390 MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS. of their way, we must not suffer ourselves to swim with the tide; nor fall into a compliance with their mistaken notions and prac- tices. It is our business to move right onward towards heaven, through the midst of a multitude that are travelling another way. The greater the exercise of our patience is, the weightier will be our crown ; and if we have broke through a muhitude of dif- fieulties in our journey toward paradise, our rewards will not be few. 00 He that overcomes, shall eat of the tree of life." Large and shining, and durable glories, in a rich and pleasing variety, are made over by promise to those that overcome, if we can but read the second and third chapters of the Revelation and believe them. Farewel, my Pocyon, and presevere in patience to teach mankind, nor forget to continue your heartiest love and in- structions to Your affectionate Lover and willing Disciple. Newington, 1097-S. L.I. Public Disputations. SINCE the true design of philosophy is to learn and know the truth, and to render that knowledge subservient to our prac- tice and happiness here and hereafter, how absurd and imperti- nent are the methods ofthe Aristotelian schools, who have chang- ed this design into mere sophistry and the art of disputation ? They make logic and prime philosophy to be no longer the shop or work -house to form proper instruments to search out truth, or to teach virtue, for they turn it into a seminary of altercations. When they speak of a young philosopher, there is no enquiry how wise or how good a man he is, but how skilful a dis- puter. He that knows how to attack and foil his adversary, to stand his ground and defend himself and his thesis against all opposition ; this is the man of merit and honour. Then they imagine they have attained the most plentiful fruits of philosophy, when they can bravely oppose and defend any themes whatsoever in public arguments in form and figure. I will not deny but, some private conversations in the manner of dispute may have a tendency to discover truth, when they are carried on without spectators, without passion or party- spirit ;- and that on this condition, that on which side soever probability and truth appear, each of the disputants shall be ready to give up his own opinion, and surrender it to the force and evidence of reason. But when contests are so managed, that disputations are become public spectacles, and each of the combatants aims at no- thing so much as always to conquer, and never to yield, it is im- possible that truth should ever be sought or found in this manner. It is much more likely that if she were present, she would with- draw herself from so profane and ill- deserving a rout of men.
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