of a degree of impiety and profaneness. To the same source, I mean that of a luxuriant fancy, may be referred the gross notions of Mahometans respecting a future state. Their prophet, by the aid of a bold eastern imagination, has accom modated his doctrine to the sensual taste of his votaries, and so done infinite mischef in the world. And do not they act as if they meant to convert men to the religion of the false prophet, who can discourse of nothing in the christian scheme but under the veil of mystery, though the gospel has taken away that veil, and taught us with open face to behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. Nor is it to be wondered at that men conceive erroneously of the operations of the Spirit, communion with God, the temptations of satan, the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell; if these things are never discoursed of as they really are, but under images alike gross and sensual with those we meet with in the Koran.-Once more,

3. The reasoning injudiciously from types and figures begets a kind of faith that is precarious and ineffectual.

We have clear and positive proofs of the facts the gospel relates, and the important doctrines that are founded thereon. But if, instead of examining these proofs to the bottom and reasoning with men upon them, we content ourselves with mere analogical evidence, and rest the issue of the question in debate upon fanciful and imaginary ground; our faith will be continually wavering, and produce no

substantial and abiding fruits. An enthusiast, struck with appearances, instantly yields his assent to a proposition without considering at all the evidence. But as soon as his passions cool and the false glare upon his imagination subsides, his faith dies away, and the fruit expected from it proves utterly abortive. To treat therefore divine truths after this manner, as if the direct and proper evidence were insufficient, is to do those truths great injustice, to affront the understanding of our hearers, and to injure them in their most important interests. The apostles wherever they came soberly reasoned both with Jews and Gentiles concerning the Messiah and his kingdom: with the former out of the old testament scriptures, which they admitted to be the word of God; and with the latter from those principles of nature which they acknowledged to be divine. And in such manner should we discourse of the great truths of religion, first laying down those which are admitted on all hands, then reasoning from them to others by necessary consequence; and having established the divine authority of the scriptures, proceed to prove by clear, direct, and positive evidence the doctrine therein contained. A faith thus generated in the minds of men will not fail, with the concurring energy of the Holy Spirit, to produce the fruits of love and obedience.

Thus have we pointed out some of the evils which unthinking people are in danger of suffering from allegorical preaching. But this is not all.

Men of more refined understandings, and a sceptical turn of mind, are induced hereby to reject religion and treat it with contempt. Suppose a man of this cast to go into a christian assembly, and hear the plain histories of the old testament allegorized as for instance, the falling of the borrowed axe into Jordan made to signify the apostacy of our first parents, and Elisha's causing it to swim interpreted of our miraculous recovery by Christ; suppose him, I say, to hear a whole discourse thus managed, what would be the effect? He would perhaps conclude that this fanciful ́account of the doctrines meant to be inculcated, was the best proof the preacher could bring in support of them, and so would be confirmed in his infidelity: while sensible people, who do believe them, would be hurt to the last degree by the officious zeal of this inconsiderate expounder of scripture.

So injurious to the cause of truth is this fanciful mode of interpreting scripture, that a late virulent opposer of Christianity* insidiously adopted it, in order to bring the gospels of the four evangelists into contempt. Under prétence of zeal for his bible, he tells us with a grave countenance, that the accounts of our Saviour's miracles are to be taken not literally but mystically: so meaning to deprive us of one main evidence of the truth of christianity, by bringing the reality of the miracles into question; and at the same time to raise

Mr. Woolston, in his " Moderator between an Infidel and an Apostate ;" and his "Six Discourses on the Miracles of Christ."

a laugh upon christians, as a company of credulous fools, ready to receive any interpretation of scripture as genuine which either ignorance or fancy may impose upon it. Sure I am, the real friends of Jesus would not like to rank with men of this cast; they, however, who treat scripture in the manner we have been protesting against, must not be angry with us if we tell them, that they are gratifying, though undesignedly, the wishes of these men, and in effect helping forward the cause of infidelity.

A word or two now shall suffice for the evils attending declamatory preaching, by which I mean all discourses, whether allegorical or not, that are destitute of sober reasoning and addressed merely to the passions; loose essays, or harangues on popular subjects, filled with trite observations, and set off with witty conceits and trifling stories, delivered in a manner more suitable to the stage than the pulpit. We have already observed, that such kind of preaching is by no means adapted to instruct and edify. But what I have here to add is, that its tendency is extremely pernicious. It begets contempt in those who are ill-affected to religion. It excites levity in those who are indifferent about it. It disgusts sensible and serious Christians. And, if any may be supposed to be awakened by it, such persons are in danger of mistaking impressions that are the effect of a mere mechanical influence upon their passions, for the work of God upon their hearts. And should not

these evils be seriously considered by all who have unhappily fallen into this extravagant manner of preaching? These are not trifling matters. The glory of God, the honour of religion, the welfare of immortal souls, and your own reputation, sirs, both as men and as ministers are concerned. But alas! little is to be expected from these expostulations with weak and conceited people, and less with those who are governed in the exercise of their ministry by base and unworthy motives. It is however to be hoped, that good men who may have been hastily precipitated by a lively imagination and a warm heart into this mode of treating divine things, will on sober reflection acknowledge that they may possibly be in an error, and that it is their duty to speak the word, as with all plainness, so with sobriety, wisdom, and reverence.

Upon the whole, let us, my brethren, be persuaded to consider well the infinite importance of the message with which we are entrusted to mankind, and how much the credit of religion and our real usefulness depend upon our delivering it in a proper manner. Let us form our preaching, not to the depraved taste of any set of people whatever, but after the model our divine Master and his apostles have set us. Let us first endeavour to inform men's understandings, and then to get at their consciences; always remembering that if these objects are not gained, the more we practise upon their passions the greater real injury we do them. Let us, in the progress of our ministry,