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explained, and its abuse carefully guarded against?

If, in order to accept such invitations, a minister is induced to neglect the instruction of his own household, or to interfere frequently with family order.If he be obliged to omit visiting the prosperous or the healthy-the sick, the afflicted, or the poor, of his church and congregation-If he so straiten himself for time to read and to study, that he acquires no new ideas, and is generally, or even frequently obliged to preach half-studied sermons;-may we not conclude, that the acceptance of such invitations does not come within the line of duty?

and whose dominion is that of the "Lord Omnipotent," must of necessity be unchangeable. "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the thoughts of his heart to all generations." Ps. xxxiii. 11. "I am the Lord; I change not." Mal. iii. 5. "He is the same yesterday to day and for ever. Heb. xiii. 8. "With whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," James i. 17. Such then is the development of Jehovah's ineffable glory, made known in what we Christians call THE BOOK. Upon this we rest one cogent evidence of its truth; and, until an equal discovery of his divine perfections can be fairly deduced from the compositions of the wise, the learned, and the great of heathen times, we boldly take Many of our old divines spent too our stand upon the vantage ground of much time in their studies; they ininspiration, and say, that reason, refined jured their health, and thus cut short reason, bids us receive the incontrover- their usefulness, while they were amasstable evidence of its sacred directions. ing large stores of knowledge, and Let those who scruple to admit the Bible writing learned folios, which few, comas the book of Heaven, suffer an affec- paratively, had time to read.* tionate invitation, once carefully to ex- their writings, especially their smaller amine its gracious contents, lest they works, their preaching, and their conshould at last have to make the shame-versation with their people, made their ful and unphilosophical confession of the hearers thinking Christians. deluded Hume, that they have never in all their lives attentively read the whole of the Bible.

I am,
&c.
PHILEMON.

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But

The religious character is formed, not merely by listening to sermons, and attending devotional exercises, but by meditation-by unreserved conversation-and by the books that we read. How much good may be done, especially to the young, by a minister who, in his pastoral visits, recommends suitable books!

It would be happy if some preachers could be convinced, that it is not mere sermonizing, or even sermonizing devotionally, however frequently, that constitutes instructive and scriptural preaching. Ministers who do not give themselves much to reading and study, as well as to prayer, or who do not study in proportion to the frequency of their preaching, are apt to confine themselves within too small a range. Some important events, perhaps, by their powerful operation on their minds, have given a peculiar cast to their selection of subjects. Unconsciously to them

* It would, however, be an injustice to our forefathers, to suppose that they did not read more solid works than we do. Christians, formerly, certainly had more leisure for reading than we have; and their tables were not perpetually covered with a succession of periodical publications, and new works of general literature, as ours are. We have an opportunity of obtaining more extensive information on many subjects; but it is peculiarly necessary for us to be on our guard, lest we dissipate our minds by variety, or content ourselves with superficial knowledge. The attainment of knowledge has been so much facilitated in modern times, that there is no apology for persons in a respectable station in life remaining uninformed, or acquiring a mere smattering of knowledge.

selves, their minds turn, almost mecha- | wise, I suppose, we must leave them to nically, to a certain set of subjects; some of those preachers who cannot be principally, perhaps, because they are most conversant with them.

persuaded to address man as if he were compounded of both reason and passions, but who confine themselves to addresses to the passions alone.

Some of these sort of hearers justify the description of the late excellent Mr. Newton: "They seem to think they were sent into the world only to hear sermons ;" and of them he remarks, "Such persons may be fitly compared to Pharoah's lean kine: they devour a great deal, but for want of a proper di

Some of these preachers never advance beyond the elements of Christianity. Both their doctrinal and their experimental sermons teach the same few truths, in the same few terms. Revelation is a rich, inexhaustible mine: but in vain is its wealth described to such men; they will seek for nothing but what lies near the surface, for they have no heart for labour. This neglect of thinking, in a public instruc-gestion they do not flourish; their souls tor, must produce in his discourses a sameness nearly amounting to identity. The people, accustomed to hear the same thing, with but slight variations, if they approve, go away and say, "It was very good," perhaps "very precious;" while others, who care but little for the truths themselves, listen as to a thrice-told tale, till they fall asleep. A sermon that contains ideas which require some mental exertion to keep up with the speaker, would seize the mind, and employ the attention in a way that would preclude sleeping at the time, and which would furnish subjects for reflection and conversation afterwards.

