During the period that preceded the restoration of king Charles II. the sermons of the English divines abounded with scholastic casuistical theology. They were full of minute divisions and subdivisions, and scraps of learning in the didactic part; but to these were joined very warm pathetic addresses to the consciences of the hearers, in the applicatory part of the sermon. Upon the restoration, preaching assumed a more correct and polished form. It became disencumbered from the pedantry and scholastic divisions of the sectaries; but it threw out also their warm and pathetic addresses, and established itself wholly upon the model of cool reasoning, and rational instruction. As the dissenters from the church continued to preserve somewhat of the old strain of preaching, this led the established clergy to depart the farther from it. Whatever was earnest and passionate, either in the composition or delivery of sermons, was reckoned enthusiastic and fanatical; and hence that argumentative manner, bordering on the dry and unpersuasive, which is too generally the character of English sermons. Nothing can be more correct on that model than many of them are; but the model itself upon which they are formed, is a confined and imperfect one. Dr. Clark, for instance, every where abounds in good sense, and the most clear and accurate reasoning; his applications of scripture are pertinent; his style is always perspicuous, and often elegant; he instructs and he convinces ; in what then is he deficient? In nothing, except in the power of interesting and seizing the heart. He shews you what you ought to do; but he excites not the desire of doing it: he treats man as if he were a being of pure intellect without imagination or passions. Archbishop Tillotson's manner is more free and warm, and he approaches nearer than most of the English divines to the character of popular speaking. Hence he is, to this day, one of the best models we have for preaching. We must not indeed consider him in the light of a perfect orator; his composition is too loose and remiss; his style too feeble, and frequently too flat, to deserve that high character; but there is in some of his sermons so much warmth and earnestness, and through them choses du moins fussent egales? croyez vous qu'il s'y trouvât seulement dix justes, que le Seigneur ne peut truver autrefois en cinq villes toutes entieres? Je vous le demande; ous l'ignorez, et je l'ignore moi-même. Vous seul, O mon Dieu! connoissez que vous appartienne nt-Mes frères, notre parte est presque assurée, et nous n'y pens ons pas. Quand meme dans cette terrible séparation qui se fera un jour, il ne devroit y avoir qu'un seul pecheur de cet assemblée du côté des réprouvés, et qu'une voix du ciel viendroit nous en assurer dans ce temple, sans le designer; qui de nous ne craindroit d'etre de malheureux? qui de nous ne retomberoit d'abord, sur sa conscience, pour examiner si ses crimes n'ont pas méritez ce châtiment? qui de nous sasie de frayeur, ne demanderoit pas à Jesus Christ comme autrefois les apôtres; Seigneur, ne seroit-ce pas moi? Sommes nous sages, mes chers auditeurs? peut-etre que parmi tous ceux qui m'entendent, il ne se trouvera pas dix justes; peut-etre s'en trouvera-t-il encore moins. Que sai-je, O mon Dieu! je n'ôse regarder d'un œil fixe les abismes de vos jugemens, et de votre justice; peut-etre ne s'en trouvera-t-il qu'un seul; et ce danger ne vous touche point, mon cher auditeur? et vous croyez etre ce seul heureux dans la grand nombre qui perira ? vous qui avez moins sujet de le croire que tout autre ; vous sur qui seul la sentence de mort devroit tomber. Grand Dieu! qui l'on connoit peu dans la monde les terreurs de voitre loi, &c.—After this awakening and alarming exhortation, the orator comes with propriety to this practical improvement: Mais que conclure des ces grands verités ? qu'il faut desesperer de son salut? a Dieu ne plaise; il n'y a que l'impie, qui pour se calmer sur ses desordres, tache ici de conclure en secret que tous les hommes periront comme lui; ce ne doit pas etre là le fruits de ce discours. Mais de vous detromper de cette erreur si universelle, qu'on peut faire ce que tous les autres font ; et que l'usage est une voie sure, mais de vous convaincre que pour se sauver, il faut de destinguer des autres; etre singulier, vivre à part au milieu dumonde, et ne pas resembler á la foule.' Sermons de MASSILLON, Vol. IV.

all, there runs so much ease and perspicuity, such a vein of good sense and sincere piety, as justly entitle him to be held as eminent a preacher as England has produced.

In Dr. Barrow, one admires more the prodigious fecundity of his invention, and the uncommon strength and force of his conceptions, than the felicity of his execution, or his talent in composition. We see a genius far surpassing the common, peculiar indeed almost to himself; but that genius often shooting wild and unchastised by any disci pline or study of eloquence.

