. THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES Ex Libra SIR MICHAEL SADLER ACQUIRED 1948 WITH THE HELP OF ALUMNI OF THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION HELPS TO COMPOSITION; OR, SIX HUNDRED SKELETONS OF SERMONS; SEVERAL BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF SERMONS PREACHED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY: REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M. A. FELLOW OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. Study to shew thi/self approved unto God, a workman thai needeth not tobe ashamed) rightly dividing the word of truth. ST. PAUL. VOL. I. THE THIRD EDITION. Jlon&otu Printed by Luke Hansard $ Sons, FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND. 1815. Luke Hansard & Sons, near Lincoln's-lun Fields, London. a GENERAL CONTENTS. VOL. I. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE ------- pp. i to xxii. CLAUDE'S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON, WITH EXPLANATORY CONTENTS - - pp. Xxiii to 212. \ SERMON ON THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE ABOVE ESSAY -------- - pp. 213 tO 241. SKELETONS 1. to 100. VOL. II. (COMPRISING THE TYPES AND PROPHECIES) SKELETONS 101. to 219. VOL. III. (COMPRISING THE PARABLES AND MIRACLES, WITH SUBJECTS FOR FASTS AND THANKSGIVING) SKELETONS 220. to 342. VOL. IV. (COMPRISING WARNINGS \D EXHORTATIONS) SKELETONS - - - to' - - - 343. to 473. VOL. V. (COMPRISING PROMISES AND EXAMPLES) SKELETONS 474. to 600. WITH TEN ENTIRE SERMONS ON THE CHRISTIAN'S ARMOUR, PP. 495 to 585- A 2 TO J3- To each Volume is prefixed an INDEX to the SUBJECT* treated of': And At the end of the Fifth Volume will be found a TABLE of the TEXTS illustrated in the Skeletons; and an JLNDEX to SUBJECTS proper for Particular Occasions, INDEX TO THE SUBJECTS OF VOL. I. SKEL. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 H 15 16 37 18 19 20 1 H E only true and sufficient ground of PACK 243 246 249 252 255 258 261 264 267 270 272 275 278 28l 284 287 290 293 296 299 * Our Lord's answer to the penitent thief - - - The difficulty of knowing our own state - - - - The improvement to be made of the doctrine of a Christ's advice to self-deceiving professors - - - The riches of divine grace displayed - - - - - * The danger of neglecting our salvation - - - The duty of devoting ourselves to God - - - - The ends for which the Holy Spirit is given to Conversion a ground of thankfulness - - - - * The Asterisks denote those subjects that were treated before the Univertity. The INDEX TO THE SKEL. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 The duty and office of Christian love The omniscience of God -------- The end tor which God suffers his people .to be afflicted Encouragement to stedfastnese in religious duties The effect which a sight of God produres - - - Advice to persons under persecution or temptation The discouragements and supports experienced by God's people ----------- The inestimable privileges of believers - - - - * The importance of living by faith on Christ - - God's treatment of us as branches of the true vine The Christian congratulated on his reliance on Christ _.-._ The extent and grounds of Christian obedience The greatness and preciousness of the promises An exhortation to holiness .------ Directions how to hear sermons ------ The excellency and efficacy of the gospel - - - The duty of considering the names and offices of Jesus Christ ----------- Paul's discourse before Felix --.---- The remedy for those who have lost their seasons of grace ------------ God's dealings with his people opened - - - - The blessedness of God's people ------ Regeneration considered in its causes and benefits - The ground of God's final decision - - - - - The carnal and spiritual mind contrasted - - - The light in which Christ regards his followers - The end for which Christ dedicated himself to God The circumstances of our Lord's death fore-ordained The brazen serpent a type of Christ - - - - - The difficulty of salvation, a just ground of appre- hension to the ungodly ----..- The great sin of rejecting Christ ------ PAGE 302 306 309 312 315 319 321 324 327 330 333 339 342 345 348 35i 353 35" 358 36*2 3^4 3^7 37 373 37<> 379 383 385 388 The SUBJECTS OF VOL. I. The friends and enemies of Christ contrasted - - The duty of casting our care on God - ... The glory which Christ gives to his people - - - A comparison between the Father's love to Christ and Christ's to us --------- The folly of departing from the simplicity of the gospel ------------- The whole and the sick, the righteous and sinners described ------------ The rest that remains for God's people .... The work of the Spirit, in strengthening men for suffering or duty ---------- The objects of our Lord's intercession - - ** ' The gospel frees men from sin and death - - - Souls quickened by the gospel -------- The importance of being in favour with God - - The folly of a fruitless profession ... * 4 * An exhortation to careless people - - - - - The final judgment represented by the harvest- - God's dwelling in us a motive to holiness - - - The comfort we derive from Christ's ascension The character and aim of a Christian minister * The extent and excellency of the moral law * Redemption by Christ ---..-.- N Faith establishes the law -------- The world and the Christian's God contrasted - - Our Lord's desire to be glorified in heaven - - - God's gift of his Son a ground for expecting every other blessing ----------- Advice to backsliders --------- A Christian's dying reflections ------ The means of defeating Satan's malice - - - - * The- causes of our Saviour's incarnation - - - The ends and effects of Christ's exhibition to the world The nature and extent of Christian innocence - - PAGE 392 394 397 400 403 407 410 4*3 416 419 425 429 431 434 438 440 443 447 45i 454 457 459 477 480 Consolation INDEX TO THE SUBJECTS OF VOL. I. SKEL. 8l 82 .83 84 85 86 88. 89 91 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 Consolation for the desponding ------ Christ precious to believers ------- God's compassion ----.---.. The good effects of a candid attention to the gospel The stability of the covenant ------- The design and importance of the Lord's supper - The preparation requisite before the Lord's sapper Eating and drinking our own damnation - - - Christ the fountain opened --__-_. Men's disregard of the gospel ----_._ The duty of twisting in God ------- Christian principles improved in prayer - - - * The consequences of neglecting prayer - - - Tha duty of persevering in prayer - - - - - The mercy of God ---------- The character, duty, and privileges of Christians - The fruits of God's favour -------- * God's appeal to men's decision - - - - - * Christ the desire of all nations - - - - - The power of Christ's resurrection - - - - - PAGE 482 485 488 491 494 497 500 53 506 510 512 516 5'9 523 526 529 532 535 539 54* PREFACE. HTMI E following Work was published separately : the JL first volume, containing Claude's Essay, with the Sermon on the Gospel Message, and the four Skeletons which are annexed to thatSermon, for the purpose of briefly illustrating Claudes Essay, and the first hundred of the Skeletons, was published first ; and passed through three Editions. The other four volumes followed *. In the Prefaces belonging to the different parts of the Work, the Author stated all that he judged necessary for explain- ing his views of composition in general, or of the doc- trines which he has delivered in his own compositions in particular. And that his sentiments may no longer be detached, he now presents them to the Reader in one view, but under distinct heads. I. Why the Author published Claudes Essay. THIS Essay on the Composition of a Sermon was originally written by the Rev. John Claude, a minister of the reformed religion in France, who preached upwards of forty years with great acceptance, first at St. Afrique, afterwards at Nisrnes, and lastly at Charenton. It was translated from the French, and published in the year 1778, The Author renews, with unfeigned gratitude, his former acknow- ledgment of the very kind and liberal assistance, which he received from the University in the first publication of tins work : and if any thing could have stimulated him to greater exertion in preparing it for the press, it would have been the desire he felt of rendering it not altogether unworthy of their patronage. He is proceeding in a similar work, which will be posthumous : but whether as an whole heJive to finish it or not, every distinct Skeleton will be left,without any further correction, ready for the press. VOL. I. B ii PREFACE. 1778, by the Reverend Robert Robinson, who also was a man of very considerable erudition, and who presided over a dissenting congregation in Cambridge. The Essay itself appears admirably calculated to answer the end pro- posed: but, it must be confessed, the notes, which the translator has added, and which are at least four times as large as the original work, are not altogether so un- exceptionable as might be wished. The compiler says in his preface (which will enable us to form a pretty accurate judgment of the whole), "The following short Essay was published in hs present form for the use of those studious ministers in our protestant dissenting churches, who have not enjoyed the advantage of a regular academical edu- cation." He afterwards informs us, that he " translated the Essay for his own edification ; then added several quotations, intending them for small exercises for one of his sons ; and that, ten years afterwards, having sprained his ancle, he improved the leisure which this accident occasioned, in preparing this book for publication." And then he concludes with saying, " This plain tale is the best account I can give of a work, which it might have appeared arrogant in me to publish, and of a collection of notes, which must seem an cdd farrago, unless the different views of the compiler at different times be considered." It would be invidious and unbecoming to suggest any thing unnecessarily that should depreciate the compiler's merit. But it will be expected that some reason should be assigned for the omission of almost all his notes. We are under the necessity therefore of observing (what any per- son who reads a single page of them .must see) that they w ere compiled for "dissenting ministers;" and that, after making all possible allowance for the views of the com- piler, they are indeed " AN ODD FAURAGO." But a far - more serious ground of objection against them is, that they are replete with levity, anil teeming with acrimony against the established Church., The preface itself, short as it is, will afford us but too just a specimen, both. of- the matter contained in them, and of the spirit which they breathe throughout. " I will venture to affirm, says Mr. Robin- Son, in spite of' Lord Clarendon, and Dr. Burn, that we have not a brother so ignorant, and so impudent, as to dare to PREFACE. ft to preach to seven old women in an hogstie, what Doctors and Bishops have preached before Universities and Kings." The Reader may judge from hence of some out of many reasons, which induce the Editor, as a minister of the established Church, to publish this Essay without the in- cumbrances with which the translator had loaded it. There can be little doubt but that the notes have prevented many from perusing it, who might otherwise have been much profited by its contents : and it is hoped, that, now it is sent forth in its native dress, and may be read with- out exciting either bigotry or disgust, it will become an object of more general attention. II. Why he annexed the Gospel Message and the Four Skeletons to it. THE various methods, which Mr. Claude has pror posed for the treating of different subjects, are all exem- plified in the Skeletons annexed to his Essay. But the particular topics, which he mentions as Sources of Inven- tion, may be rendered more profitable by being brought into one view. A nd the different modes of treating subjects, which he suggests, may be more clearly understood, by being all exemplified on One Text. This idea having occurred to the Author's mind, he has maturely weighed it ; and the more it engaged his attention, the more firmly he was persuaded of the utility of carrying it into effect. But he was aware, that, to propose a text in four differ- ent points of view, witfiout introducing any material repetitions, was no easy matter. If indeed he had chosen to take separate parts of the text for the several discourses, he would have found it easy enough to avoid the most distant approach to tautology : but such a mode of dis- cussing subjects he does not altogether approve : the principal points in every text ought, in his judgment, tp be the leading features of the discourse formed upon it : and upon that principle he has constructed the Skeletons which are annexed to this Sermon. Another and a far greater difficulty, was to include no less than twenty-seven different topics in one discourse, and yet to preserve>, ; (w hat no sermon should want) unity and perspicuity throughout. But being very solicitous that nothing should be omitted B 2 which iv PREFACE. which could contribute to the perfection and usefulness of that invaluable Essay, he has made the attempt : with what success he leaves to a candid Public to determine. He begs the Reader, however, to take notice, that the introducing of all the topics into one discourse is a thing by no means to be imitated. It is done here only with an intention to set in a clear light the nature and use of those topics. In fact, a person who would write a judicious discourse, must not only not undertake to bring in every topic, but he must not fetter himself by an endeavour to illustrate any topic. He must consult the nature of the text or subject he is discussing, and must follow whither- soever that may lead him. The mind filled with any subject, will naturally suggest such topics as are most cal- culated to reflect light upon it : whereas a regard to this or that particular topic will be very likely to render the discourse incoherent and confused. III. The Nature and Intent of his own Skeletons. INSTRUCTION relative to the Composition of Ser- mons is of great importance, not only to Ministers, but, eventually, to the community at large. And it were much to be wished that more regard were paid to this in the education of those who are intended for the ministry. It has sometimes been recommended to the younger Clergy to transcribe printed Sermons for a season, till they shall have attained an ability to compose their own. And it is to be lamented, .that this advice has been too strictly fol- lowed : for, when they have once formed this habit, they find it very difficult to relinquish it: the transition from copying to composing of Sermons is so great, that they are too often discouraged in their first attempts, and in- duced, from the difficulty they experience in writing their own Sermons, to rest satisfied in preaching those of others. Hence has arisen that disgraceful traffic in printed Sermons, which instead of meeting with encouragement from the clergy, ought to have excited universal indignation. To remove, as far as possible, these difficulties from young beginners, is the intent of these Skeletons. The direc- tions given in Mr. Claude's Essay on the Composition of a Sermon, which is prefixed to these Skeletons, cannot fail PREFACE. v fail of being helpful to every one who will study them with care : but there appears to be something further wanted ; something of an intermediate kind, between a didactic Essay like Claude's, and a complete Sermon ; something which may simplify the theory, and set it in a practical light. Mr. Claude himself has interspersed several sketches, with a view to illustrate the different parts of his Essay : but these, though suited to the end which he proposed, are not sufficiently full to subserve the purpose of which we are now speaking. A scheme, or Skeleton b of a discourse, is that species of composition to which we refer. It should be not merely a sketch or outline, but a fuller draft, containing all the component parts of a Sermon, and all the ideas necessary for the illustration of them, at the same time that it leaves^ scope for the exercise of industry and genius in him who uses it*. The pious and learned Bishop Beveridge has written four volumes of such Skeletons, under the title of " Thesaurus Theologicus :" and if the Author had intended them for publication, he would probably have so completed his design as to supersede the necessity of any similar work. Even if the Editor had disposed the materials in a more judicious method, they would have appeared to much greater advantage. That so great a Divine should write so many compositions of that kind solely for his own use is a clear demonstration of his judg- ment with respect to the utility of them in general : and the circumstance of his never intending them for the public