The poor Greenlanders are an example of the beneficial effects of this mode of preaching.* They were very deficient in all the powers of reafon; and more of courfe under the influence of imagination. To this, their miffionaries, who were themselves illiterate men, immediately applied. Their discourses are full of fenfible images, fit to ftrike the imagination. They abound in fuch phrases as, The Saviour pours his blood upon us. We look into his dear wounds.-Grace brought us to the dear Saviour's wounds, which we kifs.-Lead us to the Lamb's wounds.-We kifs his pierced feet with tears.—I had a gracious look from the blood-fained Saviour.-I have no better place to hide me in, than the wounds of Christ.

In a ftrain of this kind the preaching of the Moravian Miffionaries in Greenland chiefly ran : yet we cannot but conceive, from the fimple narratives we have of the focieties of these people, they were pious chriftians.

At the fame time the sectary must grant, that a mode of preaching, thus addreffed to the imagination, is not adapted to general ufe. What an ignorant uninformed audience would hear VOL. II.

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with

*See CRANTE'S Account of the Miffionaries in Greenland.

with delight, (as indeed we fee they commonly do) an enlightened audience could not forbear treating with contempt. To convince the mind of an intelligent fceptic, you must not open upon him with the abfolute neceffity of faith, till you have convinced him of the foundation of that faith nor tell him affecting ftories of the fufferings of Chrift, till he believe in the reality of thofe fufferings. He must be given to understand, that the truth of the gospel is not without the ftrongest evidence, if he would take the trouble to examine it.

Again, when worldly prejudices, and refined modes of immorality mix themselves with christian doctrines, it is neceffary to difentangle this maze of error; and to place gofpel-precepts, and gofpel-motives in their true light. In order to do this, fome learning is neceffary; and the enthufiaftic preacher muft not call it worldly wisdom; and deny its efficacy.

We fee then my brethren, how great a difficulty lies upon us in preaching the gofpel. Our audiences confist commonly of a mixture of the higher, and lower ranks. If we preach more to the affections, there may be fome among our audience, to

whom

whom fuch difcourfes may be acceptable: but it is probable there may be more who will be difgufted.

Again, the reafoning ftyle carried too far, may fubject us to the fame inconveniencies. Few in any congregation can enter into the depth of an argument. It appears therefore best to take a middle courfe-neither to run into any flights of imagination on one hand; nor, on the other, to aim at that clofe mode of reafoning, which people only of improved minds can follow,

Cc &

LXVI.

The Lord direct your hearts-to the patient waiting for Chrift.-2 Theffalonians, iii. 5.

THIS paffage may be confidered as expreffive

event.

He

of the true character of a chriftian. whofe religious principles are formed on the patient waiting for Chrift, is fully prepared for every The joys of the world may excite a fmile; but it comes not from his heart. The forrows of the world may draw a tear; but he feels a fecret fource of confolation, which fecures him from grief. Every little finifter, or happy event which is apt to overturn the minds of the generality, and throw them off their balance, he receives with equanimity. Thefe are not the things, about which his happiness, or his mifery is concerned. The fecret joy of waiting patiently for Chrift, abforbs, in a great degree, all his other affections.

Thy

LXVII.

Thy hands have made and fashioned me.-O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.-Pfalm cxix.

MAN

AN, with all his natural accomplishments, is a creature, which at once bespeaks the hands, which made and fashioned him. His commanding form-his ftrength-his agility-his dexterity-his longevity-the cafe with which he bears fatigue, hunger, thirft, and the variation of climate, place him in most of these inftances, above the generality of animals-and in the agregate fuperior to them all. If to these we add the gifts of reason, by which he cultivates arts, and sciences the powers of imagination, and the range of language, by which he is enabled to communicate the various ideas he conceives, we may confider him as highly arrayed by the hand of his great Creator. All other animals, furnished with certain inftincts, which turn them into mere machines, act in a very narrow circle: whereas man, fubdues all nature, if I may fo fpeak, to his own ufe. He cultivates the earth

Cc 3