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ADDRESS OF THE REV. J. CLOWES. 271
timony, and think it their duty to declare the same to
their respective congregations from the pulpit. It is im
possible for you to tell how soon this same conviction
may reach your own parishes, and therefore the concern
which you ought to have for the salvation of the people
committed to your care, calls loudly upon you to exert
your utmost talents and abilities in detecting yourselves,
and discovering to others, the false principles and rea
sonings contained in these writings, (if such principles
and reasonings are contained therein, ) that so the error
may be checked in its growth, and you may thus stand
acquitted to your own consciences, by a faithful discharge
of your ministerial duty.
And here need I suggest, that in case you should
think it your duty, after a serious and impartial ex
amination, to oppose the above testimony, something
more will be expected from you than that idle declamation,
indiscriminate censure, and illiberal invective, which
heretofore have been the only weapons employed by his
adversaries against our author and his writings ? When
soever you come deliberately to examine the doctrines in
question, you will find them supported by solid reasoning,
grounded in the most extensive knowledge, both human
and divine. You will see a sublime and well-founded
philosophy, called in to illustrate and confirm the con
clusions of theological disquisition. Order, method,
arrangement, cool and sober investigation, the most ex
tensive and minute acquaintance with the Word and the
works of God, a sound and discriminating judgment, a
most unaffected, yet convincing argumentation, a simple,
yet manly and intelligible diction, you will soon discover
to be leading and distinguishing characters in these won
derful volumes. In opposing all these powers ofpersuasion,
or of what you may possibly call seduction, it will hardly
* This observation is particularly just in regard to the original
Latin, in which language the author published all his theological
writings; and it is much to be recommended to every reader,
acquainted with the Latin tongue, to read them in the original, as
it has been found impossible to preserve all the simplicity and
beauty of the author’s style in an English translation.
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