eye, is sufficient to exculpate any one from the charge of presumption who should attempt an improvement. The following Skeletons are not intended The particular particularly to exemplify Mr. Claude's rules: intent of the the examples, which he himself adduces in Skeleton. confirmation of his directions, are sufficient for his purpose ; and the multiplying of other examples would rather have diverted the Header from his subject, than aided him in the prosecution of it. There are indeed all the k For this use of the word " Skeleton," see Johnson's Dictionary. c A Student would find it not unprofitable, in this view, to analyae some judicious Sermons, and to make use of those analyses as the groundwork of his own compositions. vi PREFACE. the different kinds of discussion contained in the Skeletons. But instead of illustrating particular rules, they are all intended rather to illustrate one general rule ; namely, to shew how texts may be treated in a natural manner. The author has invariably proposed to himself three things as indispensably necessary in every discourse; UNITY in the design, PERSPICUITY in the arrangement, and SIMPLICITY in the diction*. How they were It may perhaps be not unuseful to point composed. O ut the manner in which these discourses are formed. As soon as the subject is chosen, the first enquiry is, IVhat is the principal scope and meaning of the text? Let us suppose, for instance, that the text of the ninth Skeleton were the subject. Upon examination, it appears to be a soliloquy of the Deity, expressing what He had seen to be the workings of Ephraim's mind, and declaring the emotions which the sight of his penitent child had occasioned within his own bosom. Having ascertained this, nothing is to be introduced into any part of the discourse, which does not, in some way or other, reflect light upon the main subject. The next enquiry is, OJ what parts does the text consist, or into 1 what parts may it be most easily and naturally resolved? Here an obvious division occurs : it is evident that the text contains, 1st, The reflections of a true penitent ; and, 2dly, The reflections of God over him. This division being made, the discussion of the two parts must be undertaken in their order. But how shall we elucidate the first head? Shall -we say, that the penitent is roused from his lethargy, hum- bled for his transgressions, stimulated to prayer ? c. &c. Such a distribution would, doubtless, contain many use- ful truths ; but they are truths which may be spoken from a thousand other texts as well as this ; and after they had been spoken, the people would still be left without any precise knowledge of the portion of Scripture which should have been opened to them. If the text did not contain any important matter, it would then, be proper, and 4 It is not intended by " Simplicity of diction" that the language should never be figurative, or sublime: the language ought certainly to rise with the subject, and should be on many occasions nervous and energetic : but still, it is a vicious taste to be aiming at, what is called, Jine language: the language should not elevate the subject, but the subject, it. PREFACE. mi and even necessary, to enter in this general manner into the subject: but it" the text itself afford ample means of elucidating the point that is under discussion, it is always best to adhere to that. In order then to enter fully into the subject, we examine more carefully, what are the particular reflections which God noticed in the penitent before us? And here we observe a further discrimination: the penitent's experience is delineated at two different periods ; one in the beginning, and the other in the pro- gress, of his repentance. This distinction serves to open an easy method for arranging what shall be spoken. Upon investigating still more accurately his expressions, it appears that lie laments his past incorrigibleness in the ways of sin, and, with an humble expression of his hope in God, implores converting grace. Soon afterwards, reflecting with a kind of joyful surprise upon the progress he has made, he thankfully ascribes the honour to God, through whose illuminating and converting grace he has been enabled to make such attainments. This experience being not peculiar to Ephraim, but common to all true penitents, we illustrate and confirm it by suitable passages of holy writ. A similar^ process is then pursued with respect to the second head: and when that is arranged and dis- cussed 'in like manner, we proceed to the application. The nature of the application must depend in some measure on the subject that has been discussed, and on the state of the congregation to whom it is addressed. Where there are many who make a profession of godliness, it will be necessary to pay some attention to them, and to accom- modate the subject in part to their state, in a way of con- viction, consolation, encouragement, &c. But where the congregation is almost entirely composed of persons who are walking in " the broad way" of worldliness and in- difference, it may be proper to suit the application to them alone. In either case it may be done by inferences, or by address to distinct characters, or by a general address ; but, for the most part, either of the former methods is preferable to the last. As for the exordium, that is the last part to be composed ; and Mr. Claude's directions for it cannot be improved. Here then is an example of a discourse made on a text that affords an abundance of useful and important matter. B4 But viii PREFACE. But this is not the case in all texts : take the tenth, for instance. In that, the general scope of the text is, to declare the value of the soul ; the distribution of it into its leading parts might be varied in many ways: but whatever distribution were adopted, one must of necessity supply from one's own invention matter for the illustration of it; because the text itself, though very important,, does not limit one to any particular considerations. By the adoption of such a plan as this, many good ends are attained : for not only is unity preserved, and a per- spicuity diffused through the whole, but a variety of ideas suggest themselves which would not otherwise occur to the mind : an hackneyed way of treating texts will be avoided : the observations will be more appropriate : they \vill arise in a better order, and be introduced to more advantage : the attention of the audience will be fixed more on the word of God : their memories will be assisted ; and .the very reading of the text afterwards will bring to their minds much of what they have heard : besides, they will be more enabled to discern beauties in the Scripture when they peruse it in their closets. But it may be thought, that, on this plan, it will be always necessary to use divisions. This, however, is by no means the case ; every text drawn up after this manner, must of necessity have an unity of design ; and wherever -that is, the divi- sions may be either mentioned or concealed, as the writer shall choose. Let the forementioned text in Jer. xxxi. be treated without any division at all ; and the same arrangement will serve exactly as well as if the divisions were specified. It will stand thus - " A true penitent in the beginning of his repentance reflects on his incorrigibleness in the ways of sin, and pleads with God to turn and convert his soul " When he has advanced a little in his repentance, he reflects with gratitude on the progress he has made, and he gives the glory of it to God " In such a state he is most acceptable to God " Whilst he can scarcely findlerms whereby to express his own yileness, God accounts no honours too g reat f r him ' He owns him as a pleasant child ; expresses his compassionate regard for him; promises to manifest his jnercy PREFACE. ix mercy towards him, and grants him -all that he himself can possibly desire" Divest the tenth Skeleton also of its divisions, and it will be equally clear. " By ' the world' we are to understand pleasure, riches, and honour " This, if considered in itself, is vile ; if, as estimated by the best judges, worthless " The Soul, on the contrary, if considered in itself, is noble; and if, as estimated by the, best judges, invaluable " Such being the disparity between the value of the world, and that of the soul, we cannot but see what must be the result of a comparison between them " We suppose, for argument sake, that a man may possess the whole world, and that after having possessed it for awhile, he loses his own soul ; what in the issue would he be profited? " Whether we enter generally or particularly into this subject, the result will be still the same/' These two Skeletons are selected in order to exemplify this idea, ist, In a subject where the whole matter is contained in the text; and, 2dly, In a subject where nothing but the general idea is suggested : and if the Reader will give himself the trouble to examine, he will find that every one of the other Skeletons may, with equal ease, be drawn out in the same manner**. This is a point of considerable importance ; for if the mind were necessarily cramped and fettered by this method of composition, it would be inexpedient to adopt it. But it is manifest that it leaves the mind at most perfect liberty: and while many advantages arise from it, there is no room at all for the principal objection, which might at first sight appear to lie against it. But though these observations are made to shew that discourses might be formed from the S keletons as easily without divisions as with them, it is not to be thought that the mention of the divisions is a matter of indifference ; A * If the reader wish to see entire Sermons, with the Skeletons of the same annexed to them (which indeed will give him the most perfect idea of their .use) let him consult the Gospel Message (in p*. 213 of this volume) with the first Skeleton that follows it; and the 576111 Sermon, on Tenderness of Conscience, vol. v. p. 384, with the Skeleton added to it. x PREFACE, indifference: the minds of the generality are not capable of traqing the connexion and coherence of a discourse : their attention will flag; they will lose much of what they hear; and have no clue whereby to recover it: whereas the mention of an easy and natural division will relieve their minds, assist their memories, and enable them to " mark, learn, and inwardly digest" the word. The manner If any student, who has a view to the i which they ministry, should choose to employ a part of should he used, jjjg sa bbath in perusing any of these compo- sitions, he would do well first to get a clear view of the great outlines of the discourse, and then to consider, under each part, what is contained in the brackets; consulting, as he proceeds, the passages of Scripture that are quoted. After this, if he will write over the whole, interweaving those passages, or such parts of them as refer immediately to the subject, adding only a few words here and there to connect the whole, he will find that every Skeleton will make a discourse, which, if read distinctly, will occupy the space of nearly half an hour. In this way he may attain, without any great difficulty, a considerable know- ledge of the Scriptures, together with an habit of thinking clearly and connectedly on the principal doctrines con- tained in them. If any one, who has entered upon the sacred office, should think them worthy of his attention, a different method of using them should be adopted. He, having finished his academical studies, has his time more at his own command : he should therefore make himself perfect master of the Skeleton before him, and then write in his own language, arid according to his own concep- tions, his views of the subject: and he will find that " verba provisam rem non invita sequentur." It is proper however to observe, that those parts, which have only one mark after them, need very little enlarge- ment; whereas those which have three marks should be more fully opened. A caution to But there is one caution which requires be attended to peculiar attention. In the Skeletons many tn using them, .passages of the holy Scriptures are quoted, partly for the conviction of the Reader's own mind, and partly to furnish him with the proper materials for con- firming his word. These passages, if they were all i formally PREFACE. xi formally quoted, would make the sermon a mere rhapsody, a string of texts, that could not fail to weary and disgust the audience. But if they be glanced at, if the proper parts only be selected, and interwoven with the writer's own language, they will give a richness and variety to the discourse, at the same time that they will be peculiarly grateful to those who delight in the w r ord of God. There is however another extreme, which would be no less per- nicious: if no passages be formally adduced, many parts of the discourse will appear to want confirmation. The proper medium seems to be, to quote them expressly when there is reason to apprehend that any doubt is enter- tained respecting the truth that is insisted on, or where the citing of them will give peculiar weight to the point in hand : in all other places the language of Scripture should be used rather to enrich and adorn our own. It cannot be but that a Work of this Objections nature should be liable to many objections, against them Persons will vary in their judgment with re- c ^ nsidered - spect to it, according as they affect or disregard order ; according as they relish or disapprove the use of Scripture language ; according as they have been habituated to close-thinking, or have been accustomed to a desultory way of communicating their ideas ; and, lastly, according as they acquiesce in the unsophisticated doctrines of Scripture, or fondly attach themselves to human systems. But the Author begs leave to observe, that the very plan of suggesting the whole substance pf a Sermon in two pages, of shewing in so small a space how to introduce, divide, discuss and apply every subject, and of referring to the most important passages of Scripture that can reflect light upon it, necessarily precludes all the ornaments of language, and induces somewhat perhaps of obscurity. But if there be found some reason for that complaint, " brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio," it is hoped the candid Reader will consider it as a fault incident to the plan itself; and if he meet with any expression which appears too unqualified, he is requested to remember, that a thousand qualifying clauses might be introduced into a full discourse, which could not possibly find place in such compositions as these : if he would regard these in their proper view, he must consider them only as rough materials xii PREFACE. materials prepared to his hand, that out of them he may construct an edifice, modelled and adorned to his own taste. There is another objection indeed, which has been mentioned to the Author by some of his most judicious friends. It is feared that these Skeletons, especially if their number be increased, may administer to sloth and idleness. But he apprehends they are so constructed, that they cannot possibly be used at all, unless a con- siderable degree of thought be bestowed upon them. Nor does he think that any person, who has ever found the pleasure of addressing his congregation in his own words, will be satisfied with reciting the compositions of another. On the other hand, if some, who would otherwise have preached the sermons of others, be drawn gradually to compose their own, and if others, who have been rude and incoherent, be assisted in the exercise of their judgment, it will tend to wipe off disgrace from the established Church, and eventually, it is hoped, to benefit the souls of many. It is not possible to say what is the best mode of preaching for every individual, because the talents of men are so various, and the extent of their knowledge so different. It seems at all events expedient that a young Minister should for some years pen his sermons, in order that he may attain a proper mode of expressing his thoughts, and accustom himself to the obtaining of clear, comprehensive, and judicious views of his subject : but that he should always continue to -write every word of his discourses, seems by no means necessary. Not that it is at any time expedient for him to deliver an unpremedi- tated harangue: this would be very unsuitable to the holy and important oflice which he stands up to discharge. But there is a medium between such extemporaneous effusions and a servile adherence to what is written : there is a mtthod recommended by the highest authorities, which, after we have written many hundred sermons, it may not be improper to adopt: the method referred to is, to draw out a full plan or skeleton of the discourse, with the texts of Scripture which are proper to illustrate or enforce the several parts, and then to express the thoughts in such language as may occur at the time. This plan, PREFACE. xiii plan, if it have some