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IT is allowed on all hands, that our English divines receive a more liberal education, and improve that education by frequent ftudy, more than any others of this reverend profeffion in Europe. In general alfo it may be observed, that a greater degree of gentility is affixed to the character of a ftudent in England than elsewhere; by which means our clergy have an opportunity of feeing better company while young, and of fooner wearing off those prejudices which they are apt to imbibe even in the best regulated univerfities, and which may be justly termed the vulgar errors of the wife.

Yet with all these advantages it is very obvious, that the clergy are no where fo little thought of by the populace, as here; and though our divines are foremoft with refpect to abilities, yet they are found laft in the effects of their miniftry; the vulgar in general appearing no way impreffed with a fense of religious duty. I am not for whining at the depravity of the times, or for endeavouring to paint a profpect more gloomy than in nature; but certain it is, no perfon who has travelled will contradict me, when I aver that the lower orders of mankind in other countries teftify on every occafion the profoundeft awe of religion; while in England they are fcarcely awakened into a fenfe of its duties, even in circumftances of the greatest diftrefs.

This diffolute and fearlefs conduct foreigners are apt to attribute to climate and conftitution; may not the vulgar, being pretty much neglected in our exhortations from the pulpit, be a confpiring caufe?

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Our divines feldom ftoop to their mean capacities; and they who want inftruction moft, find leaft in our religious affemblies.

Whatever may become of the higher orders of mankind, who are generally poffeffed of collateral motives to virtue, the vulgar fhould be particularly regarded, whose behaviour in civil life is totally hinged upon their hopes and fears. Thofe who conftitute the basis of the great fabrick of fociety, fhould be particularly regarded; for in policy, as in architecture, ruin is most fatal when it begins from the bottom.

Men of real fenfe and understanding prefer a prudent mediocrity to a precarious popularity; and, fearing to outdo their duty, leave it half done. Their difcourfes from the pulpit are generally dry, methodical and unaffecting; delivered with the moft infipid calmnefs; infomuch, that, fhould the peaceful preacher lift his head over the cushion, which alone he feems to addrefs, he might difcover his audience, instead of being awakened to remorse, actually fleeping over his methodical and laboured compofition.

This method of preaching is however by fome called an addrefs to reafon, and not to the paffions; this is ftyled the making of converts from conviction: but fuch are indifferently acquainted with human nature, who are not fenfible, that men feldom reafon about their debaucheries till they are committed; reason is but a weak antagonist when headlong paffion dictates; in all fuch cafes we fhould arm one paffion against another; it is with the human mind as in nature, from the mixture of two oppofites the resultis most frequently neutral tranquillity. Thofe, who attempt to reafon us out of our follies, begin at the wrong end, fince the attempt naturally přefuppofes

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poses us capable of reafon; but to be made capable of this is one great point of the cure.

There are but few talents requifite to become a popular preacher, for the people are easily pleafed if they perceive any endeavours in the orator to please them; the meanest qualifications will work this effect, if the preacher fincerely fets about it. Perhaps little indeed very little more is required, than fincerity and affurance; and a becoming fincerity is always certain of producing a becoming affurance.

Si vis me flere, dolendum eft primum tibi ipfi,' is fo trite a quotation, that it almoft demands an apology to repeat it; yet, though all allow the juftice of the remark, how few do we find put it in practice! our orators, with the moft faulty bathfulness, feem impreffed rather with an awe of their audience than with a juft refpect for the truths they are about to deliver; they, of all profeffions, feem the most bafhful, who have the greateft right to glory in their commiffion.

The French preachers generally affume all that dignity which becomes men who are ambaffadors from Chrift: the English divines, like erroneous envoys, fecm more folicitous not to offend the court to which they are fent, than to drive home the interefts of their employer. The bishop of Maffillon, in the first fermon he ever preached, found the whole audience, upon his getting into the pulpit, in a difpofition no way favourable to his intentions; their nods, whispers, or drowsy behaviour, fhowed him that there was no great profit to be expected from his fowing in a foil fo improper; however, he foon changed the difpofition of his audience by his manner of beginning: If," fays he, "a caufe, the "moft important that could be conceived, were to "be tried at the bar before qualified judges; if this

cause interested ourselves in particular; if the eyes

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of the whole kingdom were fixed upon the event; if the most eminent council were employed on "both fides; and if we had heard from our infancy "of this yet undetermined trial; would you not all "fit with due attention, and warm expectation, to

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the pleadings on each fide? Would not all your hopes and fears be hinged upon the final decifion? "And yet, let me tell you, you have this moment a caufe of much greater importance before you; a cause where not one nation, but all the world, are fpectators; tried not before a fallible tribunal, but the awful throne of Heaven, where not your "temporal and tranfitory interefts are the fubject "of debate, but your eternal happiness or mifery, "where the caufe is ftill undetermined; but per"haps, the very moment I am fpeaking may fix "the irrevocable decree that fhall laft for ever; and yet, notwithstanding all this, you can hardly fit "with patience to hear the tidings of your own fal"vation; I plead the cause of Heaven, and yet I am fcarcely attended to, &c."

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The ftyle, the abruptnefs of a beginning like this, in the closet would appear abfurd; but in the pulpit it is attended with the moft lafting impreffions: that ftyle, which in the clofet might juftly be called flimfy, feems the true mode of eloquence here. I never read a fine compofition, under the title of a fermon, that I do not think the author has mifcalled his piece; for the talents to be used in writing well, entirely differ from those of speaking well. The qualifications for speaking, as has been already obferved, are easily acquired; they are accomplishments which may be taken up by every candidate who will be at the pains of ftooping. Impreffed with a fense of the truths he is about to deliver, a preacher difregards the applaufe or the contempt of his audience, and he infenfibly affumes a juft and manly

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fincerity. With this talent alone we fee what crowds are drawn around enthufiafts, even deftitute of common fenfe; what numbers converted to Chriftianity. Folly may fometimes fet an example for wifdom to practise; and our regular divines may borrow inftruction from even methodists, who go their circuits and preach prizes among the populace. Even Whitfield may be placed as a model to fome of our young divines; let them join to their own good sense his earnest manner of delivery.

It will be perhaps objected, that by confining the excellencies of a preacher to proper affurance, earneftness, and opennefs of ftyle, I make the qualifications too trifling for eftimation: there will be fomething called oratory brought up on this occafion; action, attitude, grace, elocution, may be repeated as abfolutely neceffary to compleat the character; but let us not be deceived; common-fense is seldom fwayed by fine tones, mufical periods, just attitudes, or the difplay of a white handkerchief; oratorial behaviour, except in very able hands indeed, generally finks into aukward and paltry affectation.

It must be observed, however, that these rules are calculated only for him who would instruct the vulgar, who ftand in moft need of inftruction; to addrefs philofophers, and to obtain the character of a polite preacher among the polite-a much more ufelefs, though more fought for character-requires a different method of proceeding. All I fhall obferve on this head is, to entreat the polemic divine, in his controverfy with the Deifts, to act rather offenfively than to defend; to push home the grounds of his belief, and the impracticability of theirs, rather than to fpend time in folving the objections of every opponent. "It is ten to one," fays a late writer on the art of war, but that the affailant,

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