and not to deviate from it, either to the right it shall not fear when heat cometh, nor shall hand or to the left. It is, indeed, my opi- it be uneasy in a year of drought. It is our nion, that no man of ingenuity ought to de- earnest petition and prayer, O Father, that spise the study of philosophy, or the know- thy hands may loosen all our chains, and ledge of languages, or grammar itself; effectually deliver our souls from all the though, to be sure, a more expeditious and snares and allurements of the world and the successful method of teaching them were flesh, and that, by that same bountiful and much to be wished: but what I would re- most powerful hand of thine, they may be commend with the greatest earnestness, and for ever united to thee, through thy only bepersuade you to, if possible, is, that you gotten Son, who is our union and our peace. would inseparably unite with such measures Be favourably present, most gracious God, of learning and improvements of your minds with this assembly of ours, that whatever we as you can attain, purity of religion, divine undertake, in obedience to thy will, may be love, moderation of soul, and an agreeable, carried to perfection by the aid of thy grace, inoffensive behaviour. For you are not igno- and tend to the glory of thy name, through rant, what a low and empty figure the highest Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. attainments in human sciences must make, if they be compared with the dignity and duration of the soul of man; for however considerable they may be in themselves, yet, with regard to their use, and their whole design, they are confined within the short space of this perishing life. But the soul, which reasons, which is employed in learning I AM not ignorant, that it is one of the and teaching, in a few days will for ever bid common arts of life, to set off our own things farewell to all these things, and remove to with all the pomp we can; and if there is another country. O how inconsiderable are any worth in them, by no means to deprecate all arts and sciences, all eloquence and phi- it, but rather to endeavour, with all our losophy, when compared with a cautious con- might, to enhance their value as much as cern that our last exit out of this world may possible; nay, those of them which are quite be happy and auspicious, and that we may vain and worthless, we use to magnify with depart out of this life candidates of immor- pompous expressions, and daub with false tality, at which we can never arrive but by colours, and to do otherwise is reckoned a the beautiful way of holiness. kind of rustic simplicity. But you, young gentlemen, who are acquainted with my manner, will, I imagine, easily forgive this indifference of mine; and therefore I say, if there are any that despise these performances INFINITE and eternal God, who inhabit-of ours, we leave them at full liberty, for we est thick darkness, and light inaccessible, ourselves held them in contempt before; whom no mortal hath seen, nor can sce; yet but, to speak freely, together with them, we all thy works evidently declare and proclaim undervalued all worldly things: "They are thy wisdom, thy power, and thy infinite all made of the same mean materials."* goodness. And, when we contemplate these O life, short with regard to duration, long thy perfections, what is it our souls can de- in consideration of thy miseries, involved in sire, but that they may love thee, worship darkness, beset with snares, still fluctuating thee, serve thee, for ever proclaim thy praises, between false joys and real torments, groundand celebrate thy exalted name, which is less hopes and fears equally imaginary, yet above all praise, and all admiration? Thy foolishly, and even to distraction, loved by throne is constantly surrounded with thou-most. We will not die, and yet we know sands and ten thousands of glorified spirits, not how to live. Our present possessions who continually adore thee, and cry out, are loathsome as food to a man in a fever, without ceasing, Holy, holy, holy, Lord and we greedily catch at future enjoyments, God Almighty, who was, who is, and who which, when they come to be present, will is to come. Let others seek what they will, be received with the same indifference: for, and find and embrace what they can; may among the advantages of this fleeting life, we have always this one fixed and settled nothing is equally agreeable to those who purpose, that it is good for us to draw near have it in possession, and those who have it to God. Let the seas roar, the earth be only in desire and hope. shaken, and all things go to ruin and confusion; yet the soul that adheres to God, Let us pray. We are all in general of such a nature, * Πάντα μια κόνις. But if any one, having thoroughly examin. ed and despised these shadows, resolves solely to pursue a more complete knowledge of things and follow the streams of learning, we cannot deny, that he judges more justly; yet, after all, must know, if he is wise, or at least he ought to know, that he may be wise, that we are weary of ourselves, and, what