disadvantage in point of accuracy or elegance, has, on the other hand, great advantages over a written sermon : it gives a Minister an opportunity of speaking with far more effect to the hearts of men, and of addressing himself to their passions, as well by his looks and gesture, as by his words. Archbishop Seeker, in his last Charge, after observing, in reference to t/ie matter of our sermons, " We have, in fact, lost many of our people to sectaries by not preach- ing in a manner sufficiently evangelical," (p. 299,) adds, in reference to the manner of our preaching, " There is a middle way", used by our predecessors, of setting down, in short notes, the method and principal heads, and enlarging on them in such words as present themselves at the time : perhaps, duly managed, this is the best? (p. 315.) He then proceeds to express his disapprobation of what is called Mandating of Sermons, or repeating them from memory. This custom obtains much among foreign Divines, and throughout the whole Church of Scotland; and in the Statute Book of our University there is an order from King Charles II. that this should be practised by all the Clergy, as well when preaching before the University and at Court, as before any common audience'. This shews at least, that if a Minister had thoroughly studied his discourse, it was deemed no objec- tion i. e. Between written discourses, arxl unpremeditated addresses. ' " Mr. Vice-Chancellor, and Gentlemen, " Whereas his Majesty is informed, that the practice of reading Ser- mons is generally taken up by the Preachers before the University, and therefore continued even before himself, his Majesty hath com- manded me to signify to you his pleasure that the said practice,which took beginning with the disorders of the late times, be wholly laid aside, and that the aforesaid Preachers deliver their Sermons, both in Latin and English, by memory or without book, as being a way of preaching which his Majesty judgeth most agreeable to the use of all foreign Churches, to the custom of the University heretofore, and the nature and intendment of that holy exercise. " And that his Majesty's commands in the premises may be duly regarded and observed, his farther pleasure is, that the names of all such ecclesiastical persons, as shall continue the present supine and slothful way of preaching, be from time to time signified unto me by the Viee Chancellor for the time being, upon pain of his Majesty's displeasure. MONMOUTH." ' October 8f A, 1674." (Page 300 of the Statute Book.) tion against him that he delivered ft without book. But the way proposed by Archbishop Seeker seems far prefer- able, on account of the unnecessary increase of labour to the Minister, and because the repeating of a sermon will most generally appear, as the Archbishop justly expresses it, like " the saying of a lesson." Many other authorities of the greatest note might be adduced (as those of Bp. Wiljun, Bp. Burnet, Abp. of Cambray, c.) if it were the Author's 'wish to vindicate this mode of preaching : but he is far from thinking it proper for all persons, or in all places. He considers it however as extremely useful, where a Minister's talents will admit of it. But, after all, the great concern both of Ministers and private Christians is, to enjoy the blessing of God upon their own souls. In whatever manner the truth may be delivered, whether from a written discourse or meinoriter, or from a well- digested plan, they may expect that God will accompany it with a divine energy, if they be looking up to him in the exercise of faith and prayer. In this hope, the fol- lowing Sermon, and the Skeletons annexed to it, are sent forth into the world : and if, by means of them, the excellency of the Gospel may be more clearly seen, its importance more deeply felt, and its strengthening, comforting, sanctifying efficacy more richly experienced, the Author's labours will be abundantly repaid. IV. The Sentiments and Doctrines contained in them. IN the discussion of so many subjects, it cannot fail but that every doctrine of our holy religion must be more or less canvassed. On every point the Author has spoken freely, and without reserve. As for names and parties in religion, he equally disclaims them all : he takes his reli- gion from the Bible ; and endeavours, as much as pos- sible, to speak as that speaks h . Hence, as in tlie Scrip- tures h If in any thing he grounded his sentiments upon human authority, it would not be on the dogmas of Calvin or Arminius, but on the Ar- ticles and Homilies of the Church of England. lie has the happiness to say, that he does ex animo, from his inmost soul, believe the doc- trines to which he has subscribed: but the reason of his believing them is not, that they are made the Creed of the established Church, but, that he finds them manifestly contained in the sacred Oracles. PREFACE. xv tures themselves, so also in this Work, there will be found sentiments, not really opposite, but apparently of an opposite tendency, according to the subject that is under discussion. In writing, for instance, on John v, 40, " Yc will not come to me, that ye might have life" he does not hesitate to lay the whole blame of men's condemnation on the obstinacy of their own depraved will : nor does he think it at all necessary to weaken the subject by nice dis- tinctions, in order to support a system* On the contrary, when he preaches on. John vi. 44, u No man can come unto me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him" he does not scruple to state in the fullest manner he is able, " That we have no power to do good works plea- sant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will 1 :" nor does he judge it expedient on any account to soften, and pal- liate, and fritter away this important truth. While too many set these passages at variance, and espouse the one in opposition to the other, he dwells with equal pleasure on them both ; and thinks it, on the whole, better to state these apparently opposite truths in the plain and unso- phisticated manner of the Scriptures, than to enter into scholastic subtleties, that have been invented for the up- holding of human systems. He is aware, that they who are warm advocates for this or that system of religion, will be ready to condemn hirn as inconsistent : but, if he speak in exact conformity with the Scriptures, he shall rest the vindication of his conduct simply on the authority and example of the Inspired Writers. He has no' desire to be wise above what is written, nor any conceit that he can teach the Apostles to speak with more propriety and correctness than they have spoken. It may be asked perhaps, How do you reconcile these doctrines, which you believe to be of equal authority and equal importance? But what right has any man to im- pose this task on the preachers of God's wordr God has not required it of them .; nor is the truth or falsehood of any doctrine to be determined absolutely by this cri- terion. It is presumed, that every one will acknowledge the holiness of God, and the existence of sin: but will any 1 The Tenth Article. xvi PREFACE. , any one undertake to reconcile them ? or does any one consider the inability of man to reconcile them, as a suffi- cient ground for denying either the one or the other of these truths ? If then neither of these points are doubted, notwithstanding they cannot be reconciled .by us, why should other points, equally obvious in some respects, yet equally difficult to be reconciled in others, be incompa- tible, merely because we, with our limited capacity, can- not perfectly discern their harmony and agreement ? But perhaps these points, which have been such a fruit- ful source of contention in the church, are not so opposite to each other as some imagine : and it is possible, that the truly scriptural statement will be found not in an exclu- sive adoption of either, nor yet in a confused mixture of both, but in the proper and seasonable application of them both ; or, to use the language of St. Paul, " in rightly dividing the word of truth." Here the Author desires to speak with trembling. He is aware that he is treading upon slippery ground ; and that he has but little prospect of satisfying any who have de- cidedly ranged themselves under the standard either of Calvin or Arminius. But he wishes to be understood : he is not solicitous to bring any man to pronounce his Shibboleth ; much less has he any design to maintain a controversy in support of it: he merely offers an apology for the sentiments contained in his publication, and, with much deference, submits to the public his views of scrip- ture truth : and, whether they be perfectly approved or not, this he hopes to gain from all parties, a favourable acceptance of what they do approve, and a candid for- bearance in the points they disapprove. This being premised, he will proceed to state the man- ner in which these apparently opposite tenets may, in his judgment, be profitably insisted on. It is supposed by many, that the doctrines of grace are incompatible with the doctrine of man's free-will ; and that therefore the one or the other must be false. But why so ? Can any man doubt one moment whether he be a free-agent or not ? he may as well doubt his own existence. On the other hand, will any man who has the smallest spark of humility, affirm, that he has " made himself to differ ; and that he has something which he has PREFACE. xvii not received " from a superior power k ? Will any one refuse to say with the apostle, " By the grace of God I am what I am ' ?" Again ; as men differ with respect to the first beginnings of a work -of grace, so do they also with respect to the manner in which it must be carried on ; some affirming, that God has engaged to " perfect that which concerneth us ;" and others, that even St. Paul had reason to fear " lest he himself should become a cast-away." But why should these things be deemed incompatible" 1 ? Does not every man feel within himself a liableness, yea, a prone- ness to fall ? Does not every man feel, that there is corruption enough within him to drive him to the com- mission of the greatest enormities, and eternally to de- stroy his soul ? He can have but little knowledge of his own heart who will deny this. On the other hand, who that is holding on in the ways of righteousness, does not daily ascribe his stedfastness to the influence of that grace, which he receives from God ; and look daily to God for more grace, in order that he may be kept by his power through faith unto salvation n ? No man can in any mea- sure resemble the scripture saints, unless he be of this disposition. Why then must these things be put in opposi- tion to each other, so that every advocate for one of these points must of necessity controvert and explode the other ? Only let any pious person, whether Calvinist or Arminian, examine the language of his prayers after he has been devoutly pouring out his soul before God, and he wijl find his own words almost in perfect consonance with the foregoing statement. The Calvinist will be confessing the extreme depravity of his nature, together with his liability and proneness to fall ; and the Arminian will be glorifying God for all that is good within him, and will commit his soul * i Cor. iv, 7. 1 Cor. xv, 10. m Benhadad might have recovered from his disease, though God had decreed that, by Hazael's device, he should die of it; (2 Kings viii. 10.) So we may (for aught that there is in us) die in our sins, though God has decreed that he will save us from death. In both cases the decree of God stands ; but the possibility of the event, as consi- dered in itself, remains unaltered. Neither our liableness to perish prevents the execution of God's decree; nor does his decree alter our liableness (in ourselves) to perish. n 1 Pet. i. 5. VOL. I. C xviii PREFACE. soul to God, in order that " HE who has laid the founda- tion of his own spiritual temple, may also finish it ." Doubtless either of these points may be injudiciously stated, or improperly applied. If the doctrines of Elec- tion and Predestination be so stated as to destroy man's free agency, and make him merely passive in the work of salvation, they are not stated as they. are in the Articles and Homilies of our Church, or a s^ they are in the Holy Scriptures. On the other hand, if the doctrines of free- will and liableness to final apostasy be so stated as to rob f~^ i God Zech. iv. 9. A circumstance within the Author's knowledge reflects so much light upon this subject, that he trusts he shall be pardoned for relating it. A young Minister, about three or four years after he was ordained, had an opportunity of conversing familiarly with the great and vene- rable leader of the Arminians in this kingdom ; and, wishing to im- prove the occasion to the uttermost, he addressed him nearly in the following words : " Sir, 1 understand that you are called an Armiriian ; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist ; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions, not from imperti- nent curiosity, but for real instruction." Permission being very readily and kindly granted, the young Minister proceeded to ask, " Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved, that you would never have thought of turning unto God, if God had not first put it into your heart?" " Yes, says the veteran, I do indeed." '" And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by any thing that you can do ; and'look for salvation solely through the blood and righte- ousness of Christ ?" " Yes, solely through Christ." " But, Sir, sup- posing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?" " No; I must be aved by Christ from first to last." " Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace, of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power ? " " No." " What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms ?" " Yes; altogether." " And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you x unto his heavenly kingdom ?" " Yes ; I have no hope, but in him." " Then, Sir, with your leave, I will put up my dagger again ; for this is all my Cal- vinism ; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final per- severance : it is, in substance, all that I hold, and as I hold it: and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree." The Arminian leader was so pleased with the conversation, that he made particular mention of it in his journals ; and notwithstanding there never afterwards was any connexion between the parties, he retained an unfeigned regard for his young inquirer to the hour of his death. PREFACE. xix God of his honour, and to deny that he is both " the Author and the Finisher of our faith," they are equally abhorrent from the sentiments of our established church, and from the plainest declarations of holy writ. The Author humbly apprehends, that there is a perfect agreement between these different points ; and that they are equally salutary or equally pernicious, according as they are properly or improperly applied. If, for instance, on hearing a person excuse his own supin^ness by saying, " I can do nothing, unless God give me his grace;" we should reply, " This is true; it is God who alone can give you either to will or to do"- What would be the consequence? we should confirm him in his sloth, and encourage him to cast all the blame of his condemnation upon God himself. But if we should bring before him the apparently opposite truths, and bid him arise and call upon God ; we should take the way to convince him, that the fault was utterly his own, and that his destruction would be the consequence, not of God's decrees, but of his own inveterate love of sin. Let us suppose, on the other- hand, that a person, having " tasted the good word of life," begin to boast, that he has made himself to differ, and that his superiority to others is the mere result of his own free-will : if, in answer to him, we should immediately descant on our freedom to good or evil, and on the powers with which God has endued us for the preservation of our souls, we should foster the pride of his heart, and encourage him, contrary to an express command, to glory before God : whereas, if we should remind him, that "'by the grace of God we are what we are," and that all must- say, " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise," we should lower his overweening conceit of his own goodness, and lead him to acknowledge his obligations to God. Let us illustrate the same in reference to the two other doctrines we mentioned, namely, The perseverance of the saints, and our liableness,.in ourselves, to " make ship- wreck of the faith." Suppose a person say, " I need not be careful about my conduct;" for " God has begun the good i Cor. i. 29. Rom, iii. 27. C 2 xx PREFACE. good work within me, and has engaged to perform it till the day of Christ:" if we were to begin extolling the covenant of grace, and setting forth the truth of God in his promises, we should countenance his