I cannot attempt to give particular characters of that great number of writers of sermons which this, and the former age, have produced, among whom we meet with a variety of most respectable names. We find in their composition much that deserves praise; a great display of abilities of different kinds, much good sense and piety, strong reasoning, sound divinity, and useful instruction; though in general the degree of eloquence bears not, perhaps, equal proportion to the goodness of the matter. Bishop Atterbury deserves being particularly mentioned as a model of correct and beautiful style, besides having the merit of a warmer and more eloquent strain of writing, in some of his sermons, than is commonly met with. Had Bishop Butler, in place of abstract philosophical essays, given us more sermons in the strain of these two excellent ones, which he composed upon self deceit and upon the character of Balaam, we should then have pointed him out as distinguished for that species of characteristical sermons which I before recommended.

Though the writings of the English divines are very proper to be read by such as are designed for the church, I must caution them against making too much use of them, or transcribing large passages from them into the sermons they compose. Such as once indulge themselves in this practice, will never have any fund of their own. Infinitely better it is, to venture into the pulpit with thoughts and expressions which have occurred to themselves though of inferior beauty, than to disfigure their compositions, by borrowed and ill-sorted ornaments, which, to a judicious eye, will be always in hazard of discovering their own poverty. When a preacher sits down to write on any subject, never let him begin with seeking to consult all who have written on the same text, or subject. This, if he consult many, will throw perplexity and confusion into his ideas; and, if he consults only one, will often warp him insensibly into his method, whether it be right or not. But let him begin with pondering the subject in his own thoughts; let him endeavour to fetch materials from within; to collect and arrange his ideas; and form some sort of a plan to himself; which it is always proper to put down in writing. Then, and not till then, he may inquire how others have treated the same subject. By this means, the method and the leading thoughts in the sermon are likely to be his own. These thoughts he may improve, by comparing them with the tract of sentiments which others have pursued; some of their sense he may without blame, incorporate into his compositions; retaining always his own words and style. This is fair assistance: all beyond is plagiarism.

On the whole, never let the principle with which we set out at first, be forgotten, to keep close in view, the great end for which a preacher mounts the pulpit; even to infuse good dispositions into his hearers,

to persuade them to serve God, and to become better men. Let this always dwell on his mind when he is composing, and it will diffuse through his compositions, that spirit which will render them at once esteemed and useful. The most useful preacher is always the best, and will not fail of being esteemed so. Embellish truth only, with a view to gain it the more full and free admission in your hearers' minds; and your ornaments will, in that case, be simple, masculine, natural. The best applause by far, which a preacher can receive, arises from the serious and deep impressions which his discourse leaves on those who hear it. The finest encomium, perhaps, ever bestowed on a preacher, was given by Louis XIV. to the eloquent Bishop of Cler mont Father Massillon, whom I before mentioned with so much praise. After hearing him preach at Versailles, he said to him, 'Father, I have heard many great orators in this chapel; I have been highly pleased with them; but for you, whenever I hear you, I go away displeased with myself; for I see more of my own character.'

LECTURE XXX.

CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF A SERMON OF
BISHOP ATTERBURY'S.

THE last lecture was employed in observations on the peculiar and distinguishing characters of the eloquence proper for the pulpit. But as rules and directions, when delivered in the abstract, are never so useful as when they are illustrated by particular instances, it may, perhaps, be of some benefit to those who are designed for the church, that I should analyze an English sermon, and consider the matter of it, together with the manner. For this purpose, I have chosen Bishop Atterbury as my example, who is deservedly accounted one of our most eloquent writers of sermons, and whom I mentioned as such in the last lecture. At the same time, he is more distinguished for elegance and purity of expression, than for profoundness of thought. His style, though sometimes careless, is, upon the whole, neat and chaste; and more beautiful than that of most writers of sermons. In his sentiments he is not only rational, but pious and devotional, which is a great excellency. The sermon which i have singled out, is that upon praise and thanksgiving, the first sermon of the first volume, which is reckoned one of his best. In examining it, it is necessary that I should use full liberty, and together with the beauties, point out any defects that occur to me in the matter as well as in the style.

PSALM 1. 14. Offer unto God Thanksgiving.

Among the many excellencies of this pious collection of hymns, for which so particular a value hath been set upon it by the church of God in all ages, this is not the least, that the true price of duties is there justly stated; men are called off from resting in the outward show of religion, in ceremonies and ritual observances; and taught, rather to practice (that which was shadowed out by these rites, and to which they are designed to lead) sound inward piety and virtue.

The several composers of these hymns were prophets; persons, whose business it was not only to foretel events, for the benefit of the church in succeeding times, but to correct and reform also what was amiss among that race of men, with whom they lived and conversed: to preserve a foolish people from idolatry and false worship; to rescue the law from corrupt glosses, and superstitious abuses; and put men in mind of (what they are so willing to forget) that eternal and invariable rule, which was before these positive duties, would continue after them, and was to be observed, even then, in preference to them.

