a very little of tupto, tuptise, &c.; then let him go to the theological school, and fall boldly at the Hebrew, read the first verse of Genesis, and one or two in Psalms. Philosophy, mathematics, history, and works of taste, are of no consequence to him. He must, by and by, attack biblical criticism, and learn how to correct the translation in a dozen or twenty places: make a lit tle noise about Campbell and Stuart, overthrow Locke and Edwards, which he can do in a fortnight, turn over a few old Latin books, such as Turretin, Pictete, and Rigeley, read a little in the expositors and systematics, patch up an exegesis, and write some exercises. He need not read much; must copy a great deal; must talk a great deal; think little; never reason; it is always better to assert, and leave the onus probandi to be made out by such as, in their dull wisdom, may want it.

In short, as to learning, he may get more or less as he pleases; his grand object is to arrive at licensure, then the important task commences. In his sermons frequent quotations from the old divines, and the standards, will be important. It will be unlucky if he can get nothing from the old divines: and, reader, I simply ask the question, whether he may not sometimes quote a sentence from some old divine, even although he never saw the book, provided he is sure he does not differ from that author? For instance, he may sometimes remark, as says the learned and pious Limborch or Pictete." For it would be a wonder, indeed, if Limborch or Pictete did not say that thing at one time or another. This would be a great help to him on va rious occasions.

66

But this young man must preach soundly and roundly the triangle; must assert that mankind have no manner of ability to do any thing;-must have such terms as spiritual, mystery, grace, imputation, federal head, covenant, in every sentence ;— must knock down metaphysics, and all trains of reasoning ;— must assert very boldly, and make his audience feel that he has authority and power.

His tones and gestures may be taken from a fourth rate actor, provided he can go so high: he must swell up his words with great pomp, and if he can hit a little of the Caledonian

1

brogue, all the better. Yet all must be done with a pretty air, looking polite, wise, sagacious, profound, and as big as possible.

I believe I need not add, any thing like a conformity to these rules will make the man a public wonder; so that even when he walks the street, modesty will often compel him to lower down his hat, and hide his face, to escape the ardent gaze of obtrusive curiosity.--Dico quid scio.

Beside these pulpit qualifications, there are some others of great importance, in their influence, and their best recommendation is that they cost little labour or effort. This young man must early and strongly attach himself to great men, and leading characters, whether great or little. He must never oppose their measures, dispute their sentiments, nor expose their foibles; must be ready to second their motions, trumpet their praise, humour their passions, flatter their prejudices, imbibe their ideas, and disseminate their opinions. He must, indeed, suffer these men to stand upon his shoulders, and if they now and then kick a little, not seem to mind it-that by their influence, in due time, he may stand upon the shoulders of others. There is vast science in this system from which, though a legal and visible hierarchy is excluded, with great abhorrence, yet all its benefits are countervailed by a texture of influence and interest, wrought into a fabric of equal height and solidity. A hierarchy is a real staircase cut round a pyramid, on every step of which men have a level foothold firm and easy. But where no stairs are cut in the smooth steep, the ascending and superincumbent fabric of power is sustained and pushed upwards, by extended substructions of broad and brawny shoulders below. I shall say little about it: but if a man would hope to rise, he must apply his shoulders to the timbers he can reach, and it is no great matter where he begins. However, he must bow himself, like Sampson, but for a different purpose. Yet it will generally happen that while he pushes some upwards, he must pull others downwards. Thus, by a nice eye, a resolute hand, and due dexterity, he will first perhaps be in equilibrio, then buoyant, at length rampant, and, last of all, salient. He will then naturally plant his feet on shoulders, or heads, below; but must never cease to shove those above him, that he may rise

after them. These are hints by-the-by; and a word to the wise is sufficient. But here sometimes is witnessed a curious scuffle, which would give scope to the pencil of Hogarth, or the pen of Butler.

I should now proceed to the third and last, and by far the greatest quality of the good presbyterian, in the true technical import of the phrase. But the very great importance of the subject, together with some original hints, seem to forbid it a place in this series. It will appear in the next, Indeed, if I have been so fortunate as to lay down rules whereby a minister may preach, and not offend his audience, in this refined and fastidious age, I think the rest may safely be put off for a few weeks.