error, at the very time that he was turning the grace of God into licentiousness. But if we should warn him against the danger of being given over to a reprobate mind, and of perishing under an accumulated load of guilt, we should counteract his sinful disposition, and stimulate him to flee from the wrath to come. On the other hand, if a humble person should be drooping and desponding under a sense of his own corruptions, and we should spread before him all our difficulties and dangers, we should altogether " break the bruised reed, and quench the smoking flax :" but if we should point out to him the fulness and stability of God's covenant ; if we should enlarge upon the interest which Christ takes in his people, and his engagements that " none shall ever pluck them out of his hand p ;" it is obvious, that we should administer a cordial to his fainting spirit, or (as God requires of us) we should " strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and com- fort the fearful heart." These sentiments may perhaps receive some confirma- tion from the conduct of the apostle Paul. In adminis- tering the word, he consulted the state of his auditors, and apportioned to them either " milk or strong meat," according to their ability to digest and improve it 9 . In reference to this we may say, that the doctrines of human liberty, and human frailty, together with the other first principles of Christianity, are as milk, which those who are yet " babes in Christ," must have set before them : but that the doctrines of grace, or " the deep things of God," are rather as strong meat, which none can digest, unless they have grown to some stature in the family of Christ, and " had their spiritual senses long exercised in discerning good and evil':" and that, as strong meat, which would nourish an adult, would destroy the life of an infant ; and milk that would nourish an infant, would be inadequate to the support of a man oppressed with hard labour; 1 John x. 37, 28. i i Cor. iii. i, 2. t Heb. v. 12, 14. PREFACE. xxi labour ; so it is with respect to the points which we have been considering. Or, if we may be permitted a little to vary this illustration, the one sort of truths are as food proper to be administered to all ; whereas the other are rather as cordials for the support and comfort of those who need them. In a word, there seems to be a perfect correspondence between God's works of providence and grace : in the former, " he worketh all things according to the counsel ' O O of his own will,- yet leaves men perfectly free agents in all that they do ; so in the latter, he accomplishes his own eternal purpose both in calling, and in keeping, his elect ; but yet he never puts upon them any constraint, which is not perfectly compatible with the freest operations of their own will. The Author well knows that these doctrines may be, and alas ! too often are, so stated as to be really contra- dictory. But that they may be so stated as to be profit- able to the souls of men, he hopes is clear from the illus- trations that have been just given '. He trusts he shall be pardoned if he go yet further, and say, that, in his judgment, there not only is no positive contradiction in this statement, but that there is a propriety in it, yea, moreover, a necessity for it, because there is a subserviency in these truths, the one to the other. God elects us ; but he carries his purpose into effect by the free agency of man, which is altogether influenced by rational considerations. So also he carries on and com- pletes his work in our souls, by causing us to feel our proneness to apostatize, and by making us cry to him daily for the more effectual influences of his grace. Thus, while he consults his own glory, he promotes our greatest good, Many have carried their attachment to system so far, that they could not endure to preach upon any passage of scripture that seemed to oppose their favourite sentiments ; or, if they did, their whole en- deavour has been to make the text speak a different language from that which it appeared to do. In opposition to all such modes of pro- cedure, it is the Author's wish in this preface to recommend a con- formity to the scriptures themselves, without any solicitude about systems of man's invention. Nor would any thing under heaven be more grateful to him than to see names and parties buried in eternal oblivion, and primitive simplicity restored to the church. C3 xxii PREFACE. good, in that he teaches us to combine humility with earnestness, and vigilance with composure. The Author would not have troubled the Reader with this apology, were it not that he is exceedingly desirous to counteract that spirit of animosity, which has of late so greatly prevailed against those who adhere to the- princi- ples of the established church. Not that he has himself any cause to complain : on the contrary, he has. reason to acknowledge, that his former volume met with a far more favourable reception from the Public than he ever dared to expect. But he would wish his Work to be brought to this test Does it uniformly tend TO HUMBLE THE SINNER? TO EXALT THE SAVIOUR? TO PROMOTE HOLINESS ? If in one single instance it lose sight of any of these points, let it be condemned without mercy 1 . But, if it invariably pursue these ends, then let not any, whatever system they embrace, quarrel with an expression that does not quite accord with their views. Let them consider the general scope and tendency of the book : and, if it be, as he trusts it is, not to strengthen a party in the Church, but to promote the good of the whole ; then let smaller differences of sentiment be overlooked, and all unite in vindicating the great doctrines of SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST. ' By this expression the Author means, that such is his abhorrence of every principle which militates against any one of the points referred to, that lie conceives it almost impossible that a word should fall from his pen, which, if candidly interpreted, can be justly said to con- tradict them. CONTENTS. XXlli CHAP. I. ON THE CHOICE OF TEXTS. T\iPTc: F c P. EXAMPLES. PAOB. L9.Yn.laoi a oerraoii Five -------.---._. 07 Each text must contain the complete sense of the writer 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. 28 must not contain 00 little matter nor too much .... 33 The end of preaching ---.-_.-._. .... 28 Whether pro'testants should preach on Romish festivals ..... 29 What subjects are proper for stated days of public worship .... 29 What, for occasional, as ordinations, &c. ---_-.---- 30 CHAP. II. GENERAL RULES OF SERMONS. SERMONS should be explicit and clear --....-.-- 31 must give the entire sense of the text ------- 31 must be wise, sober, chaste ---------- 32 simple and grave ------- _.__ 33 instructive and affecting ----- - - - - 33 Whether a preacher should apply as he goes on ------- 34 Preacher should avoid excess --------- _-__ 3.5 Of genius --------------- .--- 35 Of doctrine ------------------ 35 Of investigation - -..--------_--- 36 Of figures of speech -.----.__-_ _-_- 36 Of reasoning -------------- _-.- 37 Of grammatical remarks ---------- .--- 38 Of criticisms _-___--.._.-_ ..-. 38 Of philosophical historical rhetorical observations - - - - . - - 33 Of quotations ----------.- ._.- 38 CHAP. III. OF CONNEXION. CONNEXION defined, and how to find it- 38 must seldom be enlarged on - - - - - --.- 38 must sometimes make a part of the discussion - - - - .39 and sometimes it afford&^an exordium ------ 39 CHAP. IV. OF DIVISION. A TEXT should not be divided into many parts -------- 39 Two sorts of division ------------- _ . * 39 Division of the Sermon is proper in general for obscure subjects - - - 39 as for prophecies ----------- Gen. iii. 15. 40 for texts taken from disputes -------' Rera. iii. 28. 40 for conclusion* of long discourses ----- Rom.v.l.viii.l. 40 f Heb. i. 5, 6. 41 for quoted texts ----------< ii. 6. 41 I iii. 7. 41 for texts treated of in different views - - -/ HeT'iri 7 8 42 Division of the text after the order of the wordt - - - - Eph. i. 3. 41 How to divide a text inform ------- Heb. x. 10. 43 Natural order twofold .---...-- _.__ 44 Arbitrary divisions ---------- g Tim. ii. 10. 44 Some texts divide themselves --.--.- Phil. ii. 13. 45 C 4 Nothing XXIV ____ EXAMPLES. PAGI, Nothing must be put in tlie first branch of division that "1 supposes a knowledge of the secund ------ J f John xv. 5. 46 Division of subject and attribute --_.---< vi. 47, 56. 46 [. Rom. viii. 1. 46 Sometimes the connexion of subject and attribute must "I 2 Cor. v. 17. 47 make a distinct part ------- _-j John vi. 47. 47 How to divide when texts need much explaining - - - Acts ii. 27. 47 Discussion of terms Syncategoremutica ------- John iii. 16. 47 How to divide texts of reasoning -------- Rom. iv. 1. 48 of objection and answer ----- Rom. vi. 1, 2. ' 50 Division of difficult texts ---------- Jehn iv. 10. 50 of texts which imply something ------ Isai. Iv. 6. 51 of texts of history -------------- 52 Division must be expressed simply for the sake of being \ e remembered -------- - j must be connected together ----------- 53 Subdivision ---------------- --- 53 CHAP. V. Or TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAJ OF EXPLICATION. PREACHER must understand the sense of the text - - - - - - 54 comprehend the whole subject together,"| and perceive the pacts of which it > - - ' - - 54 consists ------- -J have a general idea of theology - - - - _ . 54 study the nature of his text _ - - -__. 4 Two general ways of discussing a text ; explication and \ observation -------------J Rules to determine the choice --------- --_. 55 Difficult passages must be treated of by way of explication - - - - 53 Difficulties arise from words or things ------- .___ 55 How to explain difficult words --------- ___ gg Difficult and important subjects must be explained --- _.._ $g Controverted texts, how to explain -------- Johnxvi. 12. 57 Different ways of explaiuing disputed texts ----- ____ 57 How to explain an intrifate suhjtct --------'_. 57 exemplified --------.. Jchn i. 17. 58 How to explain texts not difficult but important - - - - 2 Cor. iv. 7. 67 Explications with and without proof ------- ...- 77 Proofs of/act -- ------------ Phil. ii. 6. 78 right -------- - Phil. ii. 14,15. 78 both fact and right hn "!:."' 10 \ Rom. via. 1. 10O sometimes not to be explained ----- __-- 100 How to explain and illustrate a proposition ----- -__- joi exemplified .-------_. EpL. i. 18. 102 Explication of propositions which contain divert truths - - Eph. i. 18. 105 considerable in divert view* - - - - / PsaL lsix ; 21 ' *? 1 cxxix. 2. 108 ,. I Exort. iii. 7, 8. 108 which have dmerenta^reciofaccomplian- I H b " 13 109 mcnt I E2.xxxVii.l-ll 109 luconsiderable proportion*- .-..-.--{ P g *' 3 3 - }JJ CHAP. XXV CHAP. VI. OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF OBSERVATION. EXAMPIFS. OME Texts must be discussed by way of observation - - - - - - as clear texts ---------- - - - - historical texts --------- John xii. 1, 2. Some texts require both explication and observation - - - Acts i. 10. How to arrange the discussion of passages of this kind - - .... Observation sometimes includes explication % - - - - .- Acts ii. 1. Observations should generally be theological -----'-_- But in some cases they may be taken from other topics - - - - - - Observation should neither be pedantic ------ .... nor vulgar --------- .... TOPICS As I. Genus -- Pal. 1. 14. II. Species ..----...---- p s al. cxxiii. 2. III. Character of a virtue or a vice _--..- 2Thes.iii. 5. IV. Relation ------------- .... V. Implication ------------ Rom. xii. 17. VI. Persons speaking or acting -_-.... Rom. xii. 17. VII. State -- 1 Thes. v. 16. VIII. Time 1 Tim. ii. 1. IX. Place -- Phil, iii.13,14. X. Persons addressed ---------- Rom. xii. 17. XI. Particular state of persons addressed - - - - Rom. xii. 17. XII. Principles -------.---_. John v. 14. XIII. Consequences ------------ --. XIV. End proposed ------------ --. XV. Manner -------------- Rom.viii. 37. XVI. Comparison of some subjects with other subjects < ^ cts * * I vn. 22. XVII. Difference - -___...._._. R om . x ; v . 3. 141 XVIII. Contrast ---------..-_ .... 142 XIX. Ground / Jolm ' 14 - 14S v. 14. 144 XX. Composition ------------ Mat.xvi. 22 145 XXI. Supposition ------------ L u k e xv i;. 10. 145 XXII. Objection ------------ .... m XXIII. Character of expression --__.__. .... j^g as of Majesty -- John xiv. 1. 143 Tenderneis -------- ii v . 5. 143 Meanness -------- Acts i. 6. 149 Necessity -__.-.-. J hn xiv. 16. 149 Utility - -- ___. 150 Evidence _-...... Exod.xx.3 5. 150 XXIV. Degrees Gal. i. 9. 151 X)$V. Interests Matt. xii. 10. 153 XXVI. Distinction ------------ i Cor. xv. 14. 15S Definition ------------- .._- 154 Division .------------ _..- 154 XX.V1I. Comparison of one part of a subject with another "\ Rom. viii. 1, 154 part of the same subject ----. -J Eph, ii. 4, 5 155 CHAP. XXVI CHAP. VIT. OF APPLICATION. EXAMPLES. PAGI. DISCUSSION by Application -. 155 what ------- _ 155 What subjects should be discussed in this way - - - / j Co^' x 'i 23 1 ~7 Example of this method of discussion at large ... Phil. ii. 12. 157 CHAP. VIII. OF PROPOSITION. DISCUSSION of Proposition, what - I Rom. via. 13. . 180 Example of this method at large -------- J.---J 180 CHAP. IX. OF THE EXORDIUM. EXORDIUM, what ---- 196 Whether exordiums be necessary -----._. .__- 196 The ends proposed in exordiums _--__-__ _._- 199 They are principally two ---------- .-_- 199 Exordiums must be short ----------- ---- 202 clear 202 cool and grave -------- ---- 202 engaging and agreeable ----- ---- 203 connected with the text ----- ---_ 201 simple and unadorned ----- ---- 204 not common -------- -___ gQ5 May sometimes be figurative -----. John vi. .54. 205 Vices of exordiums. ------------ __._ 206 Affectation -.----_.-_-- _.-_ -206 Use of apophthegms -------_-_ - - - - 207 Citations from profane authors ------- -.-- 207 In what cases they are proper ------- Psal. xc. 12. 207 The best are taken from theology -------- --_- 208 How to compose them __.-_-__,- _._. g08 They maybe taken from common-places sacred history "1 types, &c. - :._ f CHAP. X. OF THE CONCLUSION. WHAT Conclusions ought to be in general --__. .... 209 In particular, some should be-------") Violent / Tender ------ 210 Elevated -------- -_.-- 210 May sometimes be mixed --------- _.. gio Must always be diversified -------- .... 211 The best concluions -_-.----._.. _.._ 1311 ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. CHAP I. ON THE CHOICE OF TEXTS. TH E RE are in general five parts of a sermon, the exordium, the connexion, the division the discus- sion, and the application : but, as connexion and division are parts which ought to be extremely short, we can properly reckon only three parts; exordium, discussion, and application. However, we will just take notice of connexion and division after we have spoken a little on the choice of texts, and on a few general rules of dis- cussing them i. Never a Bishop Wilkin says, " Preaching should have its rules and canons, whereby men may be directed to the easiest and readiest way for the practice of it. Besides all academical studies of languages, sciences, divinity, &c. besides all these, there is a particular art of preaching. Two abilities are requisite in every one ; a right understanding of sound doctrine, and an ability to propound, confirm, and apply it to others. The first may be without the "other; and, as a man may be a good lawyer, and yet not a good pleader ; so he may be a good divine, and yet not a good preacher. One reason why men of eminent parts are so slow and unskilful herein, is, because they have not been versed in this study, and are therefore unacquainted with those proper rules and directions by which they should be guided in the attaining and exercise of this gift. It hath been the usual course at the university, to venture upon this calling in an abrupt, over-hasty manner. When scholars have passed over their philosophical studies, and made some little entrance 28 AN ESSAY ON THE 1 . Newer choose such texts as have not a complete sense; for only impertinent and foolish people will attempt to preach from one or two words, which signify nothing. 2. Not only words which have a complete sense of themselves must be taken : but they must also include the complete sense of the writer, whose words they are ; for it is his language, and they are his sentiments, which you explain. For example, should you take these words of 2 Cor. i. 