CHAPTER II. 523 reduced into a strict mathematical method: Those who have tried, have found much inconvenience therein. Some things have more need to be explained than to be proved, as axioms, or self- evident propositions ; and indeed all the first great principles, the chief and most important doctrines both of natural and revealed religion ; for when the sense of them is clearly explained, they appear so evident in the light of na- ture or scripture, that they want no other proof. There are other things that stand in need of proof, as well as explication, as many mathematical theorems, and several deep controversies in morality and divinity. There are yet other sorts of subjects which want rather to be warmly impressed upon the mind by fer- vent exhortations, and stand in more need of this than they do either of proof or explication ; such are the most general, plain, and obvious duties of piety towards God, and love towards men, with the government of all our inclinations and passions. Now these several subjects ought to be treated in a different manner and method. Again, There are some subjects in the same treatise which are more useful and necessary than others, and some parts of a anbject which are eminently and chiefly designed by a writer or speaker : true method will teach us to dwell longer upon these themes, and to lay out more thought and labour upon them ; 'whereas the same art of method will teach us to cut short those things which are used only to introduce our main subject, and to stand as scaffolding merely to aid the structure of our discourse. It will teach us also to content ourselves with brief hints of those matters which are merely occasional and incidental. 2. Your method must be adjusted by your design, for if you treat of the same subject with two different views and designs, you will find it necessary to use different methods. Suppose the doctrine of the sacred Trinity were your theme, and you were to read a lecture to young students on that subject, or if you de- signed a treatise for the conviction of learned men, you would pursue a very different method from that which would be proper to regulate a practical discourse, or a sermon to instruct common Christians merely in the pious improvement of this doctrine, and awaken them to the duties which are derived thence. In short, we must not first lay down pertain and precise rules of method, and resolve to confine the matter we discourse of to that particular form and order of topics ; but we roust well consider, and study the subject of our discourse thoroughly, and take a just survey of our present design, and these will give suit. dent hints of the particularform and order in which we should handle it, provided that we are moderately skilled in the general laws of method and order. Yet let it be noted here, that neither the subject nor matter
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