I have no doubt it will be urged by some, "We must not adapt our sermons exclusively to persons of intellect; few would understand and enjoy them." I doubt whether the hearers I have described, would not, even in that case, carry home quite as much as they do now-a few isolated sentences; and bearers of good sense, who wish to become well acquainted with the various parts of religion, would be much more interested by well studied sermons, on a greater variety of subjects; and, by the exercise of the understanding which such sermons would require, they would gradually rise to higher degrees of religious knowledge, and to a capacity for receiving more intellectual instruction. This would be the result, especially with the younger members of the congregation. For the present pleasure of the no-thinkers, I confess it would not be so easy to provide. They wish to obtain a certain degree of mental excitement without mental effort. If they are young, it may be possible to improve their habits of thinking; other

are lean, they have little solid comfort, and their profession abounds more in leaves than fruit."* These, in general, and not the more intellectual hearers, are the persons who have itching ears, who must hear all the new preachers of the class they admire, though they acquire nothing by hearing them; such teachers bearing as close a resemblance to each other, as coins of the same impression.

In one of the above hints, it has been taken for granted, that a minister is capable of advising the young people of his flock in the choice of books. But this implies that he has himself culti vated a habit of reading; for it is obvious, that he who is uninformed on general subjects, or who reads no theolological works but those of one author, or one party, is by no means qualified for this important part of his office. Indeed, if he happen to have many well educated young people in his congregation, he is in imminent danger of being left behind in the march of intellect, and of losing, in maturer life, the influence he possessed over their minds in childhood.

Were I a preacher, I think I should estimate the tendency and usefulness of my labours, by the character of my hearers. If I perceived, instead of rising superior to the world, and renouncing its evil maxims, tempers, and habits, they only admired my preaching.-If, instead of being lights in the world, they were distinguished from their neighbours merely by their regular attendance on public worship, I should fear I had not reached their consciences. If I found them well informed, but cold and heartless in religion; more disposed to disputation than to prayer-more given to

* Omicron's Letters. Letter 13.

speculation than to practice, I should fear I had not sufficiently interested their hearts, by the manner in which I had taught the truths of religion. If I found a flaming zeal, that spent itself in empty talk-a show of humility, that left the parties conceited and self-important-If I found them willing to hear only of a salvation in which Christ had wrought every thing for them, and the Holy Spirit would accomplish every thing in them, in which they were to be mere passive agents; thus embracing a system that destroys every motive to self-government and exertion;-I should be afraid, not only that I had omitted to inculcate sufficiently the preceptive part of religion, but that I had not given them distinct and scriptural ideas either of the work of the Saviour, or of that of the Holy Spirit. Nor should I feel myself convinced of the contrary, by their talking ever so fluently on the conflict they perpetually maintain with their own hearts, and their spiritual enemies; for their conflicts seem to be very different from those of good men recorded in Holy Writ, and their victories not quite so obvious: for it is worthy of remark, that those who are most fluent on this subject, are seldom distinguished by their ardent, steady, and disinterested exertions in the cause of religion; or by their meekness, forbearance, or compassion, in the family, the church, or the world. If I perceived that my hearers were moved about with every wind of doctrine, I should fear that their passions had been excited, rather than their minds established. If they were unable to give a reason of the hope that is in them, I should tremble for their own stability, and for the honours of the Christian name; for such persons, especially in the present day, are in danger of making shipwreck of faith, or of injuring the religion of Jesus, by injudicious, though well meant endeavours to defend it. If my hearers were deficient in any thing that is lovely and of good report-if they did not grow in knowledge, and make progress in the divine life, my solicitude to use every means likely to make them thinking Christians, would induce me to make many sacrifices to accomplish the object. If the evil were traceable in any degree to my frequent absence, I should in future resolutely

resist the importunities of friends and societies; lest I should hereafter have the pain of reflecting, that, however useful I might have been in the vineyards of others, mine own vineyard I had not kept.

