(325) 1 CHAP. VII. Of Texts to be difcuffed in a way of continued Application. WE E have faid, there are two general ways of difcuffing a text, that of explication, and that of observation. These two ways of preaching we call textuary, because, in effect, they keep to the text without digreffion, they regard it as the fubject-matter of the whole difcuffion, or, if you please, as the field, which they have to cultivate, or to reap: but, befide thefe, there is a third way, which is, without explaining or making obfervations, the making of a continual application of it, and the reducing of it immediately to practice. (1) (1) Make a continual application of the text. The capital art of a preacher is to bring his fubject home to the bofoms of his hearers. Divines take different methods of doing this; fome apply as they go on, others referve the application to the laft, and close the fermon with it. An eminent profeffor of divinity in the university of Leyden makes a In 1 1 In this manner we muft principally manage texts exhorting to holiness, and repentance, as this Sed fi partes explicatæ fint diverfi generis, tum non eft inutile, primæ parti explicatæ nonnullas doctrinas fubjicer ut tædio auditori occurratur, et major rerum va. rietas in textu appareat, quæ femper facit auditores attentiores. Interim tamen illas doctrinas convenit ad finem fervare, in quibus maximum wades requiritur. Anton Walai opera. Methodus formand. Concion. ration. tradens. tom. ii. p. 425. When all the parts of a fermon tend to establish one point, then the application hould be referved till the clofe: but when each part eftablisheth a different article, then each fhould be applied, as the preacher goes on.. To give notice, that we are going to apply, is faid to be an improper method "The ufual method is vicious. The preacher, when he diftributes his matter, frequently fays, I fhall explain the fubject then eftablish it-and clofe with an application, or, having difcuffed his fubject, he fays, now I come to the application. He should do it without faying he is going to do it; and, to facilitate this part of his work, he fhould have in readiness various forms of tranfition, and by them pafs from explaining and amplifying to applying. of In a moral application fome fuch form of transition as this fhould be used-Brethren, God not only spoke thus to his people formerly, he speaks thus to us also now-See how he chaftifed David, he will chaftife you also in a like cafe-Thou art this Abraham, this David, this Jonah -This doctrine is easy to hear: but how hard to practife!-I have been explaining my text: but, believe me, the best comment is a holy life-Think, I beseech you, auditors! might not this be a most useful subject to us?-O that there were as many doers of this command as there are hearers of it!-Examine, finner! doth not this admonition belong to thee-Was a fubject fo important, fo comfortable, fo terrible, given us merely to fpeculate, think ye?How well is this fubject fitted to inform the ignorant, to comfort the diftreffed, to fupport the weak, to alarm the careless!-Heavenly father; enable us to lay_these things to our hearts!-Do ye believe this doctrine, brethren! reduce it to practice thenWithout fuch truths as these, how should we pass through life? or what should we do at death ?-Let us bless God, who by his prophet, his apoftle, of Zephaniah, examine yourselves diligently, Onation not defirable; for, inftead of explaining the termsor making obfervations on the neceffity of the exhortation the prophet who fpoke it-the Jews to whom apoftle, his fon, fent us fuch information, fuch encouragement, as this, &c." Tranfitions of this kind aptly connect doctrine and ufe, and preferve all the spirit of an application without the form of it. Many of these were ufed by Bucholtzer. Vide Keckerman, Rhet. lib. i. x. Pagan orators used concealment as an artifice: but christian minifters may obferve, that in this, as in many other cafes, artifice originated in nature that, whatever were the rules, and motives of heathen rhetoricians, it is Arialy true, previous information of intention to affect puts auditors on their guard, and frequently precludes the intended effect. Yet, after all, I must confefs, the notion of furprizing people into faith and obedience doth not feem to me to comport well with a fyftem of truth and argument. The introduction of application by tranfition is beautiful because it is natural; and, if pagan rhetoricians make a rule, and an art, and a merit of convincing and perfuading