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of ail comfort, and stop here, you would include a complete sense; but it would not be the apostle's sense. Should you go farther, and add, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, it would not then be the complete sense of St. Paul, nor would his meaning be wholly taken in, unless you went on to the end of the fourth verse. When the complete sense of the sacred writer is taken, you may stop ; for there are few texts in scripture, which do not afford matter sufficient for a sermon; and it is equally incon- venient to take too much text, or too little; both extremes must be avoided. When too little text is taken, you must digress from the subject to find something to say ; flourishes of wit and imagination must be displayed, which are not of the genius of the pulpit ; and, in one word, it will make the hearers think, that self is more preached than Jesus Christ; and that the preacher aims rather at appearing a Wit, than at instructing and edifying his people. When too much text is taken, either many important considerations, which belong to the passage, must be left out, or a tedious prolixity must follow. A proper mea- sure, therefore, must be chosen, and neither too little, nor too much matter taken. Some say, preaching is designed only to make scripture understood, and therefore they take a great deal of text, and are content with giving the sense, and with making some principal reflections: but entrance on divinity, they presently think themselves fit for the pulpit, without any further enquiry, as if the gift of preaching, and sacred oratory, was not a distinct art of itself. This would be counted very preposterous in other matters, if a man should presume on being an orator because he was a logician, or to practise physic because he had learned philosophy," &c. Wilkin's Ecclesiastes. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 29 but this is a mistake ; for preaching is not only intended to give the sense of scripture, but also of theology in general; and, in short, to explain the whole of religion, which cannot be done, if too much matter be taken ; so that, I think, the manner commonly used in our churches is the most reasonable, and the most conformable to the end of preaching. Every body can read scripture with notes and comments to obtain simply the sense : but we cannot instruct, solve difficulties, unfold mysteries, pene- trate into the ways of divine wisdom, establish truth, refute error, comfort, correct, and censure, fill the hearers with an admiration of the wonderful works and ways of God, inflame their, souls with zeal, powerfully incline them to piety and holiness, which are the ends of preach- ing, unless we go farther than barely enabling them to> understand scripture. To be more particular, regard must be paid to circum- stances, times, places, and persons ; and texts must be chosen relative to them. 1st, In regard to times. I do not, I cannot, approve of the custom of the late Mons, Daill, who used to preach on the feast-days of the church of Rome, and to choose texts on the subjects of their feasts, turning them to censure superstition : I do not blame his zeal against superstition : but as for the Romish feasts, they are for the members of the church of Rome, and not for us ; and, it is certain, our hearers will neither be instructed, nor encouraged by such sorts of subjects : methinks they should be preached seldom, and soberly. It is not so with particular times, which belong to our- selves, which are of two sorts, ordinary, which we call stata tempora, which every year return at the same sea- sons ; or extraordinary, which fall out by accident, or, to speak more properly, when it pleases God. Of the first kind are Lord's-supper-days ; or days which are solemnized amongst us, as Christmas-day, Easter, Whit- suntide, Ascension-day, New-year's-day, and Good-friday, as it is called. On these days, particular texts should be chosen, which suit the service of the day ; for it would discover great negligence to take texts on such days, which have no relation to them. It is not to be ques- tioned but on these days peculiar efforts ought to be made, because then the hearers come with raised expectations, which, JO AN ESSAY ON THE which, if not satisfied, turn into contempt, and a kind of indignation against the preacher. Particular days not fixed, but occasional, are fast-days, ordination-days, days on which the flock must be extra- ordinarily comforted, either on account of the falling out of some great scandal, the exercise of some great affliction, or the inflicting of some great censure. On fast- days, it is plain, particular texts must be expressly chosen for the purpose : but on other occasions it must rest on the preacher's judgment ; for most texts may be used extra- ordinarily, to comfort, exhort, or censure ; and, except the 'subject in hand be extremely important, the safest way is not to change the usual text b . -For ordination-days extraordinary texts, and agreeable to the subject in hand, must be taken, whether it regards the ordainer, or the ordained ; for very often he, who is ordained in the morning, preaches in the afternoon. I add one word touching sermons in strange churches. i . Do not choose a text which appears odd, or the choice of which vanity may be supposed to dictate. 2. Do not choose a text of censure; for a stranger has no business to censure a congregation which he does not inspect : unless lie have a particular call to it, being either sent by a synod, or entreated by the church itself. In such a case the censure must be conducted with wisdom, and tem- pered with sweetness. Nor, 3. Choose a text leading to curious knotty questions; then it would be said, the man meant to preach himself. But, 4. Choose a text of ordi- nary doctrine, in discussing which, doctrine and morality may be mixed; and rather let moral things be said by way of exhortation and consolation than by way of cen- sure : not that the vicious should not be censured ; for reproof is essential to preaching : but it must be given soberly, and in general terms, when we are not with our own flocks. b Perhaps by texte accoutume Mr. Claude means such a text as would come in a precomposed set of sermons. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 3 1 CHAP. II. GENERAL RULES OF SERMONS. ALTHOUGH the following general rules are well known, yet they are too little practised: they ought, however, to be constantly regarded. 1. A sermon should clearly and purely explain a text, make the sense easy to be comprehended, and place things before the people's eyes, so that they may be understood without difficulty. This rule condemns em- barrassment and obscurity, the most disagreeable thing in the world in a gospel-pulpit. It ought to be remembered, that the greatest part of the hearers are simple people, whose profit, however, must be aimed at in preaching : but it is impossible to edify them, unless you be very clear. As to learned hearers, it is certain, they will always prefer a clear before an obscure sermon ; for, first, they will consider the simple, nor will their benevolence be content if the illiterate be not edified ; and next, they will be loth to be driven to the necessity of giving too great an attention, Which they cannot avoid, if the preacher be obscure. The minds of men, whether learned or ignorant, generally avoid pain ; and the learned have fatigue enough in the study, without increasing it at church c . 2. A sermon must give the entire sense of the 'whole text, in order, to which it must be considered in every view. This rule condems dry and barren explications, wherein the preacher discovers neither study nor invention, and leaves unsaid a great number of beautiful things, with which his text would have furnished him. Preachments of this kind are extremely disgustful; the mind is neither elevated c Bishop Burnet says, " A preacher is to fancy himself as in the room of the most -unlearned man in the whole parish, and must there- fore put such parts of his discourses as he would have all understand, in so plain a form of words, that it may not be beyond the meanest of them. This he will certainly study to do, if his desire is to edify tLem, rather than to make them admire himself as a learned and high-spoken man." Past. Care, chap. g. This opinion accords with that of an ancient orator : faro^um; per xXt?^s TB? s TU Trtofif* XAa frvrnpttsg ; eloquentes dicimus eos qui AD POPULUM verba facere possunt. Isocrates Orat. at Nicoc. 3. 4 32 AN ESSAY ON THE elevated nor informed, nor is the heart at all moved. In matters of religion and piety, not to edify much, is to destroy much ; and a sermon cold and poor will do more mischief in an hour, than a hundred rich sermons can do good. I do not mean, that a preacher should always use his utmost efforts, nor that he should always preach alike well ; for that neither can nor ought to be. There are extraordinary occasions, for which all his vigour must be reserved. But 1 mean, that, in ordinary and usual ser- mons, a kind of plenitude should satisfy and content the hearers. The preacher must not always labour to carry the people beyond themselves, nor to ravish them into ecstasies: but he must always satisfy them, and maintain in them an esteem and an eagerness for practical piety. 3. The preacher must be wise, sober, chaste. I say wise, in opposition to those impertinent people, who utter jests, comical comparisons, quirks and extravagancies; and such are a great part of the preachers of the church of Rome. I say sober, in opposition Co those rash spirits, who would penetrate all, and curiously dive into mysteries beyond the bounds of modesty. Such are those, who make no difficulty of delivering in the pulpit all the spe- culations of the schools, on the mystery of the Trinity, the incarnation, the eternal reprobation of mankind; such as treat of questions beyond our knowledge ; viz. What would have been if Adam had abode in innocence; what the state of our souls after death; or what the resurrection; and our state of eternal glory in paradise. Such are they, who fill their sermons with the different interpretations of a term, or the different opinions of interpreters on any passage of scripture ; who load their hearers with tedious recitals of ancient history; or an account of the divers heresies which have troubled the church upon any matter; all these are contrary to the sobriety of which we speak, and which is one of the most excellent pulpit virtues. I say farther chaste, in opposition to those bold and impu- dent geniuses, who are not ashamed of saying many things which produce unclean ideas in the mind. A preacher cannot be called chaste, who, speaking of the conception of Jesus Christ in the virgin's womb by the power of the Holy Ghost without the intervention of man, is not 5 careful COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 33 careful of saying any thing, that may shock the modesty of some, and give occasion of discourse to the profanity of others. There are I know not how many subjects of this kind; as when the eternal generation of Jesus Christ the Son of God is spoken of; when the term regeneration is explained, which Scripture useth to express our conver- sion; or when we treat of that seed ot God, of which, according to St. John, we are born; or when we enforce the duties of husbands to wives, or of wives to husbands; or when we speak of the love of Jesus Christ to his church, under the notion of a conjugal relation; or when eternal felicity is spoken of under the image of a banquet, or of a marriage- feast. On all such subjects, chastity should weigh the expressions, and make a judicious choice, in order to keep the hearers' minds at the greatest distance from all sorts of carnal and terrestrial ideas. The likeliest way of succeeding in these cases is to beware of pressing me- taphorical terms too far; to adhere to general considera- tions, and if possible to explain the metaphorical terms in few words, and . afterwards to cleave entirely to the thing itself. \^y 4. A preacher mast be simple and grave. Simple, speaking things full of good natural sense without meta- physical speculations ; for none are more impertinent than they, who deliver in the pulpit abstract speculations, defi- nitions in form, and scholastic questions, which they pre- tend to derive from their texts; as, on the manner of the existence of angels; the means whereby they commu- nicate their ideas to each other; the manner in which ideas eternally subsist in the divine understanding ; with many more of the same class, all certainly opposite to simplicity. To simple I add grave, because all sorts of mean thoughts and expressions, all sorts of vulgar and proverbial sayings, ought to be avoided. The pulpit is the seat of good natural sense ; and the good sense of good men. On the one hand then, you are not to phi- losophize too much, and refine your subject out of sight; nor, on the other, to abase yourself to the language and thoughts of the dregs of the people. 5. The understanding must be informed, but in a manner, however, which affects the heart ; either to com- fort the hearers, or to excite them to acts of piety, repent- VOL. I. D ance, 34 AN ESSAY ON THE ance, or holiness. There are two ways of doing this, one formal, in turning the subject to moral uses, and so applying it to the hearers; the other in the simple choice of the things spoken; for if they be good, solid, evangelic, and edifying of themselves, should no application be form- ally made) the auditors would make it themselves; because subjects of this kind are of such a nature, that they can- not enter the understanding without penetrating the heart. I do not blame the method of some preachers, who, when they have opened some point of doctrine, or made some important observation, immediately turn it into a brief moral application to the hearers; this Mr. Daille fre- quently did : yet I think it should not be made a consant practice; because, 1st, what the hearer is used to, he will be prepared for, and so it will lose its effect ; and 2dly, because you would thereby interrupt your explication, and consequently also the attention of the hearer, which is a great inconvenience. Nevertheless, when it is done but seldom, and seasonably, great advantage may be reaped. But there is another way of turning doctrines to moral uses, which in my opinion is far more excellent, authori- tative, grand, and effectual; that is, by treating the doc- trine contained in the text, in a way of perpetual applica- tion d . This way produces excellent effects, for it pleases, instructs, and affects all together*. But neither must this be made habitual, for it would fatigue the hearer, nothing being more delicate, nor sooner discouraged, than the human mind. There are fast-days, Lord's-supper-days, and many such seasonable times for this method. This way, as I have said, is full of admirable fruits; but it must d This subject being fully handled in Chap. V^I. the Translator omitted one page of Mr. Claude here, because its substance is re- peated in the chapter referred to. He was fully justified in taking such a liberty with this posthumous work of Mr. Claude's : and similar liberties are used by the Editor, with a view to the real improvement of the treatise itself. e Docente te in ecclesia non clamor populi se.d gcmitus suscitetur; lachrymae auditorum laudes tuae sint. Jerom. ad Nepot. Optimus est enim orator qui dieendo animos audientium et docct, et delectat, et permonct. Docere ciebitum est, delectare honorarium, permovere nccessarium. Cic. dc Orat, COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 35 must be well executed f , with power and address, with choice of thoughts and expressions, otherwise the preacher will make himself ridiculous, and provoke the people to say, Quid dignum tanto feret hie promissor hiatu ? Purturiunt monies ; uascetur ridiculus mus. 6. One of the most important precepts for the discus- sion of a text, and the composition of a sermon, is, above all things, to avoid excess : Ne quid nimis. 1. There must not be too much genius; I mean, not too many brilliant, sparkling, and striking things ; for they would produce very bad effects. The auditor will never fail to say, The man preaches himself, aims to display his genius, and is not animated by the spirit of God, but by that of the world. Besides, the hearer would be over- charged ; the rnindof man has its bounds and measures; and as the eye is dazzled with too strong a light, so is the mind offended with the glare of too great an assemblage of beauties. Farther, it would destroy the principal end of preaching, which is to sanctify the conscience ; for when the mind is overloaded with too many agreeable, ideas, it has not leisure to reflect on the objects ; and M'ithout reflection the heart is unaffected. Moreover, ideas which divert the mind are not very proper to move the conscience ; they flatter the imagination ; and that is all. Such a preacher will oblige people to say of him, lie has genius, a lively and fruitful imagination ; but he is not solid. In fine, it is not possible for a man, who piques himself on filling his sermons with vivacities of imagination, to maintain the spirit all along ; he will therefore become a tiresome tautologist : nor is it hard in such sermons to discover many false brilliancies, as we see daily. 