contrary Sentiments early imbibed, and from an excessive deference to Names and Authorities. In that case, however, the simplest way, and generally that which best promotes the discovery of Truth, is, to give as distinct and methodical a delineation as possible of one's own ideas, together with the grounds on which they are supported, and then to leave the im partial Reader to judge for himself."

Not that these occasional Strictures on the inutility of Eloquence in matters of logical Demonstration, or in the establishment of Truth, have any design to lessen the value of elegant composition in our esteem. In their proper place, let the Harmony of numbers, the Luxuriance of fancy, and the Energy of expression, be cultivated to the utmost extent: only let them observe their proper place; especially in their application to sacred Verity; lest they unhappily expose the cause they affect to serve; of which the examples are sufficiently numerous. For, without as

suming the insolent air of imposing an opinion, were I permitted the privilege of giving one, I should not hesitate to affirm, that TRUTH is Eloquence, as well as Reason and Philosophy, in whatever garb she may appear.

Incalculable is the mischief, which the Christian Cause has suffered, by our deviation from a maxim, from which there should be no departure; that, sacred Truth must always be viewed in its own light*. If you bring it before the light of what has been called Reason and Philosophy, the medium through which it is surveyed is a false one; and the beautiful and illustrious object becomes immediately disfigured and deformed. It is no longer itself.

Its divine simplicity has been so much disfigured of late by severe, fastidious, and perverting Criticism, that, if this mode of process against it be not arrested, original Christianity will, in a short period, be entirely unknown. It were no difficult undertaking to demonstrate this from most of our modern publications on the subject; in which all its principal features are either totally effaced, or wretchedly disguised.

Thus, the character of one, who has been handed down to us as a philosopher ai most divine, when presented to a lewd multitude, by the scandalous buffoonery, or wit, of an Aristophanes, was rendered contemptible: even Wisdom was mistaken for Folly; and Virtue, for Vice. We should say to sacred Truth, what Agrippa, when personating the sublime character of Justice, once said, with unaffected dignity and grace, to St. Paul, to St. Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." An indulgence she is very seldom granted *.

I beg leave to submit it too, to minds of calm and unbiassed consideration, who have the success of our Religion seriously

* Should the question be, An Rationis in investigando Scripturæ sensu magnus usus sit? It must be replied, Ratio humana, si pro Facultate sumatur, ui nunc sunt homines, in nemine mortalium recta, sed multùm cæca, vitiosa, et ad errorem proclivis est; sic ut facilius plerumque malè quam benè arbitretur. Maximè ea Rationis nostræ corruptio se ostendit circa res divinas; circa quas est cæca, 2 Cor. iv. 4. obscurata, Eph. iv. 18. tenebræ, Eph. v. 8. 8 duvaтas yavas, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Imo et avontos est, Tit. iii. 3. et aruveres. Rom. i. 21, 22. I Cor. 8. 19, 20. et ii, 8.

at heart, whether the same cause has not received material injury from not having been exhibited to the world in its own Language. It should seem, by the general neglect of it, as if the phraseology of the inspired writings were not the fittest dress, in which they ought to appear; that the noble Simplicity, adopted by the great Founder of our Faith, and, after his example, by the Apostles, had long since ceased to be one of its most amiable characteristics: that a Style, once celebrated for its god-like Benevolence, as the most accommodated to the capacities of all mankind, was become odious, and disgusting, to modern refinement: and that, banished, by fastidious, not to say, profane Critics, from the regions of classic Literature, it had become offensive to our Divines themselves *.

If otherwise, why substitute those pretty Conceits, those affected Terms, those me

* I am not extremely captivated myself either with the Piety, or the Modesty, of some modern scribblers, who have dared to call this sacred Simplicity, by the dishonouring terms of Inaccuracy, and Carelessness! Job, xiii. 4, 5•

retricious Ornaments, and all that tinsel finery of Diction, by which Ignorance and Impiety alone can ever be dazzled, and gratified, for the simple strains of that infallible Teacher, who came down from Heaven? or presume, that we can improve upon his peculiar and dicriminative mode of instruction? Why not “condescend with him to those of low estate ?" * If it were among the glories of his exalted Character, that he "preached the Gospel to the Poor," was it less so, that he preached it in a simplicity of manner, which they

*My appeal here, is evidently to those, both in a way of Argumentum ad hominem, et ad verecundiam, who admit the grounds upon which I argue. To those, who reject the Christian Revelation, "I am beating the air."

If it be true, that, the Style, the Language, and the Manner of writing, made use of in the books of the Old and New Testament, may be classed among the various proofs of their genuineness, they ought to be preserved, upon that principle, with a kind of moral delicacy. "Words, that are too fine, too learned, too modern, are repugnant to the sytle of the sacred Penmen; which, instead of being flowery, or affected, is eminently natural, and simple, and dignified. And on the other hand, words that are low and vulgar, are still more derogatory from the exalted sublimity of the subjects contained in holy Scripture. "