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In a word, there are five kinds of fear, in which we ought continually to be. A fear of respect,

gine that they need only bawl, and fpeak often of hell and the devil. Now without doubt a preacher ought to affect people by ftrong, and fometimes even by terrible images: but it is from the Scripture that he fhould learn to make powerful impreffions. There he may clearly discover the way to make fermons plain and popular, without lofing the force and dignity they ought always to have. For want of this knowledge a preacher oftentimes doth but ftun and frighten people fo that they remember but few clear no tions and even the impreffions of terror they received, are not lafting. This miftaken fimplicity that fome affect, is too often a cloak for ignorance and at belt it is fuch an unedifying manner of address, as cannot be acceptable either to God, or men. Nothing can excufe fuch homely preachers, but the fincerity of their intentions. They ought to have ftudied and meditated much upon the word of God, before they undertook to preach. A prieft who understands the Scripture fully, and has the gift of fpeaking, fupported by the authority of his function, and of a good life, might make

VOL. II.

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excellent difcourfes without great preparation. For one fpeaks eafily of fuch truths as make a clear and ftrong impreffion on his mind. Now above all things, fuch a fubject as religion muft furnish exalted thoughts: and excite the nobleft fentiments: and this is the defign of eloquence. But a preacher ought to speak to his audience, as a father would talk to his children, with an affectionate tendernefs: and not like a declaimer, pronouncing an harangue, with stiffness, and an affected delicacy."-Dialogues on Eloquence, dial. 3.

The following rules for obtaining facility of speaking feem to me very juft. "You are well verfed, fays the writer, in literature, and you have a due sense and relish of religion on your own foul; to thefe add the following rules.

"1. Do not content your

felf with general knowledge: but endeavour to fettle in your mind the genuine notion of all the doctrines and duties of religion. of religion. If you be thus master of the subject, you will be able to speak readily and diftinctly on all occafions. Want of clearness of speaking generally arifeth from a defect of clear thinking. 3 D

2. Be

remembering what we are in the eyes of that infinite Majefty, who fees us, and in the hands of the perpetual Providence, which governs us-A fear of horror in regard to fin, remembering that the greateft of evils is that of offending a good and merciful God, of whom we have received fo many favours-A fear of humility, remembering that all we are, and all we have by grace, we hold not of ourfelves, but God-A fear of precaution, remembering that the just falleth feven times a day, and that if we fay, We have no fin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us-A fear of attackment to God, faying to him with the prophet, Forfake me not, O Lord, O my God, be not far from me. In this manner let us work out our own falvation, and God, behold. ing his talents multiply in our hands, will increase their number by adding bleffing upon bleffing, till at length he will change grace into glory, and give us the entire and perfect enjoyment of his everlasting inheritance.

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CHAP. VIII.

Of Texts to be difcuffed in Propofitions.

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O thefe three, a fourth may be added, which confifts in reducing the texts to a number of. propofitions, two at leaf, and three or four at moft, having mutual dependence, and connection. Thus for example, Rom. viii. 13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. You may, without pretending to explain the terms, flesh-fpirit-death-life, or the phrafes, live after the flesh-mortify the deeds of the body-(which is the usual method.) you may reduce the whole to two propofitions; the one, that the damnation of finners is inevitable-and the other, that a good and holy life is both a principal end of the gofpel, and an infeparable character of chriftianity. When this method is taken, there is much more liberty than in the former, and a more extensive field opens. In the former methods you are reftrained to your text, and you can only explain, and apply that; you can make no other obfervations, than fuch as precifely belong to it: but here your fubject is the matter contained in your propofitions, and you may treat of them thoroughly, and extend

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them

them as far as you please, provided you do not violate the general rules of a fermon. Here you

muft propofe not to treat of the text, but of those fubjects, which you have chofen from several contained in the text. The way of explication is moft proper to give the meaning of Scripture; and this of fyftematical divinity. (1) The way of application rather regards practice than theory: but this, which we call the way of propofitions, or points, is more proper to produce an acquaintance with

(1) Syftematical divinity. Some writers have exclaimed bitterly against fyftems of divinity, others have exaggerated the utility of them. Perhaps the truth may be, neither fide has taken fufficient pains to understand the other. The ology reduced to a fyftem is nothing more than a regular arrangement of what we hold for religion, and there can be no damage done by fuch orderly difpofitions of truths: on the contrary, much benefit arifes to a student of divinity by them, for a fyftem is as advantageous to a minifter, as a regular fet of books to a merchant. A minifter's fancy is a kind of wafte book, his fyftem is a fort of ledger. There are many ways of abufing fyftems, and thefe abufes have given juft ground of complaint. If human fyftems be made ftandards of orthodoxy, if they be impofed on minifers, if they be given not to

be examined, but only to be defended, if they take a place, which belongs to the facred Scriptures, if affent to them be a ground of poffeffing civil and ecclefiaftical benefits, then indeed they deserve all that has been faid against them.

Syftem is defined a scheme, which unites many things in order, and reduces them to regular dependence; and the following remarks feem juft. "A regular order is required in the general arrangement of a fyftem of divinity, and a connection is to be preserved in the feveral matters that form it-the definitions should be just-the divifions exactthe arguments folid-the proofs clear the citations conclufive-the examples ftriking-the terms of each thefis are to be explained at the beginning-from each definition certain axioms are to be drawn-from thence

pro

with fyftematical divinity, and it will equally ferve theory and practice. (2)

propofitions are to be formed which are to be illuftrated by fcholia, and proper reafoning."-Elements of Univerfal Erudition, by Baron Bielfeld, vol. i. book 1. chap. 1. S. 5.

(2) Propofitions. This rule is beautifully exemplified by Saurin in his fermon on Chrift's divinity. "The doctrine of the divinity of Jefus Chrift (fays he) we ground on three propofitions. Ift, Jefus Chrift is fupremely adorable, and fupremely adored by beings the most worthy of our imitation. 2dly, It implies a contradiction to fay, that God communicates the honours of fupreme adoration to a fimple creature. 3dly, Our ideas of this fubject are perfectly conformable to thofe of the ages, in which orthodoxy is belt eftablished, and leaft fufpected." The

text is Rev. v. II, 12, 13, 14. and the fermon a full anfwer to all that can be objected against the doctrine. Saur. Jer. tom. ii. fer. 4.

Maffillon abounds in this method; but feldom mentions them in form: a fingle propofition is the ground of the fermon, and its proof, the parts. Thus, in a fermon on indifference in religion.

For

"Lukewarmnefs is a certain prelude of a fall. ift, Becaufe fpecial aids are neceffary to perfeverance in grace; but they are not afforded in this ftate. 2dly, Because the paffions, which draw us away, ftrengthen in this ftate. 3dly, Because all external helps to piety become useless in fuch a ftate." Ser. Car. tom. iv. pour le jeudi de la 3 fem. Sometimes three propofitions are the three parts of his fermon. Thus, on "Mat. viii. 10. ift, Religion is reasonable. 2dly, Religion is glorious.3dly, Religion is neceffary. Ser. Car. tom. i. pour le jeudi apres les cendres.

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So again," I Cor. ii. 7, 1ft, A fuffering God renders humiliations honourable. zd, A God carrying our griefs renders fufferings amiable. 3d. A God united to man confounds reafon, and renders even faith reasonable." Myfter. pour l'incarnation.

Mr. Superville, from Mat. xxii. 41. 46. extracts three propofitions, which he calls three leons. 1ft, "Two truths may be certain, and worthy of all acceptation, though we know not how to make them agree together. Chrift was David's fon, and David's Lord. zd, There always were obfcurities

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