2. A sermon must not be overcharged with doctrine, because the hearers' memories cannot retain it all, and by aiming to keep all, they will lose all ; and because you will be obliged either to be excessively tedious, or to propose the doctrine in a dry, barren, scholastic manner, w'hich f This style of writing or preaching is no where exemplified to greater advantage than in a late publication, entitled Scripture Cha- racters, written by the Rev. Thomas Robinson. D 2 3$ AN ESSAY ON THE which will deprive it of all its beauty and efficacy. A sermon should instruct, please, and affect ; that is, it should always do these as much as possible. As the doctrinal part, which is instructive, should always be pro- posed in an agreeable and affecting manner; so the agree- able parts should be proposed in an instructive manner : and even in the conclusion, which is designed wholly to affect, agreeableness must not be neglected, nor altogether instruction. Take care then not to charge your sermon with too much matter. 3. Care must also be taken never to strain any particular part, either in attempting to exhaust it, or to penetrate too far into it. If you aim at exhausting a subject, you will be obliged to heap up a number of common things without choice or discernment ; if at penetrating, you cannot avoid falling into many curious questions, and un- cdifying subtilties ; and frequently in attempting it you will distil the subject till it evaporates. 4. Figures must not be over strained. This is done by stretching metaphor into allegory, or by carrying a parallel too far. A metaphor is changed into an allegory, when a tiumber of things are heaped up, which agree to the subject, in keeping close to the metaphor. As in ex- plaining this text, God is a sun and a shield ; it would be stretching the metaphor into an allegory to make a great collection of what God is in himself; what to us; what he does in the understanding and conscience of the be- liever ; what he operates on the wicked ; what his ab- sence causeth ; and all these under terms, which had a perpetual relation to the sun. Allegories may be some- times used very agreeably : but they must not be strained, that is, all, that can be said on them, must not be said. A parallel is run too far, when a great number of conformi- ties between the figure, and the thing represented by the figure, are heaped together. This is almost the perpetual vice of mean and low preachers ; for when they catch a figurative word, or a metaphor, as when God's word is called ajire, or a sword ; or the church a house, or a dove', or Jesus Christ a light, a sun, a vine, or a door ; they never fail making a long detail of conformities between the figures and the subjects themselves ; and frequently say ridiculous things. This vice must be avoided, and you must COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 37 must be content to explain the metaphor in a few words, and to mark the principal agreements, in order afterward to cleave to thing itself. 5. .Reasoning must not be carried too far. This maybe done many ways ; either by long trains of reasons, com- posed of a quantity of propositions chained together, or principles and consequences ; which way of reasoning is embarrassing and painful to the auditor : or by making many branches of reasons, and establishing them one after another ; which is tiresome and fatiguing to the mind. The mind of man loves to be conducted in a more smooth and easy way ; all must not be proved at once ; but, sup- posing principles, which are true and plain, and which you, when it is necessary, are capable of proving and sup- porting, you must be content with using them to prove what you have in hand. Yet I do not mean, that in reasoning, arguments should be so short and dry, and proposed in so brief a manner, as to divest the truth of half its force, as many authors leave them. I only mean, that a due medium should be preserved ; that is, that without fatiguing the mind and attention of the hearer, reasons should be placed in just as much force and clear- ness as are necessary to produce the effect. Reasoning also may be overstrained by heaping great numbers of proofs on the same subject. Numerous proofs are intolerable, except in a principal matter, which is like to be much questioned or controvered by the hearers. In such a case you would be obliged to treat the subject fully and &v pavfesso ; otherwise the hearers would consider your attempt to prove the matter as an useless digression. But when you are obliged to treat a subject fully, when that subject is very important, when 1 it is doubted and controverted, then a great number of proofs are proper. In such a case you must propose to convince and bear down the opponent's judgment, by making truth triumph in many different manners^ In such a case, many proofs associated together to produce one effect, are like many rays of light, which naturally strengthen each other, and which altogether form a body of brightness, which is irresistible. 6. You must as much as possible abstain from all sorts of observations foreign from Theology. In this class I D 3 place. jg AN ESSAY ON THE place, i . Grammatical observations of every kind, which not being within the people's knowledge, can only weary and disgust them. They may nevertheless be used when they furnish an agreeable sense of the word, or open some important observation on the subject itself, provided it be done very seldom and very pertinently. 2. Critical observations about different readings, dif- ferent punctuations, &c. must be avoided. Make all the use you can of critical knowledge yourself; but spare the people the account, for it must needs be very disagreeable to them. I add, 3dly, Avoid philosophical and historical observa- tions, and all such as belong to Rhetoric; or if you do use them, do not insist on them, and choose only those, which give either some light to the text, or heighten its pathos and beauty ; all others must be rejected. Lastly. I say the same of passages from Profane. Authors, or Robbies, or Fathers, with which many think they enrich their sermons. This farrago is only a vain ostentation of learning ; and very often they who fill their sermons with such quotations, know them only by relation of others. However, I would not blame a man who should use them discreetly. A quotation not common, and properly made, has a very good effect. CHAP. III. OF CONNEXION. THE connexion is the relation of your text to the foregoing or following verses. To find this, consider the scope of the discourse, and consult commentators ; parti- cularly exercise your own good sense ; for commentators frequently trifle, and give forced and far-fetched connex- ions, all which ought to be avoided, for they are not natural ; and sometimes good sense will discover the scope and design of a writer far better than this kind of \vriters. There are texts, the connexions of which (1 own) it will be sometimes difficult to perceive. In such a case, en- deavour to discover them by frequent and intense medi- tation, or take that which commentators furnish ; and among many, which they give, choose that which appears most COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 39 most natural ; and if you can find none likely, the best way will be to let the passage alone. The connexion is a part which must be very little insisted on, because the hearers almost always pass it over, and receive but little instruction from it. When the coherence will furnish any agreeable consi- derations for the illustration of the text, they must be put in the discussion; and this will very often happen. Some- times also you may draw thence an exordium : in such a case the exordium and connexion will be confounded together. CHAP. IV. I" , ; , . OF DIVISION. DIVISION, in general, ought to be restrained to a small number of parts: they should never exceed four or five at the most : the most admired sermons have only two or three parts s . There are two sorts of divisions, which we may very properly make ; the first, which is the most common, is the division of the text into its parts ; the other is of the discourse, or sermon itself, which is made on the text h . This last, that is to say, the division of a discourse, is proper, when, to give light to a text, it is necessary to mention * Mr. Claude's direction to be sparing of divisions is worthy of regard by all. Quintilian (who follows Cicero, ^Eschines, Demosth- enes, &c.) says, Qui recte diviserit, nunquam poterit in rerum ordine errare. Certa sunt enim non solum in digerendis questionibus, sed, etiam in exequetidis, si modo reet ratorem commendant. i . Scientia rei militaris. 2. Virtus, toritas. 4. Felicitas. Pro lege Manilla. h These, may be called textual and topical. 40 AN ESSAY ON THE mention many things, which the text supposes but does not formally express ; and which must be collected else- where, in order to enable you to give in the end a just explication of the text. In such a case you may divide your discourse into two parts, the first containing .some general considerations necessary for understanding the text ; and the, second, the particular explication of the text itself. 1. This method is proper when a. prophecy of the Old Testament is handled; for, generally, the understanding of these prophecies depends on many general considera- tions, which, by exposing and refuting false senses, open a way to the true explication ; as appears by what has been said on Gen. iii. 15.* I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel', and on the covenant made with Abraham, &c. c. k 2. This method is also proper on a text taken from a dispute ', the understanding of which must depend on the state of the question, the hypotheses of adversaries, and the principles of the inspired writers. All these lights are previously necessary, and they can only be given by gene- ral considerations: For example, Rom. iii. 28. We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Some general considerations must precede, which clear up the state of the question between St. Paul and the Jews, touching justification; which mark the hypothesis of the Jews upon that subject, and which discover the true principle which St. Paul would- establish ; so that in the end the text may be clearly understood. 3. This method also is proper in a conclusion draztw from a long preceding discourse; as for example, Rom. v. i . Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Some think that, to ma- nage this text well, we ought not to speak of justification by faith; but only of that peace which we have with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. I grant, we ought not to make justification the chief part of the sermon : but the text is a conclusion drawn by the apostle from the preced- ing 1 See Skel. 147. k These general considerations appear better still iu an exordium. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 4! ing discourse ; and we shall deceive ourselves, if we imagine this dispute between St. Paul and the Jews so well known to the people, that it is needless to speak of it ; they are not, in general, so well acquainted with Scripture. The discourse then must be divided into two parts, the first eonsistingof some general considerations on the doctrine of justification, which St. Paul establishes in the preceding chapters ; and the second, of his conclusion, That, being thus justified, we have peace with God, &c. . The same may be said of the first verse of the viiith of Romans, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, hut after the spirit ; for it is a consequence drawn from what he had been establishing before. 4. The same method is proper for texts which are quoted' in the New Testament /ww the Old. You must prove by general considerations that the text is properly produced, and then you may come clearly to its explication. Of this kind are Heb. i. 5, 6. I will he to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: ii. 6. One in a certain place testi- fied, saying, IVhatisman, that thou art mindful of him? iii. 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye. will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. There are many passages of this kind in the New Testament. 5. In this class must be placed divisions into different respects, or different views. These, to speak properly, are not divisions of a text into its parts, but rather different applications, which are made of the same text to divers subjects. Typical texts should be divided thus : and a great number of passages in the Psalms, which relate not only to David, but also to Jesus Christ ; such should be considered first literally, as they relate to David ; and then in their mystical sense, as they refer to the Lord Jesus. There are also typical passages, which beside their literal senses have also figurative meanings, relating not only to Jesus Christ, but also to the church in general, and to every believer in particular; or which have different de- grees of their mystical accomplishment 1 . For 1 I omit two short but injudicious illustrations of this, acquiescing fully in the opinion of the translator, that types should be handled cautiously, and soberly, and always under the immediate direction of the New Testament writers. A man is always safe when he follows these guides. 42 AN ESSAY ON THE For example, Dan. ix. 7. O Lord, righteousness belong- eth unto thce, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day : (which is a very proper text for a fast-day,) must not be divided into parts ; but considered in different views. i. In regard to all men in general. 2. In regard to the Jewish church in Daniel's time. And, 3. In regard to our- selves at this present day. So again, Heb. iii. 7, 8. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of. temptation in the wilderness (which is taken from Psalm xcv. and which also is very proper for a day of censure or fasting) cannot be better divided than by referring it, i . To David's time ; 2. St. Paul's ; and, lastly, To our own. As to the division of the text itself, sometimes the order of the words is so clear and natural, that no division is necessary ; you need only follow simply the order of the words. As for example, Eph. i. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. It is not necessary to divide this text, because the words divide themselves ; and to explain them, we need only follow them. Here is a grateful acknowledgement, blessed be God. The title, under which the apostle blesses God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reason, for which he blesses him, because he hath blessed us. The plenitude of this blessing, with all blessings. The nature or kind, signified by the term spiritual. The place, where he hath blessed us, in heavenly places. In whom he hatli blessed us, in Christ. Remark, as you go on, that there is a manifest allusion to the first blessing, wherewith God blessed his creatures, when he first created them, Gen. i. For as in the first creation he made all things for his own glory, Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself; so in this new creation, the end, and perpetual exercise of the believer, ought to be, to bless and glorify God. All things in nature bless God as their creator : but we bless him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God blessed the creation immediately, becauseat was his own work : here, in like manner, he blesses us, because we are his own new creation ; we are, says the apostle, his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 'works , chap. ii. 10. There the Lord divided his blessing, giving to COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 43 to every creature a different blessing : He said to the earthy I3ring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit : to the fishes of the sea, and to the fowls of the air, Be fruitful and multiply ; and to man he said, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue if, arid ha've dominion : Here, believers have every one his whole blessing, for each possesseth it entirely. The creatures then received but an imperfect blessing: but we have received one as full and entire as God could communicate to creatures. Their blessing was, in the order of nature, a temporal blessing : ours, in the order of grace, a spiritual blessing. There upon earth ; here in heavenly places: 'there in Adam; here in Christ. . V- It may also be remarked, that the apostle alludes to the blessing of Abraham, to whom God said, In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed', and a com- parison may very well be made of the temporal blessings of the Israelites, with those spiritual benefits which we receive by Jesus Christ. Most texts, however, ought to be formally divided ; for which purpose you must principally have regard to the order of nature, and put that division, which naturally precedes, in the first place ; and the rest must follow, each in its proper order. This may easily be done by reducing the text to a