are a great many texts, in which it will be neceffary to make use of two, or three, and fometimes even of all the four ways. When a text is explained, it will be very often needful to make fome obfervations alio, and the matter will require as long an application. Sometimes to explain a text well, the matter must be reduced into many propofitions, as we have obferved on thefe words, It is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure. In like manner, when the method of obfervation is used, it very often happens that fome part of the text needs explaining, and fo of the reft. (7) Thefe four ways must be diftinguished for two reafons. ift. Because they are very different from one another to explain, to make obfervations, to apply, and greeably propofition and application on 1 Cor. xiii. 9. He difcuffes the fubject in two fermons. In the first he says, I will explain this humbling truth in two propofitions expreffed in the text; the one, that God has not judged it neceffary to reveal himself ful (7) Methods of difcuffion may be mixed. Mr. Saurin, on Heb. x. 5, &c. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and facrifices for fin thou haft had no pleasure. Then faid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, Oly to us, we know but in part. "God, first confiders the words The other, that our knowas proceeding from Chrift's ledge of what God has been mouth, and fecondly as the pleafed to reveal is very imlanguage of his people. In perfect, we prophesy but in the first part he fays, there part." In the fecond fermon are three things neceffary. 1ft, he applies the subject to use, Our text is a citation, it must and teaches a leffon of faith, be verified. 2. It is difficult, humility, meeknefs, refigna it must be explained. 3. It is tion, diligence, deadness to one of the most effential truths the world, &c.-Serm. par of religion, it must be folidly Dumont, fur l'imperf. de nos proved. Connoiffances. Mr. Dumont uses very a and to reduce to propofitions, are four very dif ferent ways of treating a text. A compofer, then, 'must not confound them together: but he must obferve the difference well, that he may ufe them properly. 2d. Because it is customary to give the difcuffion of a text the name of the prevailing manner of handling it. We call that the way of explication, in which there is more explication than obfervation. We not only call that the way of obfervation, which has only obfervations, but that in which there is more obfervation than explication, or application; and fo of the rest. CHAP THE СНАР. ІХ. Of the EXORDIUM. HE Exordium is that part, in which the minds of the hearers are prepared, and a natural and eafy way opened to the difcuffion. (1) But first, a question prefents itfelf (on which opinions are much divided) whether Exordiums be (1) The Exordium prepares the bearers for the difcuffion. Mr. Claude's rules for Exordiums are perfectly agreeable to those of ancient orators, and most likely taken from them, to whofe directions nothing can be added. It fhall fuffice to obferve his agreement with fome. "Quod principium Latine vel Exordium dicitur, majore quadam ratione Græci videntur pooμs nominaffe: quia a noftris initium modo fignifi. catur, illi fatis clarè partem hanc effe ante ingreffum rei de qua dicendum fit, often.dunt. Nam five propterea VOL. II. ne quòd oun cantus eft, et citharodi pauca illa quæ antequam legitimum cartamen inchoent, emerendi favoris gratia canunt, procemium vocaverunt: oratores quoque ea quæ priufquam caufam exordiantur, ad conciliandos fibi judicum animos præloquuntur, eadem appellatione fignarunt: five quod ofμor iidem Græci viam appellant, id quod ante ingreffum rei poni tur, fic vocare eft institutum: certe procemium eft quod apud judicem dici priufquam caufam cognoverit, profit, Quint. inft. lib. iv, cap. i. 3 K neceffary? or even whether they be not in all cafes quite useless, and in fome hurtful? Whether it would not be better entirely to omit them, to begin immediately with the connection of the text with preceding verfes, pass to the divifion, and fo enter on the difcuffion? There are many of this opinion, and their reafons are, ift. That there appears too much artifice in an Exordium, which is more likely to diffipate than to conciliate the attention of your hearers. "It is evident (fay they) to the auditors, that you defign to come infenfibly, and by a kind of artful manoeuvre to your matter, and to lead your hearers almoft imperceptibly to it: but this feems a fineffe altogether unworthy of the gofpel, and contrary to that fincerity, ingenuoufnefs, gravity, and fimplicity, which should reign in the pulpit. Indeed, when a wife hearer perceives you defign to deceive him, he conceives a ftrong prejudice against you, and that prejudice will certainly be hurtful in the following part of the dif courfe." They add in the fecond place, that " Exordiums are extremely difficult to compofe, and justly stiled the croffes of preachers. Should fome fmall advantage be gained by Exordiums, it would not be of con. fequence enough to induce us to compofe them. In fo doing we should waste a part of our time and ftrength, which might be much more usefully employed." They fay thirdly, that "the principal end propofed in an Exordium is either to conciliate the hearer's affection, or to excite his attention, or to prepare the way to the matters to be treated of: but all these are to be fuppofed. As to their affection, paftors, who preach to their own flocks, ought |