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LETTER XXII.

WHAT MATERIALS AND TOPICS SHOULD GENERALLY

BE THROWN ASIDE.

HAVING made these remarks upon the sources from whence you are to draw your materials, it may be well to mention what materials and topics should be thrown aside, and made no use of by the Christian minister.

First, you should admit nothing extraneous. A sermon is too short a composition to allow of digressions. "It is a hard task," says Swift, "but he who wishes to be a forcible preacher, must submit to it: viz. to cut off without regret or mercy whatever is superfluous," whatever does not tend to enforce or illustrate the main point. Should you happen to strike into a rich vein of new ideas, you must cover it up carefully, till you have worked out the old one, and open it again next week.

Except for particular reasons,-as, for instance, when you are preaching a course of sermons, those topics should be unnoticed, which every one admits; as the existence of a God; the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; the certainty of a future retribution. The very discussion of these plain and acknowledged truths is disadvantageous; as it only serves to raise a doubt where none before existed. If, unfortunately, infidel opinion have infected your neighbourhood, then it will be necessary to confirm your hearers' mind in those elemental truths of religion.

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Avoid an "impertinent way which some persons have of needlessly setting forth the originals 1." Twothirds of one of Paley's sermons are taken up with proving that "covetousness does not mean covetousness," but inordinate desires: so also in one of Dr. Parr's discourses, the author takes great pains to prove that 1 Cor. xi. 28, should not be translated, "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat," but, let a man distinguish himself. This is a great mistake in preaching. Our English translation is, on the whole, so correct, and the consequence of unsettling the minds of the common people so prejudicial, that a prudent preacher will carefully abstain from showing his erudition in this manner. Critical knowledge, though very useful and necessary for yourself in your study, is out of place in the pulpit; and indeed the exhibition of it

is fortunately well nigh exploded. Sometimes, however, when verbal criticism is required, in order to remove some important misunderstanding, an exception should be made in its favour; as if you preach on 1 Cor. xi. 29, where it is said that "he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself1;" or on the text in which we are bid to "hate father and mother :"-in such cases as these, a critical explanation is needed; but it should be as brief and modest as possible, and not made the vehicle for a pedantic display of learning.

"Never indulge in the poor vanity of handling a text in a new manner;" that is to say, in a manner which you know to be different from that which is generally received, and adopt for that very reason, in order to show your ingenuity. It is ten to one that you will be wrong.

Never go beyond the Scriptures on any subject, "Speak where they speak, be silent where they are silent."

Have nothing to do with curious mysteries, metaphysical subtilties, speculations of the schools, and foolish and unlearned questions ;-as, whether or no our Saviour might have come into the world sooner after the fall than he did? whether he might have suffered unknown? how all the birds and beasts got into the ark? what was the mark set on Cain, and

1 Paley, Sermon xi.

the thorn in St. Paul's flesh? and similar speculations which are common in old writers, and not altogether unknown in new.

"Never raise an old heresy from the grave where it has slept quietly for centuries; for fear your hearers should say, We never thought of that till Mr. mentioned it but what he said in explanation was not very satisfactory after all." Also, in ordinary parish preaching, and I may say in all preaching, avoid unnecessary controversy, and questions which gender strife. Such are the topics which Milton represents the fallen angels as discussing-they

"Reasoned high,

Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute;
And found no end in wandering mazes lost 2."

The end of such discussions is too commonly to unsettle men's minds, and call forth the angry passions of a corrupt nature: and they more frequently terminate in heresy or scepticism than in edification. "Controversy has an obvious tendency to warp the understanding and sour the temper— it is good neither for yourself nor for your flock.”

Occasions may sometimes arise when you may be forced to notice controverted points :—when, for instance, heterodox opinions have been studiously promulgated, and received amongst your flock. Great

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discretion and Christian charity are required on such occasions. How unedifying it is to hear neighbouring clergymen preachers, perhaps, in the same town, nay, the morning and evening lecturers in the same pulpit-engaged in angry controversy. It were well if the fifty second Canon were in such cases enforced, which expressly declares that "there shall be no public opposition between preachers.' "If any preacher shall in the pulpit, particularly or namely, of purpose impugn or confute any doctrine delivered by any other preacher in the same Church, or in any Church near adjoining, before he hath acquainted the Bishop of the diocese therewith, and received order from him what to do in that case; because upon such public dissenting and contradicting, there may grow up much offence or disquietness to the people; the churchwardens or party grieved, shall forthwith signify the same to the said Bishop, and not suffer the said preacher any more to occupy that place which he hath once abused." If you should at any time unfortunately find yourself forced, by cogent reasons, to notice any subject of controversy, my advice is, that you carefully refrain from assuming the air of a combatant, and content yourself with setting forth, in plain and moderate language, what is the Scriptural truth. Some persons rush into controversy without understanding what it is they have to fight with; they "dress up a man of straw, in hideous vestments," and then amuse themselves

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