categorical proposition, beginning with the subject, passing to the attribute, and then to the other terms; your judgment will direct you how to place them 1 ". If, m Oratio cujus sumtna virtus est perspicuitas, quam sit vitiosa si egeat interprete! Quint. Insl. lib. i. 0.4. Allowing that texts are to be divided after reducing them to cate- gorical, i.e. to single propositions, either simple, the subjects and predicates of which consist of single terms ; or complex, the subjects and predicates of which are made up of complex terms; allowing that the. subject is to be considered first, then the attributes, which in logic are the same with predicates, or what may be affirmed or denied of any subject ; allowing all this, yet it must not be forgotten that this operation, and these terms, belong to the laboratory, and should never appear in prescriptions to the people ; especially as Mr. Claude's proposed end may be better answered without them. He aims to make divisions natural: here is an example. Archbishop Flechier, on Saul's conversion, considers, first, what Jesus Christ did for- St. Paul ; 1. What St. Paul did for Jesus Christ. IB the first part he opens divine compassion, as a spring whence flowed Paul's 44 AN ESSAY ON THE If, for example, I were to preach from IJeb. x. 10. By the which will we ore sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ Qncc for all; I should not think it proper to speak first of the will of God, then of our Sanclification, and lastly of the Cause of our sanc- tification, which is, the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ : it would be much better to reduce the text to a categorical proposition ; thus, The offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once made, sanctifies us by the will of God ; for it is more natural to consider, i. The nearer and more immediate cause of our acceptance, which is, the oblation of the body of Jems Christ ; 2. Its effect, our sanctiji- cation; 3. Its first and more remote cause, which makes it produce this effect, the will of God. It remains to be observed, that there are two natural orders, one natural in regard to subjects themselves, the other natural in regard to us. The first considers every thing in its natural situation, as things are in themselves, without any regard to our knowledge of them ; the other, which I call natural in regard to us, observes the situation, which things have as they appear in our minds, or enter into our thoughts. For example, in the last-mentioned text, the natural order of things would require the pro- position thus : By the will of God the offering of the body of Christ sanctifies us; for, 1. The will of God is the decree of his good pleasure to send his Son into the world; 2. The oblation of Jesus Christ is the first effect of this will ; and, 3. Our sanctification is the last effect of his oblation by the will of God. On the contrary, the natural order in regard to us is, i . The offering ; 2. The san,ctification, which it produces; and, lastly^ The will of God, which gives it this efficacy. When in any text the natural order of things differs from that which regards our knowledge of them, we may take that way which we like best ; however, I believe, it would be best to follow that of our knowledge, because it is easiest, and clearest for the common people. There are texts, which contain the end and the means ; the cause and the effect ; the principle, and the conse- quence Paul's creation, preservation, conversion, gifts, graces, usefulness, &c The second part relates the use that St. Paul made of all these, out of gratitude, and to God's glory. Flcch. Ser. torn. i. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 45 quence deduced from the principle ; the action, and the principle of the action ; the occasion, and the motive of the occasion : in these cases it is arbitrary either to begin with the means, and afterwards treat of the end ; with the effect, and proceed to the cause, and so on ; or to follow the contrary order. JFor instance, 2 Tim. ii. i o. Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ, with eternal glory. It is plain, that the text has three parts ; the sufferings of the apostle ; the end he proposes ; and the principle, from which he proposes this end. The order is then arbitrary : you may either speak, first of St. Paul's love to the elect ; secondly, of the salvation, which he desired they might obtain in Jesus Christ ; and, thirdly, of the sufferings, which he endured in order to their ob- taining it ; or, first, of his sufferings ; secondly, of the end, which he proposed in them, the salvation of the elect with eternal glory ; and, thirdly, of his love for the elect, which is the principle. But though, in general, you may follow which of the two orders you please, yet there are some texts that de- termine the division; as Phil. ii. 13. It is God who work- eth effectually in you, both to will and to do, of his own good pleasure. There are, it is plain, three things to be dis- cussed ; the action of God's grace upon men, Godworketh effectually in you ; the effect of this grace, to will and to do ; and the spring or source of the action, according to his good pleasure. I think the division would not be pro- per if we were to treat, i. Of God's goodpleasure; 2. Of his grace ; and, 3. Of the ivilt and works of men. 1 should rather begin with volition and action, which are the effects of grace ; then I should speak of the grace itself, which produces willing and doing in us effectually; and, lastly, of the source of this grace, which is the good plea- sure of God. In short, it is always necessary to consult good sense, and never to be so conducted by general rules as not to attend to particular circumstances. Above all things, in divisions, take care of putting any thing in the first part, which supposes the understanding of the second, or which obliges you to treat of the second to 'make the first understood ; for by these means you will throw yourself into a great confusion, and be obliged to make 46 Aft ESSAY ON THE make many tedious repetitions. You must endeavour to disengage the one from the other as well as you can ; and when your parts are too closely connected with each other, place the most detached first, and endeavour to make that serve for a foundation to the explication of the se- cond, and the second to the third ; so that at the end of your explication the hearer may with a glance perceive, as it were, a perfect body, or a finished building ; for one of the greatest excellencies of a sermon is, the harmony of its component parts, that the first leads to the second, the second serves to introduce the third ; that they which go before, excite a desire for those which are to follow : and, in a word, that the last has a special relation to all the others, in order to form in the hearers' minds a com- plete idea of the whole. This cannot be done with all sorts of texts, but with those only which are proper to form such a design upon. Remember too, it is not enough to form such 1 a plan, it must also be happily executed. You will often find it necessary in texts, which you re- duce to categorical propositions, to treat of the subject, as well as of the attribute : then you must make of the sub- ject one part. This will always happen, when the subject of the proposition is expressed in terms that want explain- ing, or which furnish many considerations : For example : He that abide th in me, and I in him, the samebringeth forth much fruit. This is a categorical propbsition, and you must needs treat of the subject, he who abides in Jesus Christ, and in whom Jesus Christ abides. So again, He that bclieveth in me, hath everlasting life. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. The two last ought to be reduced to categorical proposi- tions, the subjects of which are, they who are in Christ. In these, and in all others of the same kind, the subject must make one part, and must also be considered first ; for it is more natural, as well as most agreeable to the rules of logic, to begin with the subject of a proposition. Sometimes it is necessary not only to make one part of the subject, and another of the attribute ; but also tu 7 make COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 47 make a third of the connexion of the subject with the attribute. In this case, you may say, after you have ob- served in the first place the subject, and in the second the attribute, that you will consider in the third the entire sense of the whole proposition : this must be done in these texts ; If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. He that believeth in me hath eternal life, &c. Sometimes there are, in texts reduced to categorical propositions, terms which, in the schools, are called syn- categorematica ; and they relate sometimes to the subject, and sometimes to the attribute n . When in a text there are several terms, which need a particular explanation, and which cannot be explained without confusion, or without dividing the text into too many parts, then I would not divide the text at all : but I would divide the discourse into two or three parts ; and I would propose, first to explain the terms, and then the subject itself. This would be necessary on Acts ii. 27. Thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. To discuss this text properly, I think, the discourse should be divided into three parts, the first consisting of some general considera- tions, to prove that the text relates to Jesus Christ, and that Peter alleged it properly : the second, of some par- ticular considerations on the tenns ; soul, which signifies life ; grave, which also signifies hell', on which the church of Rome grounds her opinion of Christ's descent into, what her divines call, limbus patrum holy, which in this place signifies immortal, unalterable, indestructible ; cor- ruption, which means not the moral corruption of sin, but the natural corruption of the body. Finally, we must ex- amine the subject itself, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are many texts, in discussing which, it is not ne- cessary to treat of either subject or attribute : but all the discussion depends on the terms syncategorematica*. For example, John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever bel'ieveth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. The categorical propo- sition n Syncatfgorentatica. Of this kind are those words, which of themselves signify nothing, but in conjunction with others in a pro- position are very significant. See page 100. 48 AN ESSAY OX THE sition is, God loved the world ; yet it is neither necessary to insist much on the term God, nor to speak in a common- place way of the love of God : but divide the text into two parts ; first, the gift which God in his love hath made of his Son ; secondly, the end for which he gave him, that whosoever believetJi in him should not perish, but have, everlasting life. In the first, you must shew how Jesus Christ is the gift of God : i. In that he did not come by principles of nature. 2. Inasmuch as there was nothing among men to merit it. 3. In that there was nothing among men to excite even the least regard of any kind. 4. There was not the least proportion between us and so great a gift. But, 5. There was, on the contrary, an in- finite disproportion ; and not only a disproportion, but an opposition and a contrariety. Then pass to the cause of this gift, which is love ; and after having observed that it was a love of complacence, for which, on the creature's part, no reason can be rendered, particularly press the term so, and display the greatness of this love by many considerations. Then go to the second point, and exa- mine, i . The fruit of Christ's mission, the salvation of man, expressed negatively, that/?e should not perish, and positively, that he should have eternal life. Speak of these one after another. After this observe, 2. For whom the benefit of Christ's mission is ordained, believers. And, lastly, enlarge on the word whosoever, which signifies two things ; i. That no believer is excluded from the benefits of Jesus Christ ; and, 2. That no man, as such, is ex- cluded from faith, for all are indifferently called. In texts of reasoning, the propositions which compose the syllogism must be examined one after another, and each apart. Sometimes it will be even necessary to consider the force of the reasoning, and to make one part of that also. Sometimes we shall find a proposition concealed, which it .will be proper to supply. You must in such a case consider, whether the hidden proposition be important enough to make a part, which it will sometimes be, as in Rom. iv. i . What shall we then say, that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found'? for if Abra- ham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. Divide this text into two parts. ] . Con- sider COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 49 sider the question, What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the Jlesh, hath found? And, 2. The solution. As to the question, first establish the sense, which depends on the meaning of the words after the flesh, that is to say, according to natural principles ; either in regard to the birth of Isaac, who came into the world, not in an ordinary way and according to the force of nature, for Sarah was barren and beyond the age of child-bearing ; or, as Abraham's natural state in mar- riage was a figure of the state of his soul in regard to God. According to thejlesh, also signifies, according to works in regard to his justification before God. The sense of the question is, then, What shall -we say of Abraham our father? was he justified before God by his works? Nor must you fail to remark, that in St. Paul's sense, according to thejlesh, is opposed to, according to the promise ; that is, the way of nature opposed to a supernatural way. Secondly, Observe the importance of the question with the Jews, who looked upon Abraham as their father, the root of which they esteemed themselves the branches, de- riving all their claims from him ; so that it was extremely important to clear up the state of Abraham, and in what manner he was justified ; for thereon depended the ruin of that pretended justification, which the Jews endea- voured to establish by the law, that is, by works. Pass now to the solution, and observe, that it is a reason, and that the particle which we translate but should be translated now f ; thus, If Abraham werejustified by works, he P The translation in this part was so faulty, as clearly to shew, either that Mr. Claude had totally misunderstood the Apostle, or that the Translator had misunderstood Mr. Claude. The Editor not being able to procure a sight of the original, could not, in either of his former editions, satisfactorily solve the difficulty. But he has at last procured the very copy of Claude which Mr. Robinson made use of; and finds that the mistake was altogether in the Translator; who rendered the words, or, and done, by because. Mr. Claude says, Cette particule que nous avons traduite, mais, doit etre traduite par or, de cette sorte; Certes si Abraham a etc justific par les ceuvres, il a dequui se vanter envers Dieu. Ce qui fait voir qu'ily a une troisieme proposition que 1'Apotre a teue, mais qu'il faut necessairement suppleer, sfavoir cette consequence; Done Abraham n'a pas etc Justine par les ceuvres. VOL. I; - E At 50 AN ESSAY ON THE he hath whereof to glory before God. Now he hath nothing to glory of before God. By which we see, there is a third proposition, which the apostle concealed, but which must necessarily be supplied, which is this conclusion, There- fore Abraham was not justified by his works. As the solu- tion of the question depends on this proposition, and on the\ proofs, which establish it, the three propositions must be treated separately; i. Every man who is justified by works, hath whereof to glory before God. 2. Abraham, what advantages soever he had otherwise, had nothing to glory of before God. 3. The conclusion suppressed, therefore Abraham was not justified by his works. There are texts of reasoning which are composed of an objection and the answer, and the division of such is plairi ; for they naturally divide into the objection and the solu- tion. As Rom. vi. i, 2. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Divide this into two parts, the objection and the answer. The objection is, first, proposed in general terms, What shall we say then ? 