SO 'fnE IMPR.CoirEilENt of THE D11 \n. ter into the enquiry how many of the laws of Moses are abroga- ted, or whether Zeno was right or wrong in his philosophy ; :yet if from 'the principles and concession of your opponent, youcan support: your argument for the gospel of Christ, this has been always counted a fair treatment of an adversary, and it is called Arguuzentum ad hominem, or Ratio ex concessis. St. Paul some- times makes use of this sort of disputation, when he talks with Jewsor Heathen philosophers ; and at least be silences if not convinces them : which is sometimes necessary tobe done against anobstinate and clamorous adversary, that just honour might be paid to truths which he knew were divine, and that the only true doctrineof salvation might be confirmed and propagated among sinful and dying men. XIII. Yet great care must be taken lest your debates break in upon your passions, and awaken them to take part in the contro- versy. When the opponent pushes hard, and gives just and mor- tal woundsto our own opinion, our passions are very apt to feel the strokes, and to rise in resentment and defence. Self is so mingled with the sentiments which we have chosen, and lias such a tender feelingof all opposition which is made to them, that per- sonal brawls are very ready to come in as seconds, to succeed and finish the dispute of opinions. Then noise and clamour and folly appear in all their shapes, and chase reason and truth out of sight. How unhappy is the case of frail and wretched mankind, in this dark or dusky state of strong passion and glimmering rea- son ? How ready are we, when our passions are engaged in the Aquae, to consider more what loads of nonsense and reproach we can lay upon our opponent, than what reason and truth re- quire in the controversy itself. Dismal are the consequences mankind are toa often involved in by this evil principle; it is this common and dangerous practice, that carries the heart aside from all that is fair and honest in our search after truth, or the propagation of it in the world. One would wish from one's very soul, that none of the Christian fathers had been guilty of such follies as these. But St. Jerome fairly confesses this evil principle, in his apology for himself to Pammachius, that he had not so much. 4.egarded what was exactly to be spoken in the controversy he had in hand ; as what was fit to lay a load on Jovinian. And indeed Year this was the vile customof many of the writers even in the church- a$àirs of those times. But it will he a double scandal upon us in our more enlightened age, if we will allow ourselves in a conduct so criminal and dishonest. Happy souls, who keep such a sacred dominion over their inferior and animal powers, and all the influences. of -,pride, and secular interest, p the segsjtive tumults, or these. vicious influences never rim;
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