that while one might keep the sermons of Hall upon our table, and read them daily without being sensible of any other effect than that of pleasure, and a general elevation of sentiment; the discourses of Chalmers cannot be read without a degree of labour in some measure corresponding to that which their author is subject to in the delivery of them, while they afford the Christian minister few inducements to imitation. Dr. Chalmers is certainly a great man, and the world is vastly indebted to him for his sermons; but we cannot help thinking that they would be much better, were they only divested of all those peculiarities which some of our young ministers have endeavoured to imitate. It is, however, high time for us to desist from this disquisition, and attend to the subject more immediately before us.

the sermons of the French and English, or the writers of a former age and those of the present. With regard to the comparative merit of the best sermons of the English school, and the best which have been produced on the Continent, public opinion has given a verdict, and this, when it has been tried and settled by time, may always be safely relied on. It seems to be generally conceded, that neither the French nor English have all the characteristics necessary to form a perfect model in this department of writing; and that a style of preaching which should unite the vivacity and pungent appeals of the one, with the sober and chastened reasoning of the other, would on the whole be preferable to either. Perhaps, however, this desideratum has been in a good degree realized in some of the modern English sermons, particularly in those of Mr. With regard to the Sermons of MonHall, of Liecester, which we think on sieur Saurin, of which the public are the whole inferior to no other specimens now favoured with a new and much of this kind of writing in the language; superior edition to any that has preand when he shall condescend to favour ceded it, we have little to say that has us with a few additional discourses, the not been already said by others; and fruit of his more recent studies, we are when we mention the names of Drs. inclined to think, from the reports that Blair, Doddridge and Edward Williams, have reached us from various quarters, of Hervey, Cecil and Job Orton, all of that we shall have less occasion to use whom have mentioned them in the any qualifying terms in appreciating highest terms of commendation, we are their excellencies. Those already pub- sure our readers will excuse us from lished are the production of a mind entering upon any laboured eulogy conwhich can bear down upon the intellect cerning them. Of all the divines of the with a resistless force of argument, and Continent of Europe, with whose wriat the same time cause the finest chords tings we are acquainted, Saurin is the of the soul to vibrate to an almost most worthy to be classed with Hall and magical power of persuasion. With all Chalmers. To extensive erudition he this superlative excellence, there is united eloquence of the highest order; united nothing of eccentricity or affec- and while his address was that of the tation; on the contrary, the reader, most polished courtier, he knew how, while he is delighted and charmed by by manifestation of the truth, to comthe argument and eloquence, feels that mend himself to every man's conscience his author has subdued him by fair and in the sight of God. The edition now legitimate means; that it is by the before us comprises all the_Sermons simple and natural operation of the that were translated by Mr. Robinson, highest intellectual energies. Dr. Chal- of Cambridge, by Dr. Hunter, and by mers, another of our popular and power- Mr. Sutcliff, with some additional ones ful writers, to whom we must certainly now first translated by a relative of the concede great force of intellect, has present Editor. It includes all Mr. thrown over his noble sentiments such Robinson's Prefaces, with those of his an air of eccentricity, by a perfectly other Translators, and an uncommonly unique and heavily decorated style, that fine portrait of Saurin in his preaching we cannot help regretting, while reading dress. The work is printed in a fine bold his sermons, that he had not the power type on superior paper, and the whole is of expressing himself more in the style executed in a style corresponding to its of other men; that so many splendid intrinsic merit. Having ourselves wishshadows should rest upon so much sub-ed, for years, to see a handsome edition stantial excellence. The consequence of these Sermons in an English dress, with respect to these two authors is, such as the one before us, we certainly

GREEN'S ESSAYS ON PRAYER, &c.

think Mr. Baynes entitled to our gratitude for producing it; and we hope the liberality of the age will confer on him a more substantial recompence.

Ir has often appeared to us, that the art of preaching has not in this country arrived at that pitch of excellence which, from the importance of the subject, and the encouragements which are afforded, might reasonably be expected. The number of preachers has within these few years prodigiously encreased; but contrary to the general law in those cases, that increase has only tended to scatter them wider apart so as to cover a greater surface, but has not, at least to our apprehension, improved the quality of the article. Of course we are now speaking of the cultivation of the talent of preaching as a human attainment, irrespective of that supernatural Divine agency, which in all suppositions is necessary to render it effectual. What ever may be the cause of this supposed declension, it certainly does not arise from a deficiency of publications on the subject; and we feel particular pleasure in introducing another, and we conceive, one of considerable merit, from our old and esteemed correspondent, Mr. S. Green.

21

no finery; but such sterling matter, as will do any man good to read it once: but will do him more good the oftener it is read. The author does not pretend to exhibit any thing new; but he has condensed a great deal into a small compass, and has expressed his thoughts in bold and nervous, and sometimes touching language. All throughout, the observations regarding the spirit and character of the christian minister, are of greater value than the rules the author has laid down for sermonizing, which are in many cases too obvious, and too common place to justify insertion in so small a work. In the 10th, 11th, and 12th Essays, the author has given a description of what he calls six kinds of sermons; but we should rather call them so many parts of sermons, for though some discourses may have more of one of these characters than another, to devote a whole sermon to any one would be insufferably monotonous and wearisome. We have sometimes heard it done, but with no more effect than so much empty prattling.

