proposing them. The weight of the reasons will not be at all diminished by the courteousness of the address: in its effect it will be much increased. Mankind care not to be driven; they must be led into all truth. It was the method practised by the apostles; it should be practised by their successors. Thus, and thus only, they are to "heap coals of fire on "the heads "" of their opponents. The dross will separate, and the metal flow pure. Logic should be used without acrimony; and wit, if it be used at all, tempered with good humour, so as not to exasperate the person who is the object of it; and then, we are sure, there is no mischief done. The disputant ought to be at once firm and calm; his head cool, and his heart warm. Thus a controversy sometimes begins; but thus, alas! it seldom ends; the irascible passions being generally excited, and full utterance given to them in its progress: allowance must therefore be made, on all sides, for the failings of humanity. That the ODIUM THEOLOGICUM exceeds every other, is said, perhaps, without sufficient reason. The vehemence of a contest will be in proportion to its supposed importance, the length of its continuance, or the frequency of its repetition. When men are earnest, in short, they are apt sometimes to be violent. Our adversaries have taken to themselves and their opinions the epithet of LIBERAL, as well as that of RATIONAL. It may be, with equal reason. For why it is more liberal to deny, than it is to affirm, the doctrine of the Trinity, seems

Rom. xii. 20.

hard to say and some pages might easily be filled with language concerning that doctrine, employed by the Polonian fraternity, which would make every ear in this audience to tingle°.

There is another property which one would most devoutly wish a controversy to possess, namely, brevity. A great book in this way is indeed a great evil, if the point can be settled in a small one. The superfluity of naughtiness should be cut off; all flourish and declamation, self-adulation and personal altercation, rhetorical amplification and digression, every sentence not immediately ad rem, as useless and noxious excrescences, pared away; that point discovered, on which the dispute turns, and the opponent closely confined to it". Terms should be

Plenty of it may be seen in that useful work, Dr. Jonathan Edwards's Preservative against Socinianism.

In doing this, no disputant, perhaps, ever excelled Mr. Leslie. "The polemical skill of a Leslic," is an expression of Bolingbroke. A clergyman's library should not be without this author's theological works, in two volumes, folio, containing his pieces against Deists, Jews, Romanists, Socinians, and Quakers. He is said to have brought more persons from other persuasions into the church of England, than any man ever did; his skill in conversation being equal to that in writing. Allowance must be made for a style, which, though sufficiently perspicuous and nervous, is not according to the modern ideas of correctness and elegance. "Bayle styles him a man of great merit and "learning. Mr. T. Salmon observes, that his works must trans"mit him to posterity, as a man thoroughly learned and truly pious. But a better and more disinterested judge, Mr. Harris, "informs us, that he made several converts from popery; and

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says that, notwithstanding his mistaken opinions about govern"ment, and a few other matters, he deserves the highest praise for

defined, to prevent ambiguity and evasion; arguinents and objections carefully collected, and methodically arranged; stated and answered with all possible conciseness and perspicuity; leaving as little room as may be for replies and rejoinders; the sad consequence of which is not only loss of time and temper to the writers, but disgust in the readers, who grow weary, and, despairing of being able to fix their opinions, resolve to give themselves no farther trouble about religion. For general utility, perhaps the didactic form, with the objections duly noticed and obviated in their places, is preferable to the strictly polemical. The latter is often laid aside with the dispute which occasioned it; but the former, if well executed, may continue to be read and referred to, as a stable and standard book of instruction on the subject of which it treats, from age to age.

The conduct of our opponents of different denominations impresses one lesson upon us with great force. It is this; however our studies may be employed, never to lose sight of the grand object, but to keep it constantly in view, and contrive by all means to forward it. It is marvellous to behold in

"defending the Christian religion against Deists, Jews, and "Quakers, and for admirably well supporting the doctrines of "the Church of England against those of Rome." See Biographical Dictionary.-Mr. Leslie's writings have been neglected, because he had the misfortune to be a Nonjuror. But since the age is disposed to drop prejudices, it is a pity that this alone should be suffered to remain; especially as the subject of it is now "waxed old, and ready to vanish away."

what manner every department of literature has been occupied, and converted into a battery against the faith and the church. Half our danger does not arise from tracts professedly penned on the subject of religion, but from writings of other kinds, carrying nothing hostile in their appearance. The unsuspecting reader, who sat down to inform or amuse himself with a piece of natural or civil history, biography, a poem, a tale, or a fable, if he have not his wits about him, finds his reverence for the doctrines of Christianity, and those who teach them, filched from him; rises, to his great surprise, half an infidel; and is not sure whether he has a soul, a Saviour, or a God. As it has not yet appeared that the talents of believers are less various or less excellent, than those of unbelievers, all these methods of diffusing error should be counteracted by the advocates for truth. The taste of the age should be attended to, and instruction administered through such vehicles as are most likely to make it palatable. Every man, in that way to which his genius directs him, should exert his abilities in the service of his Maker and Redeemer. He should early form a plan for this purpose, to be kept in view, during the course of his reading, whether stated or occasional. He will be pleased to find, when he does this, how every book he opens will lend its assistance, and furnish some hint that may be improved for the promotion of his design. An observation may be

In this particular, among others, one of our old divines used to say, he found the good effect of a custom he had long

here added, that as in political, so in religious contests, execution is done among the people, not by bulky treatises, but small pamphlets, written down to the apprehensions of the vulgar, diligently circulated and sold at a low price'.

My brethren of the clergy will, I am sure, consider, with me, and lay these things to heart. We engage, at ordination, not only "by the Scriptures to teach and exhort with wholesome doctrine," but likewise to "withstand and convince gainsayers; "to be ready with all faithful diligence to banish "and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines, contrary to God's word; and both privately and "openly to call upon and encourage others to do "the same "." The faith is a precious deposit committed to our charge. No care, no pains can be too great, to preserve it to our people, and deliver it down to our successors in the ministry, pure and

practised, which was on a Sunday evening, to put a fresh sermon on the stocks for the Sunday ensuing. Something always occurred that was of use, in the reading of the week; during which, he never failed to ask himself, as he went on, To what purpose can I apply this, in the way of my profession?-An excellent rule. See that improving little book, the Life of Dr. Hammond, by Bishop Fell.

An excellent little tract was printed for Rivington, in 1774. I wish 20,000 of them were dispersed through the kingdom, at this time. It was entitled, A Preservative against the Publications dispersed by modern Socinians; in which the impiety and absurdity of their principles are clearly shown; addressed by a country clergyman to his parishioners.

• Ordination Office.