

622 The Enquirer. 
lope their doétrine in thick clouds of 
myiftery. That illuftricus ornament of 
the Englith church, Archbifhop Tillot- 
fon, did more than all.his ae ee 
10 reftore the fimplicit 
firuction : and -fince 
eminent pre 
fermens ex 
neral princi 
with energy, 
rals,. Su 





1S many 
, whofe 







; religion, and See 
e praétice ‘of good mo- 
actical preaching, fupport- 
ed, as it is, obvious utility, and re- 
commended, it has been, “by a lo 
train of diftinguifh ames, will not be 
brought 1 into difcre , By the injudicious 
zeai,or petulant inven, of modern en- 
thufiafts, or by the high-toned decifion 



Is Mot to . and declare, but 
a Pplain and p - Men are inftru 
to repeauga 
nm with perfpicuity the ge- they receive fome new infermati 
No. VIIL 
[Sent 
thoritative decifion of a matica 
preacher, for a proof of the doétrine 
which he profeffes to teach. o teach, 
xz 
at 
church, not when they are led, like par- 
rots, effon by rote, but when 
or 
are enableds by the legitimate exercife of 
their reafon, to gain a fatisfaétory con- 
vidtion of some intercfting truth. How. 
much more ufeful would pulpit inftruc-. 
tion become, if, inftead of 
urory and unconnecte 
vere introd ce regular 
Jeétures on religious and mo-_ 
F this kinds are the fol- 








whieh has, ¢ Paes declared mora! ae v of the Grounds of 
preaching “ deftitute of the genuine {pi Religious " ehef; in which the whole 
rit andfavour of C riftianity, * and de- argument is iirly ftated to : arers, 
nounce gages! pees as ** apes of 
Epicie 
uft, however, be owned, lat the 
pr _mode of popular ees by 
preaching, even in the moft and ju- 
ands, is leis produ of mo- 
ne id; 
ral effeét than might expected. Of 
Wate ge any other 





this it is pe 
proof, ligence and indiffe- 
rent w ch thefe public lectures 
Attended. In order to 
Of this fact. as: tap 
it is to be im to-any defe@prin ue 
method of preaching, let us advert to the 
acknowledged @nd and purpofe of preach- 
ing, whi , 10 lead men to the practice 
of virtue. his end,is only BE ac- 


complithed, either b ing to 
the hearers fuch will 
enable them’‘to form elves good 
principles and rales of conduc 5 or by 
exhibiting trutigyen favts, al rad ad- 
mitted, in fuch"@ ftrong light, as fhall 
tend to minite 3 wk fentiimenss, and in- 
vigorataivireuous refolution. 
in order ta be, perl, muit Oe ni 
and imprefiv 




cerns 72/fruéticn, it 1s evi- 
As far asc 
d hat little effeét is to be ed 
from doofe and fmtiy declamati on 
general topics, in which muchis af- 
fumed:and nothing proved ; from a con- 
“fident affertion of dotrines and facts, 
pple cred by fatisfactory argument 
and eyadenc ce; or from a dull repetition 
‘ef precepts, of which neither ae eg 
hed ey explained, nor * pel 
gation Clearly eftablithed. eople, in 
the prefent inquifitive age, are ies ike- 
ly, than formerly. to be charmed nto 
belief by the periodical repetition of a fet 
ef propolitions, or ta miftake the au- 
I 















ot to bias. ride their ju , but 

ceive them an sparsity jud 
or themfelves :—A Review 6f the = 
tory of j agan, Jewifh, Maho- 
meta n; toinform the hear- 



ievous effects ct 
}erance, and fanatic nd 
to enable them iftinguifh, in re igious 
opinions and praétifes, that which is im-. 
d uleful, from that which is 
ers of the m 
tition, into 






pernicious :—Leétures 0 O- 
rals ; inSvhich the general foundation of 
moral obligation fhould {certained, 
d the ferernl branches o rals fhould 







hein defined, their obligation 
ifhed, and their im ance mallu 
trated bw tacts ed f hiftory and 
cee: :—-A Popular Survey of Na- 
ture, its more obvi aws, and its mutu- 
al Relations and Dependencies. to iluf- 
trate the eer adaptation of means 
to ends, and Werein exhibit a proof, ob- 
vicus to every capacity, andrichly fraught 
with rtainment, of the ex- 
iftence ri intelligent and eae 
caufe. F 





, > effeétus lly to anfwer the 
urpofe of vod that = J r- 
cibly szpygfing 
hearer S 
mitted, 




fe Bpedicnt > 
adopted. ‘T c° in aM 
this kind, to fay “* exercife all the 
energies:of See gee From this 
point, that flimfy oratory, examples 
ee 
e fo 
which abound in the French {ch 
thofe frigid hallinenes, which 

ai. | real, with infipid monotony, 
by the elith cher, from his * 
collie 2 are equ diftant. This clafs 
f fermons can only become powerfully 
imprefiive, and practically ufeful, when 
acknowledged 
\ 

