all good works,' should be diligent in rooting out ignorance and offences from the field of the church; I think it unworthy of him to waste his time in his closet, in smoothing of periods; giving delicate touches to his descriptions; and inventing quaint divisions. When one falls into the method and employment of these pretty preachers, he can have no time to do any thing else; he applies himself to no other business, or useful kind of · study: nay to refresh himself, he is oftentimes forced to preach the same sermons over and over again. But what kind of eloquence can a preacher attend to, when his hearers know beforehand all the expressions, and pathetic figures he will use. This is a likely way indeed to surprise and astonish; to soften, and move, and persuade them. This must be a strange manner of concealing one's art; and of letting nature speak. To tell you freely, Sir, this gives me great offence. What! shall a dispenser of the divine mysteries be an idle declaimer, jealous of his reputation, and fond of * vain pomp? Shall he not dare to

* Sed his ornatus (repetam enim) virilis, fortis et sanctus. sit-non debet quisquam ubi maxima rerum momenta versantur, de verbis esse sollicitus-prima virtus est vitio carere. Igitur ante omnia, ne speremus ornatam orationem fore, quæ probabilis non erit. Probabile autem, Cicero id genus dicit, quod non plus, minusve est quam decet. Non quia comi expolirique non debeat; nam et hæc ornatus pars est: sed quia vitium est, ubique quod nimium est. Itaque vult esse autoritatem et pondus in verbis: sententias vel graves, vel aptas opinionibus hominum ac moribus. Quintil. lib. viii. c. 3.

speak of God to his people, without having ranged all his words, and learned his lesson by heart like a school boy?

A. I am very much pleased with your zeal. What you say is true. But we must not however inveigh against this abuse with too much violence: for we ought to shew a regard to persons of worth and piety, who, out of deference to custom, or being prepossed by example, have, with a good design, fallen into the method that you justly censure. But I am ashamed to interrupt you so often. Go on, I beseech you.

C. I would have a preacher explain the whole plan of religion; and unfold every part of it, in the most intelligible manner; by shewing the primitive institution of things; and pointing out the sequel and tradition of them that by shewing the origin and establishment of religion, he might destroy the objections of unbelievers, without offering to attack them openly; lest he should thereby lay a stumbling block in the way of illiterate, well meaning Christians.

A. That is very right. The best way of proving the truth of religion, is to explain it justly; for it carries its own evidence along with it, when we represent it in its native purity. All other proofs that are not drawn from the very foundation of religion itself, and the manner of its propagation, are but foreign to it. Thus, for instance, the best proof of the creation of the world, of the deluge, and the

miracles of Moses, may be drawn from the nature of those miracles; and the artless, impartial manner in which the Mosiac history is written. A wise, unprejudiced person needs only to read it, to be fully convinced of its truth.

C. I would likewise have a preacher assiduously explain to the people in a connected train not only all the particular precepts and mysteries of the gospel; but likewise the origin and institution of the sacraments; the traditions, discipline, the liturgy, and ceremonies of the church. By these instructions he would guard the faithful against the objections of heretics; and enable them to give an account of their faith and even to affect such heretics as are not obstinate: he would strengthen people's faith, give them an exalted notion of religion; and make them receive some edification and benefit from what they see in the church. Whereas with the superficial instruction that is generally given them at present, they comprehend little or nothing of what they see; and have but a very confused idea of what they hear from the preacher. It is chiefly for the sake of this connected scheme of instruction that I would have fixed persons, such as pastors, to preach in every parish. I have often observed that there is no art, nor science, that is not taught coherently by principles and method, in a connected train of instructions. Religion is the only thing that is not taught thus to Chris

tians. In their childhood they have a little,. dry catechism put into their hands, which they learn by rote, without understanding the sense of it. And after that, they have no other instruction but what they can gather from sermons upon unconnected general subjects. I would therefore, (as you said) have preachers teach people the first principles of their religion; and, by a due method, lead them on to the highest mysteries of it.

A. That was the ancient way. They be gan with catechizing: after which, pastors taught their people the several doctrines of the gospel, in a connected train of homilies. This instructed Christians fully in the word of God you know St. Austin's book, of 'catechizing the ignorant;' and St. Clement's tract, which he composed to shew the heath en whom he converted what were the doctrines and manners of the Christian philosophy. In those days the greatest men were employed in these catechetical instructions; and accordingly they produced such wonderful effects, as seem quite incredible to us.

C. In fine, I would have every preacher make such sermons as should not be too troublesome to him; that so he might be able to preach often. They ought therefore to be short; that without fatiguing himself or wearying the people he might preach every Sunday, after the gospel. As far as we can judge, those aged bishops who lived in former times and had constant labours to em

ploy them, did not make such a stir as our modern preachers do in talking to the people in the midst of divine service; which the bishops themselves read* solemnly every Lord's day. A preacher now-a-days gets little credit unless he comes out of the pulpit sweating and breathless; and unable to do any thing the rest of the day. The bishop's upper vestment (which was not then opened at the shoulders as it is now, but hung equally down on all sides,) probably hindered him from moving his arms, as some preachers do. So that as their sermons were short, so their action must have been grave and moderate. Now, Sir, is not all this agreeable to your principles ? is not this the idea you gave us of good preaching ?

A. It is not mine: it is the current notion of all antiquity. The farther I inquire into this matter, the more I am convinced

* A clergyman must bring his mind to an inward and feeling sense of those things that are prayed for in our offices: this will make him pronounce them with an equal measure of gravity and affection; and with a due slowness, and emphasis. I do not love the theatrical way of the church of Rome, in which it is a great study, and a long practice, to learn in every one of their offices, how they ought to compose their looks, gesture, and voice yet a light wandering of the eyes, and a hasty running through the prayers, are things highly unbecoming they very much lesson the majesty of our worship; and give our enemies advantage to call it dead and formal; when they see plainly that he who officiates, is dead and formal in it. A deep sense of the things prayed for, a true recollection and attention of spirit, and a holy earnestness of soul, will give a composure to the look, and a weight to the pronunciation, that will be tempered between affectation on the one hand, and levity on the other.

Discourse of the pastoral care, ch. viii.