MISCELLANEOUS TItOOGHTS. 397 Truth is lost in such disputing. The genuine study of truth, which is true philosophy. is a serene and gentle thing, and may be compared to the river Nile, that though it flows with a soft and placid stream, yet it renders the whole country fruitful, and carries more profit and plenty with it, than all the torrents and rapid rivers that pour down with noise and violence. - But what a ridiculous scene is a scholastic disputation ! a mere stage -play ! where two combatants meet, and with rounds and flourishes, with many feints and approachings and retirings, with distinctions heaped upon distinctions, to exclude- from the question what no man ever could doubt or dispute, they come at last to the point in hand ; and their grand design is, that each of them may escape safe, without being forced to yield up this point. Thus when they are put to a plunge, they talk whatsoever comes uppermost ; they raise mutual scoffs and clamours and loud re- proaches, and scarce withhold themselves from manual conflict, when their tongues have done their utmost. And if one of them happens to silence and overwhelm his- adversary, how vain he- grows ! how he swells and exalts himself ! What airs of arrog- ance he assumes ! as though like Hercules he had destroyed an Hydra, or like Atlas he had supported a world ; when perhaps the truth lies bleeding on the ground, and by his sophistic sub- tleties and his brawling battle he has supported some gross error, and established falsehood in triumph. The great Gassendus was deeply sensible of this folly fourscore years ago, and declaims against the professors of Aristotelian logic and philosophy in his day upon this account. Yet perhaps it is possible that academic disputations may be reduced to such a form, and put under such regulations, as to render them serviceable for some good purposes among students in the schools. But I have discoursed more largely on this sub- ject in some papers relating to the various methods of improving the mind. LII. Devotional Writings. PERHAPS it is a wish too glorious and happy to be ever fulfilled in this state of mortality, to see all the disciples of Christ grown up into such a catholic spirit, as to be ready to worship God their common Father, through Jesus their common Media- tor, in the same assembly, and to join in the same holy fellowship. There are so many punctilios of difference to he adjusted, and so many party.prejudices to be overcome, that such a union of hearts and sentiments lies beyond our present hope. Yet methinks every step towards such a union, carries a blessing in it, and every christian should desire to promote it. Bohemus was a German divine, of various knowledge and sedate judgment, of admirable temper and uncommon piety : He had observed long the disputes cc3
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