(1.) You must pray for yourself-that God would help you to bring your own Spirit into a frame suitable to the work you are about to undertake that the word you deliver may affect your own heart, or that you may first feel the holy flame you would communicate to others that a door of utterance may be opened to you, and that you may speak as becomes the oracles of Godthat he would direct you to speak to the consciences and particular cases of your hearers, or that what you deliver, may be a word in season *— and that he would especially assist you in prayer, and give you the spirit of grace and supplication.

2. You are to pray for your people-that their attentions may be engaged both to the evidence. and importance of the things they are to hear that God would open their hearts to give them a fair and candid reception, and that no bad prejudice may prevent the good effect of the wordthat the grace of God may co-operate with his appointed means, to set home divine truths with power on their consciences-that they may be `able to retain the good seed that is sown-that it may bring forth it's proper fruit in their future lives-and finally, that their prayers for you, and behaviour towards you, may strengthen your hands, and make you more serviceable to their souls.

* Ad docendum divina nemo idoneus est, nisi doctus divinitûs. Id. p. 110.

3. Let your mind and countenance be very composed and serious, and your gesture grave and decent. To this end, endeavour to bring your spirit into a religious and devout frame, before you come into the house of God. Attend to the real importance of the work you are called to, both when you are the mouth of God to the people, and when you are the mouth of the people to God. Avoid those objects, and avert those thoughts, which tend to discompose your mind, or indispose it for the sacred service you are going to engage in. Clear your heart of all vain and worldly cares, and especially of all vexatious and disturbing thoughts, before you enter on the public service of God. Endeavour to attain a spiritual, holy and heavenly frame of mind by previous prayer, reading, and devout meditation. It will render your sacred work both more agreeable and easy to yourself, and more beneficial to your hearers, if you endeavour to carry into the house of God that serious temper of mind which you desire they should carry out of it.

4. Before you enter on your work, take time to premeditate and recollect some of the most weighty, pertinent and important sentiments and expressions you may have occasion for either in prayer or preaching. This will be especially necessary, if you give any thing in charge to the memory; that you may not be at a loss for those sentiments

sentiments when they are to be produced in their proper place. The mind should be well seasoned with the discourse before it be delivered. It is not enough to be master of your notes, but you must enter into the spirit of your subject. Call in every thing that is proper to improve it, and to raise and animate your mind in the contemplation of it*.

5. Affect your mind with the consideration of the solemnity and importance of the business you are going about; and how much may depend on a faithful execution of it. Few men had ever more natural courage than Mr. Luther, and yet he was often heard to say, that even to the latest part of his life, he never could conquer his fear when he mounted the pulpit †. And St. Chrysostom used to say, that that scripture, They watch for your souls, as those that must give an account, Heb. xiii. 17. struck his mind with constant awe ‡.

"One of the two English divines whom I have mentioned in this letter, and who were the only PREACHERS I ever saw there, took as much pains he told me in writing and speaking his sermon in his study, before he preached it, as most others do in the composition; and his success was answerable." Advice from a Bishop. p. 65. T.

† Etsi jam senex, et in concionando exercitus sum, tamen timeo quoties suggestum conscendo.

Wilkin's Eccles. p. 254.

† Ο γαρ φοβός ταυτης της απειλής συνεχῶ; κατατεύει με την ψυχήν

Chrysostom de Sacerdotio. 1, 6,

Lastly.

Lastly. Keep up a self-command, and a becoming presence of mind; and get above a low, servile fear of men. If you are master of your subject, and come well furnished with suitable materials for their religious improvement, and produce plain scripture and reason for what you advance, you have no cause to fear either the critic or the censor; but may with modesty conclude, that you are at least as good a judge of the subject you have taken so much pains to understand and digest, as they are, who perhaps never gave it so precise or extensive a consideration*.

"The great endeavour of every one who preaches the gospel, should be to acquire with his audience, Authority.How then shall we obtain this so valuable Authority? Ye may be assured of it, by establishing a belief, that you are possest of a competent degree of knowledge, of perfect sincerity, of diligence: By composing your discourses with due care: By exact attention in the right choice of subjects; disposing them with clear method, treating them with close reason, well moderated passion and chaste fancy; by expressing your sense properly, with perspicuity and shortness; and by delivering the whole with a natural, becoming warmth and variety. And more especially if you would do good by preaching, or maintain any degree of this Authority, preserve a strict conformity of manners to your doctrines: Be what you recommend." Lawson's Lectures. p. 430, 431. T.

CHAP.

CHAP. IV.

OF PULPIT-ELOCUTION.

UNDER this phrase, I comprize the language, pronunciation, and action that are most becoming the pulpit.

1. The language. This must be plain, proper, pure, concise and nervous.

(1.) Let your language be plain or perspicuous * It is a nauseous affectation to be fond of hard words, or to introduce terms. of art and learning into a discourse addressed to a mixed assembly of plain, illiterate christians. The ridicule of it will appear, by supposing you were to talk to them in that manner in common conversation. They who do not understand you, will dislike you; and they who do, will see the affectation, and despise you.

Prima est eloquentiæ virtus, perspicuitas; et quoquisque ingenio minus valet, hoc se magis attollere et dilatare conatur: ut staturâ breves in digitos eriguntur, et plura infirmi minantur. Quintilian, 1. ii. c. 3...

(2.) Let