of his officer, a mere fhadow of acquiefcence produced by timidity, and unworthy of the name of unanimity. (7) The difciples of Jefus Chrift were not uniform in this fenfe: but their unanimity was inward, and pofitive, they were of one beart, and one foul. This explication, you perceive, is itself a very just observation, and there are very many paffages of fcripture, which may be treated of in the fame manner. (8)

(7) Popish uniformity is unworthy of the name of unanimity. There are two general methods of proving this propofition. The first is by narrating the hiftory of popery; for of what does it confift but difputes, divifions, infinite intrigues and endless wars? The other is an expofure of the principles of popery, which notoriously detroy what they pretend to

cherish.

5. Obfer

Chrift Jefus the bead, and å renouncing of allegiance to him, &c. Mofes Lowman's Serm. at Salters-ball. 1735. The principles of popery jckifmatical.

(8) The original terms of many paffages of fcripture afford juft and pertinent obfervations. The English translation of the holy fcriptures is in general fo juft, and the confequences of finding fault with it fo injurious to the Thus one of our divines. common people, that every "Rom. xi. 22. The princi- prudent minifter will avoid ples of popery are fchifmati- needlefs obfervations of this cal. 1. The church of Rome kind. It is not fair to shake requires the profeffion and the people's confidence in practice of great errors, and their bibles every Lord's-day dangerous corruptions. 2. 2. for no other reason than that This church hath made all of difplaying our erudition. thefe errors and corruptions There are, however, many neceffary terms of communion. texts, which ought to be elu3. Thefe corruptions are im- cidated as our author directs. pofed with a moft uncharitable A few examples follow. rigor. 4. These errors and corruptions are impofed on perfons, who cannot profefs and practife them without damnable fin. 5. The fundamental corruption of this church is a virtual denying of

Acts xii. 4. Herod intended after Eafter to bring Peter forth: μila to wand after the passover.

1 Cor. xi. 29. He, that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh dam

nation

5. Obfervations, for the most part, ought to be theological, that is to fay, they fhould belong to a fyftem of religion. Sometimes, indeed, we may make use of obfervations hiftorical, philofophical, and critical: but these should be used sparingly,

nation to himself: nera av Tw, judgment to himself; that is, he incurs fome temporal punishment as fickness, &c. ver. 30. an obfervation ought alfo to be made here on the time; for although it pleafed God to punish an abufe of the Lord's fupper in the Corinthian church with fickness, or fudden death, yet the fame fin is not punished in the fame manner now.

1 Cor. ii. 1. I came not with excellency of Speech, or of wijdom: σοφια fignifes here the matter of St. Paul's preaching, and λoy the manner, fee ver. 4. I did not

and

preach moral philofophy, nor did I deliver my doctrine in language formed by rhetori cal rules.

Tit. iii. 14. Let ours alfo learn to maintain good works: to exercife lawful business reyo fæpe eft opus illud, quod unum agimus in vita, vita actio. Sic Cicero de nat. deor. 1. "De figuris deorum, et de locis atque fedibus, et de actione vitæ multa dicuntur." Gen. xlvii. 3. To to eggov υμων ; των. Jonah i. 8. Τις σε περα Jaola; Гуля киден трав eye. Sic Sophoc. in Oedip. Tyran.

--

--

ποιμένες προσα

Οι. Έργον μεριμνων ποίον, η βιον τινα;
Θε. Ποιμνας, &c.

Compare Eph. iv. 28. Phil.
iv. 17. Vid. plura in not.
Deunai in Op. Chryfoft. tom.
viii. p. 545. Edit. Savil.

Tit. ii. 12. Live foberly, righteously, and godly: owOpovas erga fe ipfum dina ws jufte erga proximum, svoses erga Deum. Xenoph. Memorab. Soc. Def. 22. 2 Pet. ii. 13. Jude 12. Ayatais, lovefeafts. "These were fuppers, not attended with the Lord's fupper. Chriftians did not confider thefe of divine inftitution, and there

fore dropped them, when the Emperor Trajan by Pliny in Bithynia forbad their meetings." Dr. Lardner. teft. heath. ii. 9. p. 40.

