Recapitulation. 313 



bility and success, by infidel philosophers; and 

 which, amid continual and abundant refutations, 

 is yet clamorous and obtrusive. 



12. The period under review may be pro- 

 nounced THE AGE OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE. This 

 is by no means inconsistent with the statement 

 in the last particular ; for, after all the attacks of 

 infidelity, and of theoretical philosophy, the Re- 

 ligion of Christ, wlien contemplated through the 

 medium of science, has had a complete and un- 

 precedented triumph during this period. It has 

 been often objected to Christianity, that it is un- 

 favourable to the progress of knowledge ; that it 

 discourages scientific enterprise j that it is inimi- 

 cal to free inquiry, and has a tendency to keep 

 the minds of men in blindness and thraldom. The 

 history of the last concurs with that of many pre- 

 ceding centuries, in demonstrating that the very 

 reverse of what the objection states is the truth. 

 C/i7'istia?i natio?is, during the period in question, 

 have been, of all others, most remarkable for fa- 

 vouring the advancement of liberal knowledge. 

 In those countries in which religion has existed 

 in its greatest pz^riVj/, and has enjoyed the most 

 general prevalence, literature and science have 

 been most extensively and successfully cultivated. 

 It is also worthy of remark> that, among all the 

 professions denominated learned, the clerical pro- 

 fession!! may be considered as having furnished as 

 many, if not more, authors of distinction than any 

 other. And if we join to tJie clergy those lay- 

 authors w\xo have been no less eminent as Chris- 

 tians than cw scholars, the predominance of learn- 