The discharge, I say, of this part of the prophetic office taking up so much room in the book of Psalms; this hath been one reason among many others, why they have always been so highly esteemed; because we are from hence furnished with a proper reply to an argument commonly made use of by unbelievers, who look upon all revealed religions as pious frauds and impostures, on the account of the prejudices they have entertained in relation to that of the Jews; the whole of which they first suppose to lie in external performances, and then easily persuade themselves, that God could never be the author of such a mere piece of pageantry and empty formality, nor delight in a worship which consisted purely in a number of odd unaccountable ceremonies. Which objection of theirs, we should not be able thoroughly to answer, unless we could prove (chiefly out of the Psalms, and other parts of the prophetic writings) that the Jewish religion was somewhat more than bare outside and shew; and that inward purity, and the devotion of the heart, was a duty then, as well as now.'

The thought on

This appears to me an excellent introduction. which it rests is solid and judicious; that in the book of Psalms, the attention of men is called to the moral and spiritual part of religion; and the Jewish dispensation thereby vindicated from the suspicion of requiring nothing more from its votaries, than the observance of the external rites and ceremonies of the law. Such views of religion are proper to be often displayed; and deserve to be insisted on, by all who wish to render preaching conducive to the great purpose of promoting righteousness and virtue. The style, as far as we have gone, is not only free from faults, but elegant and happy.

It is a great beauty in an introduction, when it can be made to turn on some one thought, fully brought out and illustrated; especially, if that thought, has a close connexion with the following discourse, and, at the same time, does not anticipate any thing that is afterwards to be introduced in a more proper place. This introduction of Atterbury's has all these advantages. The encomium which he makes on the strain of David's Psalms, is not such as might as well have been prefixed to any other discourse, the text of which was taken from any of the Psalms. Had this been the case, the introduction would have lost much of its beauty. We shall see from what follows, how naturally the introductory thought connects with his text, and how happily it ushers

it in.

'One great instance of this proof, we have in the words now before us; which are taken from a Psalm of Asaph, written on purpose to set out the weakness and worthlessness of external performances, when compared with more substantial and vital duties. To enforce which doctrine, God himself is brought in as delivering it. Hear, O my peop't,

and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee; I am God, even thy God. The preface is very solemn, and therefore, what it ushers in, we may be sure is of no common importance; I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. That is, I will not so reprove thee for any failures in thy sacrifices and burnt offerings, as if these were the only, or the chief things I requir ed of thee. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goat out of thy folds 1 prescribed not sacrifices to thee for my own sake, because I needed them; For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. Mine they are, and were, before I commanded thee to offer them to me; so that, as it follows, If I were hungry, yet would I not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. But can ye be so gross and senseless, as to think me liable to hunger and thirst? as to imagine that wants of that kind can touch me? Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Thus doth he expostulate severely with them, after the most graceful manner of the eastern poetry. The issue of which is a plain and full resolution of the case, in those few words of the text: Offer unto God thanksgiving. Would you do your homage the most agreeable way? would you render the most acceptable of services? Offer unto God thanksgiving.'

It is often a difficult matter to illustrate gracefully the text of a ser mon from the context, and to point out the connexion between them. This is a part of the discourse which is apt to become dry and tedious, especially when pursued into a minute commentary. And, therefore, except as far as such illustration from the context is necessary for ex plaining the meaning, or in cases where it serves to give dignity and force to the text, I would advise it to be always treated with brevity. Sometimes it may even be wholly omitted, and the text assumed merely as an independent proposition, if the connexion with the context be obscure, and would require a laborious explanation. In the present case, the illustration from the context is singularly happy. The passage of the Psalm on which it is founded is noble and spirited, and connected, in such a manner with the text, as to introduce it with a very striking emphasis. On the language I have little to observe, except that the phrase, one great instance of this proof, is a clumsy expres sion. It was sufficient to have said, one great proof, or one great in stance of this. In the same sentence, when he speaks of setting out the weakness and worthlessness of external performances, we may observe, that the word worthlessness, as it is now commonly used, signifies more than the deficiency of worth, which is all that the author means. It generally imports, a considerable degree of badness or blame. It would be more proper, therefore, to say, the imperfection or the insig nificancy, of external performances.

The use I intend to make of these words, is, from hence to raise some thoughts about that very excellent and important duty of praise and thanksgiving, a subject not unfit to be discoursed of at this time; whether we consider, either the more than ordinary coldness that appears of late in men's tempers towards the practice of this (or any other) part of a warm and affecting devotion; the great occasion of setting aside this particular day in the calendar, some years ago; or the new instances of mercy and goodness which God hath lately been pleased to bestow upon us; answering at last the many prayers and fastings by which we have besought him so long for the establishment of their magesties' throne, and