From all these, and many more of the fame kind, arife juft and pertinent obfervations, which may be directed to popular edification: but it would be better wholly to omit them than to introduce them unguardedly, and fo as to excite groundless fufpicions concerning the whole English version. (9) Hifto

B 2

and feldom, on neceffary occafions, and when they cannot well be avoided; and even then they ought to be pertinent, and not common, that they may be heard with fatisfaction. Make it a law to be generally very brief on obfervations of these kinds, and to inform your audience, that you only make them en paffant. (9)

(9) Hiftorical, philofophical, and critical obfervations ought to be brief. All obfervations of thefe kinds, intended to elucidate the text, are too fhort, which do not anfwer this end; and, when this end is answered, all enlargements are fuperfluous. This remark regards the text only; for in regard to the difcourfe, which is an elucidation of the fenfe, or general meaning of the text, it must be allowed, fome of our fineft fermons are grounded on philofophical, historical, and critical data. The following will exemplify my meaning.

Pfal. lxv. 5. My foul fhall be fati fied as with marrow and fatness.-There is a piety of taste and feeling oppoled to a piety of examination and reafoning-piety of reafoning is fufe: but that of tatte is pleasant, and therefore preferable there are certain fympathies and antipathies which almost defy explication, and yet are obvious and undeniable-obfervation of thefe will eluci-. date the doctrine of the text,

There

the piety of taste and feeling.

1. Senfible objects affect us more than abftra&t invifible objects do. A play affects us more than a fermon, not that we prefer a play before a fermon: but the one exhibits fenfible objects, the other treats of invifibles, as of God, heaven, hell, &c. Piety of tafte, then, includes freedom from the dominion of the fenfes.

2. Imagination fupplies the place of fenje and reajon. An ideal good may be confidered as real, if it be accompanied with an apparatus proper to frike the imagination. The features of a perfon do not prove, that a union with him would produce happinefs, and yet the closest union is frequently formed on fome fuch prejudice. Objects of piety are unaccompanied with impofing appearances, and, therefore, they affect us the lefs. Piety of tafte guards against imagination, and appeals to reafon.

3. A prefent good, or a good, the enjoyment of which is near, affects us more than an absent

good,

There are, I allow, fome cafes, in which obfervations remote from theology are neceffary to the elucidating of a text. When these happen, make your obfervations profeffedly, and explain and prove them. But, I repeat it again, in general, obfervations fhould be purely theological, either fpeculative, which regard the mysteries of Christianity, or practical, which regard morality; for the pulpit was erected to inftruct the minds of men in religious fubjects, and not to gratify curiofity, to inflame the heart, and not to find play for imagination. (1)

good, or than a good to be enjoyed at fome diftant period. Sinful objects propole prefent enjoyment, religious objects propofe future happiness, and therefore the firft affect us moft. Piety of taste anticipates futurity.

4. A good, in poffeffing which we have found pleajure, produces in our hearts in its abfence as vehement defies as a good, that is actually in prefent view. Piety of tafte, then, avoids worldly pleafures for the fake of becoming lefs fenfible to wordly pleafures; and it increafeth the pleasures of devotion by frequently practising devotional exercises." Saur. Ser. iv. Sur le gout pour dev.

(1) In fome cafes make hiftorical and critical objervations profefedly. There are feveral theological fubjects, which cannot be difcuffed without fuch obfervations. Texts, which fome fay are interpo

6. Obfer

lated, muft be vindicated thus. 1 John v. 7. What Mr. Martin, the beft vindicator of the genuineness of this text, has faid critically, and hiftorically on the fubject, Dr. Calamy has wrought into a fermon on the fame paffage. See Martin's Effay on I John v. 7. Dr. Calamy on the Trinity.

Texts, the understanding of which depends on chronology and kifiory, must be dif cuffed thus. The feventy weeks of Daniel, ix. 24.The time of the birth of Chrift, Gal. iv. 4. - The time of his crucifixion and refurrection, 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. -The beginning and the end of the great apoftafy, 2 Theff. ii. 1... 8. Rev. xiii. 18. xvii. 10, 11, 12. - The flaying of the witneffes, Rev. xi. 3. 7. 11. and many more of the fame kind.

All thefe fubjects are unpopular, and, in fome fenfe,

ne

6. Obfervations fhould not be propofed in fcholaftic flyle, nor in common-place guife. (2) They fhould be feasoned with a sweet urbanity, accommodated to the capacities of the people, and adapted to the manners of good men. (3) One