The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

30 SERMONS.fpe£^ive bufinefs.Shall enlightened Chriilians, fhaUminifters of the Gofpcl feek for no further increafe ii>human and divine knowledge ? Shall they alone remainin a drowfy and torpid ftate ? Shall they reftfatisfied, as if they had already attained perfedlion eitherin knowledge or in pradliee ?Next to our pronenefs to fm, I cannot help thinkingthat what we have moft to regret, is, that we havenot been early fet upon the right road to purfue knowledge.The misfortune, I believe, is pretty general :I am fure there are many who think and feel that theyhave great reafon to lament and complain of it. Whatan unbounded profpeft, what an extenfive field ofknowledge lies before us; a Seld rich with everything that is ufeful, and plcafing, and ornamental tothemdnd of man; a field, of which great parts are,it is likely, never to be trodden by us ; fome of which,at lead, we might with pleafure have furveyed, hadwebeen timeoully fet upon the right track. Is thereno remedy," is there no way to retrieve this misfortune,at ieaft in fome degree ? Mufh we check ournatural, our ftrong defire of knowledge ?Muft we becontentto remain for ever fixed in the fame igno--rance ? If there is a remxcdy at all, it mull be fetched,in a great meafure, from a friendly and fpirited intercourfewith one another.Travellers to the fame, oruifFerent parts of the world, ufe to compare the obiervationsthey make. Why Ihould not men, whotravel in the intelie61:ual world, if I may fo fpeak ;-who are in purfuit of the fame^ or different parts ofknowledge, do the fame? Why ihould they not, inthis fenfe, be willing to communicate and willing alfoto leani ? And may not he who juftly values hisgreat and improved talents, learn fomething even fromthofe\^ho differ from him, and who, in rnany refpe^ls,are confefledly inferior to him ? Men choofe commonlyto affociate with thofe who are believed to beof the fame opinions with theiftfelves j but to con-