an audience without apprizing them that they intend to do fo, they make a great noife about Nothing. Some preachers have certainly abufed application both in an illiterate and heterodox manner. "Will ye have Jefus Chrift? What fay ye? Speak now, or for ever after hold your peace! Now or never! See finnets, I offer you the Lord Jefus Chrift, will ye accept him? Ah poor Chrift! Muft he go a begging! Out ye hard-hearted! What will Chrift say, when he comes to judge you? I'll tell you what he'll do. He will bind you in bundles and burn you. He will fay, Here is a bundle of drunkards, and there is a bundle of liars. Take them, Devil! Take them, Devil!" These are bad phrafes of the better fort of much worse. I fpare the authors, and quote nobody: but every one knows where to find them. We have divines, who, justly offended with this method, go into the other extreme, and make no application at all. Mr. Huffey's book, entitled God's operations of grace: but no offers of grace, is written expressly against applications."Where doctrines of Christ have been fpied out, they have been prefently murder'd, of knockt down, by fhooting from whom it is addreffed-the defcription of the nation not defirable-the mercy of God in calling these finners to repentance, &c. the whole may very ufefully be turned into practice, and we may enter upon that serious felf-examination, which the prophet commands. (2) from the ftalking horfe of ufe and application. Ah! vile doings among foul-murderers! and text-murderers! who go and let out the life of a, text, and kill it upon the fpot." Glory of Chrift. Introduct. S. 31. page 11. Mr. Huffey's defign, and that of other divines, who have adopted his method, was to fecure to the holy fpirit the fole glory of converting and fanctifying the fouls of the elect: but other preachers, who use fober applications, are equally zealous to preferve the glory to God; and, if the latter may not use application left they fhould rob God of the glory of fanctifying the heart, affuredly the former may not ufe explication, left they should deprive God of the honour of enlightening or informing the mind. In both, the means are ours, the bleffing his. After all, fome have obferved thefe doctrinal divines, who affect to discharge their office fully by narrating and reafoning, and reject perfuafion, fhould not forget, that reafoning is perfuafion and that they themselves flide al The moft as often as any men into perfonal application, efpecially in difcuffing certain favourite points of divinity. This remark is abundantly verified in Mr. Huffey's manufcript fermons, a hundred of which, I fuppofe, I have read; and, I think, I could exemplify it plentifully, were it neceffary, from printed sermons of others of his judgment on the article of application. (2) Examine yourselves. Zeph. ii. 1. Our tranflation has it, Gather yourselves together, yea gather together, O nation not defired. The French is, Epluchez vous, fift, or examine, confider with attention. wp, recollegit, excuffit, inquifivit juxta Kimchium proprie eft, ftipulas colligere, id fit accurata fcrutatione, hinc dicitur de qualibet diligenti inquifitione--excutite vos ipfos iterum excutite. Buxtorf. Scrutamini vos ipfos, et ferutamini. First, examine and reform yourselves, then examine and reform others.Examine, again and again examine. O na The fame may be faid of 1 Cor. xi. 28. Let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup; for, laying afide all theological obfervations, you may actually enter upon felf examination. (3) Ónation not defired. Non amabilis-S--non amata-non defiderabilis. Hieron.-Nullius pudoris. Grot.-Thou unblushing, unlovely nation, enriched with mercies, but infenfible to all. O nation not defiring. Populus non volens converti ad legem. Jonathan.Non obftantibus mandatis, monitionibus, promiffis, et minis, vel nullo, vel non fatis valido defiderio moventur. Marckius. O infenfible nation, not even defiring to be reformed. Cocceius. By (3) Enter upon examination. Of this kind is a fermon of Saurin, preached at Rotterdam on new-year's day 1727, from Pfalm xc. 12. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wifdom. He begins thus, what privilege does this church nourish fo many members in its bofom, to affift in the folemnity of this day, and to compofe an affembly fo numerous? By what privilege are you with your children, friends, fellow-citizens? -not all-for the mourning, which covers fome of you, tells me, death has taken VOL. II. This away one part the laft year, |