we thou yet makest thyself agreeable to all *"* lately preferred to every thing else, upon ex-O how easily does even the least glimpse of perience we reject. This inconstancy is un- eternal and infinite beauty raze out of the doubtedly a sign of a mind distempered, mind all the impressions made upon it by forcibly drawn away from its centre, and se- the objects we daily converse with on this parated from its only durable rest. Nor earth, and turn its admiration of them into need you go far, young gentlemen, to look contempt and disdain ! for an instance of this distemper; let any of you descend into himself, (which very few do, and even they but rarely,) he will find it within him: upon a very slight inquiry, he will surely be sensible of it; for, passing other considerations, with what fervent wishes have you, in your hearts, longed for this day! Yet I forewarn you, that all your plea-"what vanity and superfluity is to be met sure will either die with the day itself, which with even here :"+ for often, when one has is now fast drawing to a close, or but for a applied himself to his books and studies very short time survive it. And, as com- with the greatest assiduity, and almost spent monly happens, it will be succeeded by the his life upon them, all his pains evaporate anxious cares of beginning life, as it were, into smoke, and the labour of years is enanew, or, which is much more grievous and tirely lost. And, what is most of all to be unhappy, and from which, I earnestly pray, lamented, this is sometimes the case with you may be all effectually preserved, by those respect to theology, which is the chief of all temptations and allurements of vice which arts and sciences, as so large a portion of tend to debauch and ruin you; for these that vineyard is still possessed with briars allurements, after the manner of some robbers, and thorns. How many are the disputes attack the unwary and unexperienced with and controversies, how many the trifling arblandishments and caresses, that thereby they guments and cavils, which possibly may may have an opportunity to undo them. If have something of the sharpness of thorns, therefore, as soon as ye enter upon a life of but undoubtedly a great deal of their barrenfreedom, those deceitful and deadly pleasures ness and their hurtful quality! A philosoof sense tempt you with their delusive smiles, I would put you in mind, how unworthy it is of a free and generous mind, especially that of a Christian, to become an abject slave, and submit to the most shameful bondage; how disgraceful and wretched a choice it is, to become the slave of a mad, distracted master; and how much more generous and exalted is the pleasure of despising them all, and trampling them under foot, when they come in competition with the pure and permanent delights of divine love! pher of old severely reproves the sophisters of his time in these words: "What was for. merly the love of wisdom, is now become the love of words." We, to be sure, may substitute, in place of this, à complaint still more bitter, that what was theology before, is now become foolish talking; and that many of our divines, though they serve one God, and that the God of peace, yet split into parties upon the lightest occasions, and with great impiety divide the whole world into factions." And I am much afraid, As to exalted degrees of honour, and heaps this evil, in a great measure, derives its origi of riches, the idols of all ranks of mankind, nal from the education of youth in schools which they worship with the rage of enthu- and colleges. For the most part of men siasm and madness, we not only apply to manage this business, as if disputing was them what was observed of old concerning the end of learning, as fighting is the design Hercules' statue, and 66 say, they have no- of going to war: hence the youth, when thing divine in them ;" but also, that they they enter the school, begin disputing, which are entirely void of real goodness. Even never ends but with their life. Death imthose who have the greatest experience of poses silence, and so, at last, "these fierce them, are at last obliged to own this: the force of truth extorts the confession, though they make it with regret and against their will. All the beauty and brightness of these idols resemble the decorations of a stage, that dazzle the eyes of the vulgar, and the enjoyment of them is in reality but a splendid kind of slavery, and gilded misery. It is a pathetic expression of St. Bernard, "O ambition, the torture of the ambitious, how happens it, that though thou tormentest all, * Δουλον γενέσθαι παραφρονούντος δεσποτου· * Ως ουδέν εισι θεου passions of their minds, and these inveterate contentions, are composed to rest by the weight of a little dust thrown upon them."|| As for you, young gentlemen, if my earnest wishes and sincere advice can have any weight with you, you will early extricate Ó! ambitio, ambientium crux, quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places? Η Πολλά έστι μένα και περιεργα. 8 Σχίζονται, και κόσμον όλον τιμνούσιν αθισμός. VIRG. Georg. iv. |