to the living of Covent Garden, the inhabitants of that parish were so averse to him, that Tillotson says, "that if the Earl of Bedford had liked him, (which it would seem he did not) he could not have thought it fit to bestow the living on him, knowing how necessary it is to the good effect of a man's ministry, that he do not lie under any great prejudice with the people." Dr. Birch remarks, that the grounds of the great aversion in the parish of Covent Garden to Dr. H. are not easy to be assigned at this distance of time. Bishop Kidder, his biographer, sets him forth as one of the brightest examples that ever adorned the pastoral office. "He had," he says, "the zeal, the spirit, the courage of John the Baptist, and durst reprove a great man; perhaps that Iman lived not, that was more conscientious in this matter."

TROPE FOR TROPE.

A clergyman preaching in the neighbourhood of Wapping, observing that most part of his audience were in the sea-faring way, very naturally embellished his discourse with several nautical tropes and figures. Amongst other things, he advised them to be ever on the watch, so that, on whatsoever tack the evil one should bear down upon them, he might be crippled in action. "Aye, master," muttered a jolly son of Neptune ; "but let me tell you, that will depend upon your having the weather gage of him." A just, though whimsical remark.

MAILLARD.

The French doctor of divinity, Oliver Maillard, who died in the year 1502, was one of the best scholars and ablest preachers of his day. He reproved the vices of the times with uncommon boldness, without any respect of persons; and depicted the sinners he had in view with such a masterly hand, that the likeness was immediately known. As his portraits were drawn from real life, his sermons may be compared to a picture gallery, in which the reigning vices of that age are exhibited in the most faithful colours. There never was a preacher, perhaps, that waged a more successful war with hypocrites and profligates, with which all the departments of the church and state were at that time filled. He spoke with the same felicity that he wrote, and was never known to sully his tongue or his pen with flattery, or to disguise the truth, so that he was called "the scourge of sinners."

This zealous divine one day preaching before the parliament at Thoulouse, drew so finished a portrait of a corrupt judge, and his application to many of the members of that body was so pointed, that they deliberated for some time whether it would not be proper to arrest him. The result of their deliberations was transmitted to the archbishop; who, in order to soothe the resentment of those who felt themselves hurt, commanded Maillard that he should not preach for two years. The good man received this mandate in all the spirit of humility. He waited on the offended magistrates, and stated his duty as a

preacher of the divine word, in such impressive language, that they threw themselves alternately on his bosom, confessed their crimes, and became true penitents.

Maillard even took liberties with the king himself, when he happened to preach before his majesty. When one of the courtiers told him, that the king had threatened to throw him into the river, "the king," replied he, " is my master; but you may tell him, that I shall get sooner to heaven by water, than he will with his post-horses." The king, (Louis XI.) happened to be the first who established posting on the roads of France. When this bon-mot was repeated to him, he wisely resolved to allow Maillard to preach what he would. The saying, by the way, appears to have been a current jest among the wits of the time; for it is to be found in Badius's "Navis Stultifera."

In the Latin edition of Maillard's Sermons, published at Paris, the words, "hem, hem," are written in the margin, to mark the places where, according to the custom of those days, the preacher was at liberty to stop to cough.

WITTY PERVERSION.

Dr. Williamson, vicar of Moulton in Lincolnshire, had a violent quarrel with one of his parishioners of the name of Hardy, who shewed considerable resentment. On the succeeding Sunday the doctor preached from the following text, which he pronounced with much emphasis, and with a significant look at Mr. Hardy, who was present: "There is no fool like the fool HARDY."

SINGULAR DISTINCTION.

Mr. Mossman, a Scotch minister, preaching on the sin of taking God's name in vain, made this singular distinction: "O! sirs, this is a very great sin; for my own part, I would rather steal all the horned cattle in the parish, than once take God's name in vain."

READING THE ATHANASIAN CREED.

The Rev. Mr. Wright, a curate in the West of England, refused to read the Athanasian Creed, though repeatedly desired to do so by his parishioners. They complained to the Bishop of the Diocese, who ordered it to be read. The Creed is appointed to be said or sung; and the curate accordingly on the following Sunday thus addressed his congregation. "Next follows St. Athanasius's Creed, either to be said or sung, and with God's leave I'll sing it. Now, clerk, mind what you are about." They immediately commenced singing it in a fox-hunting tune, which having previously practised, was correcily performed. The parishioners again met, and informed their curate that they would dispense with the Creed in future.

SUBLIME INCIDENT.

When the well-known Dr. Barth preached for the first time in his native City of Leipsic, he disdained the usual precaution of having his sermon placed in the Bible before him, to refer to in case of need.

A violent thunder storm suddenly arising, just as he was in the middle of his discourse, and a tremendous peal of thunder causing him to lose the thread of his argument, with great composure and dignity he shut the Bible, saying, with great emphasis, "When God speaks, man must hold his peace." He then descended from the pulpit, while the whole congregation looked on him with admiration and wonder.

TRUTH WILL OUT.

Aubrey says, that Dr. Babington, who was chaplain to the celebrated Robert, Earl of Leicester, being employed by that nobleman to preach the sermon at the funeral of his first wife, whose death it is now almost historically certain, was foully accomplished by the earl's desire, in order to promote his ambitious hopes of an alliance with Queen Elizabeth, the honest parson "tripped once or twice in his speech, by recommending to their memories that virtuous lady so pitifully--murdered, instead of saying so pitifully slain."

SERMON BY SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

A clergyman, a friend of Mr. Opie's, declared to him, that he once delivered one of Sir Joshua's discourses from the pulpit, as a sermon, with no other alteration, but in such words as made it applicable to morals, instead of the fine arts. "Which," says the relater, "is a proof of the depth of his reasoning, and of its foundation being formed on the principles of general nature."