2. In more particular terms, Shall we continue in sin? And, 3. The reason and ground of the objection, beeause grace abounds. The so- lution of the question is the same. In general, God forbid. In particular, How shall we live in sin ? And the reason, We are dead to sin. There are some texts of reasoning which are extremely difficult to divide, because they cannot be reduced to many propositions without confusion, or savouring too much of the schools, or having a defect in the division ; in short, without being unsatisfactory. In such a case, let inge- nuity and good sense contrive some extraordinary way, which, if proper and agreeable, cannot fail of producing a good effect. For example, John iv. 10. Ifthou kneuvst the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water : I think it might not be improper to At the conclusion of the paragraph the Translator again renders done, because ; and thereby destroys all the sense of the passage. The meaning of Claude is simply this : If Abraham-were justified by works, Ae hath -whereof to glory before God. Now he hath nothing to glory of before God: therefore he was not justified by his works. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 51 to divide it into two parts ; the first including the general propositions contained in the words ; and the second, the particular 'application of these to the Samaritan woman. In the first, observe these following propositions : That Jesus Christ is the gift of God That though he asked for drink, he is thefountain of living water himself That he is the object of our knowledge, both as the gift of God, and as thejbunt of living water That an applica- tion to him for this living water, flows from our knowledge of him That he gives the water of life to all, who ask it. In the second part you may observe, that Jesus Christ did not disdain to converse with a woman, a Samaritan woman, a schismatic, out of the communion of the visible church, a very wicked woman, a woman who in her schism and sin disputed against the truth That Jesus Christ improved this opportunity to teach her his grace, without amusing himself with directly answering what she said. You may remark the ignorance of this woman in regard to the Lord Jesus : she saw him ; she heard him ; but she did not know him : from which you may observe, that this is the general condition of sinners, who have God always before their eyes, yet never perceive him That from the woman's ignorance arose her negligence and loss of such a fair opportunity of being instructed. Observe also the mercy of Jesus Christ towards her; for he even promised to save her. When he said, If thou wouldest have asked of him, he would have given thee living water ; it was as much as if he had offered to instruct her. Remark too, that Jesus Christ went even so far as to command her to ask him for living water ; for when he said, If thou wouldest have asked him, he did as much as say, Ask him now. Observe, finally, that he excited her to seek and to know him, and removed her ignorance, the cause of all her mistakes and miseries. There are sometimes texts which imply many important truths withoutexpressing them ; and yet it will be necessary to mention and enlarge upon them, either because they are useful on some important occasion, or because they are important of themselves. Then the text must be divided into two parts, one implied, and the other ex- pressed. I own this way of division is bold, and must neither be abused, nor too often used ; but there are E 2 occasions, 52 AX" ESSAY OX THE occasions, it is certain, on which it may be very justly and agreeably taken. A certain preacher on a fast-day, having taken for his subject these words of Isaiah, Seek the Lord while he may be found, divided his text into two parts, one implied, the other expressed. In thejirst he said, that there were three important truths, of which he was obliged to speak : i. That God was far from us. 2* That we \\ervfarfrom him. And, 3. That there was a time, in which God would not be found, although we sought him. He spoke of these one after another. In the first, he enumerated the afflictions of the church, in a most affecting manner ; observing, that all these sad events did but too plainly prove the absence of the favour of God. 2. He enumerated the sins of the church, and shewed how distant we were from God. And, in the third place, he represented that sad time, when God's patience was, as it were, wearied out; and added, that then he displayed his heaviest judgments without speak- ing any more the language of mercy. At length coming to the part expressed, he explained what it was to seek the Lord ; and by a pathetic exlwrtatwn, stirred up his hearers to make that search. Finally, he explained what was the time in which God would be found, and renewed his exhortations to repentance^ mixing therewith hopes of pardon, and of the blessing of God. His sermon was very much admired, particularly for its order. In texts of history, divisions are easy : sometimes an action is related in all its circumstances, and then you may consider the action in itself first, and afterwards the circumstances of the action. Sometimes it is necessary to remark the occasion of an action, and to make one part of it, Sometimes there are actions and words t which must be considered separately. Sometimes it is not necessary to make any division at all : but the order of the history must be followed. In short, it depends on the state of each text in par- ticular. To render a division agreeable, and easy to be remem- bered by the hearer, endeavour to reduce it as often as possible to simple terms. By a simple term I mean a single word, in the same sense as in logic what they call terminus , simplex COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 53 simplex is distinguished from what they call terminus com- plex. Indeed, when the parts of a discourse are expressed in abundance of words, they are not only embarrassing, but also useless to the hearers, for they cannot retain them. Reduce them then as often as you can to a single term. Observe also, as often as possible, to connect the parts of your division together; either by way of opposition, or of cause and effect, or of action and end, or action and motive, or in some way or other; for to make a division of many parts, which have no connexion, is exceedingly offensive to the hearers, who will be apt to think that all you say, after such a division, is nonsense ; besides, the human mind naturally loving order, it will much more easily retain a division in which there appears a con- nexion 1 . As to subdivisions, it is always necessary to make them; for they very much assist composition, and diffuse perspi- cuity through a discourse : but it is not always needful to mention them; on the contrary, they must be very seldom mentioned; because it would load the hearer's mind with a multitude of particulars. Nevertheless, when subdivi- sions can be made agreeably, either on account of the excellence of the matter, or when it will raise the hearers' attention, or when the justness of parts harmonize agree- ably one with another, you may formally mention them : but this must be done very seldom ; for the hearers would be presently tired of such a method, and by that means cloyed of the whole r . CHAP. V. OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF EXPLICATION. I PROCEED now from general to more particular rules, and will endeavour to give some precepts for invention and disposition. I sup- i This direction of Mr. Claude's, like most of his other rules, is founded on the knowledge of human nature, which delights in orderly connexions, and is extremely disgusted with every thing incongruous. r Subdivisions. This directs us how to understand Mr. Claude's whole book, which abounds with subdivisions. It is plain he means chiefly to aid in composing, rather than in delivering the sermon. E3 54 AN ESSAY ON THE I suppose then, in the first place, that no man will be so rash as to put pen to paper, or begin to discuss a text, till he has well comprehended the sense of it. I have given no rule about this before ; for a man, who wants to be told, that he ought not to preach on a text before he understands it, ought at the same time to be informed, that he is fitter for any other profession than that of a minister. I suppose, secondly, that the student, having well understood the sense of his text, begins by dividing it ; and that, having the several parts before his eyes, he very nearly sees what are the subjects which he will have to discuss, and, consequently, what ought to enter into his composition'. I suppose, farther, that he is a man not altogether a novice in divinity ; but that he is acquainted with common- places, and the principal questions, of which they treat. Supposing all these, the first thing that I would have such a man do, is to observe the nature of his text ; for there are doctrinal, historical, prophetical, and typical texts. Some contain a command, others a prohibition; some s As for composing (says Bishop Wilkin) it will not be convenient for a constant preacher to pen all his discourse, or to tie himself to phrases; when the matter is well digested, expressions will easily follow ; whereas to be confined to words, besides the oppression of the memory, will much prejudice the operations of the understanding and affections. The judgment will be much weakened, and the affections dulled, when the memory is over-burthened. A man cannot ordinarily be so much affected himself, and consequently he cannot affect others, with things he speaks by rote; he should take some liberty to prose- cute a matter according to his more immediate apprehensions of it; by which many particulars may be suggested not before thought of, ac- cording to the working of his own affections, and the various altera- tions that may appear in the auditory; and, besides, they will breed a wafpjcria, such a fitting confidence as should be in that orator who is to have a power over the affections of others, which such a one is scarcely capable of. Wilkin' s Ecclesiast. sect. 2. This reminds me of what Quintilian says upon extempore speaking: ' Maximus vero studiorumfructus est, et velut praemium quoddam amplissimum longi laboris, ex tempore aicendifacvltas : quam qui non erit consecutus, mea quidem sententia, civilibus officiis renuntiabit, et solam scribendi facultatem potius ad alia opera converted Quid multus stylus, et assidua lectio, longa studiorum aetas facit, si manet eadem quse fuit incipientibus difficultas ? Periisse profecto confitendum praeteritum laborem, cui semper idem Jaborandum est." &c. Quint. Jnst. lib. x. cap. 7. COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 55 some a promise, others a threatening; some a wish, others an exhortation ; some a censure, others a motive to action ; some a parable, some a reason ; some a compa- rison of two things together, some a vision, some a thanksgiving ; some a description of the wrath, or majesty of God, of the sun, or some other tiling; a commendation of the law, or of some person ; a prayer ; an amplification of joy, or affliction; a pathetic exclamation of anger, sorrow, admiration, imprecation, repentance, confession of faith, patriarchal or pastoral benediction, consolation, &c. I take the greatest part to be mixed, containing different kinds of things. It is very important for a man, who would compose, to examine his text well upon these articles, and carefully to distinguish all its characters, for in so doing he will presently see what way he ought to take. Having well examined of what kind the text is, enter into the matter, and begin the composition ; for which purpose you must observe, there are two general ways, or two manners of composing. One is the way of explica- tion, the other of observations : nor must it be imagined that you may take which of the two ways you please on every text, for some texts must be treated in the explica- tory method, and others necessarily require the way of observations. When you have a point of doctrine to treat of, you must have recourse to explication ; and when a text of history, the only way is observation. ;, '* In discernment upon this article the judgment of a man consists ; for, as texts of scripture are almost infinite, it is impossible to give perfect rules thereupon; it depends in general on good sense : only this I say, when we treat of a plain subject, common and known to all the world, it is a great absurdity to take the way of explication ; and when we have to treat of a difficult or important subject, which requires explaining, it would be equally ridiculous to take the way of observations. The difficulty, of which we speak, may be considered, either in regard to the terms of the text only, the subject itself being clear, after the words are explained ; or in regard to the subject only, the terms themselves being very intelligible ; or in regard to both terms and things. E4 If 56 AN ESSAY ON THE If the terms be obscure, we must endeavour to give the true sense : but if they be clear, it would be trifling to affect to make them so ; and we must pass on to the difficulty, which is in the subject itself. If the subject be clear, we must explain the terms, and give the true sense of the words. If there appear any absurdity or difficulty in both, both must be explained : but always begin with the explanation of the terms. In the explication of the terms, first propose what they call ratio dubitandi, that is, whatever makes the difficulty. The reason of doubting, or the intricacy, arises often from several causes. Either the terms do not seem to make any sense at all ; or they are equivocal, forming different senses ; or the sense, which they seem at first to make, may be perplexed, improper, or contradictory; or the meaning, though clear in itself, may be controverted, and exposed to cavillers. In all these cases, after you have proposed the difficulty, determine it as briefly as you can ; for which purpose avail yourself of criticisms, notes, comments, paraphrases, &c. and, in one word, of the labours of other persons. If none of these answer your expectation, endeavour to find something better yourself ; to which purpose, examine all the circumstances of the text, what precedes, what follows, the general scope of the discourse, the particular design of the writer in the place where your text is, the subject of which it treats, parallel passages of scripture which treat of the same subject, or those in which the same expressions are used, &c. ; and by these means it is almost impossible that you should not content yourself. Above all, take care not to make of grammatical matters a principal part ; but only treat of them as previously necessary for understanding the text. To proceed from terms to things. They must, as I have said, be explained, when they are either difficult or important. There are several ways of explication. You may begin by refuting errors, into which people have fallen ; or you may fall upon the subject immediately, and so come to a fair and precise declaration of the truth ; and, after this, you may dilate, (if I may venture to say so) by a deduction of the principles, on which the text depends, COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 57 depends, and on the essential relations, in which it ought to be considered f . The same method must be taken, when texts are mis- understood, and gross and pernicious errors adduced. In such a case, first reject the erroneous sense, and (if necessary) even refute it, as well by reasons taken from the texts, as by arguments from other topics ; and at length establish the true sense. Take for example, John xvi. 1 2. I have yet many things to say unto you ; but yc cannot bear them now. You must begin by proposing and rejecting the false senses, whicli some ancien.t heretics gave of these words. They said, Jesus Christ spoke here of many unwritten traditions, which he gave his disciples by word of mouth after his resurrection An argument which the church of Rome has borrowed, to colour her pretended traditions. After you have thus proposed the false sense, and sol idly refuted it, pass on to establish the true, and shew what were the things which Jesus Christ had yet to say to his disciples, and which they could not then bear. I would advise the same method for all disputed texts. Hold it as a maxim, to begin to open the way to a truth by rejecting a falsehood. Not that it can be always done; sometimes you must begin by explaining the truth, and afterwards reject the error; because there are certain occasions, on which the hearers' minds must be pre- occupied; and because also truth, well proposed and fully established, naturally destroys error: but, notwithstanding this, the most approved method is to begin by rejecting error. After all, it must be left to a man's judgment when he ought to take different courses. There are texts of explication, in which the difficulty arises neither from equivocal terms, nor from the different senses in which they may be taken, nor from objections which may be formed against them, nor from the abuse which heretics have made of them ; but from the intricacy of the subject itself ] which may be difficult to comprehend, and 1 Mr. Claude here explains Acts ix. 5. not as expressing merely that Paul's opposition to him was fruitless, but as saying, that it arose from the hardness of his heart; as though e-xX^ov