If I were addressing a candidate for the ministry, I would press on his most serious attention, the vast importance of acquiring knowledge, by reading and thinking, and dispensing it, by uniformly preaching well studied sermons.

Suffice it to observe, that with the general and increasing diffusion of knowledge, such Christian teachers as choose to remain in ignorance, or to put their hearers off with mere commonplace declamation, will have no reason to complain, if their ministrations should hereafter prove unacceptable to those private Christians who, by their enlightened minds, and enlarged and comprehensive views of religion, might otherwise become the most steady supporters, and brightest ornaments of their respective churches. If a minister wish to have an intelligent as well as a devout auditory, he should adapt his sermons to intelligent hearers; and to do this he must both read and think. If, in a neighbourhood where there are people of cultivated minds, a minister can number few, if any such, among his hearers, it will not require a spirit of divination to explain the cause.

I am well aware that there are some who systematically defend remaining in ignorance of general literature, who contend that nothing more is necessary to a Christian minister, than personal piety and an acquaintance with his Bible. These I grant are the first requisites for a minister in every station; but as to the degree of information which is essential to usefulness, much depends on the sphere in which a man labours. If indeed he preaches only to "Turf-diggers," he may not edify them the more for possessing other acquisitions-nor need we insist on such a man spending much time in study; to expect it would hardly be reasonable, for it would be like requiring him to make bricks without straw. Such a man may, I think, with great propriety, if it be necessary to his maintenance "sketch," during the day, and arrange, in an evening, such ideas on religious subjects as he has obtained by reading and meditating on the Scrip

* Vide Robinson's Letters, vol. iv. p. 247.

tures; and thus become qualified to teach his fellow sinners those truths whereby their souls may be saved, and their feet directed into the paths of holiness. Let not the man of learning, however well read in scholastic theology, and whatever authority may have been confered on him by the state, if he be destitute of personal piety, and ignorant of the way of salvation, scoff at such a man as an unauthorized teacher: let him rather recollect that they who turn many to righteouness shall shine as the stars for ever; and let him compare the effect of his ministry with that of the pious peasant, and seeing the improvement he has made of the one talent committed to him, let him enquire what account he shall have to render to Him by whom he has been intrusted with five.

While I would endeavour to shield from contempt, the man who consecrates to the service of his God the little he posesses, let me not be supposed to intend offering an apology for him, who possessing more, neglects to make an adequate use of his advantages.*

Completely to contrast the teacher of Christianity, who cultivates his own mind and the minds of his hearers, with the minister who is contented with perpetually pacing the same small circle, would lengthen this letter too much.

I cannot, however, forbear remarking that the hearers of the latter acquire but very limited and contracted ideas of Christianity: and when, for the time they ought to be able to teach others, they themselves need instruction in its very rudiments.

The man of expanded mind, will, by varying his instructions, teach his hearers to recognize truth under various aspects, and in different forms of speech; while the man whose own mind is contracted, will enable his hearers only to recognize it under one aspect, or as described by one form of speech.

*

The hearers of such preachers soon feel themselves possessed of all the knowledge they have to impart; some of them therefore unhappily conclude, that they have learned all that is to be known in religion. These, and not wellinformed and thinking Christians, are the people who make a man an offender for a word.

The danger to the humility and charity of these half-fledged Christians, is not the only evil of such teaching; for it is really often very difficult to ascertain with certainty, whether they recognize the truth itself, or only a certain form of speech, in which they have been accustomed to hear it delivered.

The remarks of a justly celebrated writer, apply with so much force to such preachers and hearers, and are so well calculated to enlighten and convince them, that I am persuaded you will pardon my lengthening this letter by the following quotation.

"They never even suspected that knowledge could have any connexion with religion, or that they could not be as clearly and amply in possession of the great subject, as a man whose faculties had been exercised, and whose extended acquaintance with things could supply an endless series of ideas illustrative of religion,

"He (the man of taste) has perhaps even heard them make a kind of merit of their indifference to knowledge, as if it were the proof or the result of a higher value for religion.

