Imatges de pàgina
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hand, we muft remind our hearers, that where the tree is good, the fruit also will be good; and that no pretences to faith or love are well founded, which do not justify themselves by a fuitable practice. Nor must we content ourselves with general encomiums on holinefs and good works. It is neceffary minutely to defcribe the various graces of the Spirit that constitute the Christian temper, and the various duties we owe to God, our neighbours, and ourfelves. We do not comply with the precepts of the apoftles, and imitate their example, in fpeaking the things that become found doctrine, unless we inculcate upon our hearers the particular obligations that refult from their different ages, ftations, and relations; Tit. ii. 1. 2. For vice, as well as error, is contrary to found doctrine, according to the glorious gofpel of the bleffed God; 1 Tim. i. 9.

II.

Further, we give offence, if we do not infift on fubjects fuited to the fpiritual ftate of our flocks, and to the dispensations of providence towards them. In many difcourfes, the counfel is good, but not for the time. Whereas, a well-timed discourse bids fairest to ftrike and edify. There is also a time to keep filence, as well as a time to speak. In many cafes, we will inftruct and admonifh in vain, if we ftay not till mens minds are calm, compofed, and in proper temper to give us a fair hearing. Paul would not feed with ftrong meat those who were not able to bear it. On fome occafions, an oblique hint will irritate more than a fevere undisguised reproof would do at another feafon.

It is evident, from what has been faid, that the mat

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ter of his fermons muft needs give offence, whofe ideas of the great truths of Chriftianity are fuperficial, confused, and indistinct. Men must have knowledge ere they impart it; and there is one only fource whence divine knowledge, without danger of mistake, can be derived, and where it is the duty and intereft of the minifter of Chrift, with the utmost diligence, to dig for it. Let the writings of philofophers, of hiftorians, and of politicians, be their ftudy whofe bufinefs it is to unfold the fecrets of nature, to tranfmit to posterity the memorable deeds of heroes, or to give counfel to their fovereign in matters of state. Thefe branches of knowledge are at beft ornamental, not effential, to a teacher of Chriftianity. He may innocently, nay, ufefully, amufe himself with them; but he cannot, without facrilege, devote to them the greatest part of his time. His office is, to make known to perishing finners the fublime, the affecting, the comforting truths of the lively oracles; and for that end, attentively to read them, to meditate on them day and night; and whilst he defpifes not the labours of able and worthy men, who have endeavoured to illuftrate them, to fecure a better and more effectual help, by humbly and fervently imploring the Father of lights, to open his eyes to behold wondrous things out of God's word. Thus fhall he become a fcribe inftructed into the kingdom of God, and, like unto a man that is an householder, bring forth out of his treafures things new and old.

3. When minifters give no offence by the subjects of their fermons, they may give a great deal by their manner of handling them. Particularly,

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When they preach not in a manner calculated to in, form the judgment. Men are rational creatures, and, if we would addrefs them as fuch, the understanding fhould, as the leading power, be first applied to. For this purpose, we must clearly open and explain the truth, confirm it by arguments level to the capacities of our hearers, and do all this in plain familiar language, which even thofe in low life may eafily understand. Chriftianity was defigned for the peafant as well as the philofopher. And, as the learned and wife make a fmall proportion of moft congregations, to preach it in a way in which only they are like to be the better for it, is highly offenfive. Philofophy, though from the prefs it has done religion substantial service; yet, when often introduced in the pulpit, generally hurts it, by ufurping the place of what would be more useful, and probably more acceptable too. Scholaftical niceties, metaphyfical distinctions, and a fine fubtile thread of reafoning, may indeed fometimes be neceffary in answering metaphyfical objections against religion; and therefore, on fome rare occafions, the use of them in the pulpit may be profitable. But the bulk of audiences are incapable of following a long and intricate train of thought; and therefore will be confounded by it, not inftructed and convinced. While some may applaud fuch fermons as deep and rational, the more wife will despise them as idle and injudicious. This, however, is no apology for any who verge to the oppofite extreme, flight order and exactness in their compofitions, and, instead of keeping clofe to a fubject, entertain their hearers with confufed incoherent difcourfes, empty

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of fentiment, but full of infipid repetitions, and impertinent rambling excurfions.

I fay nothing of thofe, whofe long perplexed periods, occafioned by unneceffary epithets and expletives, and parentheses, and digreffions, render their fermons at once tedious and obfcure. This unhappiness of style is remarkable in fome who stand in the first rank of genius and penetration; who exerting thought more intenfely than others, had little attention to spare for expreffion. Their fault is more voluntary, and therefore more offenfive, who by a false affectation of the elegant or the fublime, foar aloft, above the comprehenfion of their hearers. Bombaft defcriptions, glittering flowers of eloquence, and luxuriant flights of wit, had better be left to the heroes of romance*. Sermons compofed in fuch a ftyle, may indeed entertain and amufe; but they want perfpicuity, the very first and fundamental excellency of speech. Even the justeft metaphors, when too much crouded, enervate a difcourse; darken, instead of illustrating, the sense; and, to use the words of another, resemble the windows in old cathedrals, in which the painting keeps out the light. I acknowledge, the beft fentiments, if conveyed in mean and low images, and cloathed in a ruftic flovenly drefs, provoke laughter in fome, and occafion uneasiness in others: but we need not run into a finical nicety of ftyle, in order to avoid a fordid negligence.

Hervey of the church of England, and Macewen of the Seceffion, are agreable writers. But to attempt their manner is dangerous, without an uncommonly lively imagination, folid judgment, and correct taste. Luxuriancies of ftyle, generally overlooked in original geniuses, appear ridiculous in their fervile imitators.

Still

Still more offenfive than these, is an obscurity affected for its own fake. It must offend every honeft man, if, to conceal unpopular opinions, and to put on an air of orthodoxy, we ufe expreffions which may be interpreted, with equal ease, to divers, and even contrary purposes. Remarkable are the words of Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 8. 9. "If the trumpet give an uncertain "found, who fhall prepare himself for the battle? So "likewife ye, except ye utter by the tongue words eafy "to be understood, how fhall it be known what is spo"ken? for ye fhall speak to the air." If this is a good argument against preaching in an unknown tongue, it is equally good against every thing else that disguises, instead of unfolding our fentiments of Chriftianity. The apostles used great plainnefs of fpeech; and it is an apoftolical injunction, "If any man fpeak, let him fpeak as the oracles of God." Let his style be plain and clear, like that of the facred writings; not dark and ambiguous, like the oracles of the Heathen *.

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After all, informing the judgment, though the first part of our work, is far from the whole of it. Sermons will do little service, if they are not alfo calculated to command a reverend attention, to strike the confcience, and to warm and affect the heart. We speak as minifters of God; and therefore it becomes us to fpeak with dignity and boldness, not fearing the face of man. Favour should not bribe, nor frowns nor dangers af

* It was justly obferved of the council of Trent, "Nofti artificia horum hominum; vix unquam aliquid aperte dicunt, vix unquam fimpliciter et cum ceteri homines loquantur ut intelligi poffint, isti nihil magis volunt quam ne intelligantur." Pibraci epiftola ad Hofpitalium, apud Courayer, in notis ad Fr. Pauli hift. Conc. Trid. t. 1. p. 368. edit. Lond. Too many Protestants have imitated them in this.

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