In the Essay on "Spirituality of mind in a Christian Minister," which we regard as one of the best in the work, a subject is introduced of very great importance; and as we conceive the practice is growing very much in the present day, we shall introduce the whole pas

sage.

"If ministers would enjoy spirituality of mind, they must set a high value on their time, and not suffer even their best friends to have the command of it; if they do, they may frequently suffer losses which cannot be repaired. To be called Three or four of the Essays contained out of the study to speak to every one who in this small volume have already ap- should know that we highly value our likes to visit us, is wrong; our domestics peared in our own, or a contemporary time, and must not, at all seasons, be broJournal; and the satisfaction they gave ken in upon. Much less should we be to their respective editors and readers, frequently at dinner and tea parties, where it appears suggested the idea of a sepa- the conversation runs wild, turning upon rate publication. Three only are on the the politics and events of the day, to the subject of prayer; but the remaining, exclusion of Christ and religion. If in though relating chiefly to the christian order to make one in the parties even of ministry, and the character and conduct our most pious and judicious friends, to of those engaged in its duties, contain partake with them of their delicacies, we observations exceedingly valuable to must give them five or six hours of our every member of a christian church. time, we had better give them money to excuse us. Time is short, and should not The author is certainly a man of strong be so cheaply parted with; it is our best sense of sterling piety-and of con- earthly treasure, and capable of incalculasiderable knowledge of human nature. ble improvement. To see a minister of The character of the book in a word is, Christ sit several hours together, smoking "Sound speech which cannot be con- his pipe, and, I will not say, drinking his demned." Here is no tinsel, no flare,glass, but indulging in idleness, is an un

that while one might keep the sermons of Hall upon our table, and read them daily without being sensible of any other effect than that of pleasure, and a general elevation of sentiment; the discourses of Chalmers cannot be read without a degree of labour in some measure corresponding to that which their author is subject to in the delivery of them, while they afford the Christian minister few inducements to imitation. Dr. Chalmers is certainly a great man, and the world is vastly indebted to him for his sermons; but we cannot help thinking that they would be much better, were they only divested of all those peculiarities which some of our young ministers have endeavoured to imitate. It is, however, high time for us to desist from this disquisition, and attend to the subject more immediately before us.

the sermons of the French and English, or the writers of a former age and those of the present. With regard to the comparative merit of the best sermons of the English school, and the best which have been produced on the Continent, public opinion has given a verdict, and this, when it has been tried and settled by time, may always be safely relied on. It seems to be generally conceded, that neither the French nor English have all the characteristics necessary to form a perfect model in this department of writing; and that a style of preaching which should unite the vivacity and pungent appeals of the one, with the sober and chastened reasoning of the other, would on the whole be preferable to either. Perhaps, however, this desideratum has been in a good degree realized in some of the modern English sermons, particularly in those of Mr. With regard to the Sermons of MonHall, of Liecester, which we think on sieur Saurin, of which the public are the whole inferior to no other specimens now favoured with a new and much of this kind of writing in the language; superior edition to any that has preand when he shall condescend to favour ceded it, we have little to say that has us with a few additional discourses, the not been already said by others; and fruit of his more recent studies, we are when we mention the names of Drs. inclined to think, from the reports that Blair, Doddridge and Edward Williams, have reached us from various quarters, of Hervey, Cecil and Job Orton, all of that we shall have less occasion to use whom have mentioned them in the any qualifying terms in appreciating highest terms of commendation, we are their excellencies. Those already pub- sure our readers will excuse us from lished are the production of a mind entering upon any laboured eulogy conwhich can bear down upon the intellect cerning them. Of all the divines of the with a resistless force of argument, and Continent of Europe, with whose wriat the same time cause the finest chords tings we are acquainted, Saurin is the of the soul to vibrate to an almost most worthy to be classed with Hall and magical power of persuasion. With all Chalmers. To extensive erudition he this superlative excellence, there is united eloquence of the highest order; united nothing of eccentricity or affec- and while his address was that of the tation; on the contrary, the reader, most polished courtier, he knew how, while he is delighted and charmed by by manifestation of the truth, to comthe argument and eloquence, feels that mend himself to every man's conscience his author has subdued him by fair and in the sight of God. The edition now legitimate means; that it is by the before us comprises all the Sermons simple and natural operation of the that were translated by Mr. Robinson, highest intellectual energies. Dr. Chal- of Cambridge, by Dr. Hunter, and by imers, another of our popular and power- Mr. Sutcliff, with some additional ones ful writers, to whom we must certainly now first translated by a relative of the concede great force of intellect, has present Editor. It includes all Mr. thrown over his noble sentiments such Robinson's Prefaces, with those of his an air of eccentricity, by a perfectly other Translators, and an uncommonly unique and heavily decorated style, that fine portrait of Saurin in his preaching we cannot help regretting, while reading dress. The work is printed in a fine bold his sermons, that he had not the power type on superior paper, and the whole is of sepressing himself more in the style executed in a style corresponding to its of other men; that so many splendid intrinsic merit. Having ourselves wishshadowe should rest upon so much sub-ed, for years, to see a handsome edition stantial recellence. The consequence of these Sermons in an English dress, with respect to these two authors is, such as the one before us, we certainly