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beneath the dignity of the minister of Jesus Christ to season his discourses to the vitiated palates of ignorant and unstable, not to say suspicious, professors. It is the easiest thing in the world thus to spiritualize (as they call it) a passage of scripture, or to wiredraw a metaphor. But little ingenuity is required; and as for profound thought and extensive learning, they are quite un

necessary.

There is another mischievous consequence of this mode of preaching: it goes a great way towards destroying holiness, by reducing Christianity to a mere theory and speculation. When they tako up a moral precept, instead of considering its design to regulate the life, they disdainfully overlook its obvious and natural meaning, as being legal; and hunt about for a spiritual one, which is far fetched and worth nothing.

Turn we from this unpleasant subject, sincerely lamenting that any preachers should thus pervert the word of God; or, doing so, should obtain a patient hearing.

A minister should chuse for his text a passage of scripture containing some important truth; and give the meaning of it faithfully. In so doing he opens the Scriptures, and declares the mind of God to his congregation. He may ascertain the meaning of his text, 1st, By examining it separately from the context; 2dly, In connexion with the context; and, Sdly, By comparing it with parallel passages, and the general tenor of holy writ. His divi sions should be natural, perspicuous, and few. The grand idea of the text should be preserved whole and entire, not split into fractions. The sun gives more light than a thousand twinkling stars. He should address himself both to the understanding and passions of his hearers. I have heard sermons which resemble Lead: solid and weighty, yet, lifeless, cold, and dull. I have heard others like the gorgeous cloud which surround the setting sun on a summer's evening; adorned with the most brilliant aud finely diversified tints, yet empty and unsubstantial; they glittered for a moment, and then vanished; or, changing the metaphor, the former may be compared to a large joint of excellent meas spoilt in the cooking; the latter to a dish of trifle, which the dainty overcharged epicure may relish; but on which u hungry man will starve.

Neither long chains of argument, nor lofty fights of eloquence become the pulpit. The generality of bearers have not a capacity to understand the one, nor taste to admire the other. There may be a few literary persons in a congregation, but the bulk of congregations is always of a different description. They are used to labour, not to think; and their minds are feeble, because inactive. Short sentences and familiar expressions suit them best; and they are greatly pleased and edified by metaphors drawn from their trades, or things with which they are conversant. By familiar expressions, I do not mean vulgar ones; they are perf ctly distinct,

though often confounded. Vulgarity is disgusting everywhere; but in the pulpit it is detestable. I recommend for a model the sermons of "Him who spake as never man spake;" who at onee convinced the understanding, and touched the finest feelings of the heart. We cannot keep pace with him; yet it is noble to follow him, though afar off. I would suggest to young ministers the superior advantages that will result from copying after the great Head of the church, rather than the popular preacher of the day. Every man ought to be an original. An original may soar; copyists generally creep. Originality does not require a man to follow his own fancies, in defiance of all rule and decorum, it only directs him to call no man master, excepting Christ; and forbids him to be the servile imitator of a fellow-worm.

A minister should select the most stupid, illiterate person in his congregation, and preach particularly to him. If that person understands him, every body else will.

The proper style for the pulpit is very different from that which becomes the Senate or the Bar. The sublime and beautiful orations of a Burke, and the elegant and ingenious harangues of an Erskine, adorn the places where they are delivered. The senator addresses a classic auditory, and may embellish his thoughts with all the copiousness of language and imagery of rhetoric; the counsellor endeavours to persuade the jury that his cause is a good one, and therefore pleads in a style calculated to elucidate or perplex the subject, to lead them to or froin the point in debate, as shall best serve his purpose. The plain, yet energetic style of a Whitfield, better becomes the palpit.

To combine plainness with elegant neatness is extremely difcult, much more so than to use lofty and flowery language; yet it is highly desireable that the illiterate may understand, and the refined not be offended. When a preacher has attained it, he has reached the ne plus ultra of his art, and is formed for the most extensive usefulness.

But there is another consideration of more importance than any of the foregoing; viz. That if the style and delivery of a sermon be displeasing to God, though the matter it contains may be unexceptionable, nay excellent, God may withhold the blessing, and thereby defeat the end of the preacher's labours; and, in fact, we find that pulpit-orators are seldom very useful to saints or sinners. Their auditories are numerous and genteel, yet not the most pious. God pours contempt on literary pride. St. Paul did not attack the Corinthians with the heavy artillery of Logic and rhetoric, though no man was better qualified, espe cially for the former. He addressed them neither as a philosopher nor an orator. He told them a plain, unadorned tale, in language sublimely simple, that Christ died for sinners; and exhorted them to believe and repent; and God owned him for his ambassador, for he preached to them" in demonstration of the

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spirit and of power; that their faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

If a minister feels as he ought, he will be extremely mortified and grieved at the encomiums which are passed on his sermons. People who receive considerable benefit under a sermon, are too much engaged with God to think about the preacher. If they are deeply bemoaning their sinfulness, or contemplating the glory and grace of the Redeemer with holy gratitude and amazement, they cannot find time to pay compliments to a man like themselves. A preacher's usefulness is to be measured by the benefit which people reap from his ministry; and, if his heart is in his work, I firmly believe that God will give him souls for his hire. W.

ON KNOWLEDGE AND PIETY.

