SERMON XIV.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

ACT SERMON.

1 CORINTHIANS iii. 11.

Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

THIS solemn and deeply interesting assertion was made by St. Paul, when there was danger to the Church of Corinth, from false or ambitious teachers placing their own names at the head of sects and parties. The great apostle had himself, in one sense, founded the Church of Corinth and yet he would not suffer his converts to call themselves

by his name. The Church, as he says to the Ephesians', was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone: and when he says to these same Corinthians 2, with reference to his own labours among them, Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, he adds, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through

1

Eph. ii. 20.

2

1 Cor. iv. 15.

the Gospel. It was in the name of Jesus, and not of Paul, that he had preached to them the words of eternal life the foundation of all the hopes and promises which he imparted to them was Jesus Christ he was the author and finisher of their faith if they rested upon him, it was possible for them to please God, and to enter into heaven: if their faith was not founded upon him, the apostle gave them no hopes, he held out to them no pardon, and no happiness.

There might be many reasons in the present day, why we should call to mind the words of the text. There are many among us who would say, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ'. The apostle might say with equal truth to us, as to his Corinthian converts, I hear that there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it. Amid these unhappy divisions, from whatever cause they may proceed, it is to be feared that some persons forget the great and important truth which is declared in the text, Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. They lay the foundation of their hopes in some human teacher, in some outward profession, in their own fancied righteousness, or in some other specious and delusive principle; which, though it may not openly and avowedly exclude the Son of God from the work of salvation, yet does not really rest on him as the true, the only foundation. Any one of these errors, (and the

number of them may unhappily be multiplied almost without limit,) might well furnish matter for separate consideration: but at present I wish to dwell upon the importance of placing our foundation in Jesus Christ, not with reference to sects and divisions, but with reference to a principle, which, under some form or other, is acknowledged by men of all sects, and all parties, the principle of education; or that moral and intellectual discipline, which not only forms the habit and character, but which must have an effect upon the present and eternal interests of every human being.

We live in an age when it may truly be said, that the best mode of education is a question which interests. all ranks of society and in this place, more particularly, we cannot be indifferent to the agitation of the question, when we remember that it was the desire of knowledge which first called our institutions into existence; that for many years we have been professing to dispense this knowledge; that, in fact, for many centuries we have been doing that which is now undertaken by many other bodies, some of which are more disposed to notice our failings than our excellences, and to point us out, not so much as objects of imitation, as an excitement to more extended and more successful efforts. That our proceedings are surveyed by penetrating, and even by jealous eyes, cannot be denied. We cannot shut our ears to the calumnies which are sometimes cast upon us: nor am I disposed to say, that this scrutiny, and this dissatisfaction, will not have a good effect. Let us do

our duty, and we shall train up champions who will defend our cause: let us be careful to lay the true foundation, and let that be the answer which we give to our opponents. It is here that we ought to rest our defence; and it is here, perhaps, that those who censure us, shew that they do not understand the real object of education.

If a man were not responsible to God; if he had not an immortal soul; if he were not to be judged hereafter, and according to that judgment to be happy or miserable for ever, the question of education might be different: the philosopher might decide in what way one man may best benefit the community; or each person might consult his own interest, provided the furtherance of that interest was no injury to others. The arts and sciences would thus be cultivated; and those pursuits which minister to our wants, or to our amusement, would require no higher sanction to recommend or enforce them. It is in this It is in this way that some persons measure the relative degrees of national advancement: and those places are said to be the best promoters of education, where the circle of knowledge extends the widest, and where the greatest number of useful and ingenious arts is taught. It is painful to appear even to be opposed to the general diffusion of knowledge; and if I could think, that there is any thing inherent in our institutions, which led to this result, I would be the first to admit, that those institutions must be radically and fundamentally wrong. But there is a difference between not teaching a thing and being opposed to the teaching

of it, which some persons have either not perceived, or have wilfully kept out of view, when they condemn the limited sphere of education which prevails in this place.

It is generally assumed, as I said before, that that is the best place of education which enables persons to learn the most branches of knowledge: and the proposition, thus stated, may appear to some indisputable. But there is another question which ought at least to be examined previously, the solution of which may affect the proposition just stated. We ought first to enquire, whether it is expedient that all, or even many branches of knowledge, should be taught in one place; or whether it will not lead to the best results, and, in fact, to the most perfect knowledge of the arts and sciences, that they should be taught in different places. Some persons may, perhaps, immediately decide for the first of these two systems; and may say that a place, which professes to be a place of education, ought to teach every thing: but at the same time they must allow, that the question, at least, admits of discussion; and those who think that a division of labour may be expedient in education as well as in other undertakings, may find much support for their argument in the experience of the present day. If I were enumerating the defects of our system, I should, perhaps, notice the principle which is rather too prevalent among us, that the same person is expected to give instruction in many branches. But whatever may be thought of this, I repeat, that it, at least, admits