SECTION it. 611 and giving our advice upon matters Which are not so evidently and so expressly revealed, let us practise the modesty of the bles sed apostle ; 1 Cor. vii. 6, 10, 12, 25, &c. Ispeak this by per- mission or advice, and not of commandment :a It is I speak zt, and not the Lord: I have no plaiiz commandment of the' Lord about it, yet I give my judgment as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to befaithfat: I suppose therefore that in thepresent case,' this is good to be practised, or that to be avoided : judgeye within yourselves, whether what Ispeak be agreeable to the word of God; 1 Cor. xi. 13. VIII. Remember that you have to do with the understand- ing, reason and memory of man, with the heart and conscience, with the will and affections ; and therefore you must use every method of speech, which may be most proper to engageand em- ploy, each of these faculties or powers of human nature, im the side of religion and in the interests of God and the gospel. Your first business is with the understanding, to make even the lower parts of your auditory know what you mean. Endeavour there- fore to find out all the clearest and most easy forms of speech, to convey divine truths into the minds of men. Seek to obtain a perspicuous style. and a clear and distinct manner of speaking, that you may effectually impress the understanding, while you pronounce the words ; that you may so exactly imprint on the mind of the hearers, the same ideas which you yourself have conceived, that they may never mistake your meaning. This talent is sooner attained in younger years, by having some judi- cious friend to hear or read over your discourses, and inform you where perspicuity is wanting in your language, and where the hearers may be in danger of mistaking your sense.. For want of this, sane young preachers have fixed themselves in such an obscure way of Writing; and talking, as [lath very much prevent- ed their hearers from obtaining distinct ideas of their discourse. And if a man gets such an unhappy habit he will be sometimes talking to the air, and make the people stare at him, as though he were speaking some unknown language. Remember you have to do with the reasoning powers ofman, in preaching the gospel of Christ ; for though this gospel be revealed from heaven, and coulit neverbe discovered by all the efforts of human reason, yet it is the reason of man mast judge of several things relating to it, (viz.) It is reason must deter- * : know these exprossíons of the apostle have another turn given themby some judicious commentasses, (viz.) that the apostle bad a !ñcient proof of the di.eatnns which he pronounces strongly to be the commands of Christ from other places of scripture i Ant tha, these which he expresses so cautiously, were direc- tions which Christ had not elsewhere given us, but were made known to him by his own special in..piration. 1 am not folly assured which is the true sense, but 1 rather think it is to he understood as St. Paul's own private sense of things, who was'a man favoured wish many inspirations. a q 2
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=