20S THE narnovsmarrt or THE M2ND. there is nitnecdssity óf the formal proposal of the several parts, before you handle each of them distinctly, nor is there need of such a set method : the unlearned and narrow understanding can take an easy viewof the whole, without thé author's pointing to the several parts. But where the essay is prolonged to a greater extent, confusion grows upon the reader almost at every page, without some scheme or method of successive heads in the discourse, to direct the mind and aid the memory. If it be answered here, That neither such treatises nor ser- mons are a mere heap, for there is a just method observed in the composure, and the subjects are ranked in a proper order. It is easy to reply, That this method is soconcealed, that a com- mon reader or hearer can never find it; and you must suppose every one that perusessuch a book, and much more that attends such a discourse, to have some good knowledge of the art of Logic before he can distinguish the various parts and branches, the connections and transitions of it. To an unlearned eye or ear, it appears a mere heap of good things without any method, form or order ; and if you tell your young friends they should get it into their heads and hearts, they know not how to set about it. If we enquire, how it comes to pass that our modern in- genious writers should affect this Manner ? I know no jester reason to give for it, than a humourous and wanton contempt of the customs and practices of our forefathers ; a sensible disgust taken at some of their mistakes and ill conduct, at first tempted a vain generation into the contrary extreme near sixty years ago ; and now even to this day it continues too much in fashion, so that the wise as well as the weak are ashamed to oppose it, and are borne down with the current. Our fathers formed their sermons much upon the model ofdoc- trine, reason and use ; and perhaps there is no one method of more universal service, and more easily applicable to most subjects, though it is not necessary or proper in every discourse : but the very names of doctrine and use are become now-a-days such stale and old-fashioned things, that a modish preacher is quite ashamed of them, nor can a modish hearer bear the sound of those syllables : a direct and distinct address to the consciences Of saints and sinners, must not be named or mentioned, though these terms are scriptural ; lest it should be hissed out of the chard, like the garb of a round-head, or a puritan. Some of our fathers baye multiplied their particulars under one single head of discourse, and tun up the tale of them to six- teen or seventeen. Culpable indeed, and too numerous ! But in opposition to this extreme, we are almost ashamed in our age to say thirdly and all fourtltly's and fifthly's are very unfashion- able words. Our fathers made too great account of the sciences
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