INVESTIGATOR.

No. V.

THERE is no point more importunately urged by the triangu lar divines, than that the understanding of the sinner is as much depraved as the will. To make out this doctrine, they set their best metaphysical powers and talents in the most logical array. There is not room to enter largely into this discussion, at present; nor, indeed, can I conceive that much room or time is necessary to present the subject in a point of light both intelligible and satisfactory.

The zeal which prompts these strenuous endeavours to make out the depravity of the understanding, arises from their professed desire to make the doctrine of depravity complete, affecting all parts of the soul alike, and, as they allege, to deprive the sinner of all opportunity to boast, or glory, in any thing which he has, while in a state of impenitence; and to make out his natural state to be the most ruined and the worst possible. In their notions of the depravity of the understanding, they find their chief countenance and support for denying and rejecting

the doctrine of moral inability; for they say, as the understanding is as deeply depraved as the will, there must, therefore, be something in the way of a sinner's return to holiness and to God, beside merely the want of will, or disposition to do it.

If a mere persuasion could alter the natural condition of men ; if believing our state to be better or worse than it is, would make it better or worse, there would be a motive to distort evidence, to shut our eyes against light, and to wrest the scriptures in which our characters are faithfully portrayed. But, as things are, our highest interest, and only security, seems greatly to depend on our having just conceptions of our condition, without which we can hardly be supposed to receive, or appreciate, the remedy God has provided.

I shall convey my opinion on this subject to the reader, under the following particulars :

1. The will, or, what is usually termed the moral faculty of the soul, is that alone which has any concern with sin or holiness, virtue or vice, or by whatever name those things may be called. On the contrary, the understanding, or intellect, is that faculty of the mind of which knowledge or ignorance is alone predicable. It is the perceiving faculty, the eye of the soul; and, according as it is differently modified, it is the fountain of reason, memory, judgment, &c.

Depravity, as far as sin or holiness, right or wrong, are concerned, has no connexion with the understanding, is not predicable of it, any more than it is a material substance, such as stone or timber. So, on the other hand, neither is knowledge, reason, memory, or judgment, predicable of the will, or moral faculty. They, indeed, both belong to the soul, yet they are departments distinct from, and independent of, each other. Whoever asserts that the understanding is depraved, may as correctly assert, that the will reasons or perceives; i. e. if he means any thing more than that there is a want of knowledge, judgment, or power of perception in the understanding.

2. By depravity of understanding, then, must be meant ignorance, the want of knowledge, or of strength of faculty to acquire it. I might more largely justify and demonstrate these positions, but they will not be denied. It then remains to in

quire what necessary and established, or adventitious and accidental connexion there is between wickedness of heart and depravity of understanding, or ignorance, by which I mean the same thing. And this inquiry will naturally resolve itself into two parts, viz. as it relates to reason and experience, and as it relates to the express testimony of scripture.

1. The light of reason and experience affords no evidence that there is any necessity, or immediate connexion, between sin and ignorance, either as cause and effect, or as inseparable concomitants.

Sin is a free, or voluntary act; and, for aught we can see, requires and implies as much voluntariness and intellect—as much moral liberty and knowledge, as holiness. Sin is a transgression of the law of God; but the great command of the law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart" Now, we have no evidence that the first sin of Satan, or of Adam, or that any subsequent sin of falle angels, or men, was occasioned by ignorance, or caused ignorance, i. e. necessarily and immediately.

No mortal knows what the soul is: no mortal can say that a sinful act of the will instantly detracts, or cuts off, a single ray of light from the understanding, or renders the understanding, at the next moment, feebler in its perceptive, retentive, reminiscent, or conceptive powers. I speak now of the light of reason and experience merely. I can readily conceive, and shall presently show, how a simple state may draw after it a state of ignorance, but this is voluntarily done, and is wholly adventitious to a sinful state.

Experience daily shows us, that a local disease in the body, by the force of corporeal sympathies and connexions, may cause a morbid diathesis through the system; thus, a slight puncture in the foot may bring on all the horrible train of tetanic symptoms. But who can tell me, by the light of reason and philosophy, or by any other light, in what incorporeal essence the various faculties of the soul inhere, so connected by a common sensorium, that when one becomes diseased, all the rest are ne