"If a hint of wonder was insinuated at their reading so little, and within so very confined a scope, it would be replied that they thought it enough to read the Bible; as if it were possible for a person whose mind fixes with inquisitive attention on what is before him, even to read through the Bible, without at least ten thousand such questions being started in his mind as can only be answered from the sources of knowledge extrane

I be May permitted to suggest, both to ministers and private Christians who are well informed, and possessed of libaries, that there is a numerous and respectable class of men, to whom they might render an important service, by communicating such instruction as they need, and putting into their hands well selected books-I mean those members of churches, who are in the habit of going into neighbouring towns or villages destitute of the gospel, to instruct such as are willing to hear.

Such persons, and many who are by their sterling piety, sound understanding, and aptness to teach, qualified in no inconsiderable degree for the ministry, but who have not enjoyed, and who cannot, from peculiar circumstances, obtain a learned education, might be greatly benefited by being directed to a useful course of reading; and, receiving such hints on composition, as those who have enjoyed a liberal education would easily give.

How often do men who know but little of books, read many only to discover that they are not worth the perusal.

ous to the Bible. But he perceives that
this reading the Bible was no work of
inquisitive thought, and indeed he has
commonly found that those who have
no wish to obtain any thing like ex-
tended information, have no disposition
for the real business of thinking, even
in religion, and that their discourse on
that subject is the disclosure of intel-
lectual poverty."* I am,

Your constant reader,
VIGIL.

ON PSALMODY,

MR. EDITOR,

In the month of July last, I addressed a paper to you on the subject of Psalmody, which appeared in your number for August. In that article, after | some observations on the evils attending the present mode of conducting it, and proposing some remedies, I alluded to, and in some humble degree, attempted a defence of the use of an Organ. I expected this would draw forth animadversions from some individual amongst those who may differ from me; and have therefore been upon the look out at the commencement of each succeeding month. Nothing, however, has met my view, till I received your first number for 1822; in which I perceive an article, which, for the consistency or argument it displays, might, I should have thought, have quietly slumbered in obscurity. With your permission, I will (in the absence of weightier matter,) make a few remarks upon it.

The definition of religious worship, under the heads of Moral, Instituted, and Discretionary, I think very just. With the first of these, I perfectly agree; only remarking, by the way, that the appendage of incense to prayer, under the Jewish dispensation, appears to be of a nature decidedly different from that of instrumental music to the exercise of singing: the latter being only for the purpose of assisting the congregation, and making the effect more grand and sublime; but the former had a beautiful and forcible allusion to the merits and intercession of the expected Messiah, through whom alone their prayers could be accepted; and therefore, was as morally binding upon them as sacrifice. There can, however,

* Foster's Essays,

be but one opinion in respect of instrumental music;-there can be no obligation now to use an instrument in the worship of God.

With the second head (at least with the definition of it,) I must be allowed to differ more widely. Not that I for a moment call in question the actual institution of religious worship, in any of its parts; but I am at issue upon the extent of the abolition of those institutions under the Old Testament dispensation, by the introduction of the New: for, if the assertion contained in this head be found untenable, the logical, or rather illogical deduction, viz. that instrumental music is unlawful, falls to the ground.

The proposition contained in the third head, is so clear and undeniable, that I shall, with much satisfaction, adopt it, as the ground of some future observations.

In returning to the second head, I shall first quote it at length:-"Instrumental music was instituted under the Old Testament dispensation. In the time of Moses were used the trumpet and cornet. David added many other instruments, by the divine command, 2 Chron. xxix. 25. The Jewish insti tuted worship ceased at the death of Christ.' Instrumental music was not instituted by Christ or his apostles; they sang an hymn, Matt. xxvi. 30. Singing is not only a moral duty, but it is instituted under the New Testament dispensation, Eph. v. 19. Col. iii. 16, &c."

In my former letter upon this subject, I purposely avoided any arguments which might be taken from the Old Testament, lest they might have been objected to, as inapplicable to the New Testament dispensation. The author of this article, however, acknowledges that instruments were used in the Jewish temple; and this at the express command of God. I call for a proof from any passage in the New Testament, that, even by implication, goes to annul this command. Upon the abolition of all other things, the New Testament is very explicit and emphatical; whether in respect of the sacrificial or ceremonial law, or the rite of circumcision. It will avail him little, to shelter himself under the assertion, that the whole of the Jewish worship ceased at the death of Christ; for the thing is not true; else vol. ii. p. 120—122.

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