EVERY man, in his intercourse with his Christian acquaintance, must have often remarked a great diversity of gift and attainment. None can be found who are in all respects alike; and there are few so similar, but some discriminating difference will easily be discerned. God hath so tempered the body toge ther, that every member possesses those powers necessary for the part it has to act. "If all were an eye, where were the hearing? "and if all were hearing, where were the smelling?" Though all enjoy one and the self-same Spirit, it is not consistent with God's gracious designs, and the present imperfect state of the church, that all should possess the same gifts, or reach the same measure of improvement. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, "to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to ano"ther faith by the same Spirit, &c.; but all these worketh that "one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

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It has often been remarked, that there are many eminently pious, whose knowledge is very limited, and whose attainments are but few. I have often considered this opinion injudicious and incorrect. It cannot be denied, but that piety may consist with very little knowledge; but it will require conclusive reasoning, and scripture-evidence beside, to shew that any can have more piety than what naturally arises from the knowledge they have acquired, or corresponds with it. It is certainly saying too much, to say any can have much godliness, if they have acquired little knowledge of those subjects about which godliness is conversant. It is difficult to give such an accurate definition of godliness as shall meet the views of every one; it is sufficient to our present purpose to observe, that it includes likeness to God, or conformity to his image; and, considered as the duty of the Christian, includes such an exercise of heart, and such practice

in the life, particularly in those duties we owe more immediately to God, as are well-pleasing in his sight. If godliness, then, as has now been stated, includes in it the proper exercise of heart and life in those duties we immediately owe to God, it is necessary to enquire, Whether the heart can be properly exercised, or duties in life properly performed, without a proper knowledge of those subjects to which the Christian's attention is directed? and if not, we shall be unavoidably led into this conclusion, which appears to be jast, that piety must be in proportion to knowledge.

As true godliness includes the proper exercise of the heart, the love of God must form one essential part of it. To the exercise of this love, a knowledge of God's excellence, as also of his love nad goodness to us, is necessary; consequently our love will be in proportion to our knowledge of him. Any thing beyond this must be blind attachment, or loving we know not what; for we cannot love what we do not know. Besides, a desire to be like God, is an exercise of heart inseparable from true godliness. Now, it cannot be supposed that our desire to be like him can exceed our views of the beauties of his holiness, or our ideas of that happiness to be enjoyed in conformity to him. Any blessing is desireable to us in proportion as we-esteem it; and our esteem of it is in proportion to our views of its excellence or utility. Reason will not admit that a higher esteem of any thing than what corresponds with our knowledge of its value, can be wellfounded; so neither can desire for the enjoyment of it be reasonable and just, so far as it exceeds our well founded esteem of it ; consequently, a desire to be like God, or to enjoy him, will be limited by our knowledge of his excellence and goodness.

A devout regard to the authority of God, and a desire to please him, are essential to the being and practice of piety, and form a very considerable part of any character that is distinguished for religion. But this regard to the divine authority must correspond with the views we have received of his law, and the impressions we have of his divine character, as having an indisputed claim on our obedience. No principle of reason or scripture can warrant us to suppose, that our reverence of his high authority can exceed our knowledge of it, or the sense we entertain of the many obligations we are under to regard it. If so, then any seeming respect which exceeds this, must be blind superstition, and the offering of ignorance. In this manner I might illustrate other affections and exercises of the heart proper to genuine piety, and show how they depend on our knowledge of the objects to which they are directed; but a few reflections on the outward practice shall conclude this essay.

That obedience cannot be called a reasonable or spiritual service that is performed without knowing its nature, its importance, and the authority which commands it; for if the heart is

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not well informed of its duty, it cannot perform it in a proper manner. We esteem the man who is punctual in all the duties of religion; but we lament his weakness, when we discover that he cannot give a reason for his conduct, and is ignorant of the obligations which bind him to his duty. If his external observance of the duties of religion exceeds his acquaintance with the rule of duty, that part of his practice cannot be called religion, for which he can render no reason, or with obligations to which his mind is not properly impressed. God, in many cases, may accept the will for the deed: "It was good it was in thine heart to build an house unto the Lord;" but where the soul or practice is guided by no rule, nor under the proper influence of any religious principle, it would require an uncommon stretch of charity to admit that such is worthy of the name of piety. Every part of the Christian practice, then, must be excluded, and that justly, from forming any part of genuine religion, which flows not from knowledge, and a proper acquaintance with the rule of duty.

In a word, our understanding or judgment must be of very little use, if religious attainments can be acquired, or progress made in holiness, without them. It must be admitted, that a man is godly or holy, only in proportion as his attainments, of whatever kind, are sanctified. Now, it cannot be said that he has sanctified to him what he does not possess; and, if between sanctification and godliness there is a necessary relation, or if they may be considered nearly synonimous terms, he can have no more knowledge sanctified to him than what he has attained; and, of consequence, with this knowledge his godliness, both as to the exercise of the heart and the practice of the life, must correspond. It would be a reflection on the wise dispensations of Heaven, to admit that much godliness may be found where there is little knowledge; for it would go to maintain that the exercise of our understanding is not necessary to religion; if without it, holiness, one grand object of religious institutions, can be attained, it would render religious ordinances for instruction of little importance, and supersede the necessity of those divine rules which teach us to grow in knowledge.

ADJUTOR.

THE INSUFFICIENCY OF NATURAL RELIGION.

A TRAVELLER in a dangerous country, unaided by the friendly office of a guide, is an object of pity. The sun having withdrawn his light from the earth, and the shades of evening obscured his path, he wanders in uncertain mazes, till, arriving at a precipice, he falls suddenly, and is dashed in pieces. Such is the condition of depraved man, destitute of a revelation from God.