The Character of the Genuine Theologian [pp. 158-170]

Character of the Genuine Theologian.
and the loud and swaggering Thraso, who, with an unstained
shield, wages awar of words, but has beheld battles only in description. Such is thedifference between the disciplined Theologian, who, like Paul, has traversed the course of Christianity,
and, by honour and (lishonour, by evil report and good report, is as dying, yet alive, as unknown, and yet well known,
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, y et making many
rich, as having nothiing, andi yet possessing all things:-and
the scholastic pedant, and index-learned rhapsodist, who,
feeble in mind and heart, but mighty in memory and words,
deems himself the very Alpha of Theologians.
It is not enough for the Christian teacher to proclaim truths
with which he is familiar, unless he does this with pure love.
If he regards with affection the divine Giver of all wisdom,
and those committed to his charge, as sons or brethren, and
also the truth consigned to him, he cannot but strive with
all his powers to gain many for God; that there may be many
who, with him, shall adore that sole wisdom, which he can
never alone glorify to his own satisfaction.
The same love will prevent him from declaring any thing
except what may be sure, sound, solid, promotive of faith and
hope, tending to piety, unity, and peace; avoiding all prejudice, abstaining from unfairness and perversion, most sedulously omitting novelties of expression, and unmeaning verbiage; and holding himself aloof Ifrom the odious strife of
words, and from curious, idle, or irregular controversies,
which disturb the minds of the simple, rend the Church. fill
it with suspicions and surmisings, within, and present a delightful spectacle to enemies, and to Satan himself without.
0 man of God, flee these things, nor ever catch at the disgraceful reputation which springs from novelty of inventions!
Through divine grace, we possess, in our churches and seminaries, a precious deposit of heavenly truth, so clearly demonstrated by Scripture, so ably defended against every adversary, approving itself to the conscience by so rich an exuberance of consolation, and so great power of promoting holiness, and confirmed by the blood of so many martyrs, beloved
of God, that it cannot be doubted, that we have all which is
necessary to conduct believers to salvation, and to perfect the
man of God for all good works. The mind is ungrateful, and
unobservant of its own good, which complains of darkness in
the very midst of such evangelical light; and which, in our
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