Profoundly sensible am I, that these have been very unintellectual, and somewhat common-place remarks: but I would rather, a hundred times, be of use to the younger men present; I would rather, a hundred times, succeed in persuading one of them, to adopt that method of reading the Bible which I have been recommending;—than try to say something which might be thought fine and clever.... Let me only, in conclusion, faithfully remind them, that the true office of the study of Divine things is not, by any means, that which, for obvious reasons, I have been rather dwelling and enlarging upon. It is not merely to inform the understanding, that Holy Scripture is to be read with such consummate attention, and studied with such exceeding care. It is not for the illustration of History, or in order that it may be made a test of the value of other systems of Morals. Not, by any means, in order to facilitate admission into Holy Orders, (for which only some of you are destined;)—or to render a man's pulpit-addresses attractive and agreeable;—or even to enable a parish priest to teach with confidence and authority;—is he entreated now to "prevent the night watches," if need be, that he may be occupied (like one of old time[268],) with God's Word. O no! It is,—in order that his inner life may be made conformable to that outer Law[269]: that his aims may be ennobled, and his motives purified, and his earthly hopes made consistent with the winning of an imperishable crown! It is in order that when he wavers between Right and Wrong, the unutterable Canon of God's Law may suggest itself to him as a constraining motive. Its aim, and purpose, and real function, is, that the fiery hour of temptation may find the Christian soldier armed with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God[270]:"—that the dark season of Adversity may find his soul anchored on the Rock of Ages,—which alone can prove his soul's sufficient strength and stay.... Of a truth, as Life goes on, Men will find the blessedness of their Hope; if they have not found it out already. Under every form of trial,—and under every strange vicissitude;—in sickness,—and in perplexity,—and in bereavement,—and in the hour of death;—"Lord,—to whom shall we go? Thou,—Thou hast the words of Eternal Life!"
FOOTNOTES:
[243] Preached in Christ-Church Cathedral, Oct. 21st, 1860.
[244] τὴν συναγωγήν,—from which it would appear that there was but one. See Bishop Middleton on St. Luke vii. 5.
[245] Rom. i. 16.
[246] Heb. iv. 12.
[247] St. Matth. xxiv. 35, &c.
[248] St. John xii. 48.
[249] St. John i. 1, &c.
[250] Ibid. vii. 40-43.